How to Foil a Telemarketer

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  • jkowula
    jkowula Posts: 447
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    We agree to disagree, that's fine, but for all you know it could be a 15 year old kid who thought it would be cool to make some extra money and was too dumb to realize ..
    1. How it bothered people.
    2. Doing the dirty work for a shady company.
    3. That the job actually sucks and would never do it again.

    Yes I am talking about myself when I lasted one 3 hour shift.

    PS. Could be a single mother, but so could have that person you flipped the finger to when she cut you off driving, so could the person at the restaurant who messed up your order. So could the person who accidentally scratched your new car. Point being, it is easy to be holier then thou on a forum. I just call BS to all that say I am nice to telemarketers they deserve it.. blah blah blah.

    Hey, I don't understand your point. Are you saying that because people are generally rude to homeless persons or fast food restaurant workers, you are justified in being rude to telemarketers?

    If you are, then surely a better argument would be to push for being civil to everyone, rather than rude to everyone?

    That is basically my point in a round about way.
  • Lauren8239
    Lauren8239 Posts: 1,039 Member
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    I have found the majority of telemarketers invite rudeness. When they begin and it's blatantly obvious they are reading from a script (you can even hear the paper rustle) and you say no thank you...and they continue on....you speak again...and they ignore you and continue. I just hang up. They are being rude for not listening to me.
  • mmartinez_az
    mmartinez_az Posts: 580
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    Thank you, I agree, this is a waste of topic.
  • Thewatcher_66
    Thewatcher_66 Posts: 1,643 Member
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    I agree with Jr1985. My first job out of college, due in large part to a crappy economy and I couldn't find anything, was as a bill collector on trailer park loans (no, I'm not making this up). I got called all kinds of names, threatened, some guy said he was going to stand outside in the parking lot at my job with a double barrell shot gun waiting on me, etc etc.

    I'll admit, I don't like being harrassed either from telemarketers (I don't get any bill collectors since I do make my payments timely) so I'd rather just avoid them rather than go on some kind of cursing rampage. Only because I can sort of empathize with them.
  • will2lose72
    will2lose72 Posts: 128 Member
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    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.

    Sorry but the group you speak of are considered charity and therefore not required to abide by the DNC. You should however be able to ask them to stop calling you.
  • ComradeTovarich
    ComradeTovarich Posts: 495 Member
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    I just tell them I'm dead.
  • scottkjar
    scottkjar Posts: 346 Member
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    Dopey me, I thought this was a recipe thread. First, foil the telemarketer just as you would foil a potato. Then use a fork to punch holes in the telemarketer. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 45 minutes. Use an internal thermometer to see if the telemarketer is at 175 degrees or more. If not, bake for 10 more minutes.
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
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    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.

    THIS!
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
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    Dopey me, I thought this was a recipe thread. First, foil the telemarketer just as you would foil a potato. Then use a fork to punch holes in the telemarketer. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 45 minutes. Use an internal thermometer to see if the telemarketer is at 175 degrees or more. If not, bake for 10 more minutes.

    :laugh: :laugh:
  • TattooedNici
    TattooedNici Posts: 2,141 Member
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    Thank you, I agree, this is a waste of topic.

    Yet, you're on here to make a statement. Obviously, it's NOT a waste of time for you to say something.
  • aleggett321
    aleggett321 Posts: 186 Member
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    I am on the Do Not Call registry and have an unlisted number. I still get calls constantly from a particular call center representing various contracting companies. Sometimes it's four or five times a day. I have filed reports with the FCC as well as the DNC site. I've talked to supervisors to request being taken off, cussed, been nice, everything. I get so sick of hearing the phone ring. Unless its my kids, I don't pick anything up anymore. I hate it.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    I have found the majority of telemarketers invite rudeness. When they begin and it's blatantly obvious they are reading from a script (you can even hear the paper rustle) and you say no thank you...and they continue on....you speak again...and they ignore you and continue. I just hang up. They are being rude for not listening to me.

    That would also be part of their job haha...
  • BraveNewdGirl
    BraveNewdGirl Posts: 937 Member
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    My absolute favourite is when I answer the phone and I'm asked if my mother or father are home. I'm freakin' thirty years old. I may not have the deepest of voices, but at least let me get out more than "Hello?" before you decide I need an adult!
  • carolsteele45
    carolsteele45 Posts: 43 Member
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    Various tactics depending on who it is.
    For cold call sales people I just inform them that I am on the Telephone Preferences Scheme that they are legally obliged to check before making the cold call, then ask them to remove my number from their database.
    Over the past 18 months I have been getting calls from Microsoft Support (as if) telling me that my computer is sending out piles of spam and they want to fix it for me, which they can do over the phone. I generally explain that I don't have a computer - which generally perplexes them. Then I politely ask them if computers have windows in them these days - how fascinating - is that so that you can see all the gogs whirring away inside. Perplexes them even more - then the coup de grace - I ask them are they actually a double glazing company trying to get me to install double glazing for my windows??
    That generally finishes them off and they hang up at that point lol :laugh:
  • clydethecat
    clydethecat Posts: 1,094 Member
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    in my early twenties i worked phone sex. i was young and dumb. so i would have a one sided phone sex conversation with the telemarketer. usually just the men. it was funny, at least to me and my friends. now it seems pretty dumb.

    now i hear them out, its only a minute of my time. then i say no thank you, have a nice night, and hang up. there is just no reason to get so angry about someone calling your phone. if you dont want to answer it (its dinner time or you're watching a movie) just don't answer it. we should each have a modicum of social grace. a little care simply because we are all humans in this world.

    its like when someone cuts you off in traffic. you could flip them off, or you could slow down and let them in. just like someone calling your phone. you could blow a horn in their ear, or you can hear them out and politely decline.

    which one makes your blood pressure shoot up?
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    in my early twenties i worked phone sex. i was young and dumb. so i would have a one sided phone sex conversation with the telemarketer. usually just the men. it was funny, at least to me and my friends. now it seems pretty dumb.

    now i hear them out, its only a minute of my time. then i say no thank you, have a nice night, and hang up. there is just no reason to get so angry about someone calling your phone. if you dont want to answer it (its dinner time or you're watching a movie) just don't answer it. we should each have a modicum of social grace. a little care simple because we are all humans in this world.

    its like when someone cuts you off in traffic. you could flip them off, or you could slow down and let them in. just like someone calling your phone. you should blow a horn in their ear, or you can hear them out and politely decline.

    which one makes your blood pressure shoot up?

    Agreed.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    No one ever calls me. But I do occasionally get religious people at the door. If I'm not busy, I'll answer the door. I don't mind them. I'm a friendly sort, so I just let them say their piece. It's something they need to do for their faith and I don't mind helping them out with a few minutes of my time. Sometimes it's interesting to hear what they have to say and they're usually very polite people. If you engage them in conversation you can find out all sorts of things. I've had people from all over the world on my doorstep. It's been educational. :flowerforyou:
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
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    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?

    If I don't recognize the number I let it go to the answer machine. Then I Google the number and if it is a telemarketer I add the number to the call block. Problem solved :)
  • NatiaGonitellie
    NatiaGonitellie Posts: 355 Member
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    I screen all of my phone calls.
    Individuals I know have been assigned there own distinctive ring tones. That way I know who is calling even when I'm not close to one of the caller ID screens.

    All other callers have the same boring clatter sound when they call.

    The first thing anyone hears from my answering machine is the S.I.T. (Special Information Tones) Its that three note sound you hear when you have dialed a disconnected phone number.

    That sound is then followed by this message.

    "The Number you have dialed is registered with the National Do Not Call List.
    If you are in violation pleas hang up the phone, place your head between your knees and Wait.
    The black-op helicopters are being dispatched to your location.
    Have a Nice Day.
    All other callers may leave there message now."

    Between the S I T tones and this message I have cut down dramatically the number of unwanted callers.

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