How to Foil a Telemarketer

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Replies

  • TattooedNici
    TattooedNici Posts: 2,141 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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: 1,087 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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.
  • mudknuckles
    mudknuckles Posts: 1,417 Member
    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
    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
    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
    First, Outer, Inner, Last
  • moosegt35
    moosegt35 Posts: 1,296 Member
    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
    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
    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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