It’s 19:00, you’re at home and relaxing with the family. The telephone rings and someone does his or her best to sell you something that you REALLY don’t want. The only effective way to get rid of the caller is to be nasty, as these telemarketers are paid and trained to be irritatingly persistent. In any case, your perfect evening is somewhat blemished…
As is the case in many modern countries today, the Netherlands has an opt-out or no-call list. It’s not the easiest thing to find and it isn’t 100% effective, but it’s there. Go to http://www.infofilter.nl/ and opt out of mail and telephone marketing! There’s also a form to opt out of telephonic market research. This link has more information about the status and rules of telemarketing in the Netherlands.