Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!att!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!bu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: stables!sw@indetech.com (Steve Warner)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Telemarketing Sleezoids
Message-ID: <68864@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Date: 14 Nov 90 17:17:19 GMT
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Organization: TELECOM Digest
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 825, Message 7 of 11


Tonight I received the first telemarketing call in some months.  The
call went something like this...

Me:  Hello?

TMS (Telemarket Slease):  Is Jane Frazzlebottom there?

Me:  Sorry - there is no one here by THAT name!

TMS: Is John Frazzlebottom there then..  This is AT(&)(N)T Calling...

Me:  No - No one here by that name either, sorry.

TMS: Did I call the correct number  (415) nXX-xxxx?

Me: Yes that is my number now

TMS: Oh - you must have had the number only a short while then.

Me: (catching on to this crap) What company did you say you are
    with???

TMS: AT(&)(N)T.  [sounded like AT&T but was slurred very expertly]

Me:  Did you say  AT [AND] T   or  AT [N] T.

TMS:  AT [N] T.

Me:  You guys are a joke.  
Click.

This was obviously going to degrade into some sort of push to switch
to their brand of rotten LD service.  And if I hadn't seen someone HERE
mention that someone was using ATNT as a company name - I may have
fallen for it too.

The line they called me on is one of three, which I changed numbers
to, in order to get PAC*BELL message center.  Previously my lines were
on a new prefix which never got telemarketing.

As soon as I hung up, it rang again - annoyed I answered, thinking it
was ATNT again - the caller asked if my paper was arriving ok, this
is the {San Jose Mercury News} calling.  (This REALLY happened.)

Time to change that number BACK to the orginal prefix!


Steve Warner    fremont, ca, USA etc   replys to: sun!indetech!stables!sw


[Moderator's Note: A story in TELECOM Digest in 1988 told about a
fellow here in Chicago who had incorporated his business using the
name "The Phone Company". He was selling an insurance policy dealing
with phone repair/replacements as needed, just like Illinois Bell with
their 'Line Backer' service. The Illinois Consumer Protection Office
made him stop. I feel rather certain ATNT is so close in sound to AT
and T that when Mother finds out about his scheme he'll get sued and
be forced at the least to change his name to something not infringing
on theirs.   PAT]