Caller Id

Editor's note: Each week, The Herald-Mail invites readers to answer poll questions on its Web site, www.herald-mail.com. Readers also may submit comments about the poll question when voting. Each Sunday, a sampling of edited reader comments will run in The Herald-Mail. There were two poll questions last week. The first question was: Did those constant and annoying phone calls with recorded political messages from candidates sway your vote on Election Day? "I think it is pretty lame that they have to stoop to bothering us at home.

laurae@herald-mail.com It's called telemarketing, but someone whose dinner gets interrupted by a sales call might call it teleharassment. That annoying ring always seem to come at the most inopportune time. While you may feel powerless against the barrage of phone calls, there's a lot you can do to stop telemarketers from calling your house, consumer advocates say. First of all, when you get a sales call, don't just hang up or say you're not interested. That's just asking for a repeat call, according to the Maryland Attorney General's Office.

Editor's note - Please be as brief as possible when calling Mail Call, The Daily Mail's reader call-in line. Mail Call is not staffed on weekends or holidays so it is best to call Mail Call during the week. The Mail Call number is 301-791-6236 . You are welcome to leave a recorded message on any subject, but some calls will be screened out. Here are some of the calls we have received lately: "The phrase 'separation of Church and State' is a simplified version of the real statement, which is the first sentence of the first amendment, which reads: 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

“There is apparently a new scam going on. Someone will call and tell you in very broken English that you’ve won cash and gift cards. ... It is usually a person that you cannot understand, and you have to ask them numerous times what they are saying, and then all of a sudden they will ask you for a credit card number, which you can understand very well. It comes up on your caller ID as 0, at least it did on mine. Don’t be caught in this trap, and most of all, keep your credit card in your pocket.

The Maryland Public Service Commission has closed a year-old case involving the inadvertent release of about 11,000 private phone numbers by rebuking Verizon but taking no action. Verizon, which blamed a computer glitch for the mistake, automatically gave a $25 credit to those who were affected. For nearly 100 customers with convincing concerns about their safety, the utility offered to pay up to $1,000 apiece for security systems; more than half accepted. The PSC wrote in a May 12 order that it was satisfied with Verizon's eventual response, yet chastised the phone company for its early-on approach.

Sheriff's department warns of phone scam A woman identifying herself as a U.S. Social Services Administration representative called a Washington County woman recently, asking for her bank account number, but the county woman refused, Sheriff's Department Capt. Doug Mullendore said. The call was a scam, Mullendore said. A county woman called the department Tuesday, saying she got a call from a U.S. Social Services Administration representative, who told her she had the woman's Social Security number, but needed a bank account number in order to send her a $12,000 grant, Mullendore said.

Police search for robbery suspect MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A gunman held up two people on the 600 block of Winchester Avenue Thursday night, according to Martinsburg City Police. The two were standing outside the H-Mart convenience store at 8:59 p.m. when a man pointed a gun at them and demanded money, police said. The robber fled on foot, police said. The robber was believed to be a black male, wearing a ski mask and gloves, police said. Police said they searched the area, but were unable to find anyone matching the description of the robber.

By BRENDAN KIRBY / Staff Writer photo: JOE CROCETTA / staff photographer Ronald Staley won a television contest last month and drove off with a "free" Corvette. "It's not really free," said Staley, who added that he plans to sell the prize. [cont. from front page ] Staley, one of two Hagerstown residents who won a classic Corvette from UPN Channel 20's "Great Improvements Giveaway" contest, said taxes will run about $2,500 on the 1977 car. That doesn't include the registration fees and insurance payments.

A need for caller ID To the editor: Some readers think "Mail Call/You Said It" is a necessity of life and should continue in its present format. Others think it should be changed and that by doing so, The Herald-Mail would elevate its standing in the publishing industry. Simply publish submitted comments accompanied by the name and address of the caller. Others should be rejected. Doing so brings responsibility and integrity to the caller as well as the newspaper.

Editor's note - Please be as brief as possible when calling Mail Call, The Daily Mail's reader call-in line. Mail Call is not staffed on weekends or holidays so it is best to call Mail Call during the week. The Mail Call number is 301-791-6236. You are welcome to leave a recorded message on any subject, but some calls will be screened out. Here are some of the calls we have received lately: "On Jan. 31, 2003, my mother passed away at a nursing home. She had long term care insurance, which I am still trying to collect so I can settle her estate.