Ways to stop overseas sales calls discussion

Twosheds

Diddlums wrote: »

If I get one of these nuisance phone calls, I leave the phone off the hook before the caller puts their phone down. This prevents them making another call to anybody for as long as I leave the phone off the hook - usually about ten minutes.

Waste their time like they waste ours!

I don't think this actually work - the caller holds onto the line, not the callee (you), so once they hang up they clear the line.

Ronnysnan

My partner picks it up and says 'Harro Fongs Chinese Westwaunt, Fong speaking'. They say its the Computer Department at Microsoft, which it usually is.... he says 'No, we no got computer, we got 'pwarn crackers, spwing rolls...etc.etc... They give up and put the phone down:T

Ronnysnan

FANTASTIC, We have had a real good laugh, especially at the double glazing ones :T

tanwood

We used to get alot of those calls saying his computer wasn't working properly and if he would switch it on and go online they could fix it. My dad got one a few weeks ago, and went along with it, telling the guy he'd gone online and pretending to follow the instructions. After stringing him along for a while, my dad suddenly shouted 'oh my god, the screen's gone blue you've killed my computer' over and over again - then he asked for the guys name and details so he could sue him for breaking his computer! No more of those calls since!!

FlakyDawn

There are some really heartless people on here
Whilst I agree that phoning up for deceased people or at crazy hours or infecting the computer are a real nuisance, the vast majority of the cold callers are just trying to earn a living. How hard is it to say "Sorry, I never buy anything on the phone. Thank you for calling"
Instead of messing around and humming or whistling or any amount of stupidity. These are very hard times and sometimes the only job is at a call centre.
Grow up. Treat people as you would like to be treated

lincroft1710

FlakyDawn wrote: »

There are some really heartless people on here

No more heartless than people who try to infect your computer or scam you out of money.

Dave_C_2

FlakyDawn wrote: »

There are some really heartless people on here
Whilst I agree that phoning up for deceased people or at crazy hours or infecting the computer are a real nuisance, the vast majority of the cold callers are just trying to earn a living. How hard is it to say "Sorry, I never buy anything on the phone. Thank you for calling"
Instead of messing around and humming or whistling or any amount of stupidity. These are very hard times and sometimes the only job is at a call centre.
Grow up. Treat people as you would like to be treated

You just don't get it.
Phoning for dead people is not a "nuisance", it is distressing for the recently bereaved.
Phoning in the middle of the night is not a "nuisance" it is disrupting someone's sleep pattern, which can lead to stress-related illness or falling asleep on the way to work in the car...
Infecting a computer is not a "nuisance", it is fraud.

I have gone to the trouble of registering with the TPS and as far as I am concerned I have given formal notice that I don't want cold calls. If call centres ignore the TPS list and call me against my wishes then it is they who are heartless and rude and deserve everything they get.

As to taking a job in a call centre because it's all that's available, then they should ask why there is a high staff turnover. This is a job where the vast majority of the people who they ring will be abusive*. They must know in advance what the job entails, again no sympathy from me.

*167 posts in this thread and only two are in favour of cold calling .

and breathe...

Dave

boggie40

Fortunately for me I can speak Welsh, this works amazingly well. f you want to leanr a couple of basic phrases thats all it will take !!!

potbelly

davidlizard wrote: »

We have found the TPS becoming more and more useless - there have been zero prosecutions and companies have wised up to this. Saying we are TPS usually gets the response "so what?".

The problem with the TPS is that it ONLY applies to UK companies, so calls from overseas are not breaking any rules.

The best deterrent, if you can afford the time to do so, is to keep the caller talking as long as possible. This costs them money, not you. I usually deal with my emails while the phone is hands free.

And one of the best, and funniest, ways of dealing with callers is to answer with one word "YES" to every question. Don't panic, you won't commit yourself to anything. Just try a practise run with a friend and listen to the results. Again, the caller will get more and more frustrated and I am guessing your number will be put on a 'DON'T CALL THIS NUMBER LIST!" Perfect!

dardruba

Re Post 167
This has got to be a first! Someone posting on here trying to defend the moronic lunatics who call my house phone at any hour. I've given nobody this number and its Ex Directory.
When shops or stores insist I give them my postcode and home phone number I give them false digits.
Last night three calls and a further four during today so far and our writer asks me to show sympathy to them.
I'm close to the end of my life and I need the security of this phone, unfortunately.