*bleeping!* robocallers

[catcul]

I have to say, after reading this story on Not Always I have started leaving a pile of books next to the phone and reading them at random to people who call. Just read. Don't stop. Don't let them interrupt. Begin the call with 'Ooh, storytime' and measure how far you get before they end the call. It's like a competition! Which person will let you get beyond the first page? It's great fun! (And it improves your reading aloud skills...)

Maybe I should try that with textbooks now that I'm going back to school. Not only will I PO the telemarketers, I'll get some studying in, too.

[dalesys]

Maybe I should try that with textbooks now that I'm going back to school. Not only will I PO the telemarketers, I'll get some studying in, too.

Lifetime triple bonus if you put them to sleep on the line.

[Blue Ginger]

I've had the windows ones a few times. Luckily mum is really paranoid with the computer. She doesn't even like updating the software. (It now auto does it.)

My response to the last call was a bit different.

Person started the usual spiel saying that they were calling from the Windows Corporation and did we know that we had a few viruses on our windows.
Me (shouting without moving the phone away): Mum quick we need the hose and the bleach. This person is telling me there are viruses on our windows. We better clean them. I don't want to get sick.
Person: I am talking about the windows on your computer. If you will just follow a few simple steps, I can help you fix it.
Me: Should I use bleach and the hose on the computer too? That's just silly.
Person: No, no, no, you just need to follow my instructions and your windows will be fixed.
Me: Well that's funny, because I actually don't have windows on my computer and even if I did, I wouldn't be following instructions from some random person. If you or any of your fellow stupid scammers call us again, I will be blowing a whistle down the phone.

And yes, I am enough to follow through. It was how we got rid of the person who used to call at all hours to breathe down the phone.

[Bardmaiden]

I had the windows one yesterday, decided to hand them on to my sisters partner who builds computers and fixes them and has many other computer skills (worked in the industry for years until he got too ill). After he shot down the third or four reason we should give them money, they hung up

[Greenday]

I stopped answering them. I'm home during the day so most of the robocalls happen while I'm home. Lately, it's been less, but we still get 1 or 2 a day. It's usually always the energy savings people but I haven't picked up the phone from a robocall in months.

[fireheart]

I will be blowing a whistle down the phone.

And yes, I am enough to follow through. It was how we got rid of the person who used to call at all hours to breathe down the phone.

While I'm sure nobody would condone something along those lines for telemarketers normally, for scammers, fair game.

[MadMike]

Well, it seems my landline's FUBARed somehow. If you pick it up, you get this annoying buzzing sound instead of a dial tone. It will still ring if you call it, but all you'll hear is the buzzing. Not sure how long it's been this way, since we rarely use it anymore. The last time a call came through was on 5/1. I'd like to think that these electrical service scammers have been getting an earful of noise when they call. I almost don't want to get it fixed.

[Zaiida]

So wait...the Do Not Call list lapses!?!?

Guess I'd better put my numbers back on it, then!

I'm in Australia and when I first put my number on the list it was automatic for 3 years and I did it twice. I just redid my number and I think it's now for 5-6 years automatic renewal. I let it lapse because I forgot and the registry doesn't send email notifications that it's about to lapse. Anything over annual renewal I forget

It's really annoying these callers because I'm rural and our phone/cable network isn't great. Every time someone calls my landline I lose my internet connection and I lose my place in gaming and have to restart a 2hour dungeon from the beginning Can't save a dungeon and most of my points get lost.

[Lace Neil Singer]

We keep getting spambots at work, which is stupid cuz obviously, it's not a home phone number and we don't get why they think it is. I don't know what their spiel is, cuz as soon as I hear a robot voice, I hang up. XD

I've had the PPI calls a few times to my mobile and blocked every single number. Cuz welcome tho a windfall of a few grand would be, I never have taken out a loan and never had a credit card so I know I'm not eligable for a PPI refund. And if I was, I'd walk down the road to my bank and do it myself there.

[hotelslave]

For the past two days I have received 5 calls from the same number but they haven't left voice mails. Both times they called today my phone was locked in car. When I googled area code it comes up being a WA area code. I know no one from WA so Im pretty sure its a telemarketer. When they call tomorrow if I can answer phone I will mess with them

[Kagato]

I've had the windows ones a few times. Luckily mum is really paranoid with the computer. She doesn't even like updating the software. (It now auto does it.)

My response to the last call was a bit different.

Person started the usual spiel saying that they were calling from the Windows Corporation and did we know that we had a few viruses on our windows.
Me (shouting without moving the phone away): Mum quick we need the hose and the bleach. This person is telling me there are viruses on our windows. We better clean them. I don't want to get sick.
Person: I am talking about the windows on your computer. If you will just follow a few simple steps, I can help you fix it.
Me: Should I use bleach and the hose on the computer too? That's just silly.
Person: No, no, no, you just need to follow my instructions and your windows will be fixed.
Me: Well that's funny, because I actually don't have windows on my computer and even if I did, I wouldn't be following instructions from some random person. If you or any of your fellow stupid scammers call us again, I will be blowing a whistle down the phone.

And yes, I am enough to follow through. It was how we got rid of the person who used to call at all hours to breathe down the phone.

Be VERY careful about that. I remember reading in the newspaper about someone who blew a whistle down the phone and got taken to court for causing hearing damage to the other party, ended up costing them a LOT of money. I'll try to track down a link to the article.

When it comes down to it, it is always much safer to follow legal channels such as DNC registries or simply messing with their minds. No point in giving them a free and clear path to your wallet.

EDIT: found the link. Granted it happened in europe but I wouldn't put it past an american company trying to take someone to court either. The lady got fined 800 euro over it (USD$1000 approx)

http://www.thelocal.de/society/20120522-42685.html

[HawaiianShirts]

Somebody found my cell number a few months ago. Now I'm on some call list for lawsuit-fishing. I get calls about once a week with a recording asking me whether I've used Yaz or some other birth control pills, or if I know someone who used it. (That's a big "no" on both counts, by the way.) My options are to press 1 to speak to someone about it or press 2 to be removed.

After three tries, I determined that the removal option didn't work, so I pressed 1. Nobody answered! Why do a telemarketing call if you're not going to be ready to sell me something or otherwise convince me I need your services?

For stuff like that--when it might be a legitimate company who got my number legally whether I wanted them to or not--I am usually polite but firm. I've had my share of scammers, though, and for them, I become "Lev the Cranky Russian," where I adopt my best Russian accent and pretend to be interested and engaged in the conversation but thoroughly confused by cultural and language barriers. If they stay on the line long enough, I'll eventually break character and claim that I'm actually a DJ on some morning radio show and was recording the exchange as a prank. Nobody's stayed on the line after that long enough for me to offer them a consolation prize...

[Racket_Man]

When it comes down to it, it is always much safer to follow legal channels such as DNC registries or simply messing with their minds. No point in giving them a free and clear path to your wallet.

Here in the US the DO NOT CALL list is nothing more than a joke. IT is useless and really only serves to say to the politicians who created it "YES we DID something but we put so many exemptions into it and made the process of penalities toothless."

Modern VIOP/spoofing of phone numbers makes the DNC just another feel good government thing.

[mjr]

Here in the US the DO NOT CALL list is nothing more than a joke. IT is useless and really only serves to say to the politicians who created it "YES we DID something but we put so many exemptions into it and made the process of penalities toothless."

Modern VIOP/spoofing of phone numbers makes the DNC just another feel good government thing.

You're right. It's a joke. I actually wrote to my senator recently and told him that they needed to make the penalties more stiff.

[Racket_Man]

On my GF's landline we have had soo many robo-calls that it is a very unusual day when the phone does NOT ring. I have 800notes and Whocallsme on "speed-dial" on my web browser.

We have had soo many variations on the "free cruise w/boat horn", some sleazy company in my state trying to "collect/get payment on" supposedly unpaid moving violation tickets (most are from at least 8 - 10 years prior and have been paid off but who keeps that kind of documentation that long), to various "surveys" to various "charities".

Luckly we have not had the Windows one yet BUT I now gues I can have fun with them if they ever were to call when I am home and awake.

99.9% of the calls to her landline are bogus at best.