MY TRUTH: Stop the calls

By: Cheryl Smith

What I enjoyed most about this past Fourth of July is something I have been praying about for quite some time. Actually, through prayer, I have also reached out to elected officials to express my disdain for the numerous phone calls I receive from telemarketers, which begin as early as 7:00 a.m. and continue as late as 9:00 p.m.

Well, I didn’t receive one “SPAM CALL” this July 4th through the 6th.  What a relief.  Talk about a good feeling.

July 7th was a different story.  The phone was back to ringing with those annoying calls ranging from offers to buy my house, sell insurance, get health benefits, and get home repairs, to securing a loan or participating in a timeshare. Program.

Sometimes I forget my age and will stay on the call, schedule appointments at my non-existent house.  I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone, but if they drove out to a home to repair a roof, it would be wasting their time, like I feel mine is wasted with the calls.

The National Do Not Call Registry
gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls

• You can register your home or mobile phone for free.
• After you register, other types of organizations may still call you, such as charities, political groups, debt collectors, and surveys.  
• If you received an unwanted call after your number was on the National Registry for 31 days, report it to the FTC.

I feel for those telemarketers. Back in the 1980s, I tried my hand at telemarketing, and I didn’t last a week.

Even then, I felt I was intruding, and today I feel violated with every call! 

It is quite annoying to run to the phone, stubbing your toe on the way, only to get an automated voice or some person you don’t know calling you by your first name, asking you how you are doing before they go into their pitch.

Someone is enjoying and benefiting because the calls are not going away. 

It appears that I could either monitor and block calls, pay my cell phone carrier, T-Mobile, to block the calls, or just grin and bear it.

All I know is I would be fine never receiving a call!  

I have registered with the government.  You can too.
Go to https://telemarketing.donotcall.gov to access the National Do Not Call Registry.

Is it too much to ask for peace and a break from the annoying calls?