How to Foil a Telemarketer

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  • mudknuckles
    mudknuckles Posts: 1,417 Member
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    Well foil is nice but easily removed. However, if you pass significant current through a bath of chromium trioxide you could conceivably "plate" a telemarketer which i think is not only more durable but more fun.
  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
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    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:

    This happened last week at my work. I put him on hold and went over to my boss and said, "There's some scam artist on the phone, do you want me to handle him or do you want to take it. " She took it, closed the door, it was loud for a minute or so, then quiet and then she came out and said "They shouldn't call again."

    IF they do though. I might just use your approach. This was awesome!

    Oh ironically our system had been attacked the night before for several hours. Nothing go through but it was still weird.
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member
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    I usually say "I'm not interested thanks. Bye". Foiled!
    If I had some kind of crazy persistent one that kept calling back then i'd probably be inclined to do more than that, but meh.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    First, Outer, Inner, Last
  • moosegt35
    moosegt35 Posts: 1,296 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.

    Ummmm, bill collector and telemarketer isn't even remotely the same thing as far as being annoying. If you get called by a bill collector it's your fault.
  • moosegt35
    moosegt35 Posts: 1,296 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?

    Listening to the idiots try to scam me would make my blood pressue go up way more than blowing an air horn in their ear. That actually makes my blood pressure go down and makes me laugh.
  • moosegt35
    moosegt35 Posts: 1,296 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:

    If someone kncks on my door I look through the glass to see if I know them, if I don't then I don't open the door. The looks on some people's face when they see me check and then turn around and go back to the couch is awesome.

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