Cold callers

[steve9872]

Whether they use the phone or knock at the door, cold callers are an unwelcome nuisance in my life.

I have a notice in the window of my front door telling them not to bother with me and yet they still ring the doorbell.
I don't answer, I have a look through a window first to see if they're legit. If not then I just leave them standing there, its their own fault for not reading the notice.

Its rare for me to answer the phone, I usually just let the machine answer and call back. However I have been getting a lot of withheld numbers and no message. Yesterday I was able to answer and was greeted with the following scripted question.

Can I speak to the person dealing with your website?

The last word is usually replaced with whatever is necessary to sell that item, in the past i've has phone bill, electric bill, etc. I usually say no! it isn't on their script so they end up a bit flustered, although I did once have a woman not take no for an answer. Almost a pity that I couldn't see her face when I hung up on her anyway - I always say goodbye first, i'm not rude about it.

This time however, I tried something a bit different. My answer was "I'll just get him", this is despite the fact i'm the one he needs to talk to. I then put the phone down and go back to whatever I was doing for an hour or so. Then I go back to the phone and hang up. Hopefully it'll cost them an arm and a leg before they realise just how much money they are wasting on me with no chance of a return. I did it again today and will probably do it again tomorrow.

[Ms Thrifty]

People who come to the door annoy me. I don't answer, and it helps that the doorbell doesn't work, though some of them realise and end up banging on the door instead. It sounds so peremptory; it's as if they think I am obliged to answer. If OH is at home he does answer but he is very good at turning callers away and if they persist, he just repeats his message, then shuts the door. I only answer the 'phone if the caller's number is provided and with nuisance calls it's generally withheld.

[andrews]

Steve, you sound just like my brother. Wait....are you my brother? I received this e-mail from him a week or two ago, and thought I would share it with you.


REVENGE ON THE TELEMARKETER

Three Little Words That Work!!

(1) The three little words: 'Hold On, Please...'
Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of hanging-up immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt.

Then when you eventually hear BT's 'beep-beep-beep' tone, you know it's time to go back and hang up your handset....you have efficiently completed your task.
These three little words could help eliminate telephone soliciting.

(2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end?
This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and record’s the time of day when a person answers the phone.

This technique is then used to determine the best time of day for a 'real' salesperson to call back and get someone at home.
What you can do after answering: If you notice there is no one there, is to immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly as possible. This confuses the machine that dialled the call and it kicks your number out of their system. Gosh, what a shame not to have your name in their system any longer!!!

(3) When you get those 'pre-approved' letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the return envelope.

Most of these come with postage-prepaid return envelopes, right?
It costs them more than the regular postage 'IF' and when they are returned. It costs them nothing if you throw them away! In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-prepaid return envelopes.

Send an advert for your local chimney sweeper to American Express... they might need one!
Send a pizza coupon to HSBC... in case their canteen packs up. You get the idea.
If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them back their blank application form.... after all, it is their form!

If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you return.

You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing! It still costs them, and it is their envelope after all… you are just returning it!!!!

The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their own junk back in the post, but folks....we need to OVERWHELM them, in order to stop them.

Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of all they're p*ying for it..Twice!

Let's help keep Royal Mail busy. Since the Royal Mail is saying that e-mail is cutting into their business profits, let's help them so they will not need to increase postage costs again. You get the idea!

If enough people follow these tips, it will work ---- maybe you'll get very little junk mail anymore.

[prettyxcool]

Fantastic - thanks andrews! What a great and fab advice! Am going to following to the T! I normally just don't answer the phone or doorbell, but this is fantastic! Let them have a taste of their own medicine!

[tilly]

I hate cold callers especially ones who call and don't even say anything. I'm going to take Andrews advice!

[Sydney_Bristow]

I agree!!!! Cheers andrews, gonna send them all my pizza/chicken/curry/airportcars/handyman/sainsburydeals/sky/ leaflets!!

[raj101]

lol!

respect to andrews, this is the best.

[steve9872]

I had a different kind of call last night. My isp called saying it was a courtesy call and then started asking security questions. I didn't answer them as I wanted to know why they were calling me, first. The only reply she gave me was that it was a courtesy call so I replied "Then we are not talking because this is unsolicited, goodbye!", then I hung up. She didn't call back. If it was important I would have been emailed. This was just as bad as cold calling but they knew my name. Plus they called me so why should I answer their security questions, they should answer mine!!!

[sarahjc78]

Nice one Andrews.... Im sure the AA would love to know what bargains you can get at Farm Foods and Matalan that week.. shame I could not cram an Argos Catologue in the envelope :O)

[Sydney_Bristow]

Haha...my god, would that be brill. We get so many bloody catalogues delivered (argos/warner breaks/cruises/car brochures/etc would be funny to send those to em. Ah well, must get my jollies elsewhere