Telephone Solicitations by Susan L.

  We all get them. We are all annoyed by the interruptions. Supper time seems to be the best time for unwanted phone calls or late on a Sunday evening. Sellers pushing their wares on us: meat, windows, duct cleaning...I have some fun with that, playing hard of hearing. I tell them the ducks are at the pond and are clean already.
  The annoying fog horn, "You've won a cruise!" Great! But it'll cost an arm and a leg to fly to the departure city.
  Once in a while, I thank them for calling because I'd like to share the news about Jesus. Sadly, they usually hang up on me.
  The most disturbing one is the caller who identifies themselves as calling about Microsoft Windows, or about the internet server. I went along with them once to a certain point. He had me turn on my computer. That's when I asked him how he was going to help since, at that time, I didn't have internet. He hung up.
  The caller last night from Microsoft got rather aggressive. He told me several times that there was a problem with Windows and if it wasn't addressed immediately, my computer would stop working. There was NO way this person would be given access to my computer, laptop, actually. I don't do online banking but letting them in, this rather underhanded way to accessing personal info, would be like giving candy to babies. It makes identity theft easier.
  Once in, your computer could be linked to others without you knowing. Unwittingly you might become part of an underground society linked with the darker side of the internet.
  I have something to share. The calls can be stopped. I am down to roughly one call every two or three weeks and that is often a local business going through the phone book.
  It takes three simple steps:
1. Call 1-866-580-3625  It's the National Do Not Call Registry. Good for five years.
2. Call 310-BELL   Ask Bell to remove you from the list they sell to phone solicitation companies. I dealt with a young girl who didn't know they had such a thing and was surprised to find out they did.
I am not sure if Rogers does the same. It wouldn't hurt to ask if you are their customer. Make sure if  any changes are made to your account that this request stays in place.
3. Ask any solicitor who calls to remove you from their call list. They sell their lists to others. This is crucial to take the time in the beginning and with all unwanted calls. Be firm. Be polite. These people are only doing a job they are paid for and a miserable job it must be.
  It takes some patience, but within six weeks there should be a radical drop in calls.
  "We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one." 1 Jn 5:19