The telemarketers and direct mail marketers have very sophisticated systems for targeting likely candidates for their products. Typically they operate off a 'credit score' basis. You will often see (if you request a copy of your credit report) that there have been multiple queries to it by credit card companies - this is the information they are using to target you.
Once they have your contact information, it's easy for them to get hold of you. The telemarketers use 'predictive dialers' that enable them to automatically call thousands of people. Typically the call centers where these people work employ hundreds of staff. The large credit card banks such as First USA (division of Bank One) or MBNA have thousands of people calling all day (but mostly at night).
The predictive dialers call your number and listen for an answering machine, busy tone, special information tone (tri-tone) etc. If they detect a human voice (some sophisticated processing here) then they pass it on to a call center agent.
You will notice that sometimes you have to say 'hello' a couple of times - that is the system listening for voice. You will also notice that sometimes there is a longer delay - that is when the system has overdialed and there is no call center agent free to take your call yet (which they placed!). Finally - those annoying calls from 'out of area' on the caller ID that ring a couple of times and then stop? Same problem - over dialing by these companies.
There are a couple of ways to get around all of this. For the direct mail, you can contact the
Direct Marketing Association and ask to be removed from their clients mailing lists. (This link is a bit flaky for some reason - keep trying it). They have a mail preference list that their clients 'clean' their mailings against. You will be amazed at how this drops the mailings. You can also write on each envelope you receive (if it has a return address) - "Return to Sender - remove from mailing list".
For telephone calls, also contact the
Direct Marketing Association and ask to be removed from their clients calling lists - this is known as their telephone preference list. Again, you'll notice a dramatic drop in calling volume.
Whenever you are called, interrupt the pitch and be polite to the agent calling. Unless they are calling to collect on an unpaid debt you have the right to request that they remove you from all calling campaigns. Ask them to acknowledge they have heard you - but be polite. You can also ask to speak to their supervisor (but this usually just results in you being transferred to one of their buddies).
These folks are not paid much - in fact, many of these call centers are in very rural areas and it's about the only job available and helps make ends meet in depressed areas. I don't believe that any of the call center agents believe they are pursuing their dream careers. For example, many of MBNA's call centers are in rural parts of Maine.
Another point to remember is to ask for the name of the company that the caller works for - not who they are representing. Companies like First USA, MBNA, Cross Country Bank etc represent hundreds of 'affiliate' groups like universities, NASCAR etc. This will help you establish who is calling you on a regular basis - i.e. whose list you ended up on.
As a side note, the credit card companies typically do quite well in a down economy. Think interest rates! Stock information for
MBNA is here just for interest - I'm not a stock picker myself.
Finally, any company can still contact you in the name of 'existing business relationship'. If you have ever purchased products from a particular company then it's hard to get them to stop sending you information or calling you. Pay close attention to any small print regarding privacy (especially with regard to 3rd party 'affiliates') when you make the purchase.
... and no, I don't work for any of these companies.
