If you've ever wondered how to get around those annoying automated phone systems most all major banks and retailers use to screen calls, there's little known codes that let you get past them and go straight to a live operator.
Blogger Paul English has posted a comprehensive cheat sheet that offers tricks for finding a live operator at dozens of frequently called companies, including the hard-to-find ones like Amazon.com.
His site lists codes that you can dial as soon as the automated system picks up your call so it can be routed directly to a human. It also helps you foil the new breed of customer service hotlines that ask you to say aloud your request.
A nifty workaround: Saying the words ''agent'' or ''operator'' will usually redirect you to a live operator at most companies.
