"Courtesy Calls"

While some noisy construction in my office building gets done, I've been working from home. I've been shocked at the number of "courtesy calls" I get from my credit card companies, the cable company and magazines I subscribe to or used to subscribe to. The calls are to give me some great offer, to check on whether the magazine is arriving, whether I want to renew my subscription, etc. In the latt 24 hours, I've gotten calls from 3 magazines, the newspaper, and one card company, plus 2 hangups that were probably from one of the above. I'm on the do not call list, but these are all companies I do business with, so I believe they're allowed to call me. Almost all the time, I pretend I'm not me and tell them I'm not home, but I figured that would keep them calling back so I started taking the calls. Anyone else get a lot of these or do I just read too many magazines and have too many credit cards?

 

Pick up the red courtesy phone and blow a whistle into the receiver. That telemarketer will never mess with you again, and think twice before messing with anybody else.

 

Courtesy call = courtesy flush

 

I used to get those "This is a courtesy call from your Universal MasterCard . . . " I'd point out that it's not a courtesy call, it's a "piss-me-off" call. They never ended until I moved and "forgot" to change my phone number on the credit card bills.
Postscript: A year or two later, I got a postcard in the mail from Universal Card, which had been the worst offender. It said something like: "We've been trying to contact you with some exciting offers. Please give us your phone number so we can call you!"

Yeah, right.

 

caller i.d. is the best solution. 'cause there's nothin more discourteous than a "courtesy call." : : :

 

Do you have a white phone?

 

I guess my question is if there's a way to stop them. Even if I ignore the call (thank you, caller ID), they still just keep calling. I mean, I want the credit card companies to call if there's a problem with my card, but I don't want their stupid fucking offers.

 

Sign up for the no calls list. I haven't got a junk phone call in four years.

 

Try moving to a new place ... the number of callers offering security systems, extermination, and cable/satellite systems will drive the most patient person nuts.

 

Never answer your phone unless you have caller ID.

Anyone you know will leave a message.