Anecdotally, I never get tells from lower-level players looking for help. Never.

I get RMT spam. I get polite people recruiting for their FC (as opposed to the run-by FC spammers); and I get the occasional person asking me to come Tank for their party, who must have looked me up on the active Player Search.

Low-level players use SAY until they figure out SHOUT, and then it's SHOUT all the way. Until you answer their SHOUTed request for help with a TELL