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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Scam calls and how to get rid of them
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St. Gwladys
Shipmate
# 14504
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Posted
Just lately, I seem to have had a lot of calls purporting to be from talktalk.The speaker usually has an Indian accent, and wants me to switch my computer on. That usually hang up when I mention "scam" or "telephone preference scheme" or I ask for their phone number.
We're now getting calls purporting to be from Microsoft -again telling me I need to switch my computer on.
I finally got to do what I've been rehearsing this morning, and spoke to them in Welsh. I answered the phone as usual, but when I realised it was a scam call, asked them politely to speak to me in Welsh as I didn't want to speak English.
Two repeats and they put the phone down.
Has anyone else got a strategy for dealing with this type of call?
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"I say - are you a matelot?"
"Careful what you say sir, we're on board ship here"
From "New York Girls", Steeleye Span, Commoners Crown (Voiced by Peter Sellers)
Posts: 3333 | From: Rhymney Valley, South Wales | Registered: Jan 2009
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Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
Has anyone else got a strategy for dealing with this type of call?
I've more or less given up answering the phone. Given slightly more circular tuits, I'd teach the computer to screen calls for me, and dump unfamiliar numbers to a phone tree that requires the caller to press '2' if they're a real person and actually know me or something.
I have half an idea that one can buy commercial devices that do something like that.
Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013
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Sipech
Shipmate
# 16870
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Posted
If it's from a company I have no dealings with, I try to waste their time and save other people a bit of bother. Don't actually do what they say but tell them that you are. Contradict yourself and if they challenge you, counterclaim that they weren't listening carefully.
If it's from a company I do deal with, I refuse to confirm my identity. Instead, I ask them for a reference number and say I will phone back shortly as I have to be somewhere soon. I then end the call quickly and ring the genuine number the next day, citing the reference number; though usually I don't get that far, as the scammers won't provide any such reference.
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I try to be self-deprecating; I'm just not very good at it.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheAlethiophile
Posts: 3791 | From: On the corporate ladder | Registered: Jan 2012
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
I let all calls go to my answering machine unless I'm expecting a call from someone. My phone rings six times before the answering machine cuts in. More than half of all callers hang up before that.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
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Posted
Thanks to being on the "do not call" list and having an unlisted number, I receive very few of these. Once I see called i.d., I don't answer the few that I do get -- and then block the number afterwards. If they leave a message, it's usually a robo call, so there would be no way to have fun with them, which I used to enjoy at times.
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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
I simply say "No thank you" and put the phone down. I don't give them a chance to speak.
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:
I simply say "No thank you" and put the phone down.
I skip the 'No thank you'.
Not merely because I can't be bothered, but because, when the display says 'call in progress' I have learnt the caller only speaks if I speak first. So I don't.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
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Gee D
Shipmate
# 13815
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Posted
Talk to them for a minute or so, sounding worried about the problem that the caller's employer has found with your Windows computer (or whatever is the reason for the call). Be very grateful to them for the call, and then press a button that gives a sound but keeps the call going. Then say that it's been good of them to talk to you for so long, but that over that period the source of the call has been isolated and that Interpol will be following up quickly as frauds of this kind are too common place.
Being on a do-not-call register does not seem to make any difference.
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Not every Anglican in Sydney is Sydney Anglican
Posts: 7028 | From: Warrawee NSW Australia | Registered: Jun 2008
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
I have had good luck informing them they have reached the number of a US Army officer. (True!) "Please hold for drone targeting.... Thank you. This may take a few moments. You may hear a loud noise. Do not look up. Any pain will be minimal. When you see a long tunnel and a bright light, walk towards the light. St. Peter will be at the end of the tunnel, and will further direct you." I will say that they never hang on for St. Peter, but hang up along about the pain being minimal.
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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Spike
Mostly Harmless
# 36
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Posted
I once had one who I managed to string along for as long as possible. Eventually, when he realised what was goi g on, he got annoyed and accused me of wasting his "valuable time" ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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"May you get to heaven before the devil knows you're dead" - Irish blessing
Posts: 12860 | From: The Valley of Crocuses | Registered: May 2001
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Huia
Shipmate
# 3473
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Posted
I have never had a scam call.
Actually for the last 4 weeks I haven't had any calls at all as my phone connection is faulty and none of the technicians have been able to fix it for more than 4 days, although one did manage to cut off the internet ![[Mad]](angryfire.gif)
Huia
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Charity gives food from the table, Justice gives a place at the table.
Posts: 10382 | From: Te Wai Pounamu | Registered: Oct 2002
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
Mostly they seem to ring during the day when I'm at work. If it's a number I don't recognize I always google it. A private number won't usually come up but 99% of the time the unknown call will have a webpage to itself with a string of annoyed comments saying "I was called by this number about ppi/an accident/other scam, don't fall for it".
If they do ever call when I'm in I plan to ask them whether they're a Christian and are they saved.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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North East Quine
Curious beastie
# 13049
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Posted
We have a family competition to see who can keep a "Microsoft" caller on line for the longest, before they hang up on us. My son managed 30 mins once. My record is 22 mins.
My favourite was the time I asked for a phone number so that I could call back. The man at the other end asked if I had pen and paper ready, then told me to listen carefully to him, in order to write it down correctly. He then said "Write this: You are a bloody bitch!" and then he hung up.
Posts: 6414 | From: North East Scotland | Registered: Oct 2007
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Brenda Clough:
I have had good luck informing them they have reached the number of a US Army officer. (True!) "Please hold for drone targeting.... Thank you. This may take a few moments. You may hear a loud noise. Do not look up. Any pain will be minimal. When you see a long tunnel and a bright light, walk towards the light. St. Peter will be at the end of the tunnel, and will further direct you." I will say that they never hang on for St. Peter, but hang up along about the pain being minimal.
Love that!
You can usually tell it's a call centre by the background noise and/or the slight delay before they speak - I believe this is due to their method of ringing several numbers at once and then answering the one that gets someone on the end. I aim to put the phone down immediately, before they have a chance to speak. However, some have more sophisticated systems, so if I get as far as conversation I employ the icily toned "Can I help you?" method. "Hello, can I help you?" "Hello, is that Mrs ****?" "Yes, can I help you?" "Oh, hello Mrs ****, how are you today?" "Busy. Can I help you?"
I've never had the presence of mind to say, when asked whether I'm Mrs ****, "I might be. It depends on who you are."
Regarding being on lists to block such calls, I believe the legislation only applies to calls made from UK numbers and, of course, so many of them aren't.
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They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Beenster
Shipmate
# 242
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Posted
I used to get a lot at work about an accident I had been in.
My response would be along the lines of "oh no, have i, was i hurt, it must have been bad as I have memory loss, was anyone else hurt, did anyone die .... "
Posts: 1885 | Registered: May 2001
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
Our house phone is faulty so even if we get a call unless we are standing right next to it we don't know it as it doesn't make any noise. My new mobile/cell phone has a little bit of software in it called Truecaller™ which is one of the many apps available that filters calls for the service user [me!] and blocks all these calls. I am also on the Indian Do Not Call Register which, I have to say, is very efficient.
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Banner Lady
Ship's Ensign
# 10505
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Posted
I have been getting a lot of nuisance calls from an Indian call centre about funeral insurance lately. I have decided that the next one that asks if I have end-of-life insurance is going to be answered by me saying brightly "Yes, I certainly do. Have you met my friend, Jesus?"
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Women in the church are not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be enjoyed.
Posts: 7080 | From: Canberra Australia | Registered: Oct 2005
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Bibaculus
Shipmate
# 18528
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Posted
I recall reading a few months ago of a man who got a premium rate number (where the person calling pays the person being called) and gave that when asked for his number on online forms and the like. Then when he gets scam calls, or just annoying ones trying to sell him something, he keeps them talking for as long as possible. he has made over £2,000 from this.
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A jumped up pantry boy who never knew his place
Posts: 257 | From: In bed. Mostly. When I can get away with it. | Registered: Dec 2015
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Belle Ringer
Shipmate
# 13379
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Bibaculus:
I recall reading a few months ago of a man who got a premium rate number (where the person calling pays the person being called) and gave that when asked for his number on online forms and the like. Then when he gets scam calls, or just annoying ones trying to sell him something, he keeps them talking for as long as possible. he has made over £2,000 from this.
OOh, I like that, should look into it. I get calls as early as 8 AM and as late as 10 pm, sometimes none for a few days but often 4 or 5 a day, and the same company will call multiple times a week, sometimes twice in one day, in spite of my pointing out I'm on the do not call lists.
One I reported to FCC but the process of reporting takes half an hour and they don't actually do anything. I'm told the phone companies could easily add a "block this number from now on" feature but choose not to.
Once I played with a "microsoft" guy by playing "stupid little old lady" pretending I had to find the switch to turn on my computer to see what he was talking about, giving him regular updates about watching the screen slowly go through all the self checking we used to see Win 98 do, periodically apologetically explaining it's an old computer and very slow (and in between updates taking a nice sip of tea), until I tired of it, laughed, said "you don't even know when you are being played with, I own an Apple."
But usually I don't want to spend the time, I say "how do you sleep at night, scamming people" but they hang up before I get it all out. Tempting to follow the old advice of a really loud high pitched whistle but I read somewhere it can do physical damage to the hearers ears.
Posts: 5830 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2008
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Pigwidgeon
Ship's Owl
# 10192
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
I'm told the phone companies could easily add a "block this number from now on" feature but choose not to.
My phone company does have this feature.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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"...that is generally a matter for Pigwidgeon, several other consenting adults, a bottle of cheap Gin and the odd giraffe."
~Tortuf
Posts: 9835 | From: Hogwarts | Registered: Aug 2005
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
I have some sympathy for the poor call staff, it must be a horrible job and they're just trying to feed their families like the rest of us - but I HATE their calls!
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Boogie
Boogie on down!
# 13538
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Posted
Yes - I say "No thank you" before they can get their first sentence out, then I put the phone down.
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Garden. Room. Walk
Posts: 13030 | From: Boogie Wonderland | Registered: Mar 2008
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The Intrepid Mrs S
Shipmate
# 17002
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Posted
Our home phone goes direct to voicemail without even ringing. Anyone we actually want to speak to knows to use the mobile numbers!
This also minimises the nuisance from the very elderly folk that Mr. S does computer support for - they have an awful tendency to call at some ungodly hour of a morning with a perfectly trivial complaint. He does call them back - eventually - but TeamViewer is his friend! ![[Overused]](graemlins/notworthy.gif)
Mrs. S, secretarial support to the IT support*
*One blissful day I was working in the church office when I got one of these 'computer support' calls. Mr. S was in the church, so I was able to say 'oh good, our IT manager is here to speak to you now...' just before they put the phone down quickly! ![[Devil]](graemlins/devil.gif)
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Don't get your knickers in a twist over your advancing age. It achieves nothing and makes you walk funny.
Prayer should be our first recourse, not our last resort
'Lord, please give us patience. NOW!'
Posts: 1464 | From: Neither here nor there | Registered: Mar 2012
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St. Gwladys
Shipmate
# 14504
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
Thanks to being on the "do not call" list and having an unlisted number, I receive very few of these. Once I see called i.d., I don't answer the few that I do get -- and then block the number afterwards. If they leave a message, it's usually a robo call, so there would be no way to have fun with them, which I used to enjoy at times.
A friend who was ex directory kept getting unsolicited calls and challenged one of the callers about this. They told her that they add 1 to a listed number to deliberately try and get through to e.d. numbers
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"I say - are you a matelot?"
"Careful what you say sir, we're on board ship here"
From "New York Girls", Steeleye Span, Commoners Crown (Voiced by Peter Sellers)
Posts: 3333 | From: Rhymney Valley, South Wales | Registered: Jan 2009
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Drifting Star
Drifting against the wind
# 12799
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Belle Ringer:
But usually I don't want to spend the time, I say "how do you sleep at night, scamming people" but they hang up before I get it all out.
The only time I did this (to a Microsoft scammer) he phoned me back over and over again - calling back as soon as I broke the connection, hanging up and calling back immediately when they got through to the answerphone - until Starman answered the phone and told them to knock it off. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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The soul is dyed the color of its thoughts. Heraclitus
Posts: 3126 | From: A thin place. | Registered: Jul 2007
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Graven Image
Shipmate
# 8755
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Posted
Let me count the ways.
Phone calls that claim to be from my grandson who is in jail and needs money.
Asked , "To verify this call tell me your brothers middle name."
click
Second time it happened
I let them get all the way to where I was talking to the lawyer who was going to tell me where and how to send them money.
Third time it happened
Ask, "Do you mind if I tell you something grandson?"
When young man posing as grandson said "no," I said," you are selling your human spirit and good name for money. Whoever gave you this job is not caring for your soul." You need to hang up and leave these people at once and save your human dignity" He replied, " Thank you so much, I needed to hear that." "I am leaving now." I can only hope he did.
PS I only have granddaughters.
Posts: 2641 | From: Third planet from the sun. USA | Registered: Nov 2004
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
One of the 'grandchild in trouble' scammers actually did get my parents. They were all set to wire five thousand dollars to Mexico, but my sister intervened. My niece was, all the while, at her school in California. The old people were not comforted until Steffie got on the phone and talked to them.
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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Stetson
Shipmate
# 9597
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
quote:
Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
Thanks to being on the "do not call" list and having an unlisted number, I receive very few of these. Once I see called i.d., I don't answer the few that I do get -- and then block the number afterwards. If they leave a message, it's usually a robo call, so there would be no way to have fun with them, which I used to enjoy at times.
A friend who was ex directory kept getting unsolicited calls and challenged one of the callers about this. They told her that they add 1 to a listed number to deliberately try and get through to e.d. numbers
I used to do phone interviews for market research, and was told that that's how the numbers were generated, for the reasons your friend stated.
One time, an irate respondent manque, after being informed of this, told me that it was illegal. I doubt it was, but really don't know.
And I probably should not admit this outside of Hell, but my co-workers and I used to occassionally entertain ourselves by doing mocking imitations of the people who got mad at us for calling. Like, the guy who lectured me that it was 6 o'clock, "when people normally eat dinner", as if it's illegal to call people during dinner.
Posts: 6574 | From: back and forth between bible belts | Registered: Jun 2005
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Stetson
Shipmate
# 9597
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Posted
On the other end of the connection, I once had a go at a guy who was selling burial-plots over the phone, by making offensive jokes about death and dying.
The odd thing was, he seemed genuinely offended. Even though his job was calling people up at random to talk about their deaths.
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I have the power...Lucifer is lord!
Posts: 6574 | From: back and forth between bible belts | Registered: Jun 2005
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Anselmina
Ship's barmaid
# 3032
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Posted
I recall the story of an acquaintance who got an unsolicited call from a company selling glass-framed conservatory extensions. He had time to spend, felt like having a bit of fun, and spent a happy 20 mins or so discussing possibilities, designs and prices. Call ended abruptly when he confirmed his address with the salesman; 'yeah, we're 55 Castle Street Court*. You'll see us straightaway when you come out to do the measuring up; it's a tower block, and we're on the fourth floor'.
*Name changed to protect the guilty.
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Irish dogs needing homes! http://www.dogactionwelfaregroup.ie/ Greyhounds and Lurchers are shipped over to England for rehoming too!
Posts: 10002 | From: Scotland the Brave | Registered: Jul 2002
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
I must confess I stop being Nice Polite Piglet and turn into Nasty Sweary Piglet - I tell them to eff off as I'm putting the phone down.
A friend in England had an excellent strategy:
I'm afraid His Lordship is unavailable at present. This is Scrote*, the butler - may I take a ...
**CLICK**
![[Killing me]](graemlins/killingme.gif)
* Oh all right, I made that bit up
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music
Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713
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Posted
I live in Newport. This is a great help as there are at least ten Newports in Britain alone, so I tell unwanted callers they have the wrong Newport.
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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"
(Paul Sinha, BBC)
Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004
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jedijudy
Organist of the Jedi Temple
# 333
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Posted
Eons ago, when we communicated by smoke signals, I got a scam call asking for my husband. I said to myself, "Self, let's have some fun".
For the next several minutes, starting with screeching that if they knew where the scoundrel was they'd better tell me. Then I regaled the poor guy with tales of how my husband went for milk for the four young children, and the neighbors saw him hitch a ride in an 18-wheeler, and that he took all the money I had scrimped and saved for a third-hand car and left me and the four little ones!!!!
I think the guy was in tears by the time I finished. No guarantee it wasn't from laughter, though.
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Jasmine, little cat with a big heart.
Posts: 18017 | From: 'Twixt the 'Glades and the Gulf | Registered: Aug 2001
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Nicolemr
Shipmate
# 28
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Posted
Please remember there is a difference between scam calls, which are criminals trying to rip you off, and soliciting calls, which are just some poor schlub trying to earn a living. While I see nothing wrong in tweaking or worse the scam artists, it seems to me to be wrong to screw over the legitimate callers who are just trying to make a buck, and maybe have families to feed. You may say they should get a different job, but jobs aren't that easy to find, ya' know.
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On pilgrimage in the endless realms of Cyberia, currently traveling by ship. Now with live journal!
Posts: 11803 | From: New York City "The City Carries On" | Registered: May 2001
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Welease Woderwick
Sister Incubus Nightmare
# 10424
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
...A friend in England had an excellent strategy:
I'm afraid His Lordship is unavailable at present. This is Scrote*, the butler - may I take a ...
**CLICK**
* Oh all right, I made that bit up
In Sir Henry at Rawlinson End, by the inimitable Viv Stanshall, Sir Henry's Gardener/Handyman is referred to as Scrotum, the wrinkled retainer.
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I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.
Fancy a break in South India?
Accessible Homestay Guesthouse in Central Kerala, contact me for details
What part of Matt. 7:1 don't you understand?
Posts: 48139 | From: 1st on the right, straight on 'til morning | Registered: Sep 2005
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Stercus Tauri
Shipmate
# 16668
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Posted
I can't usually be bothered with them, and just leave the phone on the desk until they go away, but if I am in the workshop will put the phone down near the table saw and cut a few pieces of wood. In the house, I'll sometimes take the cordless phone into the bathroom and hold it over the toilet while flushing. Much credit to the caller who calmly responded to that one by saying, "And it was a pleasure talking to you too", before hanging up.
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Thay haif said. Quhat say thay, Lat thame say (George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal)
Posts: 905 | From: On the traditional lands of the Six Nations. | Registered: Sep 2011
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Nenya
Shipmate
# 16427
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by St. Gwladys:
quote:
Originally posted by Pigwidgeon:
Thanks to being on the "do not call" list and having an unlisted number, I receive very few of these. Once I see called i.d., I don't answer the few that I do get -- and then block the number afterwards. If they leave a message, it's usually a robo call, so there would be no way to have fun with them, which I used to enjoy at times.
A friend who was ex directory kept getting unsolicited calls and challenged one of the callers about this. They told her that they add 1 to a listed number to deliberately try and get through to e.d. numbers
But how does that work? If you add a digit to an existing phone number it makes it too long to register as a proper number - at least in the UK.
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They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
Posts: 1289 | Registered: May 2011
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Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Nenya:
A friend who was ex directory kept getting unsolicited calls and challenged one of the callers about this. They told her that they add 1 to a listed number to deliberately try and get through to e.d. numbers
But how does that work? If you add a digit to an existing phone number it makes it too long to register as a proper number - at least in the UK. [/QB][/QUOTE]
Increment the number - not add an extra digit.
Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013
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Eutychus
From the edge
# 3081
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:
Increment the number - not add an extra digit.
I once managed to get through to Ryanair's head office by doing exactly this.
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Let's remember that we are to build the Kingdom of God, not drive people away - pastor Frank Pomeroy
Posts: 17944 | From: 528491 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Sparrow
Shipmate
# 2458
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Anselmina:
I recall the story of an acquaintance who got an unsolicited call from a company selling glass-framed conservatory extensions. He had time to spend, felt like having a bit of fun, and spent a happy 20 mins or so discussing possibilities, designs and prices. Call ended abruptly when he confirmed his address with the salesman; 'yeah, we're 55 Castle Street Court*. You'll see us straightaway when you come out to do the measuring up; it's a tower block, and we're on the fourth floor'.
*Name changed to protect the guilty.
I did something like that a while ago when I got a call from someone trying to sell me solar heating panels for the roof. I let him witter on for about five minutes before telling him I live in a ground floor flat.
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For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Posts: 3149 | From: Bottom right hand corner of the UK | Registered: Mar 2002
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Jengie jon
Semper Reformanda
# 273
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Posted
Friends of mine brother did something similar. Only thing was, they had installed windows into his second floor flat just weeks earlier.
Jengie
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"To violate a persons ability to distinguish fact from fantasy is the epistemological equivalent of rape." Noretta Koertge
Back to my blog
Posts: 20894 | From: city of steel, butterflies and rainbows | Registered: May 2001
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jedijudy
Organist of the Jedi Temple
# 333
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Nicolemr:
...just some poor schlub trying to earn a living...
My problem was that the caller assumed that I
- had a husband,
and - wasn't able to make my own decisions.
Lucille!
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Jasmine, little cat with a big heart.
Posts: 18017 | From: 'Twixt the 'Glades and the Gulf | Registered: Aug 2001
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Stetson
Shipmate
# 9597
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Nicolemr:
Please remember there is a difference between scam calls, which are criminals trying to rip you off, and soliciting calls, which are just some poor schlub trying to earn a living. While I see nothing wrong in tweaking or worse the scam artists, it seems to me to be wrong to screw over the legitimate callers who are just trying to make a buck, and maybe have families to feed. You may say they should get a different job, but jobs aren't that easy to find, ya' know.
Yeah, but speaking as someone who has been on both ends of the phone, even legitimate sales people and market researchers expect, or at least SHOULD expect, to get flack from the people they're calling. It's like if you take a job with the Complaints department of a company, you know it's not gonna be all sweetness and light.
The strangest story I ever heard was of a market researcher who filed charges against a researcher(or maybe salesperson, not sure) who used obscene language in refusing the pitch. Just to be clear as to what happened...
A: Hi, I'm calling from Acme Widgets, and we're doing a...
B: Yeah, well go *&%$@!! (click)
And then A called the cops on B. I get that the obscene-call statutes might not distinguish between caller and callee, but I really doubt that salesmen or market researchers were who the framers of the law were intending to protect.
[ 03. April 2016, 17:35: Message edited by: Stetson ]
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I have the power...Lucifer is lord!
Posts: 6574 | From: back and forth between bible belts | Registered: Jun 2005
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Stetson
Shipmate
# 9597
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Posted
Sorry. My second paragraph above should begin...
quote:
The strangest story I ever heard was of a market researcher(or maybe a salesperson) who filed charges against someone who used obscene language in refusing the pitch.
[ 03. April 2016, 17:39: Message edited by: Stetson ]
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I have the power...Lucifer is lord!
Posts: 6574 | From: back and forth between bible belts | Registered: Jun 2005
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Brenda Clough
Shipmate
# 18061
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Posted
I feel that all calls that I have not solicited, from people I do not know, are fair game. I did not intrude into your space. You phoned me. Prepare for pain, if I am in the mood.
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Science fiction and fantasy writer with a Patreon page
Posts: 6378 | From: Washington DC | Registered: Mar 2014
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blackbeard
Ship's Pirate
# 10848
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Posted
You have reached the Summer Palace of my master Vlad, Prince of Transylvania. You wish to visit our country, yes? we have special procedures for visitors ...
Posts: 823 | From: Hampshire, UK | Registered: Dec 2005
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Enoch
Shipmate
# 14322
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Stetson:
Sorry. My second paragraph above should begin...
quote:
The strangest story I ever heard was of a market researcher(or maybe a salesperson) who filed charges against someone who used obscene language in refusing the pitch.
Did the prosecution get to court and if so what was the result?
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Brexit wrexit - Sir Graham Watson
Posts: 7610 | From: Bristol UK(was European Green Capital 2015, now Ljubljana) | Registered: Nov 2008
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Palimpsest
Shipmate
# 16772
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Posted
I've gotten a new problem. Lately I am getting a lot of e-mail from random people trying to push a penny stock and telling me I can make $7000 if I buy it now. Obviously this is a classic market bubble technique as old as the stock markets.
I don't know how I got on the list, but does anyone have any ideas on how to retaliate.
Posts: 2990 | From: Seattle WA. US | Registered: Nov 2011
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