"John R. Covert 31-May-1991 1255" <covert@covert.enet.dec.com> (05/31/91)
Telecom readers will remember the letter I wrote last year concerning
telemarketing calls from {The Middlesex News}. That letter stated, in
part:
> I pay New England Telephone for residential telephone service for my
> own purposes, and I allow my number to be listed so that people who
> know me but do not know my number may find it out and call me. I
> also pay New England Telephone for call forwarding service and pay
> NYNEX Mobile Communications for mobile telephone service so that
> I can receive desired calls when I am not at home.
> I do not wish to be called by telemarketers, especially by companies
> such as The Middlesex News which continue to call repeatedly after I
> have told them to cease and desist. This letter documents, in writing,
> my request for The Middlesex News to permanently remove me from any
> and all telemarketing lists, and to never call again.
> Should my request be ignored, I am serving notice that I will bill
> you for the actual cost of any call forwarding or mobile telephone
> call that results when you call my home telephone number. In addition,
> I will bill you a service charge of between $20 and $100 for processing
> your call.
Yesterday, they called again. I am sending the following letter:
31 May 1991
Mrs. Paula Bubello
Director of Telemarketing
The Middlesex News
33 New York Avenue
Framingham, Massachusetts 01701
Dear Mrs. Bubello:
Yesterday evening at around 7:05 pm, as I was driving on Route 1
North, I received a telemarketing call from The Middlesex News. The
caller told me that his name was David, but refused to tell me his
full name.
As I informed you in my letter written almost exactly one year ago, I
do not wish to receive calls from the Middlesex News. In that letter,
I also informed you that I would bill you for the cost of the call
forwarding and the cellular mobile telephone charges, as well as a
service charge of between $20 and $100 for processing your call. I
have enclosed a copy of that letter.
This letter again asks, rather demands, that The Middlesex News never
contact me by telephone again. My service charge will increase each
time The Middlesex News calls, and if this invoice is unpaid, I will
institute legal action.
I N V O I C E
30 May 1991 Call Forwarding Message Unit 0.09
Cellular Air Time Charge 0.32
Massachusetts Telecom Tax 0.02
Federal Telecom Tax 0.01
Telemarketing Service Charge 20.00
TOTAL $20.44
THIS BILL IS PAYABLE AND DUE WHEN RECEIVED,
AND IS OVERDUE AFTER 5 JULY 1991.
Sincerely,
John R. Covert
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If they don't pay, they will get a second notice, and then I will
gamble $14 to see if Small Claims Court will order payment.
john