Telemarketers... I hate 'em

Flamers' Ward Forum

You know what... I f'n HATE telemarketers! They make me boil.


So, next time one calls you... and says something, tell them that you're in the middle of eating a family meal, and ask if you can have their home number and you will call 'em right back!




Okay... so, we all get these calls. And most people get annoyed and hang up. Some get pissed and make lewd comments (though I'm so sure no one here does that ) And some tease 'em....


What are some things that you do to telemarketers... or wish that you could say/do to them?

I've been known to make 'em turn 20 shades of red by asking them EXTREMELY sexual questions!

I ask them for their home number so I can let them know if I want the product or want to donate money.

When the fraternal police call, which they do often, I tell them that I know all about their evil masonic group and know what they are really up to....silence on the other end of the phone.

I got a call from the fraternal police a week ago. I was really cheerful with my 'hello' which must have freaked them out a bit because there was silence on the other end of the phone. So, I said "who are you?" This shook them back to their own little private idaho and they said T (they called me by name) I am with the fraternal police....

I interjected with: Well, thank you oh so very much for calling. I appreciate you thinking of me! And may God bless you! *click*

It is amazing what trazedone can do for a person.

I really wish I was Jahovah's Witness, because that's really the only group of people that can out do the telemarketers.

Everytime a telemarketer calls:

TM: (Starts in on scripted monotone description of why they're bothering you
Me: Uh...I'm not supposed to be here.
TM: What?
Me: Well, the people that own the house don't *technically* want me here. So if you call back, could you not tell them I answered?
TM: silence.
Me: Gosh thanks. I don't think I could do prison again!

i've had no dealings with "technical" telemarketers, but do people from colleges count? i hated it when they'd call me. Especially this one college, which called 3 times, even though each time i told them i had no interest in going there, and them saying they'd take my name off their "to call" list.

one of my friends just puts them on hold and leaves.

I just hang up.

Sometimes I put the phone down and don't hang up and let them keep going. That's kind of mean though.

Ive had the same mobile telemarketer who calls ... every time its the same ... they ask for someone in the hosue .. .when you tell them there not in they ask if your a family member then try to sell something to you ... ive tried so many teactics ... one i havent tried is saying take this number of your database, then if they call again tell them there breaking the law (which they would be, as they would be breaking the data protection act) i wonder what they would say ...

Its usually someone in India, as the companies use it for cheaper labour. 1- I cant understand them and 2- they dont know what im saying when i go off there script

I used to get calls when I was living at home with my mom from the paper trying to get her to subscribe. Well, I started crying and went on to tell the telemarketer how cruel they were becasue I was blind and could not read their paper and that I had asked time and time again to be removed from their list. They to this day have NEVER again called that number.

Now I am on the do not call list, so for the very few that get through, I just tell them that I am on that list. They hang up right away.

When I get calls from telemarketers now I just let them go through their sales pitch, and 30 seconds later when they're finished I say "huh". You'll be surprised how often they repeat themselves.

I like to act stupid. I mean, friggin' retarded. No offense to retarded people. I love frustrating a telemarketer to their bones by pretending as though I can't comprehend what they're telling me. And when they ask to talk to someone else I laugh and tell them something irrelivent. Here's an example of how those convos go:

TM: (after annoying pause) Hi, my name is blah-blah-blah and I am calling on behalf of blabiddy-blah-blah, I just wanted to let you know--

ME: HUH??

TM: I just wanted to let you know that--

ME: MOM?? (or dad)

TM: My name is blah-blah-blah, with--

ME: I only like Pepperoni.

TM: Can I talk to your parent or gaurdian, please?

ME: I don't like peas.

TM: When would be a good time to call back?

ME: I saw a bird at the park earlier.

TM: I'll try back later.

ME: Did you know that Smurphs are A-sexual??

TM: Buh-bye.

(click)

Me: *smiles*

Another great conversation with a telemarketer.

I like how they said please at the end of one of 'em, and you replied with... "I don't like peas"

Alot of times I simply resort to pulling the phone cord out to be honest. It just saves the talking.


"Can I speak to blah blah"
"Yeah sure, just hold..."
Cuts out

You know the guy who recently died.. what was his name... goofy character on the andy griffith show... played the fish...

Well I was thinking, wouldn't it be great to answer the phone in his voice, and stay in character, pretending it was 1964?

A TM may think he or she were in the twightlight zone...

The TM proberly wouldn't know who your trying to impersonate ... Most places use cheap labour by having there phone place in the 3rd world

I got a TM call me today trying to sell me a mobile phone ... he said his name was harry, which it most proberly wasn't, i let that one go, i let he talk a bit then i said "where did you get my number?" he said "you wanted a phone didn't you" i said "no, where did you get my number from" which he replied "thank you for your time ..." thats when he disconnected.

I could have said something like "I would just like to let you know that this call is being recorded, and i now ask you to take my number off your list, and i you do call me i will call the police on charges of harasment" I wonder where in the convisation he would hang up

1st line of defense: the National Do Not Call Registry:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/donotcall/index.html

2nd line of defense: Caller ID

3rd line of defense (if you actually have to/want to answer the call): I just say "They're not home right now. Can I take a message?"

3rd line is like saying your just the plumer ... but they still try to sell a phone to you

Oh my goodness! A friend of mine got a call from a telemarketer yesterday and I asked her how she handled it. She told me that after the woman said the company she was calling about, my friend kept whimpering into the phone, "Why are you talking so loud! Stop yelling!" she said it after every single sentence the marketer uttered. After 2 minutes, the woman finally hung up!

It's amazing that she stayed on for that long. I will give it to these people, they have extraordinary attention spans and tolerances for annoyance.

I got ANOTHER one today ... this time i got the woman to take my number off there database ... hopfully thats one less company calling

My big complaint with telemarketers is that they are training people to be rude. Here is a recent call i got

''Hello is Mr F there?''

''Yes ,this is he''

''Im from some charity. Did you know , Mr F , that right now all over the world..................''

''Im not interested in making a donation right now''


''We are not asking for donations at this time. We are simply informing you of the once in a lifetime opportunity to .............''

''Im not interested''

''But , Mr F , with the help of upstanding citizens like yourself.....................''

''click''

You see, I had no choice but to be rude or suffer this guys full sales pitch. I actually dont mind if they just say ''OK thanks for your time'', but some of them are like a chihuahua humping on your leg. The more you kick the the more they hang on because they actually got something that moves

I get that all the time... that they aren't looking for money RIGHT NOW. But, eventually they do want something. And they don't take NO for an answer. That's why I NEVER tell them that it's me answering the phone. Luckily, we use our cell phones for everything. So, if you call the house line, you have to leave a message. Saves a lot of time for us.

I just tell them, I am on the do not call list. That is followed by a fast hang up on their part.

and do those companies call you back?