Dear Lifehacker, I received an alarmist message about telemarketing with an urgent call to click the included link. What do you make of it? More »
We’ve often suggested simply hanging up as the best way to deal with dodgy telemarketers. That strategy has just got some serious backing, with the ACCC and ACMA joining forces to recommend hanging up whenever you suspect something dodgy on the other end of the line. More »
Yesterday, we looked at two tactics for dissuading telemarketers from calling again: giving them a fake name so you can detect them next time, or hanging up without another word. If neither of those appeal, here’s some more options. More »
It’s not nice to lie, but it’s also not nice to get repeatedly called at dinner time by someone trying to flog you a mobile phone or pretending that you’re a Telstra customer when you’re not. If the Do Not Call list isn’t quite cutting it for you, giving a false name is one way of potentially scaring off telemarketers — or at least making them easier to detect. More »
It’s a familiar phrase when you’re stuck on the phone to a call centre: “This call may be recorded for quality or training purposes.” But what happens if you decide to turn the tables and record the call yourself? More »
Plans to extend the national Do Not Call Register to business might seem a good way to cut down on telephone spam, but telemarketing businesses are already planning to fight the move. More »
AOL is launching a do-not-track list—a web privacy effort that allows users to opt out of targeted marketing (similar to the more familiar National Do Not Call Registry)—later this year. Expect to see more of these opt-out lists soon. More »
US-centric: Tired of all those unwanted catalogs jamming your mailbox? Try Catalog Choice, a free service that you can use to opt out of junk mail. Signup is free; once you’ve created a simple profile you can go in and find the company that’s sending you stuff you don’t want and request to be taken off the list (this can take up to ten weeks, so be patient). Worth a try for anyone who’s looking to wean off the junk mail.
Catalog ChoiceSick of answering those telemarketing calls that always seem to arrive just as you’re expecting something more important? Want a little less mail to sort through? The World Privacy Forum web site has a helpful roundup of the best ways to opt out of marketing materials online and off, stop data brokers from snooping through your life and avoid being pinned down by browser cookies. A few of these tips have been covered before on this site, but there are a few unique tips, and the page makes for a good all-in-one bookmark for protecting your data and cleaning out the marketing clutter.
AU – The Australian Do Not Call register can be found here.
World Privacy Forum: Top Ten Opt Outs [via PC World]
