How to Foil a Telemarketer

1PatientBear
1PatientBear Posts: 2,089 Member
in Chit-Chat
I generally either just give the phone to my four-year-old and let him talk or I sit the phone down next to the TV and turn on Yo Gabba Gabba (or some equally annoying show). I know y'all have GOT to have some better ideas. How do you screw with telemarketers?
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Replies

  • Lemmy_Gonau
    Lemmy_Gonau Posts: 89
    I'm kind of a romantic and I know that everyone likes to be serenaded at least once in their life so the kids and I sing Peanut Butter Jelly Time to them.

    pbjtime.gif
  • BigBadDougs
    BigBadDougs Posts: 155
    I tend to just say " no thanks, bye " - seems to work. I doubt they enjoy their job, but everyone has bills to pay.
  • jkowula
    jkowula Posts: 447
    I pretty much just say "sorry, can you hang on for a second?" then just set the phone down on the television and wait for them to hang up. Time is money, so if it ever became non profitable, the calls would stop.
  • rowlandsw
    rowlandsw Posts: 1,166 Member
    We either hang up on them or remind them we're on the do not call registry.
  • dietcoke281
    dietcoke281 Posts: 226 Member
    I tend to not screw with people just trying to make a living. They probably hate calling you as much as you hate them calling you.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,040 Member
    Best one I've heard is pretend you're a detective and say "Hold on..................boys make sure you take lots of pictures. Now who is this and what is your relationship to the deceased victim here?"

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    I just set the phone down and walk away. Someone eventually will answer it and waste their time....
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    If i tell them i am unemployed that usually ends the call.
  • tquill
    tquill Posts: 300 Member
    I tend to not screw with people just trying to make a living. They probably hate calling you as much as you hate them calling you.

    +1
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
    After they ask for me by name which they usually can't pronounce I just say "she's passed away" and hang up. I used to work in call centers, telemarketing and collections, and YES we do hate our jobs. They tend to make you feel like a rotten person with some of those scripts and rebuttels.
  • sewerchick93
    sewerchick93 Posts: 1,438 Member
    i tell them the owners of the house aren't home right now, but after I'm done ransacking the place, I'll be sure to leave a note saying you called.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    I tell them to hold on a second, set the phone down and walk away. They take my name off the list and I don't get those calls anymore.
  • pzacher68
    pzacher68 Posts: 38 Member
    Because they are good about starting right in with their name, I repeat back to them, "Good Morning Abigail from American Homeless Veterans. Can I please speak with your supervisor? See I am on the National "Do Not Call Registry" and you have violated the terms of the agreement and thereby I am notifying you, Abigail, that you will be named as a plaintiff in the harassment suit. I will also need to speak to your supervisor, can you please connect me to them?" And then D R A G it out as long as possible.
  • ItsMeGee3
    ItsMeGee3 Posts: 13,254 Member
    That's when I hand the phone to my grandkids and let them talk!
  • Justifier
    Justifier Posts: 336 Member
    I don't usually answer the phone when I don't recognize the number. I also wouldn't want to screw with someone just doing their job, but they might appreciate the funny story?
  • SyntonicGarden
    SyntonicGarden Posts: 944 Member
    For starters, if I don't recognize the number, I answer the phone in Korean or Polish. If it's legit, I'll put them on hold so that I can go get myself from the other room. :)

    If it's someone calling for a donation (Thanks, Caller ID) I'm usually very nice. They're trying to put food on their table. I politely say "No thank you."

    If it's a pushy sales person who doesn't let me get a word in edgewise, I use a long pause after they stop and then say "No English." Seems to work.
  • jkowula
    jkowula Posts: 447
    Because they are good about starting right in with their name, I repeat back to them, "Good Morning Abigail from American Homeless Veterans. Can I please speak with your supervisor? See I am on the National "Do Not Call Registry" and you have violated the terms of the agreement and thereby I am notifying you, Abigail, that you will be named as a plaintiff in the harassment suit. I will also need to speak to your supervisor, can you please connect me to them?" And then D R A G it out as long as possible.

    Brillilant!
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    I tend to not screw with people just trying to make a living. They probably hate calling you as much as you hate them calling you.

    +1

    sorry -1.
    Its my telephone number and I didnt invite a stranger to offer me another mobile phone that I do not need.
  • BigBadDougs
    BigBadDougs Posts: 155
    Because they are good about starting right in with their name, I repeat back to them, "Good Morning Abigail from American Homeless Veterans. Can I please speak with your supervisor? See I am on the National "Do Not Call Registry" and you have violated the terms of the agreement and thereby I am notifying you, Abigail, that you will be named as a plaintiff in the harassment suit. I will also need to speak to your supervisor, can you please connect me to them?" And then D R A G it out as long as possible.

    Is that not more of a waster of your time than the call would have been?
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
    be nice to them because they work a ****ty job and are probably all serial killers
  • crazie4lulu
    crazie4lulu Posts: 762 Member
    Because they are good about starting right in with their name, I repeat back to them, "Good Morning Abigail from American Homeless Veterans. Can I please speak with your supervisor? See I am on the National "Do Not Call Registry" and you have violated the terms of the agreement and thereby I am notifying you, Abigail, that you will be named as a plaintiff in the harassment suit. I will also need to speak to your supervisor, can you please connect me to them?" And then D R A G it out as long as possible.

    Brillilant!
    I friggan love this!!!!!
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
    I don't get fooled into answering the phone when I don't recognize the number. Problem solved.
  • dietcoke281
    dietcoke281 Posts: 226 Member
    I tend to not screw with people just trying to make a living. They probably hate calling you as much as you hate them calling you.

    +1

    sorry -1.
    Its my telephone number and I didnt invite a stranger to offer me another mobile phone that I do not need.

    Sign up for the Do Not Call registry then. The actual person on the end of the phone didn't make the decision to call you specifically, they're just given your number.
  • sillyvalentine
    sillyvalentine Posts: 460 Member
    Sometimes I act like I called them and I start selling them crap.
  • brewji
    brewji Posts: 752 Member
    I usually practice my voice acting with telemarketers. I do different accents and have different characters that I've used for radio shows, movies, and video games. It's quite fun actually...until they realize that I'm messing with them. I've practiced the Warcraft III worker units' voices/responses for awhile now. Yes, I'm a geek.

    I really don't care if they're trying to earn a living, I'm not getting angry at them for calling me. It's their decision to take that job to put food on their table, but it's my right to try and live comfortably at home from working my job to put food on *my* table. At least I'm not that douche-hole that screams at them and cusses their ears off.
  • nomorebigdaddyo
    nomorebigdaddyo Posts: 7
    When they ask you how you are, I start telling them about how I am doing. I talk about the kids being naughty, the dog won't house break, wife is mad at me, you name it. If I can think it, I say it. I try to me as nice as possible because they are doing their job. They usually hang up within a minute.
  • jkowula
    jkowula Posts: 447
    I tend to not screw with people just trying to make a living. They probably hate calling you as much as you hate them calling you.

    +1

    sorry -1.
    Its my telephone number and I didnt invite a stranger to offer me another mobile phone that I do not need.

    Sign up for the Do Not Call registry then. The actual person on the end of the phone didn't make the decision to call you specifically, they're just given your number.

    They do however realize what they are doing. They did sign up for that job. You can't tell me they are innocent in the whole process. Also I don't buy that crap about they are just trying to make a living. So is the homeless squeegee guy, and how are they treated?
  • Thewatcher_66
    Thewatcher_66 Posts: 1,643 Member
    I never answer a call that's not in my list of contacts. If it's the same old 800 number that continues to call, I'll add them to my contacts and label it "scam" or "telemarketer" or something and then I'll instruct my phone to send it straight to voice mail so it won't ring.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    I tend to not screw with people just trying to make a living. They probably hate calling you as much as you hate them calling you.

    +1

    sorry -1.
    Its my telephone number and I didnt invite a stranger to offer me another mobile phone that I do not need.

    Sign up for the Do Not Call registry then. The actual person on the end of the phone didn't make the decision to call you specifically, they're just given your number.

    This.

    I work inside sales, b2b though. All of my "leads" and "accounts" are not hand selected. From a consumer standpoint, I try to be respectful because I'm understanding of the fact the job is annoying. I just tell them "Hey, I know you're just doing your job so i won't be rude; but I'm just not interested..." Usually works.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    I tend to not screw with people just trying to make a living. They probably hate calling you as much as you hate them calling you.

    +1

    sorry -1.
    Its my telephone number and I didnt invite a stranger to offer me another mobile phone that I do not need.

    Sign up for the Do Not Call registry then. The actual person on the end of the phone didn't make the decision to call you specifically, they're just given your number.

    They do however realize what they are doing. They did sign up for that job. You can't tell me they are innocent in the whole process.

    +1

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