It's junk phone call day today!

tomstickland

I've just had two phone calls in the space of 20 minutes, both from what sound like Indian call centres, both trying to flog things.
1st wanted to know if "I had authority to make telephone service payment decisions" ie: trying to sell some telephone tariff.
2nd want to know if we "wanted the home featured in a new magzine called space desgins". I just kept saying "no, no,, no,, no thanks, not interested"

pricefighter

Have you registered with http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/

You could always invest in a Telecrapper 2000 see http://www.engadget.com/2005/09/12/...lecrapper-2000/

Make sure you play flash recording.

ManAtHome

TPS doesn't stop calls from outside the UK. I just ignore anything which comes up with (caller ID) 'Witheld' or 'International' and let it go through to the answer machine (they haven't let a message yet..)

tomstickland

registered with TPS, yes.

gizmos

play "Pass the Parcel" with your phone until youve been round everyone in the room/house a few times. If you are alone just say hold on Im not the right person - go away for a few minutes and come back and put on a different voice.

across

gizmos thats a good idea today i too had indian callcentre selling mobile phone package 99p for first 8 months and then £32 a mth after!!! do they think i'm potty!!! i said noway goaway basically but she carried on and on pushing it anyway got shut after a while!! usually if i pick it up and there is a pause i put it straight back down even if i here them speak cos i know they are wasting my time if it is something important i always say they will write if they are that bothered and it's something i need to know so i suggest just putting it down even if it's rude as they're wasting time!!

tomstickland

I see it as my duty to waste their time so they don't bother someone else.

gizmos

across wrote:

gizmos thats a good idea today i too had indian callcentre selling mobile phone package 99p for first 8 months and then £32 a mth after!!! do they think i'm potty!!! i said noway goaway basically but she carried on and on pushing it anyway got shut after a while!! usually if i pick it up and there is a pause i put it straight back down even if i here them speak cos i know they are wasting my time if it is something important i always say they will write if they are that bothered and it's something i need to know so i suggest just putting it down even if it's rude as they're wasting time!!

The other one is to pretend you are in the toilet doing a "number two" - oh how I laugh.

Of course I also do the err yess ahem yes kinda answering so the call goes on for ages and then after two three minutes go "what were you calling about"

Fruitcake

I use one or more of the following depending on how I feel at the time: -

The Silent Approach

Put the ‘phone on the table and come back half an hour later.

Delaying Tactics

Keep asking them to repeat everything while you write it down. Ask them to spell their name or any technical words.

Moneymaking Method

Tell them you are self-employed and charge (for example) £50 for an initial consultation and £30/hour or part thereof. Ask how much of your time they would like to purchase and how they intend to pay, you only accept UK issued credit cards. You will also require their billing name and address. Just keep asking for their credit card details until they give up.

Security Checks

Tell them you need to verify their security details. Ask them for their mother’s maiden name, the second and fifth character of their password, and the first and third number of their pin. Whatever answer they give of course will be incorrect so you will need to put them on hold whilst you contact the “telephone security department”. At this point, apply the Silent Approach method.


Fruitcake

You Only Listen To Me When I'm Wrong

claire23

I like fruitcakes ideas. I've had a few of these calls and they just don't take no for an answer. I politely tell them (yet again) that "I'm not interested, I'm going to put the phone down now, goodbye"

Most of them (kitchens, windows, conservatries etc) you can get rid of by simply saying "i'm just the tenant".

Loved the nambarrie tea advert where the lady put them "on hold" :rotfl:

kyoob

:rotfl: My favourite trick is to just start randomly whistling while they're doing their blurb, then just replay "what? eh sorry i was whistling.." then start whistling again. hehe my record so far is 5 whistles before they get fed up and hang up. I always come off the phone with a sense of cheeky accomplishment.

That or sikilar to claire23, they ask me how much i spend on my phone, say ooh £10 a month, they usually end the call pretty quickly, but if they start asking about family members, just pucker up and whistle!