Great conversation, folks - thanks.
I should probably stress that I’m quite sure that this call was from Australia - not because of the number, but because the caller had an unmistakable Australia accent - in my experience, no NESB people can fake it, even highly competent (and highly paid) actors.
kortravel99, I agree with you; ACMA is useless. I have forwarded many unwanted email/phone calls to them and I doubt they do anything. I think the best option is to say, ‘wait one moment please,’ then leave the phone down and do something for 5-6 minutes. Then (if they haven’t already hung up) you can get back to them -if you want to - and say, ‘now you know what it’s like having your time wasted.’ I used to do this when I would get a telemarketing call when my kids were little and I was bathing them at 6pm. Or tell them that you’ve already bought a pre-paid funeral (this is actually much cheaper than Funeral Insurance).
Yes good idea and should weed out a few
IF the company calling you IS an Australian company - YOU have the RIGHT under Australian Law to request that an operator from the company IN AUSTRALIA should call you. e.g. Telstra. Sometimes the overseas operator is very helpful.Most times though I cannot understand the, causing them to SHOUT at me! I tell them i am NOT DEAF0 - Just cannot understand them. You can also answer the phone by “Hello?” and if it is someone you do not want to converse with then dsay in your WORST FOREGNaccebt, : I NO Understand INGRISH". They will SOON drop the phone on you!
I have found the do not call register to be almost useless. Part of the problem is that, unlike the USA, we didn’t set it up properly. In America, do not call means do not call, and that includes charities and political organisations. Here, any group claiming to be a charity can call you, and that is why on some weeks I average a phone call each night, at about dinner time, from the never ending list of charities.
Our governments never seem to able to really tackle an issue head on. We need to copy the US and give the Do Not Call register some teeth.
I find I rarely get 2nd calls from a nuisance telemarketer and never a 3rd. I had a call from a person who spoke with an Australian accent who wanted to interest me in funeral insurance. I said no thank you, I’m not planning to die any time soon, said a firm goodbye and hung up. I find that abrupt rejections and polite but firm goodbyes followed by hanging up is quite effective.
Does not help that the Chinese have purchased iinet<< TPG bought iiNet. It’s an Australian listed public company. It’s founders, David and Vicky Teoh are “ethnic”?? Chinese born in Malaysia and have lived here for 30 years, have several kids born and raised here. I suspect they are Australian citizens but might just be long term Permanent Residents. Whatever the details, it’s wrong to say “the Chinese have purchased iinet”
