Newton-McDonald, MO-2016

Annoying Telephone Calls

What To Do About… Annoying Telephone Calls

5. Remember, it’s your phone and your time. If you’re simply not interested, say so. If the caller is rude enough not to let you go gra- ciously, hang up. Nuisance Calls 1. Always use the telephone on your terms, not those of the caller. Don’t talk to anybody unless you want to. 2. Ask the caller for his or her identity. When a voice asks, “Who is this?” don’t answer. Instead ask “What number did you call?” or “Who do you want?” If the call isn’t legiti- mate, that very likely will end it. 3. Tell your children and their baby-sitter never to talk on the phone to anybody they don’t positively recognize. An innocent comment like “Daddy’s out of town” could be helpful to a burglar. Teach them to ask for the number so someone can call back later. 4. If the caller remains silent after you answer, hang up! Some want to listen, just to see what you’ll do, particularly to see if you’ll be angry. It isn’t much fun listening to a dead line. 1. As with the milder nuisance calls, this caller might remain silent for a little while. Don’t give the caller a chance to get started. Hang up! 2. If a caller makes any obscene or suggestive remarks, hang up. Threatening Calls In this category are the extreme cases – the bomb threats, the threats to life and property, the threats of kidnapping, robbery or bodily inju- ry to members of your family. Sometimes these calls are repeated over an extended period of time to harass and frighten a family. If you are unfortunate enough to be a victim of such a campaign, call the police and call the telephone company immediately. We work with you and the police to eliminate the problem. Abusive, Harassing or Obscene Calls

Here are some suggestions that will help you handle annoying telephone calls and perhaps keep them from recurring.

Annoying Sales or Survey Calls 1. A telephone call is just as personal as a face- to-face conversation. Don’t feel obligated to answer questions just because the caller sounds “official.” Don’t answer questions on the phone you wouldn’t answer if they were asked by a stranger on the street. 2. Always find out who is calling – the name of the person and the company he or she represents. 3. If the caller is a salesperson and you aren’t interested, say so. Ask the caller to send you all the information in a letter so you can con- sider it at your leisure. 4. If you don’t recognize the name of the com- pany conducting a survey, offer to call back or ask the caller to call you again after you have time to check the firm with the Better Business Bureau.

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