Ways to stop overseas sales calls discussion

adbaz

If someone phones us selling, doing a survey or asking for information I just give them silly answer - phones I don't have a phone really frustrates them, windows - do't have any etc.

littlewren

I get loads of calls with recorded messages as well as cold callers. So many times I've answered the call to hear: 'Nat West, Barclays & Lloyds TSB......' in a recorded message or ones asking if I want to reclaim my PPI.

vikingaero

Unless we take active efforts to block calls through the use of Truecall devices, Panasonic phones, BT Choose to refuse etc, then we have to bear the brunt of overseas sales calls. We cannot regulate other countries, but fundamentally what most people forget is that a lot of the times these companies don't always have your number in their database. They simply ring a random block of numbers. The best way to handle them is to change your mindset from being annoyed to playing with these people and having fun - create a fake name for yourself - Idida Stinkinpoop, spend ages on the phone telling them of your fake accident and then hanging up.

lollyenfield

Very easy to deal with these calls. Ask them for their name. Then ask for a credit card number. Explain that you charge a consultancy fee of 100 US dollars per call for your opinion on their sales technique. But that any currency exchange charges will be billed to their account. They tend to ring off. Be polite throughoiut the conversation. if this does not work, the three little words "I love you" will usually do the trick. Remember you did not make the call, so cannot be accused of anything.

Good luck people.

tired_of_it_all

I was receiving calls every couple of days from a double glazing company. I kept telling them politely that the property was maintained by a management company etc etc. They still kept calling and just wouldn't take no for an answer.

One day I decided to be really keen. Double glazing? yes please; fascias/guttering? lovely; new conservatory? oh how wonderful. After more then 20 minutes of his 'patter' the pushy and extremely cocky sales boy was salivating at the prospect, you could almost hear him counting his commission.

Just one more question I said .............

How do you fix a conservatory to a third floor flat?

He slammed the phone down.

Never heard from them again ..... don't know why ....

BargainGalore

Its easy said than done.

What if one is busy and phone rings, ignore it hoping its a cold caller or think I better pick up phone in case its family/friends?

These parasites should not ring in first place many of us have life's after work, many of us already work long hours and when you get home you want to have dinner, bath kids, scratch your @rse or whatever takes your fancy

We have a weak and feeble government who refuse to pass legislation banning cold calling, same goes for ombudsman it should be made illegal to cold call without express permission in first place and companies should automatically be fined if a complaint is made and not after thousands of complaints.

lollyenfield wrote: »

Very easy to deal with these calls. Ask them for their name. Then ask for a credit card number. Explain that you charge a consultancy fee of 100 US dollars per call for your opinion on their sales technique. But that any currency exchange charges will be billed to their account. They tend to ring off. Be polite throughoiut the conversation. if this does not work, the three little words "I love you" will usually do the trick. Remember you did not make the call, so cannot be accused of anything.

Good luck people.

jtipps

We quite enjoy winding them up.

Someone phoned wanting to know who supplied our gas. They hung up pretty quickly when we told them it was calor

Diddlums

While the cold caller is still on the line, put the phone down somewhere and leave it there for ten minutes. Thus they cannot phone anyone else for that period and it may deter them from phoning you again.

kirkie_2

Always keep a whistle near your phone. When you get one of these calls a short, sharp blast on the damn thing will stop them from calling you...

Dave_C_2

Most people are missing the point. Unless you use trucall, anonymous call rejection or reject international numbers, no matter what you say or do will make the slightest difference.
The scenario is as follows

1. Indian call centre gets computerised list generated by customer
2. they ring you
3. Call rejected - they press a button on the keyboard to call the next number on list
4. You reply in the negative. No matter what you say or do at this stage- all they do is they press a button on the keyboard to call the next number on list
5. you reply in the positive - they make some money, press a few buttons but at the end - they press a button on the keyboard to call the next number on list
6. Indian call centre reaches end of list
7. Start over with new list/new call centre

The trick is to eliminate steps 4 and 5 where you pick up the phone!


I agree with others in that the phone company should make it easier for us householders to block these calls. Why are BT not giving away Trucall style facilities? (this was a rhetorical question, the answer is that they are making money from these calls)

Dave