This is topic Tele-markerters in forum Member forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://www.huntmastersbbs.com/cgi-bin/cgi-ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=005157
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on July 30, 2019, 08:58 AM:
This actually seems to be working !!!!
I used to get a LOT of tele-marketing calls even though I'm on the Nat. Do Not Call list. I've been known to jerk them around to see how long I could keep them on the line & I've been cursed in a bunch of different languages. All good fun but they just keep calling.
For the past week or so I've been trying something different; Listen to the robo-message & press whatever number to speak to yadda yadda yadda;
When "Joe' with the funny accent comes on the line right off I go with "Please be advised that this call is being recorded for possible future legal use. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to and why have you contacted a do not call number ??" There's usually a pause and they hang up.
I'm getting a lot less calls lately...… as in from two or three an hour to maybe a couple a day.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on July 30, 2019, 09:54 AM:
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I thought I was the only one inundated with these harassing calls, starting at exactly 8 A.M. The first thing out of their mouth is: "My name is blah blah blah. How are you today? I am so sick of these calls. Auto insurance, Medicare, Mortgage refinance, and Reverse Mortgage, "free trips" to Orlando, home repair, inspecting my air conditioning unit and changing the filters, the list goes on!
Yes, I know I'm a dinosaur, because I still have a land line, and everybody makes fun of it. But what are you going to do when they bundle it for nothing and the fact is, it's the only telephone in the house where I can actually hear conversation! Holding a cell phone up at an awkward angle might be your idea of pleasant, but it's not mine.
In fact, I resist carrying that fucking phone everywhere I go, from watering the lawn to the bathroom. Sometimes I even leave in in the car all day long, and don't miss it. It's pathetic to see people walking around staring at their phone. I can remember when a 25 foot extension on the desk phone was the ultimate luxury.
But, the last frontier in harassment is the smartphone. I don't think I get more than one a day? Truthfully, the number of calls on my land line has dropped off, not sure why? I complain to people and they smugly inform me that they just don't answer, unless they recognize the number. Well, to me, that's what they do when they are behind on their payments, but I have nothing to hide so I answer the damned phone! I'm the stupid one, that's for sure!
Good hunting. El Bee
edit: by the way, I have had a few get really pissed off because I jerk them around, the most common is the one helping me with windows tech support. And, it's alway people with an eastern accent!
[ July 30, 2019, 09:57 AM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on July 30, 2019, 10:21 AM:
A really simple one is to listen to their crap for a few sentences while sounding interested and then "Hey, hang on a second, somebody's at the front door." Then just set the phone down. While they're waiting for you they're not calling me..... & vice versa. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posted by Semp (Member # 3074) on July 31, 2019, 03:50 AM:
Most of the time I don't answer the phone and just let it go to voice mail. I'll call back if it is a legit call.
In times past, I would tell the marketer to "hold just a moment please", put my ear muffs on and blast them with a Storm Whistle. At 130 db they don't call back too often.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on July 31, 2019, 08:29 AM:
If only! I've already had three this morning. There really should be a friggin' LAW! I'm sick of being bothered. I do not see it as a solution to not answer the damned telephone. That's why we have it. But the system we have paid for is being abused. I'm sick of being played by an army of foreign solicitors. Every fucking one starts off: "My name is...." If you yell at them, WHAT DO YOU WANT? they might just hang up. Damn! There must be a lot of money in telemarketing, but my privacy is being invaded! I'm totally sick of it!
Good hunting. El Bee
PS there is obviously something wrong with me? The only Dem candidate that appealed to me last night was Merrianne Williamson. I am not kidding, she's the only one I would even consider voting for.
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on July 31, 2019, 11:30 AM:
Just the fact that they're democrats is reason enough not to vote for them as far as I'm concerned.
Only one call so far today.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on July 31, 2019, 11:41 AM:
I think it's been more than an hour since I have had a call. The last one hung up on me, just because I demanded; WHAT DO YOU WANT ?
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on July 31, 2019, 06:52 PM:
This is a fun one;
Act interested and ask them to repeat their company's name. Mention that you like to Google a business before you do business with them. Pause for a bit and then tell the guy that his company has seventeen pages of reviews and they all seem to be negative. He'll deny it. Say "Oh my" quite a bit and things like "It says here that you'll put unauthorized charges on my credit card." He'll deny that, too. Now start in asking him how he can live with himself working for such an outfit. He will assure you that he works for an honorable company. This is when you can point out that his company broke the law by contacting a number on the Nat. Do Not Call list so their ethics are already in question.
At some point he'll hang up on you. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by Paul Melching (Member # 885) on August 01, 2019, 05:15 AM:
They have software that mimics an area code near you or the same as yours if its not an identified caller I just decline the call if it's legit they will leave a message otherwise fuk um done playing games with these assholes, I've done it all from putting them on hold to telling them I will kill their families in the night! I love Frank from Microsoft the best he has a great Indonesian accent!
Posted by www (Member # 3918) on August 01, 2019, 05:27 AM:
I have been called by my own number.Skip Mathews from the IRS could'nt explain why he was using my number.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on August 01, 2019, 07:28 AM:
Yeah, I notice all these Hindu accents have a local number, must be from somebody I know, close by? I wonder how they do it? There has got to be a lot of money involved, there are a lot of people that waste time all day long, I hope this guy has a decent pension?
What if we all chip in a couple bucks, would they go away? I'm not kidding, these asshole really annoy me!
Good hunting. El Bee
PS the latest twist is from social security, my number has been suspended or stolen, I forget which? I don't listen long enough to find out what I have to do about it. But I'm sure it's real and very serious! I'm still concerned that my credit card information has been stolen, that one is keeping me up at night!
But where is the renumeration? Who is paying Frank? It's a good thing I have him looking out for me!
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on August 01, 2019, 01:17 PM:
The guy from 'microsoft' wants you to backspace out the info on the top line & he'll provide you with the new codes …………. which will also open your computer to …….. him.
No calls so far today.
Couple of weeks ago my friend from 'U.S. Pharmacy' called about my prescriptions. I asked him if he had a few minutes to discuss our beloved savior, Janis Joplin. Y'know, Janis Joplin was God's only begotten daughter who sayth "Take a little piece of my heart and then died for YOUR sins." "When She returns from Heaven we will all rejoice and the Hindu will eat beef and the muslim will eat pork." By then I'm laying it on pretty thick and ask if they could contribute a small donation, say ,$100 to the Jewish Defense League to continue this important work. Credit cards accepted.
After he went thru a rant I asked him if he kissed his mother with that mouth & he hung up on me. Very rude.
Posted by Semp (Member # 3074) on August 02, 2019, 10:47 AM:
Got a call this morning. I didn't answer the unknown number as usual but this time they left a voice mail. Seems if I don't call back ASAP they are going to take legal action against me (for what they didn't say). They can't get blood out of a turnip so I'm not worried.
Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on August 02, 2019, 11:48 AM:
Some of those numbers that they want you to call will charge you by the minute and see how long they can keep you on the line.
Posted by TRnCO (Member # 690) on August 02, 2019, 05:35 PM:
No home phone for the last 4 years, BUT like most everyone else I get more than my share of unidentifiable phone calls on my cell. The easiest solution that I've found is simply hit the button to end the call, without answering.
Figure if it's someone that I know, they can text or leave a message.
Sounds like I get fewer then some of ya. I get about 5 a week, on avg.
So far I've only ever gotten one text from a solicitor wanting me to partake in some survey. I simply deleted it.
Posted by Jay Nistetter (Member # 140) on August 03, 2019, 05:35 AM:
I registered my phone numbers on
nomorobo.com
over a year ago.
The BS calls stopped. This really works.
The following is from their sight:
Ok, I've enabled and verified Nomorobo on my phone. What now?
Just use your phone like normal.
The only thing that you should do is to wait for the second ring to answer the phone (Nomorobo needs the first ring to detect robocallers).
If you only hear one ring and then it stops, you know a robocaller was just blocked.
If the phone continues ringing, you should answer it.
Will this block my doctor's office, prescription reminders, school closings, weather advisories, etc.? No.
The only numbers that are blocked are illegal robocallers.
Hey! A robocaller still called me! Occasionally a robocaller or a telemarketer will slip through.
Just like spam, they keep changing their tactics and Nomorobo keeps adapting.
If you do get a robocall, please report it here.
I have more questions! If you have any other questions, comments, or suggestions, please check our help desk. Thanks!
UBB.classicTM
6.3.0