Swearing at a Phone Solicitor

[Hook326]

I've rec'd calls from my own cell number on my cell numerous times lol

I had this happen! I was so confused that I was “calling” myself that I answered it. Big mistake I ended up being called by my number 18 more times in the next 6 hours.

 

[bcwife76]

No. That's what caller ID is for. If it's important/legit they will leave a message.

 

[LovesTimone]

If I don't know the number I don't answer, if its important they will leave a message...

 

[Jennasis]

I wanted to add, I ALWAYS answer the phone when it rings. "If it's important they will leave a message" does not apply here. My house phone and cell phone are both my business phone as well as personal. If I don't answer and it is a potential customer, they may well NOT leave a message and move on to someone else. But I also don't talk to robots (robocalls) and any telemarketer gets a the standard "No, thank you, put us on your DNC list" and then I hang up.

 

[person]

If I don't know the number I don't answer, if its important they will leave a message...

Good point, if they really need to be in touch...

 

[LovesTimone]

Good point, if they really need to be in touch...

I pretty much have everything listed in my phone that is important... If it a call from someone need to really speak to me they will leave a message and I can call them back...

 

[person]

I pretty much have everything listed in my phone that is important... If it a call from someone need to really speak to me they will leave a message and I can call them back...

I guess this would work in most circumstances, right? (I guess also I could think a of a few circumstances when it might not...)

 

[Wendy1985]

I don't answer if it is not a number on my contact list

 

[Lumpy1106]

No, and it says a LOT about people who do. They are just trying to earn a living with the skills and life situation they have.

99% of them are scammers looking to steal Grandma's pension fund. No sympathy from me.

OTOH - no, I do not swear at them. Sometimes I'll let them finish their spiel and laugh at them before hanging up, but most of the time I hang up before the get three words in - THEN I go back in my phone and block them. I realize that doesn't do much good either as they usually have dozens of numbers they call from or they spoof real, legitimate numbers of other victims. Still, if it keeps even one call from ringing my phone it's a small effort to pay.

 

[Lumpy1106]

So the guy trying to sell subscriptions to the local newspaper is a criminal?

Yes, if you are on the DO NOT CALL registry. They are only allowed to call if you have a legitimate connection to them. Unfortunately that includes political calls. I actually changed to a 3rd party political party years ago to stop that. Only the R's and D's have any sort of budget for cold calls, and they are not allowed to call you if you are not an R or D.

Edit to add;
If you have a VOIP based land line (most land lines are), this is legit, free and works;
https://www.nomorobo.com/Your phone rings once, then simultaneously rings in their system. If the NOMOROBO system hears that little beat of silence before someone picks up, it hangs up immediately, as does the call on your end. If the phone rings once, I ignore it, more than once I pick it up. The scammers have found some ways around it, but this stops a lot of the calls. It works on cell phones too but there is a charge for that.

 

[prairie_girl]

99% of them are scammers looking to steal Grandma's pension fund. No sympathy from me.

OTOH - no, I do not swear at them. Sometimes I'll let them finish their spiel and laugh at them before hanging up, but most of the time I hang up before the get three words in - THEN I go back in my phone and block them. I realize that doesn't do much good either as they usually have dozens of numbers they call from or they spoof real, legitimate numbers of other victims. Still, if it keeps even one call from ringing my phone it's a small effort to pay.

I was referring to the legit ones, not the scammers.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I was referring to the legit ones, not the scammers.

How do you know which 1% is legit before you pick up the phone?

 

[Erica_Haley]

Isn’t it illegal to impersonate a police officer?

It is, but I never say I'm an officer or any other job title. Like I work for the Fl. Highway Patrol, and have to call other agencies pretty frequently. it's not always a police officer that answers. It could be, but it could also be someone non-sworn, like a dispatcher or someone working the desk at the station. And I don't use a real agency. So if someone assumes I'm an officer, that's their assumption, not me claiming it.

 

[prairie_girl]

How do you know which 1% is legit before you pick up the phone?

I personally don’t answer my phone unless I know the number, but if you do answer all calls, I imagine it would be pretty easy to figure out if it’s a legit call or not.

 

[starry_solo]

There's a wonderful invention called an answering machine that picks up all the calls (we screen them). If for some reason, we feel like picking up the call before the answering machine and it's a solicitor (an actual live person, not a robotic voice), I just say "no thank you" and hang up.

 

[fla4fun]

How do you know which 1% is legit before you pick up the phone?

Well, if “Illegal Scam” comes up on the caller ID, it’s a pretty good clue (I have actually had calls show up this way).

I don’t pick up calls if I don’t recognize the number under regular circumstances, but I am job hunting right now, so I don’t have a choice. I will be glad when I can go back to screening calls again. I hate talking on the phone anyway. If asked, email is my preferred method of contact.

 

[Eastern]

I don't. They are just doing their job.

 

[dez1978]

There's a wonderful invention called an answering machine that picks up all the calls (we screen them). If for some reason, we feel like picking up the call before the answering machine and it's a solicitor (an actual live person, not a robotic voice), I just say "no thank you" and hang up.

Do people still use answering machines? I didn't know those still existed lol

 

[dez1978]

I usually don’t answer unknown numbers, but I’m all for people cussing out scam callers. My friend(full grown adult) likes to answer unknown numbers and when they’re telemarketers on a recorded line he likes to say “sir, I’m only twelve I can’t send you pics” usually they panic and hang up it’s pretty funny. This usually prevents call from that company for a while.

ok, that one is hilarious!

 

[Sarah'sMomfrom PA]

Just an FYI also for when you call a customer service number (in the US anyway) and someone named Joe answers the call and you know that he is in India and no way is his name "Joe" that you can insist that you speak to someone in the United States that you can actually understand and they have to put you on hold and get you someone in the US to speak to. Sometimes, I get people that I honestly can't understand and I tell them that I don't want to be rude but I can't understand a word that they are saying and ask to speak to someone from the US.