Cold call responses

[graham bowers]

Anyone tried chatting them up?

I've forgotten how to do that.........

 

[Drago]

@Accy cyclist could give you some tips.

 

[Welsh wheels]

Anyone tried chatting them up?

I might try that next time. "Have you been in an accident?" "I don't know about that, but us talking on the phone like this can't be an accident, it was meant to be."

 

[TVC]

I had "I understand someone in your household has recently had an accident"

I which I responded "You sick b*st*rd, she's still in a coma"

There was a few seconds silence before the click.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Let the answer phone take all calls unless its a number in the phone i know.

My mobile is on silent always and i switched off my voice mail..
If they want me that bad they will write..

 

[oldwheels]

My answer phone takes all calls like last poster. If anyone genuine phones they will leave a message.

 

[screenman]

I am just polite and say, no thank you have a nice day

I am sure very few people choose that job, many I would think are just trying to put food on the table.

 

[Profpointy]

I am just polite and say, no thank you have a nice day

I am sure very few people choose that job, many I would think are just trying to put food on the table.

fair enough if they're simply selling something, but some of these are close to, or beyond, the trying to pull a scam line and deserve any rudeness they get

 

[beanzontoast]

I generally try to break my own record for recognising what kind of call it is and hanging up as quickly as possible. Current record 1.357 seconds with a following wind within regulation limits. I hope to be representing my country as soon as cutting off telemarketers is recognised as an Olympic sport.

 

[winjim]

Used this a few times.
View attachment 362274

The last call I got from a private number was my vascular surgeon. So that might have properly panicked him.

 

[NorthernDave]

I find telling them that I work for the Insurance Fraud Bureau* and I'd be interested in hearing about all the services that they can offer usually gets rid of them pretty instantly.


* - I don't actually work for this organisation, but no-one has ever stayed on the line long enough to challenge this.

 

[classic33]

The last call I got from a private number was my vascular surgeon. So that might have properly panicked him.

Done it once when the police were returning a call.

 

[Fnaar]

I occasionally wind them up. I occasionally hang up. However, as I use google contacts (which syncs across devices) as soon as I knw it is a cold call, I ad the number to a contact called something appropriate. Then if they ring again, I can simply not take the call, as the name flashes up on my mobile screen

 

[ufkacbln]

IME "And your source of that information is? always causes a the call to be terminated.

Slight thread highjack, but I can't help feeling hospital staff are a source for some of these callers. Every time I have had surgery in the last three years, there has been multiple calls shortly after I have returned home. In fact I spoke with the data guardian of Wythenshawe hospital because of the numbers of calls I received after my last surgery there.

Some hospitals used to rent space to "Ambulance Chasers" with big signs saying... "Unhappy with your treatment - you could be entitled to compensation"

 

[Profpointy]

I suspect most of the ambulance chasers and mortgage compo lot are just dialing random numbers on the off-chance someone actually has had an accident. I've never had an accident meriting such a call and I still get a fair few. None of them know me by name, but I did get a succession of calls to a probably fictitious Mr Humphreys. I might try a camp "I'm free!" next time; there's an idea. Strangely when I announced I wasn't said Mr Humphreys they were still asking me if I'd had an accident which made me wonder if the Mr Humphreys thing was simply made up.

A guy who used to do small building jobs for us replied saying he didn't need double glazing at the moment, but was glad they called and asked if they needed any plastering done. When asked if he was beeing funny, he simply explained he was a plasterer and touting for work. They hung up when he asked them if any of their coleagues might like some plastering done.

I've previosuly recounted the tale of the chap in a fourth floor flat booking a visit from the conservatory salesman after a series of annoying sales calls.