Cold Calling Scum!

[SexyGreyFox]

Just do what I always do with both cold callers on the phone and at the front door - just say your Mum and Dad aren't in and the call stops there and then.

 

[sniffy]

Just do what I always do with both cold callers on the phone and at the front door - just say your Mum and Dad aren't in and the call stops there and then.

I've had no luck with that.

If I notice it's a cold-caller, I simply hang-up.

Best option if you can't actually get rid of them.

 

[Memphis]

No, I'm not saying the OP was abusive like him, the OP didn't deserve to be spoken to like that. But I don't think cold callers should be open to abuse just because that's their job.

While slightly contradictory to my original point, I agree that random strangers shouldn't be open to abuse. However, it's inevitable that out of x number of calls, there are likely to speak to individuals who aren't happy to have been interupted for the umpteenth time that day. I fully agree there is a line between frustration and verbally abusing someone.

Occupational hazard as far as I'm concerned. If I were employed to cold call, I would expect some people to get a little annoyed.

Personally, I just hang up. I'm not abusive, but nor do I feel I should have to co-operate in a call I didn't ask for, for a product I have completely no interest in.

 

[Ev0]

Depends what mood I'm in, 99% of the time I haven't got time for it make my excuses and end the conversation.

If I am at a loose end then I'll be a bi tmore playful with them, but being ex dir and on the tps I really can't remember the last time I got a cold caller. I remember Tele2 doing it once a few years ago, I advised them I was on the tps and the caller didn't know what it was. I mailed Tele2 saying they need to revise their training and inform call handlers, they replied saying thanks for the suggestion lol.

 

[alexakasloth]

I tell them to come round and i'd be waiting with a .45 and a shovel.

I bet your parties are a hole lot of fun.

 

[DailyGeek]

My new job involves a bit of cold-calling :/

However when I say I'm calling from the Kent Police Headquarters people tend not to give me abuse well, most of them.

On the flipside whilst on a shift at Samaritans one night I got a cold-call from one.tel, some asian lady trying to get me to change over to them for cheaper calls, I actually had to shout at the women to GET OFF THE BLOODY phone as she couldn't get her head around what I was doing there (never heard of it!) and you can't cut the phones off from my end - so she was just blocking one of two samaritans phonelines.

Idiots.

 

[tenchi-fan]

My aunt changed her phone company because she got a call from some one promising to save her 40% on her bill. Now, I'm not sure what her phone bill used to be, but after she switched she was disgusted at her €300+ phone bill in addition to her €50 line rental!

In Ireland most new phone companies have "big savings" on national and international calls, but for local and internet calls they can be 400% more expensive.

 

[Geoff]

Yeah, the people who are just doing a job deserve abuse off callers instead of just "no thank you, bye".

Yes, they do.

My home number is ex-directory, I don't give it even to companies I do business with, and I'm registered with the TPS. I don't want cold sales calls, from anybody, ever, for any reason whatsoever. I don't care what the product is, or the offer is. If they're giving away free money (as if), ring someone else and give it to them, but don't ring me. I want my right to peace and quiet, and to privacy, respected, as the law requires. Yet I still get cold calls, from people that do not pay me the courtesy of respecting either my wishes, or the law.

So if some ignorant and selfish idiot cold calls me, they absolutely deserve everything they get. Just flippin' well leave me alone, and stop calling me, disturbing MY peace and quiet, for THEIR vested self-interest, and they won't get abuse from me. But disturb me and I'll cheerfully do everything I can to make the experience as thoroughly unpleasant as I can.

People that cold call me, despite the ex-directory TPS-registered number, are showing absolute contempt for me and my clearly-expressed wishes, and I am fully justified in returning the feeling, with as much venom as I can muster. And if they don't like it, or are upset or offended by it .... Good. No, GREAT. Objective achieved.

 

[DailyGeek]

People that cold call me, despite the ex-directory TPS-registered number, are showing absolute contempt for me and my clearly-expressed wishes, and I am fully justified in returning the feeling, with as much venom as I can muster. And if they don't like it, or are upset or offended by it .... Good. No, GREAT. Objective achieved.

Just curious, and I'm seriously not trolling here.

I've been calling people from the kent police hq to do a survey about crime and policing to gather information on behalf of the home office - and people's opinion on the police and justice system. Now if I called you, it would be because your number is randomly generated, which negates the ex-directory - and is not breaking any terms of TPS as it is a survey. Plus hopefully people see some value in putting their view across.

Would you react to my call in the same way? Genuinely just curious, because I've not been doing it very long.

 

[Geoff]

Just curious, and I'm seriously not trolling here.

I've been calling people from the kent police hq to do a survey about crime and policing to gather information on behalf of the home office - and people's opinion on the police and justice system. Now if I called you, it would be because your number is randomly generated, which negates the ex-directory - and is not breaking any terms of TPS as it is a survey. Plus hopefully people see some value in putting their view across.

Would you react to my call in the same way? Genuinely just curious, because I've not been doing it very long.

Presumably, you identify yourself as calling from Kent police promptly?

I don't just go off on one the moment someone calls. I certainly take the effort to establish who, and what they're calling about, first.

Would I provide information for a survey? Maybe, but certainly not without asking a few qualifying questions of my own first, including what the information will be used for, and what degree of individual identification or aggregation would be used. It would also depend what the information requested was. There is a lot I would not be prepared to volunteer, police survey or not. But I would decline politely, if I chose to decline.

So no, I would not react to your call in remotely the same way. I did say in the above post, very early on, that it was cold sales calls I objected to so strongly, though I didn't repeat that qualification each time I referred to cold calls. I also said, in an earlier post, that my reaction to cold sales calls may well just be to hang up, usually without so much as a word in reply, but IF someone catches me at the wrong moment and in the wrong mood, they'll get blasted.

But a call such as you describe is not the same thing at all. I may or may not agree to take part, but I don't see it as the same thing.

 

[DailyGeek]

Presumably, you identify yourself as calling from Kent police promptly?

I don't just go off on one the moment someone calls. I certainly take the effort to establish who, and what they're calling about, first.

Would I provide information for a survey? Maybe, but certainly not without asking a few qualifying questions of my own first, including what the information will be used for, and what degree of individual identification or aggregation would be used. It would also depend what the information requested was. There is a lot I would not be prepared to volunteer, police survey or not. But I would decline politely, if I chose to decline.

So no, I would not react to your call in remotely the same way. I did say in the above post, very early on, that it was cold sales calls I objected to so strongly, though I didn't repeat that qualification each time I referred to cold calls. I also said, in an earlier post, that my reaction to cold sales calls may well just be to hang up, usually without so much as a word in reply, but IF someone catches me at the wrong moment and in the wrong mood, they'll get blasted.

But a call such as you describe is not the same thing at all. I may or may not agree to take part, but I don't see it as the same thing.

Fair enough

Yes it is made immediately clear I'm calling from the Police and I can establish my name and Force number as ID and reel off a list of information about the survey beforehand.

Was just interested in how someone such as yourself, who is clearly the cold-call salesperson's worst nightmare would approach a survey call from somone such as myself.

Thanks for taking the time to reply

 

[Geoff]

Fair enough

Yes it is made immediately clear I'm calling from the Police and I can establish my name and Force number as ID and reel off a list of information about the survey beforehand.

Was just interested in how someone such as yourself, who is clearly the cold-call salesperson's worst nightmare would approach a survey call from somone such as myself.

Thanks for taking the time to reply

Well, I can tell you how I'd react, but of course, other cold-caller's nightmares D) may not differentiate in the same way.

I'd guess that, sooner or later, you'll get a less than enthusiatic response.

 

[Jonny ///M]

Funny thread. The ones i seem to get are from mobile phone companies. I got asked if "christopher craig" was in......i was like no hes at work......the guy keeps talking anyway.......i go through the call(i was playing gtr2 anyway) give him what he needs to know but with say.....a guy i dont likes address and phone number....made up postcodes...then it gets to the "now give me money" and i was like oh rite sorry i dont have a credit card tata

The same company a while before that call i just listened to who it was and cut him off mid sentence. We dont get them much here but my gran got 3 the other night and i was only there for 2 2 hours or something. My mum was polite i would have promptly told them to **** off i already have windows in my ****ing house and if i want to upgrade them to fancy eight layer glass or whatever i will go to the ****ing shop and do it.

Oh forgot to say i have to phone people from work to say their bike has been fixed or what not. I usually ask to speak to "Mr.Lockheart" and then if they ask i tell them whos calling,when i get the actual person i tell them again who i am and why im calling before they can even get a word in. People dont listen though,i said i was jemma the other day and nothing was said

 

[TerryWogan]

I like to just over and over repeat "Helloooo?" in an elongated fashion.

It pans out like:
"Helloooo?"
"Hello?"
"Helloooo?"
"Sir are you there?"
"Helloooo?"
"Hello??"
"Helloooo?"

Then they hang up, and call again. I repeat the process until they give up. I never give up.

Tremendous fun!

Obviously, only if I have the time...

 

[Jonny ///M]

I like to just over and over repeat "Hello?" in an elongated fashion. After replying with "hello" about four or five times, they hang up and call back. Then I start again.

Tremendous fun!

Obviously, only if I have the time...

No no it has to be:

Him : hello
you : Hi
Him : bla bla bla
You : hello??
Him : Hello
you : hiya!

As many different words as possible. Actually i make no sense.

 

[TerryWogan]

haha

Go through every greeting in the dictionary and start again if necessary. I like your style

 

[frosty03]

do a ralph.... "i was told not to talk to strangers".... worth a laugh...

 

[Flubble]

i hate them, and door to door salesmen
i had this phonecall a couple of weeks ago,

*ring ring*
me: hello?
them: hiya would you like to buy a refridgererator from us?
me: no
them: ours come with lifetime guarantee
me: no, where did you get my number?
them: off my database
me: well take it off!
them: ok i took it off, would you be interested in anything else?
me: no
*i hung up*
*5 seconds later, ring ring*
me: hello?
them: hiya would you like to buy a refridgererator from us?
me: i thought you took my number off your database!
them: oh %"£$%!
*they hung up*
*30 seconds later, ring ring*
me: hello!?
them: hiya would you like to buy a refridgererator from us?
me: well mr (phone number) call me again and ill do you for harrasment! now take my %$"£%&* number of your database!
*they hung up*


never heard from them since

 

[Visage]

I'd go down to B&Q and purchase a 2'4"

Do they make keyboards that big?

 

[Roughneck]

me ...pick up the phone



them ...hello can I speak to Mr Jamie (my first name) in some Indian accent...

me

Hang up...

end of story


did anyone ever hear that sound clip that was going around about the cold caller and the bloke going bezerk on the other end of the phone , was well over the top lol...