Cold Callers Who Lie

[Dreamstalker]

The repair shop from hell got loads of those calls. He did have a few business clients, but I learned their caller ID numbers. Everything else that was identified as a known telemarketer/scam I would ignore (that led to my finding out post-resignation that his assistant was lying to him about my job performance). Got a few toner-order scams (we didn't have any laser printers, and all toner for the copier was handled through the manufacturer), office supply orders (ha) and one or two particularly inept social engineering attempts. What made the latter even funnier is that I think the cracker thought he was going to break into a big company.

[Ghel]

I wish we had caller ID. Our phone system is so ancient, all it shows is which phone line the call is coming in on or the name of the internal extension it's coming from.

[powerboy]

Wait, if the caller REALLY was a friend of the owner, they would have his cell number already. I don't think they thought their cunning plan all the way through.

that's what i was thinking.... "If you're his friend, why didn't he give you the cell info?" .... scammer!!!!

That's the thing. They didn't think

[draftermatt]

On Friday afternoons the minor owner's wife comes in to answer phones. She goes by Andy (short for Andrea) because the major owner's wife is also named Andrea.

Today the office manager got a call from someone asking for Andy. She told him that Andy only works on Fridays.

"Oh, I needed to talk to him about his toner order for the Toshiba printer"

Yeah...

Not to mention we get our toner for free because the former owner and the major owner both own race horses and bought the copier through another horse owner, who gives them free supplies.

[Geek King]

I got one the other day, and on our tech support line, no less. Yeah, cause our suppliers wouldn't call my manager's private line, right?

I just played dumb, then told him I'd transfer the call. Then "lost" the call mid-transfer. It really is nice to know all the bugs (features?) in the phone system sometimes.

[SteeleDragon78]

I got one the other day, and on our tech support line, no less. Yeah, cause our suppliers wouldn't call my manager's private line, right?

I just played dumb, then told him I'd transfer the call. Then "lost" the call mid-transfer. It really is nice to know all the bugs (features?) in the phone system sometimes.

i wonder if anyone has ever xfered them to a phone sex line just to be truly evil.

[Lil Bunny]

I admit I'm a tad passive aggressive when they're cold calling my boss. Most of the time I can get information out of people but there was this insurance place (googled it) that would NOT leave us alone. I was basically informed that they had to hear that my boss wasn't interested, my word wasn't good enough.

Yeah, they met the eternal hold of doom. I would tell my boss that they were on the phone. He would just place bets on how long they held. Record is 8 minutes 27 seconds.

[edible_hat]

Yeah, they met the eternal hold of doom. I would tell my boss that they were on the phone. He would just place bets on how long they held. Record is 8 minutes 27 seconds.

I put a telemarketer on hold today while I served a customer, and he hung up while I was busy.

[Hyndis]

Whats even worse are the telemarketers who call me, and then put me on hold.


Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.


That only works if you're someone incredibly important, like, I dunno, a General or President or some such who wanted to call me for some insane reason. But a telemarketer?

[Dips]

These Same Guys Just Called Again

Luckily, this time I knew for a fact that we don't do business with them. I was a little more ready:

Caller: I need to talk to person in charge of shipping and the warehouse.

Me: Do we do business with you?

Caller: Yes.

Me: The name of your company?

Caller: Sucky Supplies

Me: We don't do business with you.

Caller: I have numerous invoices that say otherwise.

Me: Really? What are the invoice numbers?

Caller: If you give me your fax number, I'll fax them to you.

Me: No. I just need the invoice numbers.

Caller: Listen, honey, I don't have them and...

Me: [interrupting] Don't call me "honey." <click>

At least this time, he didn't call right back to complain that I hung up on him. Good riddance.

This smells a lot more like a scam attempt than a misguided marketing ploy, though. Not that their chances of scamming us are very high even if they *had* the information they asked for.

The funniest part? These idiots could *find* all the information they've asked for on our web site. It's not exactly a state secret.

[JLRodgers]

Whats even worse are the telemarketers who call me, and then put me on hold.

People like this come back to discover music playing to them (I put music on, and set the phone by the speaker).

[lordlundar]

This smells a lot more like a scam attempt than a misguided marketing ploy, though.

A little of column A, a little of Column B. The idea is to think the target does owe money, and gets told they can avoid trouble by "renewing" the contract. They hope they get a target that doesn't keep a tight control on the books.

[protege]

They hope they get a target that doesn't keep a tight control on the books.

That's *exactly* what they're hoping for. If they do get caught, they usually claim "oh, our mistake." If they don't, it's easy money. That's why I'm so careful when dealing with those fools. I know that they're trying to rip me off...so it gives me great delight in thwarting them.

[Danno]

The funniest part? These idiots could *find* all the information they've asked for on our web site. It's not exactly a state secret.

"They kill, they maim and they call information for numbers they could easily look up in the book."

Now I gotta watch "What's Up, Tiger Lily?" again.

[edible_hat]

That's *exactly* what they're hoping for. If they do get caught, they usually claim "oh, our mistake." If they don't, it's easy money. That's why I'm so careful when dealing with those fools. I know that they're trying to rip me off...so it gives me great delight in thwarting them.

String them along, then at the last minute change your mind. (that is, if you can spare the time).