"If you call here again......

[findingZzero]

A landline and a machine? What are those?

Just wait til sunspot activity takes out yer Verizon satellite. I'll be the only game in town..........of course I'm not sure who I would call if everyone has ditched their landline......

 

[Bigtanker]

I used to make them go through their entire script by asking them every question imaginable. Then say "who were you looking for?......oh sorry, you have the wrong number."

In the late 90's, I worked as a telemarketer when I lived in Columbus, OH. I've heard them all. I didn't want to be there anyway but the pay was unbelievable. Every 6 hrs I worked I earned 1 hour of vacation. I made my own hours too.

 

[ModernGunner]

Well, not sure it would ever be enforced or the telemarketer would file a complaint, but the 'negative' part is that making death threats over the phone is a crime.

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

I like when telemarketer calls. Since my retirement I get bored easily. I like messing with them. I'll change accents on them a few times, then I'll tell them I'm a gynecologist , Dr. Buster Hyman. My goal is to get them to hang up on me within 10 minutes. Seems to work, they don't call as much anymore. . . I miss them.

 

[level.eleven]

I'm on do not call lists as well. They worked for a few years. Not anymore.

You're being hit by Rachel from Card Member Services. Call lists don't work. They spoof phone numbers. States and the feds haven't been able to nail them for years. Indiana area codes are being targeted right now. The scammers will cycle through area codes with their robodialers. We see the frequency of calls fade after a while only to pick back up when our area code makes it back into the rotation.

Another point, pressing 1 and telling them off won't fix anything. As a matter of fact, it will make things worse. Now their robodialer algorithm knows the number is legit and there is a human on the other end. Its a phishing scam and you just helped parse their list. No different than successfully delivered/responded to email spam. If someone from Montana is calling you, just don't answer.

 

[church]

You can block these phone numbers. I called Tmobile years back and asked them about blocking free or 1.99 text message ring tones back when that was the thing. I thought i was getting free ring tones and stuff and they wound up charging me a bunch of money, so i had the cell company black list them ALL. I havent received a phone call from a telemarketer since 2002, when I black listed everything. still get phone calls from non profits and things like that, which i dont mind. Riley hospital usually calls me once a year asking me for a repeat donation, which i gladly give, because it saves me the trouble of calling them or driving down there.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

I hate telemarketers as much as the next person, but making threats to kill someone and their entire family over a phone line to a third party which is probably recording the call for 'quality assurance purposes'? No thanks, I'd rather not risk being arrested on possible felony intimidation charges. Let's think ahead, hang up, and try some productive solutions, preferably solutions that keep you on this side of the prison wall.

To demonstate that I am in no way over-reacting or exaggerating, here's the Indiana Code on intimidation: IC 35-45-2; of note, if the threat is to commit a forcible felony, it's a Level 6 felony. Felony in Indiana is punishable by not less than 180 days imprisonment in Indiana, and would forfeit a lot of the rights we enjoy as firearms owners if convicted. Let's act in our own self-interest and not threaten telemarketers. No matter how much they may deserve it, no good can come of it.

Here's a link to a story about someone who probably wishes he had chosen his words with more care:

http://www.abajournal.com/news/arti...ntimidation_over_facebook_message_to_clients/

 

[1861navy]

The scammers will cycle through area codes with their robodialers. We see the frequency of calls fade after a while only to pick back up when our area code makes it back into the rotation.

Another point, pressing 1 and telling them off won't fix anything. As a matter of fact, it will make things worse. Now their robodialer algorithm knows the number is legit and there is a human on the other end. Its a phishing scam and you just helped parse their list. No different than successfully delivered/responded to email spam. If someone from Montana is calling you, just don't answer.

This has been my general experience with them as well, I tried several things, acting deaf, accents, jokes, being polite, etc; never threatened them though. It wasn't until I quit answering, that they didn't call so frequently. And when they did, it appeared as if there was a pattern to it.

 

[MrsGungho]

I just turned off my landline and no problems with my cell and telemarketers. Only reason I kept the landline was so my Mom could call, not sure why she wouldn't just call my cell phone. But anyway, Mom has been gone for 3 years and the landline has been gone for 2 years.

 

[Expat]

I like talking to the Indian guy from Windows security when I have the time.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

I read somewhere on the internet (it has to be true) that the best thing to do is to tell them to remove you from their list, basically anything else and you are still on the list and they will keep trying to call you until you either buy from them or tell them to remove you. Hanging up, yelling at them or doing pranks just keeps you on the list. I only have a cell phone and I am on both do not call lists so this isn't a problem for me.

 

[CathyInBlue]

@ Expat: I especially like that when I build my own computers and run Linux exclusively.

 

[JetGirl]

I like talking to the Indian guy from Windows security when I have the time.

Bob!! He called me a few weeks ago! How's he doing?

 

[Expat]

Bob!! He called me a few weeks ago! How's he doing?

I am a little hurt by him. He doesn't seem to remember me from call to call. One time I explained I was in my 80's and didn't know what a windows was unless he was talking about the windows on my house. I used to just tell him, I didn't have any windo$e machines.

 

[Snapdragon]

I have a friend who just tells "Bob" that she doesn't have electricity.

 

[CHCRandy]

These people are unreal. I am on no call lists...I have asked to be removed from their list.....and instead they call more often from different numbers. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE.....Heck, they even been calling me from a number that is identical to me, just different area code.

 

[N8RV]

Ahhh ... "Verizon Bob." I love my chats with Bob. [Must read with lilting Indian accent] "Thank you for calling Verizon tech support. My name is Bob. How may I help you today?"

 

[JetGirl]

Ahhh ... "Verizon Bob." I love my chats with Bob. [Must read with lilting Indian accent] "Thank you for calling Verizon tech support. My name is Bob. How may I help you today?"

Bob sure gets around!!

 

[CathyInBlue]

I wonder if Bob knows Peggy.

 

[Jack Burton]

Having used telemarketers extensively in the past I can assure you their clients don't want to waste time on unreachable people. If you annoy them, or give them problems all that means is that you are actually reachable. Thus you stay on the list for a future call for when you might not be annoyable. So how do you stop being "reachable"?

Virtually all dialing software has the ability to distinguish between a fax tone and a normal tone when the phone is picked up. If you have an all-in-one printer attached to your computer just make sure the fax line is also plugged into a phone line. This works fine with just a fax machine also, which you can find laying around for about five bucks or so if you don't have one. When a telemarketer call (or a number you don't know) comes in then just push the "hook" button on the printer/fax and touch the fax dial. The outbound software will immediately note it as a fax number on the list and will self remove the number. It may take awhile but eventually the word will get into enough computers. This also has the side benefit of eventually removing your name and number from the lists that are sold and bought.