Swearing at a Phone Solicitor

[GoingSince1990]

I would draw a distinction here between (1) actual telemarketers who may be ignoring the do-not-call list rules but work for a real company selling a product, and (2) blatant scammers who are spoofing the caller ID, lying, cheating and often making threats to attempt to steal people's money. In the second category would be the "card services" scammers who will NOT "reduce your interest rate" but will steal your money if you give them your card number, the "your Social Security number has been suspended" scammers who threaten you with arrest, the IRS scammers who want you to pay back taxes with iTunes gift cards, and so on. To callers in the first category I will be reasonably civil as I remind them of the do-not-call regulations and ask them not to call be again. For the criminals trying to rob me I am less tolerant, and I wouldn't judge anyone for being rude to these despicable people.

 

[sam_gordon]

I don't see any reason to cuss at someone whether on the phone or in person. At least if you're on the phone and you feel yourself getting upset, it's far easier to just hang up the phone.

If I answer the phone and it's a telemarketer, I do one of two things...
1) Interrupt their spiel, say "I'm not interested." and wait. If they so "goodbye", so be it. If they continue their spiel, I interrupt again, say "I'm not interested" and hang up.
2) If it's the person calling from "Microsoft" because there's a "problem" with my computer, I'll try to play along and waste their time. "Which computer?" "Your computer." "The desktop or the laptop?", etc etc. I figure if they're on the phone with me, they can't be on the phone with someone else who might fall for the scam.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do you ever swear at a phone solicitor? Yes, we're on the Do Not Call Registry, but that's a joke -- telemarketers just keep on calling.

DH's bro gets a fiendish delight in telling them to "get cancer and die" or other cheerful(?) comebacks. He brags when he makes a telemarketer cry. DH just swears at them and hangs up. I check Caller I.D. and if it's a name/number I don't recognize, I don't bother to answer.

What do you do?

We have Nomorobo on our land line. It works well. But, rarely, a call from a home contractor will come through. I typically just hang up without responding when I hear who it is.

If one calls more than once, I've asked for their company name and tell them I'm reporting them since we're on the Do No Call Registry. They usually hang up really quickly after that.

 

[robinb]

I have begun to laugh uproariously long and loud at the ones who claim to be from Microsoft and Apple. They always hang up.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I have begun to laugh uproariously long and loud at the ones who claim to be from Microsoft and Apple. They always hang up.

I've started asking the fake Amazon callers if they work in the same building as Jeff Bezos. "Wow, have you ever met him? Is he a nice guy?" etc.

 

[slo]

Nope....I never do.
I don’t like the interruptions, but I do like the fact that people are working instead of doing nothing.
I just tell them to please take me off their list and have a good day and quickly hang up - I don’t need to prolong the phone call.

Edited to add....I don’t have caller ID at home, so we always pick up when the phone rings.
I also answer numbers I don’t recognize on my cell so I know for certain it’s a number I can block. There’s been times that I answered and I was glad I did, because it was someone I did need to speak with.

 

[CynBeth]

We do not pick up unless it is a friend or family member or doctor’s office. If a message is left saying it is so and so from a company we call the regular phone number we have to see if someone from there actually called and is legit or if a scam.

 

[design_mom]

I have hung up when they won’t take “no, thank you. I’m not interested.” as an answer.

My jaw is on the floor at someone saying “I hope you get cancer and die” over an annoying phone call... or even swearing at someone. I get frustrated when the calls keep constantly coming or the telemarketers are pushy, but even then...

 

[ronandannette]

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.

No kidding. What kind of miscreant would brag about something like that?

The person on the other end of the phone most of the time doesn't have a say as to who to call. Somebody else in the company gets a list from somewhere and put it in their computer. The computer dials a number and the poor telemarketer just reads a script.

Sure, it's not the most morally justified of jobs, but it's not the person on the other end of the phone who decided to bug you personally.

Also, don't answer phone calls from people you don't know. Let that go to voicemail, listen to the message. Problem solved.

Why not? Presuming we're talking about legitimate sales calls and not the scammer kind, I see nothing "morally" wrong. It surprises me that telemarketing is effective enough at creating sales for companies to still use it but apparently it must be or they wouldn't.

 

[Wendy31]

No, I don’t think ever in my life I’ve felt the desire or need to tell ANYONE “to get cancer & die.”

And I just don’t answer numbers that I don’t recognize. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message, & I’ll call back.

 

[Erica_Haley]

I typically don't answer, but if I start to get a lot of calls, i'll answer pretending like I'm law enforcement. Something along the lines of "(insert state here) State Police on a recorded line, how can I help you?" Surprisingly, I haven't gotten a final notice for my car's extended warranty in months.

 

[ford91exploder]

The robocalls irritate me. However, my son worked for a research company when he was 16. They did surveys over the phone for grocery stores. He got cussed at sometimes but as others have said, he was just trying to earn some money. Try to give some grave, that’s all I can say.

You are aware of the latest telemarketing trick are you not, They spoof numbers of real people so that they will pick up calls from the telemarketer, I'm sorry the people who do this are criminals and need to be treated as such.

https://medium.com/safeguarde/someone-is-using-my-phone-number-how-can-i-stop-this-28ca64a28a7f
How would YOU feel if someone was using your son's number for this?.

 

[sam_gordon]

You are aware of the latest telemarketing trick are you not, They spoof numbers of real people so that they will pick up calls from the telemarketer, I'm sorry the people who do this are criminals and need to be treated as such.

https://medium.com/safeguarde/someone-is-using-my-phone-number-how-can-i-stop-this-28ca64a28a7f
How would YOU feel if someone was using your son's number for this?.

I've had people use my number for it. Eh. I don't get upset over it. I wouldn't get upset if they used my kids number. Why?

 

[usnuzuloose]

Not hard to get your number. But when I get them I ask them . Did I call you? It stuns them and then they say no, oh okay when I need you I will call you and hang up..

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Why not? Presuming we're talking about legitimate sales calls and not the scammer kind, I see nothing "morally" wrong.

If the company you work for is cold calling people who are on the Do Not Call Registry, you should realize that what they are doing is illegal.

 

[person]

I typically don't answer, but if I start to get a lot of calls, i'll answer pretending like I'm law enforcement. Something along the lines of "(insert state here) State Police on a recorded line, how can I help you?" Surprisingly, I haven't gotten a final notice for my car's extended warranty in months.

Telephone manner can indeed make a lot of difference.....

 

[ronandannette]

If the company you work for is cold calling people who are on the Do Not Call Registry, you should realize that what they are doing is illegal.

Given my disdain for bureaucracy, I'd be more inclined to assume it's a failure of the government agency overseeing the "Do Not Call Registry" than immediately assume companies are ignoring it.

 

[person]

Not hard to get your number. But when I get them I ask them . Did I call you? It stuns them and then they say no, oh okay when I need you I will call you and hang up..

"Did I call you?" Good question...

 

[person]

I have a problem with nuisance calls (however defined), but I don't have a problem with freedom of expression.

 

[amcnj]

I don’t pick up numbers I don’t recognize. Once in a great while I might be waiting for a call that could come from a number I am unfamiliar with and I pick up.

If it is a robocall, I just hang up. if a person I just say I am not interested. If it is outside of the hours they are supposed to be calling (not allowed between 9 pm and 8 am where I live), I also inform them of that. I have never called to report anyone, but others might, and some callers are from different time zones and might not be aware of the restrictions or what time it is by me. And of course some be aware but are calling anyway!