How to deal with telemarketers...

[Huzband]

WARNING: DO NOT have coffee in your mouth when you watch this.

 

Clicky

[Joel]

 

I make no bones about hating unsolicited telemarketing calls. I feel sorry for some of the poor souls who must take those cold-calling telesales jobs, but I also hope there is a special place in Hell for their bosses.

[ltljohn]

Do Not Call list, I haven't heard from one in over 5 years

[Huzband]

Do Not Call list, I haven't heard from one in over 5 years

 

Where's the fun in that?

[ltljohn]

Do Not Call list, I haven't heard from one in over 5 years

 

Where's the fun in that?

 

I have already won the game. I had one call me an Ass&^%* and hang up on me so I win.

[woooopa]

Start eating something loud (i.e. chips, crackers, etc) and drinking on the phone. Mumble your answers and wait for the caller to hang up.

 

[T__]

When the telemarketer calls & asks for a certain named person I just say wait & I will get them.. Then I hit the hold button & walk away.. There is usually no one there when I hang the phone up a little later..

 

Some time back I read that if everyone would do that it would put the telemarketers out of business as it would slow the boiler room enough to make them non profitable..

 

I’m on the do-not-call list but still seem to get a few calls..

 

Just wait as I think they are about to release out cell phone numbers to the telemarketers (OH great)..

 

Twisty

[zbassman]

I used to tell the telemarketers that I was interested in talking to them about whatever they were trying to sell but that I just put something on the stove. Then I'd ask them to wait while I turned the stove off.

 

Of course then I'd put the phone down and go watch t.v.

 

My wife once got in to a long conversation with a telemarketer. She basically told them that they had to know they were just interrupting peoples' dinners, making everyone reluctant to even answer their own telephones and ended up asking them if they couldn't find a way of making a living that didn't make so many people hate them.

[Joel]

Do Not Call list, I haven't heard from one in over 5 years

 

Been on it since its inception. Loopholes like swiss cheese allow the weasels to still sneak thru. Makes me hate 'em even more. Not worth my time to try jacking them up. With Caller ID, I don't even answer any more. Still miffs me.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

I've been known to mess with them. Sometimes I stike a "you ask one question, I ask one question" deal. Other times I listen intently, ask questions about inconsistencies, talk 'em into a corner then listen to them try to get out of it. When someone calls and asks me to donate, I tell them about my favorite charity and ask them to donate to it in an equal amount that they would have me doante to theirs. I even offer to take their credit card information right there on the phone.

 

I'm also on the Do Not Call list, so I always go to the web site and report violators. It's not like I'm gonna get anything out of it, but I figure if enough people complain that a company is not honoring the list, the Govt. might come down on them.

[Ken H.]

Who answers their phone anymore? That's what answering machines were invented for!

[Matts_12GS]

I have already won the game. I had one call me an Ass&^%* and hang up on me so I win.

 

And that caller was right!!! (in the interest of disclosure, I've known ltljohn for 20+ years )

 

As a similar one, I did have a girl call me from a condo/time share thing one time. I started following this script. It worked well, and I started to freestyle it a little bit, but that's one of those stories best told in person as this one gets a bit racy.

[bh1859]

I've been known to mess with them. Sometimes I stike a "you ask one question, I ask one question" deal. Other times I listen intently, ask questions about inconsistencies, talk 'em into a corner then listen to them try to get out of it. When someone calls and asks me to donate, I tell them about my favorite charity and ask them to donate to it in an equal amount that they would have me doante to theirs. I even offer to take their credit card information right there on the phone.

 

I'm also on the Do Not Call list, so I always go to the web site and report violators. It's not like I'm gonna get anything out of it, but I figure if enough people complain that a company is not honoring the list, the Govt. might come down on them.

 

 

Now if we could only get the "politicians" and "non-profit" organizations to be held accountable to not calling the list , I would be thrilled. I actually have voted against a candidate because of all the calls that I received. He lost.... Maybe others felt the same way.

[Dick_at_Lake_Tahoe_NV]

Just let your answering machine handle the call and leave a message like this, "Hi I'm probably here but I'm not answering the phone because there's someone I don't want to talk to. So leave your name and number and if I don't call back--IT'S YOU!"

[BFG]

I politely say,"I'm sorry, I can hardly hear you. Could you speak up a little?"

 

It's fun to keep them going and see how loud you can get them to talk.

[Bud]

Do Not Call list, I haven't heard from one in over 5 years

 

Where's the fun in that?

 

Well, according to your sig line:

 

"The four stages of a man; Bud, Stud, Dud, Thud"

 

I'm no fun at all.

[russell_bynum]

Who answers their phone anymore? That's what answering machines were invented for!

 

+1

 

Ours is on Do Not Disturb all the time. If you're someone we want to talk to, leave a message and we'll call back.

[Jacqueline]

I don't answer my phone...

leave a message and I'll call back... if I get the message .