How i deal with Telemarkters

[dxkj]

I usually try to waste as much of their time is possible, while continuing whatever Im doing at the time. If its homework, dishes, cleaning up the apartment, making out with my fiancee, whatever.

The last time someone called offering me a "free" cell phone. I said ok cool I'll take a free cell phone, send it over. And she's like great, you have to sign up for 2yrs etc etc. Im like no, I just want the free phone you offered me. She said oh i have to go, here is my supervisor. So I started talking with him about it. I asked how did you get my name anyway. They said I was a great phone customer and they got my name from them. I said well are you the same company, he said no, they just gave out the information. Im like, wth, so anyone could just call up my phone company and ask for the information and harass me because Im a good customer.

He didnt like that much and tried to tell me about their "Free" deal again. Thats when I let him have it. I told him it wasnt really free, or else I could have it "with no strings attached". I kept bringing that up, until I finally got him to say. "Sir, This is America, nothing in life is free". I then asked for his name, and then to talk to his superior. He said that he was the supervisor for this floor, so I asked to speak to his manager. Reluctantly he complied.

After talking to his manager for a while, I got the same "In america nothing is free" speech from him. (everyone here had a foreign accent, so Im not sure if they just had something against america or me =). Anyway, I told him I was going to file a complaint against them for offereing something for free, and then going against what they said and outright admitting that it wasn't free. He started asking me what he could do to appease me and my phone went dead.


Oh well, it was fun while it Lasted.

I tend to do whatever i can to waste their time, since they want to waste mine. I have nothing against a person making their living doing this, but I couldnt personally, and I hope they dont mind since most of the time they hang up laughing.


PS Another funny time was when a guy called and I said short of breath, Im having sex right now man, can you please call back later. And he was like oh <FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: yellow" face=verdana color=red><B>sht</B></FONT> man, sorry, and hung up

 

[radioouman]

I just pick up the phone and don't say anything at all.

 

[DT4K]

I had an some guy with what sounded like an Indian accent, call me supposedly representing Verizon wireless. He told me I had been selected for a free offer. I said great, let me call you back so I know you are actually with Verizon, but he said there were was no number I could reach him at and he needed to get my credit card right then or the offer would not be good. I ended up wasting about 20 minutes of his time telling him I didn't want to give my card number to him and asking how I was supposed to know he really was who he said he was. So then he put me on with his manager. I'm not sure how that was supposed to help, but I spent another 15 minutes on the phone with his manager before hanging up on him. I at least felt good that I had kept them from harrassing other people for like 35 minutes.
Then the next day I called the 800 number for Verizon and they said they didn't even service my area. It gets better.
The guy called me again about 2 or 3 days and gave me the same speech. I asked him if he knew what my address was and he did. So I told him that Verizon didn't offer service in my area. He just kept saying, "don't worry, the reception will be fine, it's a really good phone". I was almost laughing at that point. He didn't seem to understand the concept that I already knew Verizon didn't even offer service anywhere within 100 miles of me.

 

[Anubis]

i just have an "Air Horn" ready and blast it into teh phone thane hang up. im sure that pisses them off. and hurts their ears as well

 

[RU482]

When I have time, I like to let them go through their whole schpeel, them say..."oh, wow, hold on just a second", and set the phone down and walk away

 

[DoNotDisturb]

if they're for newspapers, just say you're already subscribed.

 

[dxkj]

When I have time, I like to let them go through their whole schpeel, them say..."oh, wow, hold on just a second", and set the phone down and walk away

i do that too, heh, one time i picked up the phone after 10 mins, they were still there, and i said just a few more mins

 

[SlowSS]

"No habra engles"?

 

[3L33T32003]

When they call, I ask them what they are wearing and how they feel about phone sex. Then I start talking dirty.

Remember, you cannot be charged with making an obscene call if THEY call YOU.

 

[SlowSS]

Originally posted by: 3L33T32003
When they call, I ask them what they are wearing and how they feel about phone sex. Then I start talking dirty.

Remember, you cannot be charged with making an obscene call if THEY call YOU.

Ummm, even if it's a guy?:Q

 

[xBopx]

Originally posted by: SlowSS

Originally posted by: 3L33T32003
When they call, I ask them what they are wearing and how they feel about phone sex. Then I start talking dirty.

Remember, you cannot be charged with making an obscene call if THEY call YOU.

Ummm, even if it's a guy?:Q

That would make even more rediculously funny!

 

[GmanBat]

The telemarketers that I talk to don't irritate me nearly as much as picking up the phone after it rings and noone there. Caller ID says "Unknown" just like the telemarketers. Happens 5-6 times a day sometimes. I called the phone company about it. They said the machines call 5 numbers at once. The first to answer gets to talk, the rest hear nothing. Needs to be a law against it. I pity the poor older folks who would be more upset by dead phone calls, thinking it's someone stalking their house.

I believe I should get my phone service free, if it comes with commercials like TV!

 

[rival]

i kinda like talking to em, especially the ones that are givin stuff away for free, coz when you ask em why its free, they dont know

 

[jeffrey]

I'm suprised that none of you have mentioned this yet, but if you ask them to "Please take me off of your list" they are required to not call back.
100% true.

 

[hagbard]

You know people, there is a reason why these guys sound "foreign" and "Indian", they are. These call centres are often in India, they're trained to sound like their located in the US or Canada.

 

[Viper GTS]

I just had my greatest ever experience with a telemarketer (and yes, he sounded Indian, keep that in mind when you read his lines...)

30 mins ago I get this call:

Me: Hello?
Him: Is this 503-643-xxxx?
Me: Yes
Him: Hello, my name is blah, I'm with blah wireless. Your number has been selected for a free digital cell phone with 3000 minutes...
Me: Click

Afterwards, my roommate & I were discussing what I SHOULD have said. Unfortunately I never think of these things ahead of time.

30 minutes later, my phone rings again.

Me: Hello?
Him: Is this 503-643-xxxx?
Me: Yes
Him: Hello, my name is blah, I'm with blah wireless. Your number has been selected for a free digital cell phone with 3000 minutes... (The SAME guy!)
Me: Does that phone have a vibrate mode?
Him: Yes sir, it has a vibrator.
Me: Good, I like phones with vibrators.
Him: Anyway...
Me: How about you stick it up your ass?
Him: Sorry?
Me: I said, how about you stick it up your ass?
Him: Yes, the phone has a vibrator. Why don't you turn it on, stick it in your ass, and call it from your landline. You won't be getting a free phone.
Me: Excellent.
Me: Click.

With any luck he'll call back again.



Viper GTS

 

[RossMAN]

LOL Viper

Wish you could have taped that one

 

[FrustratedUser]

I really liked the thread some guy posted here a while ago. I had them on hold for at leat 30 mins.
I'd do that the next time.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: jeffrey
I'm suprised that none of you have mentioned this yet, but if you ask them to "Please take me off of your list" they are required to not call back.
100% true.

Exactly. And it works.
Anyone who hasn't figured this out yet is a masochistic dipsh!t who deserves every telemarketing call that they get. :|

 

[friedpie]

Originally posted by: TheEvil1
i just have an "Air Horn" ready and blast it into teh phone thane hang up. im sure that pisses them off. and hurts their ears as well

SNORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[friedpie]

Originally posted by: GmanBat
The telemarketers that I talk to don't irritate me nearly as much as picking up the phone after it rings and noone there. Caller ID says "Unknown" just like the telemarketers. Happens 5-6 times a day sometimes. I called the phone company about it. They said the machines call 5 numbers at once. The first to answer gets to talk, the rest hear nothing.

Yes, they are called predictive dialers, really evil machines.

Not only do they call more numbers than they can handle, when they do connect to you (they hear "hello") it then switchs over to an operator who has no idea who you are at first. That's why a lot of them butcher your last name, because it has just then flashed on their screen and they have a nanosecond to figure it out and how to pronounce it.

You can almost always tell a telemarketer is calling by that pause from the time you pick up and say hello to the time they answer.

Those predictive dialers are easily defeated. Since it's a computer it listens for certain sounds. One sound it listens for is called a SIT tone. Ever call a disconnected number and you hear this sound? If you record that on to your answering machine when a telescum dialer hears it it will recognize it as a disconnected number. It will then remove you from their call list. I have had this on my answering machine for two years and I get almost zero calls.

 

[Jombo]

I just let them do their talking, and at the end or whenever i feel like it, i say "take me off the list", then they go ok

it's kinda funny that when they hear the magic word, only thing they can say is "ok"

 

[hdeck]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: jeffrey
I'm suprised that none of you have mentioned this yet, but if you ask them to "Please take me off of your list" they are required to not call back.
100% true.

Exactly. And it works.
Anyone who hasn't figured this out yet is a masochistic dipsh!t who deserves every telemarketing call that they get. :|

calm down buddy.

 

[PCMarine]

Omg this thread is great, wish there were more posts.

My dad always asks for the product for free heh, while I always just hang up when I hear that long pause.

However, here in Wisconsin a new state law came into effect on Jan 1st(I think), where you can have your phone number put on a "no-call" list and the telemarketers get fined big time if they call you. However it filters out about 95% of the calls, as non-profit organizations (salvation army, disabled veterans, etc.) can still call.

 

[PCMarine]

^^

The no-call list is very effective. I can't remember the last time we've gotten a telemarketer call.