Banks

ABN AMRO Mortgage Group 800-783-8900
don't press any keys, it will treat as dial phone and connect.

Astoria Federal Savings 800-ASTORIA
When you hear the womans voice press zero. Will transfer right away to a human.

Bank of America 800-900-9000
Hit zero twice, after menu choices play

Bank One 877-226-5663
Press 0 thru the options to get a live person

Charles Schwab 1-800-435-9050
press 3

Chase 800-CHASE24
Hit five, pause, then hit one, four, star, zero

CIBC 800-465-2422
Enter card# and pin, then press 0

CitiBank 800-374-9700
Zero

Commerce Bank 800-YES-2000
touch "0" anytime after the computer answers

Compass Bank 334-687-9100
Ask for information

Compass Bank 800-COMPASS
don't press or say anything. after IVR repeats a human will answer

HSBC 1-800-975HSBC
no matter what you do you end up in Bangalore, India

MBNA 800-421-2110
press "0" twice when menu begins

Mercantile Safe Deposit and Trust 888-212-0100
press 0 twice

Pasadena Federal Credit Union 1-800-445-7328
When the message starts, press '0" and you will be connected to a Customer Representative (a knowledgable one at that)

Regions Mortgage 800-748-9498
Hit 0# each time you are asked for a menu choice

Sovereign Bank 800-SOV-BANK
personal banking: 1 for english 1 for personal banking 3 then enter social number then # then passcode then # then hit 0 (between 1 and 3 times)

Union Planters Bank 1800-333-1882
press one for english, then press zero

US Bank 800-USBANKS
Press 0 twice

USAA 1-800-531-2265
0

Wachovia 800-922-1800
accounts personal banking

Washington Mutual 800-756-8000
At any time after the announcement(s) start press 'O'.

Wells Fargo 800-869-3557
0

Cell Companies
AT&T Wireless 800-888-7600
No easy escape

Bell Mobility 1-800-667-0123
After pressing 1 for English or 2 for French, press 0 during the "Please enter your mobile number" voice. This directs you to a secondary menu to select a customer service rep for your needs.

Boost Mobile 18882667848
Press 4 then 6

Cellular One 888-910-9191
press 4, say "agent", then #

Cingular 800-331-0500
For faster service, press the option that you are looking to close your account, You get the same ppl but an immediate answer

Cricket 800-274-2538
Press 3, 1, then 3 again.

Fido (microcell) 1-888-481-3436
'0' in the first menu (while they don't offer it - sends you directly to a human)

Nextel 800-639-6111
Press "0" five times

Sprint PCS 888-788-5001
Zero twice, then say "agent"

Sprint PCS *2 or 888-211-4727
After selecting English as your language by pressing 1, say "operator"

T-Mobile 800-937-8997
Enter your phone number

Verizon Wireless 800-922-0204
dial # then double zero


Credit Companies

Amazon.com Cards 1-888-247-4080
Enter your account number then hit 5 for a customer service agent

American Express 800-528-4800
Hit zero, pound, three times over (ignore prompts that it's an invalid entry)

Capital One Visa 800-867-0904
wait past request for card number, then 0 twice (ignore prompts)

Discover 800-347-2683
Yes

MasterCard 800-MC-ASSIST
Hit zero three times (once on each menu)

MBNA 800-421-2110
press "0" twice when menu starts

Sallie Mae 888-272-5543
Dial 5 then dial nine zeros to get a human

Visa 800-847-2911
Hit zero three times (ignore prompts saying that it's an invalid entry)

Government
IRS (for businesses) 1-800-829-4933
?

IRS (for individuals) 1-800-829-1040
0

Insurance Companies
Aetna 800-537-9384
2, then say "operator" (check this)

Aetna 800-680-3566
Hit * then zero anytime

CIGNA 800-516-2898
REGARDING A BILL
[=

PC Companies

AOL 888-346-3704
0

Apple 800-275-2273
Zero three times; if virtual rep answers, say "operator"

Compaq 800-652-6672
No easy escape

Dell 888-560-8324
Hit zero twice

Dell Customer Service 800-624-9897
option 1, xt 7266966, option 1, option 4, option 4

Earthlink 888-earthlink
"0" sometimes works!

Epson 800-922-8911
yes

Gateway 800-846-2301
Hit zero, pound

HP 800-474-6836
Say "agent"

HP 888-560-8324
Hit zero twice

IBM 800-IBM-4YOU
You go into a hold queue immediately

Sandisk 1-866-SANDISK
Dial 0 when you hear the menu start.

Symantec 800-441-7234
Subscription Services

'Product Companies

American Home Shield 800-776-4663
say "transfer" at anytime when the menu choices are playing

Canon, USA parts 732-521-7230
calling Canon's published 800 number (1-800-828-4040) will put you in push-button hell, until eventually you get to talk to a person who will give you the 732 number to call to actually get the part. This is good with cameras, I don't know about other products.

Mario's Granity 703-642-2600
When a person answers, say "Need Agent", "Need Need Agent", "36", "15" "Agent Agent Blackbox"

National Post 1-800-668-7678
Press 0 when IVR answers

staples business depot 7057411130
when main message comes on press zero

Viking Office Products 800-421-1222
None! Still answered live, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by real living beings!


Retail Companies

Advance Auto Parts 800-314-4243
Dial 0 when the automated message begins

Amazon.co.uk 020 8636 9200
option '1' then '4'

Amazon.com 800-201-7575
Direct to human

Best Buy 800-365-0292
sales

Best Buy any local store
wait for extension prompt (sometimes must press 4), then ext. 2021

Brooks Pharmacy various stores
hit 14 and be directly connected to human or * # may work

Circuit City any local store
Hit 0 to get customer service

Eckerd 800-eckerd
press 0 for pharmacy, 8* for manager

KMart Local
Press 0

Lowes Home Centers All local numbers
hit 0 for customer service or #450 for commercial sales

Office Depot Credit Card holder services 800-729-7744
When recording and promts start, do not press anything. Eventually, a live person will pick up!

OldNavy.com 1-800-OLD-NAVY
Just punch in "0"

Staples 1-800-333-3330
press 0

Target Local call
Press "0" during greeting.

Toys "R" Us Local Call
at the greeting press 0

Wal-Mart 800-546-1897
press 0

Walgreens local pharmacies
press 0 to speak to a pharmacy employee

Weith Watchers Int., Inc. 1-800-651-6000
Press "0" when you hear the Duchess of York's greeting


Shipping Companies

FedEx 888-GO-FEDEX
hit 0 during msg.

FedEx 888-GO-FEDEX
say "REP" during the message

Fedex 1800463339
when automated voice comes on say operator

UPS 1800-pick-ups
select on of the categories, then say "agent" and then "yes"

USPS 800-ASK-USPS
Double 0


Telecommunication Companies

Aliant 902 625 0000
press 0, then #, #, 1, 1

Alltel 1-800-380-5999
Direct Number! (unless I got lucky)

AT&T (Business) 8002220400
None - Old sales number that is for general billing too.

AT&T (Residential) 8002427050
Human should pick up

AT&T Callvantage 866 596-8464
When prompted to make a selection, press 0 repeatedly.

BellSouth 877.678.2355
Press "*" then "0"

SBC 800-585-7928
Again, an (intelligent, this time) IVR wants YOUR phone number first.

SBC (Repair) 611
Hit # twice to get to a repair operator

Talk America 8002919699
When asked for a phone number, say "I don't know." Then the system will ask you which department you wish to be transferred to.

Verizon On Line 800 567 6789
Say "I don't know it" then "technician"


Travel Companies

America West Airlines 800-235-9292
Press 2 twice

American Airlines 800-433-7300
Press zero twice, then say "agent"

Amtrak 800-872-7245
Zero or say "agent"

ontinental 800-523-3273
Three Delta 800-221-1212 Zero then say "operator"

Delta 800-221-1212
say "agent" four times - every time it asks for a response from you

Kayak.com 203 899-3120
0

Northwest 800-225-2525
Star, zero, after initial greeting

Southwest 800-435-9792
Calls answered by operator; during busy times you might have to hold

Travelocity 888-872-8356
On main tree say "Agent", it will ask you for a reservation number, but route you to a person.

United 800-864-8331
Say nothing (but you have to listen through lots of menus)

US Airways 800-428-4322
Hit four after initial greeting, then hit one to connect.

US Airways 703-569-9857
Use this local number instead of the 800 number and a person will always answer

TV Companies

cablevision 631-348-6700
hit 0

Chater 800-581-0081
After weaving through options, speak jibberish into the phone.

Comcast 800-266-2278
Customer service, but an IVR wants your number first.

directv 1-800-347-3288
press 0 repeatedly

DIRECTV 1800-531-500
Do not press any button when asked

Dish Network 800-333-3474
press "0" during menu

Rogers Communications Inc. ( Rogers Cable, Rogers Wireless, Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet, Rogers Home Phone Service) 1-888-288-Home (4663)
Agent, Agent

TiVo 877-367-8486
Say "Live Agent"


Utility Companies

Bell Canada 310-bell (2355)
say "manager"

Bell Canada 321-bell (2355)
say "manager"

BG&E Power Company 410-685-0123
For power outage in your area

Charter Communications 1-800-955-7766
Say "Need Agent" when in Cable TV or ISP automated voice line.

ChillTech Controls 703-642-2600
Press 0 twice

Delmarva Power 1-800-
press 0 when woman answers

Pacific Gas & Electric 415 973 8204
This is their Executive Hotline, a human will answer.

PG&E 800-743-5000
press 0 anytime

TELUS MOBILITY 18772532763
Press "0" 5 times
(or reportedly, 1 1 0)

Virginia Dominion Electric 888-667-3000
Stay on hold...Ignore the "I didn't understand" commands...human will arrive


"Other" Companies

Charles Schwab 1-800-435-9050
press 3

Charter Cable Broadband Support 1-888-536-2223
During recorded broadband troubleshooting, say "Agent" 3 times

Ebay 800-322-9266
Just hit "0"

Fidelity Investments 1-800-544-5555
hit * then 0 at any time

HSMM, INC. 540 857 3100
Ask for extension 3331

Nintendo Of America 1-800-255-3700
Press '9' at the Voice Menu Options. Note: This number is NOT for gameplay help.

Orkin Pest Control 1-800-800-0754
Just press the Number 6 when menu starts. works for all local numbers

Telus Communications 1-800-400-2598
press "0"; then specify an 'agent' (or just press "1")