# Affordable Health Care



## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

I purchased my health insurance during open enrollment but I still get about 15 to 20 calls a day asking if I need to purchase Affordable Health Care anybody else getting them


----------



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I get maybe 1 a week.


----------



## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

Did you do ask for info on line? If so they sell your info over and over and over. Oh and then sell it again.


----------



## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

No I didn't ask for any information on the line, and the thing that amazed me was I started figuring out and anything out of state was Healthcare so I stopped answering those calls.. now if I have someone I know call me at 717-222-4645 and I answer the phone and talk to them because it's someone I do business with 10 minutes later I get a phone call and I look at the caller ID and it says 717-222-4643. So I think all you have the guys call him back and when I pick up it says don't hang up this is urgent we can help you get better prices on Affordable Health Care. I can't figure out how they can know what phone numbers I have conversations with on my cell phone


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Something that I started doing a few months ago seems to have helped (and being the telemarketers are spoofing numbers to look like local numbers now, so the idea of only answering local numbers doesn't seem to always work so well).

Here is what I do (at both the office and on my cell/home phones): Pick up or answer the call, but don't say anything for at least 3 seconds (I wait for 3-5 seconds). Then say 'hello' or what you normally do when answering the phone. At least 9 out of 10 calls will 'hang up' on you (perhaps I'm wasting their time?).

Seems a lot of these calls are robo generated, so if it hears a voice (including voice mail or your answering machine) during the first few seconds, the computer knows it is a 'good' number. Now I don't know how well this works in a 'noisy' atmosphere, but it has drastically reduced the number of calls I receive. Seems if you don't answer (or let it go to voice mail/answering machine), your number becomes a 'deadbeat' number , that has very little value.

I've reduced the number of these calls to my office, I would say well above 95% (won't say 100%, but it's close). And don't get upset when they hang up on YOU.

HTH

Larry


----------



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

The robocalls are getting out of hand and they're illegal. There's really nothing the FCC can do because the calls are being generated online or mirror an existing phone number so there's no way to track where they come from.

A lot of medical grade braces are the calls I get, as well as car warranty.


----------



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Hayjosh said:


> A lot of medical grade braces are the calls I get, as well as car warranty.


The car warranty is easy to get on the 'dead beat' list. Just ask them if the warranty is still good if your car gets reprocessed. I'm not asking you to lie, just as them the question, it's their fault if they assume YOUR car is being subject to the reprocessing process.

Larry


----------



## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

The amount of telemarketers on cell phones is bad, I've got to the point that if they are not on the contact list I let it go to voicemail if it's important there will be a message. Now that they take local numbers I sometimes have to make a judgement call on whether to take it or not due to amish calling from their drivers phones. This past summer had (maybe a collection agency) calling for Alicia every couple of days for weeks. I finally blew up at the lady on the phone to take my ^%$#ing name off their call list there has never been anybody by that name with this number, I've had it from the beginning of cell service. Said it was not polite to talk to her that way. Have never heard from them since.


----------



## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

My main business is insurance, life and health. You are willing to play a game with those who are calling you it will make a difference. First what r82230 said have been told will work as the computer thinks it is a bad number.

First register all your phones on the Federal Do not call list, it is easy. Then when you get a call from any insurance person who is not your company or agent unless you have given them permission by clicking a web site or returning a mailer or such....be polite, be interested, just what you needed or wanted so glad they called...you are baiting them...you need to get their name and how to reach back to them and the insurance company (not an agency name) they are selling then file complaint with your state Dept of Insurance and with the insurance company they are selling with. The companies really take it serious and will terminate an agent for such. It is by Federal Law serious if an agent calls you for a drug plan or a Medicare Advantage without your prior permission.

Something that has helped us with our home is we have an AT&T phone system that has five hand sets (cordless) and answering machine we paid about $100 for at Sams. It has think they call it "smart voice message" or something along that line. You can set it so it will not let the call come through if they are not on your safe list without either entering their phone number or their name first. People who want you will and the scams will not. It also has blue tooth ability for two phones and can be used with your smart cell phones.


----------



## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

endow, most likely something put your number out there. Not impossible a company sold it. Think back what you may have bought or signed up for. These price discount cards many grocery stores use sell your info (how did you think they give discounts for using the card?), many groups you join also do, if you want to track such get a new email address and cell phone that you only use for such and if you pay attention you can detect who is selling your info especially spell your name a letter or two different with each such company. Depending on your demographics such as age, income, residence; your info is on a major "list" that is sold. It will amazes most people what info is out there for sale about them for really a few cents.

There are a few "list" companies that sell list of about any demographics you want. Your name, home address, date of birth about 15 to 30 cents apiece if you are buying a few thousand per year. You can often get the phone number and email address for a couple of cents more.

At same time maybe not all but a lot of the robocalls just begins dialing and dials each number in sequence. Some of these and in person calls originate from outside the USA to avoid the laws on such calls but they are selling for in many cases US companies. Best way to stop this is NOT buying from such calls. Some are selling a valid product but not all.

I believe the FCC and telecom industry has the ability to do much to control these calls if they just had the heart to do so. If they don't then they should ask for the laws to do so. Why is soft ware to make it possible to give a false caller ID number even legal? Still think federal law regarding unsolicited faxes and it use to be who ever turned in person or company doing so they had to pay a $50 per fine per fax. That money went to who ever reported the illegal faxes. Not much in spam faxes since then. Again will say if you buy from a person or company who calls a phone on the Federal Do Not Call list you are support law breakers...the simple truth. The legit ones don't.


----------

