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Another way to deter phone solicitors or any calls from people you don't know

#1
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5/28/08 at 7:20pm
  • Joined: June 2007
  • Location: Corvallis, Oregon
  • Post Count: 1,729
I actually had a lot of fun with this. I recognized the solicitor's number on my caller ID.

I answered in a fake language (maybe like a record playing backwards fast with a really odd accent). I also used a lot of dramatic intonation. I never let on that I knew English. Got rid of him real quick and I'm still laughing :bounce:
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#2
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5/29/08 at 11:31am
  • Joined: August 2000
  • Location: Wisconsin USA
  • Post Count: 9,532
I signed up for the "Do Not Call" list, both the federal (U.S.) one and the one for my state. If I get a solicitation that's not on the very short list of permitted calls, I immediately ask for a supervisor and explain I'm going to file a complaint. That's the end of that.

If I'm in a hurry, I say, "I don't understand" in Hebrew, repeatedly. They hang up. :rolleyes:

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#3
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5/29/08 at 1:06pm
  • Joined: February 2006
  • Location: San Francisco Bay Area
  • Post Count: 54

Sure-fire way....

"You're calling from where? Oh, please hold for just a second, I have ____ (fill in the blank) on the stove, I'll be right back."

Set down the phone next to the radio, tune in the local Spanish station, & leave it there...

:roll:

I have yet to have them call me back...;)

Micki

--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--o--
Micki, aka Pastry Maven

"Yom-yom-yooom, ze chocolad!"

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#4
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5/29/08 at 2:24pm
  • Joined: January 2001
  • Location: Canada
  • Post Count: 2,000
I heard somewhere that pressing # for several seconds if there's a delay when you answer, helps. I tried it; seems to have worked. I get much fewer calls now. Coincidence perhaps?

I also tried the "can you hold" approach. It was cathardic the first time but now i just feel bad for these poor people... It's not really their fault.
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#5
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5/29/08 at 2:27pm
  • Joined: May 2004
  • Location: Montréal
  • Post Count: 372
I record them, then call them back, its stopped fast :D
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#6
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5/29/08 at 5:57pm
  • Joined: October 2005
  • Location: Vancouver, Canada
  • Post Count: 1,644
Most of 'em around here always have you on "hold" even before you pick up, so if I get a few seconds of silence, I just hang up. If they get me a second time, I ALWAYS manage to get a "no thanks" in there and hang up before they can get more than 5 words of their boiler plate going...
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#7
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5/29/08 at 6:55pm
  • Joined: March 2008
  • Location: SW MN
  • Post Count: 911
For the really annoying ones that won't give up I use a portable air horn thats in a can. :roll:never seem to get a call back after that :D
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#8
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5/29/08 at 8:51pm
  • Joined: October 2001
  • Location: Fond du Lac, WI
  • Post Count: 3,366
Personally, I like to pull the ignorant redneck screaming at his wife or kid while the person is trying to sell me something. Don't know that it stops the calls but sure gives a laugh when I wonder what those poor souls on the other end must be thinking.

From Man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the World-Saint Arnoldus
http://www.onceachef.com/

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#9
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5/30/08 at 5:15am
  • Joined: August 2004
  • Location: Minnesota
  • Post Count: 936
1. If its the "Fireman's Fund" calling (Attorney General says they're not a real charity), I always respond, "Oh no, my stoves on fire, I gotta go" and hang up. They don't call back for a year.

2. If its someone who definitely sounds like they're reading their spiel from a card, I speak Spanish and say "No hablo ingles!" That always works. If they speak SPanish, I speak Arabic to them.

3. Everyone else gets my own spiel, which I have set to memory, "IF you act within the next 20 seconds by providing me your credit card number and password, I can give you 100 gold - embossed, personalized pencils with what ever phrase you want on them. IN fact, if you give me your credit card # and password within the next 10 seconds, I will double the number of personalized gold-embossed pencils to 200. But you have to act now. GIVE ME YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER AND PASSWORD NOW!!!!"

They usually hang up before I finish. HOWEVER, once, one lady started giving me her credit card number and I hung up.

doc
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#10
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5/30/08 at 6:44am
  • Joined: April 2007
  • Location: Halifax
  • Post Count: 268
Ever hear of Tom Mabe? He is the master. He is a comedian who started recording incoming tele-marketer calls while he gives the poor slobs the run around. An example: the classic carpet cleaning service call. Tom seems really interested and enthusiastic in getting a cleaning. Can they come over right away? Can they get blood out of carpets? How about curtains?
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#11
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5/30/08 at 7:56am
  • Joined: December 2000
  • Location: NY, USA
  • Post Count: 1,062
The trick I use is
"Sure, I'm very, very interested. As we just sat down to eat dinner, I'd like to call you back. May I have your number?
What time zone are you calling from? That way, I'll make sure to call just as you sit down."
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#12
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5/30/08 at 9:50am
  • Joined: November 2000
  • Location: Rochester, NY, USA
  • Post Count: 2,468
I try to be somewhat gentle because I know a lot of them are just trying to make a living, but if I sense them being in the least bit annoying (and it doesn't take much!) I will mess with them in a variety of ways. I had fun with the credit card companies....I don't need a credit card I just won the lottery, I'm rich! Then you really need a cc! No I don't I pay cash for everything! What if it gets stolen? I just make more, etc, etc, etc. It's really fun sometimes!

My latest musical venture!
http://myspace.com/nikandtheniceguys

http://nikentertainment.com
"I'm at the age when food has taken the place of sex in my life. In fact I've just had a mirror put over my kitchen table." Rodney Dangerfield RIP

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#13
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5/30/08 at 11:45am
  • Joined: September 2001
  • Location: Back at work
  • Post Count: 855
Our latest game was "How much personal information can you get from the telemarketer?" before you answer a single question...

What a relief! To find out after all these years that I'm not crazy. I'm just culinarily divergent...

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#14
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6/4/08 at 8:34am
  • Joined: October 2007
  • Location: Los Angeles, CA.
  • Post Count: 36
Hhahaha these are some really funny ways to deal with those annoying phone calls. I've had someone try to keep me on the phone after I told them more than 3 times I wasn't interested. Thats when I began to get annoyed. I'll take a few of these tips for the next time :talk:
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#15
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6/7/08 at 8:40am
  • Joined: November 2006
  • Location: Kapolei, Hawaii
  • Post Count: 322

That is Funny!

There are good pranks with telemarketers over here at Zug .com Great for a laugh once in awhile.
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