NationStates Jolt Archive

When cold callers either phone or call at your home, how rude are you, if you are, and how do you generally respond? Any good responses to tell me about?

(incidentally, come on United, Barnet are easy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

When cold callers either phone or call at your home, how rude are you, if you are, and how do you generally respond? Any good responses to tell me about?

(incidentally, come on United, Barnet are easy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Hang up instantly. They're not worth the hassle.

When cold callers either phone or call at your home, how rude are you, if you are, and how do you generally respond? Any good responses to tell me about?


I've come up with a rather radical solution. I just don't answer my phone any more. :)

Most people I know contact me by e-mail. And others know to use a special code when phoning me.

For people in Britain: Direct sales (cold calling) companies are legally compelled to remove from their databases names that appear on the Telephone Preference Service database. You can sign up for the TPS at:

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/

Note that this does not apply to charities or foreign companies. There's also a Mail Preference Service and Fax Preference Service.

I have no phone now. When I did, it would depend. If I had no time/effort, I'd use the car horn. If I felt in the mood to be silly, then I would:
1. pretend to be Bangladeshi, or;
2. pretend to have a heart attack, or;
3. leave the phone off the hook, and walk loudly up to it, so they could hear footsteps...then turn away, or;
4. generally do other things, that I can't remember, but I'm sure weren't that funny, but which tickled me.

I haven't actually done this, but I've heard of people acting like they think the telemarketer is one of "the voices".

I usually ask them to hold, then go do something else. Sometimes when I'm really bored, I clock how long they stay on the line. It's actually quite surprising, some of the times...

I usually ask them to hold, then go do something else. Sometimes when I'm really bored, I clock how long they stay on the line. It's actually quite surprising, some of the times...

I like that idea actually...

The best one I've ever done is played a porn film down the phone:p

I've never had a problem with it over the phone.

In person, i'll give to charity, but i'm generally rude to religious doorknockers. I can't help it. They don't leave you alone otherwise.

I usually ask them to hold, then go do something else. Sometimes when I'm really bored, I clock how long they stay on the line. It's actually quite surprising, some of the times...

I think they're not allowed to hang up until a certain point, unless you're abusive. Certainly, I've had them waiting patiently for 15 minutes before, at least.

I like that idea actually...

The best one I've ever done is played a porn film down the phone:p
ROFLMAOWECADC!

What a shocker that must've been for that one!

See if you can make them cry by asking them if this is how they imagined their life would turn out.

See if you can make them cry by asking them if this is how they imagined their life would turn out.

LOL...that's cruel though, they're just doing a job.

See if you can make them cry by asking them if this is how they imagined their life would turn out.

Start crying down the phone, and bemoaning your life. try to get them to council you, they rlly don't know what to do.:p

For people in Britain: Direct sales (cold calling) companies are legally compelled to remove from their databases names that appear on the Telephone Preference Service database. You can sign up for the TPS at:

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/

Note that this does not apply to charities or foreign companies. There's also a Mail Preference Service and Fax Preference Service.
We just recently got something similar in the US, too. Makes a world of difference. Except at fundraising time.

Most telemarketing companies use an automated dialing system that doesn't connect to an operator until you answer. So if you say hello, and don't get an immediate response, it's a cold caller and you can just hang up. I only ever hung up on a friend once doing that.

Ring. "Hello." Silence. Hang up. Ring. "Hello." "Why'd you hang up on me?" "Sorry, thought you were a telemarketer. Answer smartly next time."

I don't get such calls often, and when I do I randomly pick a word at the beginning (a common one, like "such" or "our") and pretend that said word is an insult. So whenever they mention it I begin loudly protesting, and when they ask the inevitable "What word?" I answer vaguely like: "The one you just said!" or "That horrible O-word!"
It probably comes off as really stupid, but I enjoy it.

My brother, a maniac btw, usually answer with like 'Peter's Pizzeria, how can I help?', or his favourite 'Gävle taxi, the white taxi company' (their real slogan... they're getting sued I think)

Just make vague affirmative noises and allow them to spout, then tell them you aren't buying anything when they ask for your credit card details.
If they're going to waste your time, you might derive a certain degree of satisfaction from returning the compliment.

For people in Britain: Direct sales (cold calling) companies are legally compelled to remove from their databases names that appear on the Telephone Preference Service database. You can sign up for the TPS at:

http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/

Note that this does not apply to charities or foreign companies. There's also a Mail Preference Service and Fax Preference Service.
That one works as well.

Most telemarketing companies use an automated dialing system that doesn't connect to an operator until you answer.
In Britain there's been such outrage at these 'silent calls' that regulations have been introduced saying only 5% of calls made are allowed to be silent. It's difficult to enforce, but some kitchen supplies company has been prosecuted.

I just politely say, "No thank you, I'm not interested." and hang up, or sometimes ask them to remove me from their database. There's no need to be rude to someone who is just trying to do their job.

But then, I know what it's like to be on the other end. I did telemarketing stuff for about 6 months so that I could earn some money. Having to do that job at all is bad enough, having assholes on the other end of the phone screaming abuse at you doesn't help any. Although it can be rather amusing to hear people throwing hissy fits and keep themselves on the phone for minutes on end when it would take seconds to say 'no thanks' and hang up. So much for their 'valuable' time.

My brother, a maniac btw, usually answer with like 'Peter's Pizzeria, how can I help?', or his favourite 'Gävle taxi, the white taxi company' (their real slogan... they're getting sued I think)

Here's one - "Suzies massage parlour." (said in a gruff voice)

But then, I know what it's like to be on the other end. I did telemarketing stuff for about 6 months so that I could earn some money. Having to do that job at all is bad enough, having assholes on the other end of the phone screaming abuse at you doesn't help any.
But if you willingly do a job that you know enrages most of the population, don't you think a little abuse is deserved? :-) Surely you could have found a menial-but-not-so-evil job, like stacking shelves? As long as it wasn't at Satan's Supermarket.

But if you willingly do a job that you know enrages most of the population, don't you think a little abuse is deserved? :-) Surely you could have found a menial-but-not-so-evil job, like stacking shelves? As long as it wasn't at Satan's Supermarket.

Hah! You try finding a job even stacking shelves, in my town. People act like there are an unlimited number of shelf-stacking jobs out there. There aren't.

Besides, I didn't feel too guilty about it, considering I was actually doing the work for a charity. I got a kick out of telling people that their abusiveness was in breach of the Telecommunications Act and that I perfectly within my rights to report them (and that I had all the necessary details at my disposal to do so).

My fiancee briefly did call center work at her university where she was required to cold call people and ask for $1,000 donations. She happened to call someone whose husband just passed away and still had to ask for the $1,000. So yeah, in a lot of cases, people know their job is inane and will piss people off, but they do it anyway. Generally, I just hear telemarketers out and tell them no in the end, though a couple of times I just hung up on them.

"Sam's Pool Hall, 8-ball speaking..."

We just recently got something similar in the US, too. Makes a world of difference. Except at fundraising time.

Most telemarketing companies use an automated dialing system that doesn't connect to an operator until you answer. So if you say hello, and don't get an immediate response, it's a cold caller and you can just hang up. I only ever hung up on a friend once doing that.

Ring. "Hello." Silence. Hang up. Ring. "Hello." "Why'd you hang up on me?" "Sorry, thought you were a telemarketer. Answer smartly next time."

Recently? It came out in '03 or so. www.donotcall.gov

We just recently got something similar in the US, too. Makes a world of difference. Except at fundraising time.

Most telemarketing companies use an automated dialing system that doesn't connect to an operator until you answer. So if you say hello, and don't get an immediate response, it's a cold caller and you can just hang up. I only ever hung up on a friend once doing that.

Ring. "Hello." Silence. Hang up. Ring. "Hello." "Why'd you hang up on me?" "Sorry, thought you were a telemarketer. Answer smartly next time."
That's mostly an urban legend. Most telemarketing firms DONOT use automated dialers and in many places automated dialing is illegal. So your plan is in effective.

I suggest being polite and simply declining their offer.

Hang up instantly. They're not worth the hassle.
Best plan. This why you don't have to liste to them and the person on the otherside dosen't have to sit through any verbal abuse, but will still get the message.

I usually ask them to hold, then go do something else. Sometimes when I'm really bored, I clock how long they stay on the line. It's actually quite surprising, some of the times...

A lot of these people are payed by the number of minutes spent on the line with customers. Your strategy is very beneficial to them. The downside is you are tying up your phone line.

I try to sell them stuff back. Once spent about 10 minutes trying to sell a telemarketer birds and then dwarf hamsters. It's especially fun if you try to sell them something related to what they're trying to sell you, like trying to sell your TV to them if they're trying to sell you satellite or cable TV connection.

That's mostly an urban legend. Most telemarketing firms DONOT use automated dialers and in many places automated dialing is illegal. So your plan is in effective.

I suggest being polite and simply declining their offer.

I wouldn't say it is an Urban Legend. I worked for a Telephone Survey company who used an Automatic Dialer.

I wouldn't say it is an Urban Legend. I worked for a Telephone Survey company who used an Automatic Dialer.
Same here, except the autodialer was controlled to an extend by the telemarketter.

i just take the piss
"Are you the house owner?"
"No im a burgler trying to take the TV"
"Would you like to buy..."
"Nah but if you could tell me how to get the TV that would be great"
"I dont sell TVs sir, i sell ..."
"Im not buying one im erm borrowing one forever..."
"I cannot help you sir i do not sell TVs"

at this point i hang up.