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05-28-2008, 09:20 PM
|  | Riffraff party rep Culinary Experience: Other | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Central Oregon
Posts: 1,032
| |  Another way to deter phone solicitors or any calls from people you don't know
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 
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05-29-2008, 01:31 PM
|  | ChefTalk Moderator Culinary Experience: Cook At Home | | Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Wisconsin USA
Posts: 8,616
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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. 
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05-29-2008, 03:06 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: I Just Like Food | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 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... 
I have yet to have them call me back... 
Micki
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05-29-2008, 04:24 PM
|  | ChefTalk Moderator Culinary Experience: Culinary Instructor | | Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Canada
Posts: 1,933
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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. |
05-29-2008, 04:27 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Cook At Home | | Join Date: May 2004 Location: Montréal
Posts: 351
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I record them, then call them back, its stopped fast  |
05-29-2008, 07:57 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 1,253
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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... |
05-29-2008, 08:55 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Other | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW MN
Posts: 436
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For the really annoying ones that won't give up I use a portable air horn thats in a can. never seem to get a call back after that |
05-29-2008, 10:51 PM
|  | ChefTalk Moderator Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Fond du Lac, WI
Posts: 3,001
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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.
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From Man's sweat and God's love, beer came into the World-Saint Arnoldus |
05-30-2008, 07:15 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: At home cook | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Minnesota
Posts: 791
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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 |
05-30-2008, 08:44 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Line Cook | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Halifax
Posts: 208
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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? |
05-30-2008, 09:56 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Food Editor | | Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: NY, USA
Posts: 1,040
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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." |
05-30-2008, 11:50 AM
|  | ChefTalk Book Reviewer Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Rochester, NY, USA
Posts: 2,348
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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! |
05-30-2008, 01:45 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Restaurant Manager | | Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: On Hiatus
Posts: 811
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Our latest game was "How much personal information can you get from the telemarketer?" before you answer a single question...
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What a relief! To find out after all these years that I'm not crazy. I'm just culinarily divergent... |
06-04-2008, 10:34 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Cook At Home | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA.
Posts: 27
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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  |
06-07-2008, 10:40 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: At home cook | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kapolei, Hawaii
Posts: 287
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Quote:
Originally Posted by deltadoc  ...HOWEVER, once, one lady started giving me her credit card number and I hung up.
doc |
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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