More fun playing with telemarketers

[Walt34]

I saw an interesting sign a couple weeks ago. 'Owner has guns and a backhoe. Knows how to use both.'

My favorite so far!

 

[tessaduncan]

Grew up in a home with my polish Grandmother who didn’t speak much English. I know a few phrases and have the accent down. When I get a call from a number I don’t recognize, I answer a slightly accented “allo”. If it’s a telemarketer or survey group, I say, in Polish, “I don’t understand. Do you speak Polish?” . They usually get flustered and hang up. Been doing it for years and so far no one has spoken Polish back. My husband cracks up when I tell him “pani” is gonna take the call. Lol

 

[brucethebroker]

To the op, thanks for keeping these scam artists tied up for a few minutes. I just don’t have the patience to do that.

Try shouting out "what was that, dear?" at the beginning of the sales pitch, then ask the caller to "hold, please". Then put the phone down and walk off. Callers usually figure out what is going on after a couple of minutes.

If everybody did that, or something similar to stall the callers, the number of people called would be greatly reduced, as well as sales made (sales is a "numbers game").

To those who think the callers "are only trying to make a living"-well, that could apply to many "occupations" that prey on the elderly, confused, and people to meek/polite to say no. "Real jobs" don't use annoying and unethical sales pitches/scams/etc.

 

[brucethebroker]

Grew up in a home with my polish Grandmother who didn’t speak much English. I know a few phrases and have the accent down. When I get a call from a number I don’t recognize, I answer a slightly accented “allo”. If it’s a telemarketer or survey group, I say, in Polish, “I don’t understand. Do you speak Polish?” . They usually get flustered and hang up. Been doing it for years and so far no one has spoken Polish back. My husband cracks up when I tell him “pani” is gonna take the call. Lol

Well done!

 

[RASAP]

I used to not answer my phone very often if I didn't recognize the number. Not so much any more. About a year ago, I got a call from a number I did not recognize but answered it anyway out of curiosity. Turned out it was the fraud department for one of my credit cards. Answering this call put a stop to a spending spree by someone who had managed to steal my card number. Guess you never know when it might be important.

Another telemarketer that never seems to give up is one that wants to lower my credit card rate. I have asked on numerous occasions to be removed from the calling list (both verbally and by pressing "5") but it does not stop them. So now, subsequent calls go like this...


Them: Would you like to lower your interest rate on your Visa?

Me: I sure would!

Them: How much do you owe on that Visa card?

Me: About $8000. (Big lie - I pay them off every month )

Them: Great! Can you tell me the expiration date of the card?

Me: Yes, hold on while I get that card.

Them: OK, take your time.

I then put my phone on mute, put it down and go about whatever I was doing at the time. They usually hang up 1 or 2 minutes later.

 

[CoolRich59]

To those who think the callers "are only trying to make a living"-well, that could apply to many "occupations" that prey on the elderly, confused, and people to meek/polite to say no. "Real jobs" don't use annoying and unethical sales pitches/scams/etc.

Agreed.

I politely say “No thank you. I’m not interested.” Some telemarketers will ignore me and keep going; some even get aggressive. I didn’t ask them to call, and I was polite. At that point, I’ve satisfied the obligations of common courtesy and hang up.

 

[FIYes]

I just don’t answer if I don’t recognize the number. However, a few years ago I did play with one of the “Microsoft” scammers. I told them okay but I need to turn the computer on, a couple of minutes later I pick the phone back up and tell them it is going through it’s start up and I thank them for calling. A few minutes later I tell them it is having trouble starting and I am so glad they called because something must be really wrong. I strung them along for about 20 minutes. I ended the call telling them I had kept them from bothering someone else.
These days I just don’t answer.

 

[jollystomper]

I have a software program that will answer the phone after I blacklist a number and play a recording. I make a recording sounding like someone answering the phone and giving "generic" replies to a question, or asking them to repeat the question. The recording loops, and it is funny to hear them trying to interact with it.

 

[RockyMtn]

I answer...(insert city name) police department, fraud division. May I help you?

 

[Walt34]

Most of the time if we don't recognize the number we simply don't answer, and we use a call blocker that has greatly reduced the number of calls. Being retired from law enforcement my sense of humor can be a bit warped to some. But if I do answer and it's a live person I'll ask what color their underwear is and the call goes downhill from there. DW is appalled. It seems to work though. They don't call back.

 

[f35phixer]

to mess with them in many ways. Keeps them from calling you. You’re welcome....

 

[CoolRich59]

But if I do answer and it's a live person I'll ask what color their underwear is and the call goes downhill from there.

That is funny!

 

[Archman]

I get mildly irritated with the telemarketers but there’s no mercy for those who come to my door. Quickly told in no uncertain terms to leave. Just a bit too much invasion of my space.

Have taken some time to mess with the “Microsoft” guy trying to help me with my computer. I kept telling him how greatful I was that he called because I was indeed having problems with my computer. But, I kept expressing to him how amazed I was that he knew something was wrong given that I didn’t have internet. He kept on with his BS for quite awhile before he finally accepted that I couldn’t give him access to my computer because I didn’t have internet. He even suggested that I go to the library.

I did something similar. I told the guy I'm glad he called, and told him my computer was acting up. He told me to get on my computer. I told them it was turned off, and it takes a long time to boot up. He waited. I then told them the computer is on but my screen is gray, but on. Well, I messed with him for twenty minutes.

 

[scrabbler1]

As tempting it is to do some of these more active stalling tactics, I really don't want to engage these idiots. I do like the idea of saying, "hold on" and putting the phone down and going back to doing whatever I was doing before.


As it is, nearly all these unwanted calls are recordings, not live people, so there isn't much I can do to engage them. I had once heard that hitting the # or * buttons can confuse the robodialers but I stopped doing that years ago.

 

[Archman]

Sometimes I say to a caller that if I were to do business with you, I need your full name date of birth, and social security number.