"Dude, I don't know, I'm just doing what my manager said."

[Lingering Grin]

So my manager gives me a list of like 500 numbers (not an exaggeration, this damn list was 3 1/2 pages long) that I need to call to get the FAX numbers for.

I call one place.

OG = Other Guy: The guy I was talking to when I called.
Me: 3 guesses... first two don't count

OG: <blahblah> "how can I help you?"
Me: "Hi, I was wondering if I could get your fax number."
OG: "Who is this?"
Me: "I'm calling on behave of <bowling alley>."
OG: "What for?"
Me: "To get your fax number?"
OG: "Why?
Me: "I'm not sure exactly why, I was just told to call."
OG: "but why are you calling? why do you need it?"
Me: "I'm not sure..."
OG: "I need a reason, I can't just give out numbers."
Me: "Dude, I don't know, I'm just doing what my manager said." "She gave me a list, and said call.. so I am."
OG: "Oh well, I'm not interested."

Interested in what!? I'm not selling anything. I'm just asking for a fax number... some people make the simplest things way to complicated.

[Imprl59]

Perhaps not totally sucky. My fax machine cost money. The paper cost money. The toner cartridges cost money. Unless someone has a legitimate need for my fax number they aren't getting it.

Steve B.

[wagegoth]

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is the one that prevents the sending of junk faxes. The FCC's site includes an explanation of the updated rules under the Junk Fax Prevention Act:

Amended Fax Rules and Established Business Relationship Exemption

The rules provide that it is unlawful to send unsolicited advertisements to any fax machine, including those at both businesses and residences, without the recipient’s prior express invitation or permission. Fax advertisements, however, may be sent to recipients with whom the sender has an EBR, as long as the fax number was provided voluntarily by the recipient. Specifically, a fax advertisement may be sent to an EBR customer if the sender also:

obtains the fax number directly from the recipient, through, for example, an application, contact information form, or membership renewal form; or

obtains the fax number from the recipient’s own directory, advertisement, or site on the Internet, unless the recipient has noted on such materials that it does not accept unsolicited advertisements at the fax number in question; or

has taken reasonable steps to verify that the recipient consented to have the number listed, if obtained from a directory or other source of information compiled by a third party.

If the sender had an EBR with the recipient and possessed the recipient’s fax number before July 9, 2005 (the date the Junk Fax Prevention Act became law), the sender may send the fax advertisements without demonstrating how the number was obtained.

So your manager should think twice if this is what he has in mind.

[Lingering Grin]

Oh we have permission to do it. All the places we were calling all advertise in the same magazine we do. (It was a bunch of restaurants, bars, strip clubs, a couple hotels), and one of the agreements that comes with advertising in that magazine, is that the places are allowed to do cross-promotions at each other establishments.

We're trying to promote a Ladies Night that's starting soon, and the fax she was sending out wasn't even the actual promotion. It was a letter asking if we COULD send them the promotions.

[Shangri-laschild]

You have my sympathy. Calling people for fax numbers sucks.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is the one that prevents the sending of junk faxes. The FCC's site includes an explanation of the updated rules under the Junk Fax Prevention Act:

I wish we could stop getting junk ads where I work. It's always weird pyramid schemes type things or male enhancement ads.

[Lingering Grin]

You have my sympathy. Calling people for fax numbers sucks.

Yeah, i only called 6 of the numbers, and this is what I got:

1st Place: Nice lady answers the phone, I ask for the fax number, she gave it to me, and that was that.

2nd place: Not even open yet.

3rd Place: Guy answered, I asked, he had to rummage through some papers to find it, but I did get it.

4th Place: No fax machine.

5th place: The guy i posted about in my first post.

6th Place: Actually kinda funny. Whoever the guy was that answered the phone, I could tell he didn't want to be working that day. Very apathetic tone of voice. I got the number, it just made me chuckle that he didn't want to be on the phone anymore than I did.

[Andara Bledin]

Oh, man, some people are totally overreactive when you ask for a fax number.

I, too, hate receiving junk faxes, but that's no reason to flip out when someone calls and asks for one.

Oh, and the Internet is often a better place to get fax numbers, since many places list it on websites.

^-.-^

[powerboy]

We have a fax at work. All ever get is junk faxes.

[JLRodgers]

People still use faxes? I find that itself pretty shocking considering most things sent over fax (shy of signature required) can be e-mailed or just uploaded to a website.

Although my house has a fax. And I have a 888 fax number (so it's digital, faxes sent to it are e-mailed to me).

[marasbaras]

I have a virtual fax number for my business stuff. It takes the faxes, makes them into PDFs, and forwards them to my e-mail. When I need to send a fax, I e-mail a document to a special e-mail address and it sends the fax out.

I can absolutely understand why someone would be hesitant to give out their fax number. When I had a paper fax machine, 99% of the faxes were junk. Total junk.

My suggestion would be to tell them that you want to fax them a letter. At least you have something to tell them when they ask.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is the one that prevents the sending of junk faxes.

.

I agree with this with one major caveat: It doesn't prevent the sending of junk faxes.

And faxes cost money to receive.

So phone call out of the blue by someone unable to say why they need my fax number? I ain't giving that out, either. Sorry.

I imagine that must be frustrating to be the guy having to make the call, but why should people freely give out info with no explanation to strangers? Look at it from his point of view.

BTW, folks, if you keep getting junk faxes from a number, fax back.

At night.

Using black construction paper.

About 40 sheets.

(of course, when you work at Kinkos, the fax machine is right behind the cash register, and it's manned 24-7, and you have to worry less about retaliation in kind. If they try anything cute for revenge, just pull the plug. )

[Geek King]

If you want to avoid junk faxes, there are sevices online you can sign up for that handle faxes digitally. You can browse faxes just like email, and decide which ones to print to a standard printer. If you need to send a fax, you can use a scanner to process it to digital format. Most of the online ones do require a subscription-style payment, though.

A quick google of "Internet fax" brings up several sites for you to look at and consider.

[Rapscallion]

BTW, folks, if you keep getting junk faxes from a number, fax back.

At night.

Using black construction paper.

About 40 sheets.

Friend of mine had a dispute with a garage and used his Internet connection to fax them 600 blank sheets a night at the click of a button, just to empty their paper hopper. They couldn't do anything about it until he added the word 'scum' to every page, at which point the police knocked on his door about threats received.

Rapscallion

[Andara Bledin]

Hmm.... I kind of like the blank page angle.

Still not cool, but it gets the point across that there's a problem. without necessarily causing any damage.

^-.-^

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Same basic idea. I just upped the ante by emptying their toner cartridge as well as their paper supply.

I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall when they got THAT fax.