if i don't recognize the number, i just don't answer. the do-not-call by itself just doesn't work.
typically, i just google the number and check them out at sites like whocallsme.com.
i checked out a call today that pulled up numerous postings, one with some pretty good tips for nailing the jerks. as i scrolled through, though, i found this tip:
Originally posted by whocallsme.com:
Kept getting calls from this survy company over & over.
I finally got fed up and started to ask the survey person very sexually explicit questions. I also started making up some sexual stuff.
They ended up hanging up on me and have never called back, yippie it worked!!!
As an attorney I can tell you that most employers are more interested in a sexual harrassment lawsuit then and lame reports from the "do not call" list of america. A sexual harrassment lawsuit is much more expensive and has much better odds of happening.
Oh and BTW I let the survey person know that if she didnt like how I taked she should file a sexual harrassment in the workplace claim. She might get some money for having to hear my vile suggestions. :-)
Try this it works every single time! They blacklist you for being a pervert.
i can't vouch for this, but i did find it amusing...
When I was in the states I was on the Do Not Call list. Now I am in New Zealand. That is not an option so when a telemarketer calls which is at least 2-3 times a week, I kindly hand the phone over to my Chinese Mother Inlaw who speaks very little english, the marketer does not stay on the phone for very long after that. :)
Before the days of the DNC list. I used to do alot of stuff to those people.
Tell them I am so glad they finally called and ask what took so long. Then go off in a rant about how I am planning to kill my neighbor because his dog wont stop shitting on my lawn.
other options
Start talking about TV shows,
Ask them if they can figure out what is wrong with your car. Tell them to hold on you will go out side and start it for them so you can hold the phone to the engine to see they can hear it and figure out the problem.
My Favorite thing to do though was Crank up a Slayer CD and hold the phone to the speaker. Amazingly more times then not after 2 or 3 minutes of a slayer song those clowns were still on the line, After which I would just hang up.
Other times when didn't feel like screwing around. I would just scream F off into the phone and slam it down.
Now my Mother inlaw does that for me. At least I think that is what she is saying.
IfI had time to kill and they asked me "How would you like to get free...." I'd listen to their whole spiel and when the asked for my CC info, I'd tell them I didn't want to buy any of their crap, I just wanted the free stuff..
I also used to hand the phone to my then 3 year old.
Take the phone in the bathroom and discuss my constipation between grunts.
Pretend I can't understand them, no matter how good their English.
Answer the phone with "Bob's Pizza, is this for pickup or delivery?"
One of my best responses:
Telemarketer: "Hi, this is Ashley from Reliant Pest Control..."
Me: "Oh, great! Are you the people that can help me get rid of those pesky telemarketers?"
Telemarketer: -Click-
Another time I handed the phone to my 6 year old granddaughter and she babbled nonsense at them until they realized what was going on.
I would not like to do telemarketing for a living. It's a high turnover job for a good reason.
