Wednesday, January 29, 2020
The Magic Phrase Part II
Today I got a call from a nearly incoherent Indian man, to remind me that my 'delivery' was about to arrive and they hadn't recieved my payment yet. Then I remembered that a few weeks ago someone who might well have been this same incoherent Indian man had called to let me know that my Clearing House delivery (o boy o boy color me excited) was arriving soon and they wanted to know if I would be home to accept it, and a small fee for the delivery would be in order now.
At that time we got into an argument about such things and I finally hung up.
This time I may have found the magic words. I suggest that anyone who gets one of these calls, try it, it works a treat. "I'm sorry, but we're on a do not call list and you shouldn't be calling here" click.
I used it yesterday when manly-voiced Joe (or Pete or Frank) called on behalf on the State Fire Marshalls, wanting a donation. click.
They don't argue. In the case of the incoherent Indian man, he may be just versed in english enough to think HE has been put on a do not call list and who am I to dissuade him...
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Do not call lists do not work so if I do not recognize the caller’s number, I do not answer. They call all day long and it is very annoying, but I have gotten No Mo Robo and that is helping to cut down on them.
ReplyDeleteactually they do, but you have to keep it up, and of course there is always someone or many someones who ignore it entirely.
DeleteHowever. You don't have to BE on one to say you are, and Im sure telemarketers don't bother to check the lists anyway. And they don't work with autodialers, but they do cut down the live callers, when you tell them you're on one.
Hey, I'm just having fun with it, and I never did figure out how to block calls with this phone.
I just wish it worked with political pitches. It could be a loooong year.
I try to keep them on the line as long as possible, offer nothing but nonsense. I tell them I don't have a phone, that I communicate telepathically. Or, when they ask me for my Social Security number I tell them: 023-43-7986-6683-505-2795-1951-7070707-12345...etc etc etc until THEY hang up on ME. Some of them curse first, but hey, I always get a laugh.
ReplyDeleteOh you ARE a fun date, aren't you. Sometimes I tell them that I'm not here but I'll be back in an hour or so, if they want to hold the line. Heck, might as well have some fun with it.
DeleteI used to enjoy the political 'vote for me" live calls, sometimes they sounded so young and bored, and we'd just chat for ten minutes or so. Now it's all automated and they shout at you. Really, really, wants to make you vote for that candidate.
Oh, yeah. Sometimes I tell them to hang on for a second while I get Ron, then I just set the phone down by the TV's speaker & let them listen to Jeopardy until they figure things out & hang up.
DeleteSometimes I don't think they even listen. I just realized, i've never run across a female telemarketer...
DeleteLuckily I don't get to deal with many telemarketers. My MO is usually to tell them I am busy
ReplyDeleteMy husband lets me deal with them. Im just as happy, he tends to shout and get upset. He's more upsetting than the ninny at the other end...this way at least I get to do accents, sound fierce, threaten with jail time...
Deletethreaten with jail time is a good one.
DeleteHave you maybe asked them if they know they are calling the local coroners officers and if they are inquiring about a late relative?
I have gotten a couple of those calls at my job. As soon as I tell them they've reached a corporate office, they hang up.
ReplyDeleteIt should work even when you're actually at home, though. These people have no idea what the numbers they're calling actually are. next time you get one of those calls, tell them "this is the Police Department" or something similar. They have no way of knowing it isn't.
oh, this is a wonderful idea; the next time the Manly Voice calls I will tell him he has reached the (local) police department, let me connect you with our Captain...
DeleteJust thought of something. The next one who calls gets a foreign language. High, slightly hysterical, but basically gibberish.
ReplyDeleteI just got one from my Indian friend, and told him this was the local police station. It upset him deeply. Then I told him he shouldn't be calling here, and he just started sounding all swirly. Then he hung up.
This should be interesting
DeleteI expect so. My husband has been warned, that I may break into glossalalia at any moment, so...
DeleteI used to play with them, does not work. I think even picking up results in more robo calls. Now if I do not know the caller I never pick up. If it is important they can leave a message. If no message, I block the number, even though they phone from many "fake" numbers, blocking does seem to help. Also it seems the services are trying to help, many calls now announce "Possible scam" or "Fraudulent call" so apparently they are picking up on some algarhythmic anomalies.
ReplyDeletewell we don't get a huge number and Im afraid neither the phone (landline) or the user (me) is sophisticated enough to enable blocked numbers. I may have to go through the instruction book again.
DeleteI don't object to the fake Clearing house stuff, nearly as much as I do the waterfall of 'vote for meee" "vote for this guy" calls, all of which are automated and incredibly loud. We haven't had any yet, but I have a feeling we'll be getting all the Republican calls. If we had a split household, we'd be getting all of them. yikes.