December 28, 1997

"There are a lot of states turning up the heat...There is a lot of [anti-telemarketing] legislation that has been proposed that could go into effect next year"

C. Tyler Prochnow, an attorney with the law firm of Lathrop & Gage, which represents the Tele-nuisance industry. (Statement re-printed from DM News, December 15, 1997 issue.)

C.A.T.S Comment: Could it be because most people are sick and tired of the nuisance calls?

December 21, 1997

"Companies tell us that they use telemarketing to 'communicate with their customers'. If they truly want to 'communicate with their customers' then why do they hire third-party teleservice bureaus to call us, instead of calling us themselves?"

Robert Arkow, founder of C.A.T.S.

December 14, 1997

"Telemarketing was an effective tool before the American public was aware of what it was. People saw it as a friendly call from a magazine. Now they think of credit card scandals and annoying bill collectors, with the result that they consider telemarketing a nuisance."

Michael McNamara, a marketing analyst for The Company Store in Weehawken, NJ., writing to the editor of DM News.

To see the complete letter click here.

December 7, 1997

"Stocks for 14 publicly traded (telemarketing) companies have tumbled more than 40 percent this year."

Smith-Barney Inc. (Statement from a DM News article in the November 24, 1997 issue.)

C.A.T.S. Comment: I am sure that we are all crying about this!

November 30, 1997

"How can we ever hope to stop telemarketing in the United States when President Clinton and Vice President Gore are "dialing for dollars" from the White House? (I wonder if they have a written 'Do Not Call Policy'?)"

Robert Arkow, founder of C.A.T.S.

November 23, 1997

"....Others have no reservation when it comes to being mean to telemarketers, and Vince Nestico may be the meanest of them all....."

Loyd Ferris, Staff Writer for The Portland (Maine) Newspapers, commenting about Vince Nestico, who operates the "Anti-Telemarketer Source" Website.

November 16, 1997

"How many times has it happened to you? You're just sitting down to eat, or maybe you've just put the kids to bed, and the phone rings. It's someone selling something. Telemarketing, they call it. You call it one of life's major annoyances."

Stone Phillips commenting about telemarketers on Dateline NBC.

November 9, 1997

"The telemarketers’ worst nightmare is that consumers will find out how this law works and will hold them accountable."

Ms. Kathy Chiero commenting to the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch after winning $500 from Colorado Prime in court for repeated calls. Way to go Kathy!

November 2, 1997

"I think they thought, Here's this little nobody, you know. We'll just come in here looking important and scare her off. But I didn't scare off. (Was) David slaying Goliath? No. That didn't occur to me. It was just me and this jerky newspaper. A housewife, and they had a certified civil trial attorney. That in itself was gratifying. I hope I don't sound too much like I'm gloating."

Ms. Connie Szefczek (saav-check) commenting on Dateline NBC about taking the Hillsborough (NJ) Beacon to court. This New Jersey grandmother, acting as her own attorney, won $2000 in court for repeated calls! Way to go Connie!

October 26, 1997

"It seems that even Bank of America will use ‘drive-by’ marketing tactics: using deception in order to shove a junk call down the ear of an unwilling customer. This is yet another instance that points to the need for effective regulation of telemarketers. "

Bob Bulmash of Private Citizen Inc. commenting on a Judge's order finding Bank of America in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. To read an article about it click here.

October 19, 1997

"If you think the hunt for Red October was tough, try to get a copy of MCI's Do Not Call Policy"

Robert Arkow, founder of C.A.T.S. after spending 12 hours on the phone with MCI customer service representatives. trying to get a copy of their policy.

October 12, 1997

"How can we hope to change our image in the eyes of the rest of the world when we ourselves resent [junk calls] as well?"

A State Lobbying Director for the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).

October 5, 1997

"Telemarketers are the electronic equivalent of the salesman who sticks his foot in your door. They think just because you have to answer the phone in your own home that they are then free to give you their spiel. I resent that. I very much resent it."

Ms. Connie Szefczek (saav-check) commenting about telemarketers on Dateline NBC, November 15, 1995. Ms. Szefczek later took the Hillsborough (NJ) Beacon to court and won $2000 for repeated calls! Way to go Connie!

September 29, 1997

"Their free speech is secondary to my right to be left alone. You know the little guy is going to whip the big guy, and that's what this is. It's not me, we, this whole country, we cannot lose. They're not bigger than reason and law."

Bob Bulmash of Private Citizen Inc. commenting on telemarketers. From Dateline NBC, November 15, 1995.

September 22, 1997

"The telemarketing industry is now calling its members 'teleprofessionals'. If the junk callers (who can't even read a script right and can't pronounce my name) are 'professionals' then I am a brain surgeon and a rocket scientist!"

Robert Arkow, founder of C.A.T.S.

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