Evil Phone Scams!!! It is really pissing me off!

[Iron_Ranger]

Maybe its just my area, but something weird happens on the phone all the time here, you pick up the phone and aboustley nothing happens, no sound at the other end or anything.

I have waited over 5 minitues to see if someone will say something but nope, just silence, I wonder what is going on? And sometimes it will just play some weird sounding music.

[Lord Starshadow]

I always got credit card companies calling me in my dorm room at school. I try to be civil and tell them nicely that I'm not interested, that I have no interest in having a credit card (which I'm not; I don't want one and don't think I'll ever get one, if I can help it). But then they go on about their benefits (just for me, of course) and then drop my favorite line on me: "What about in case of emergencies?"

For this, I have a lengthy discourse about why I do not need a credit card: A. I don't do anything. I'm a sit at home, do nothing type of person. If I really want to go somewhere, I'll use the cash I have saved up from not going somewhere; B. I don't go anywhere. I don't have a car. I don't like to drive. The chances of me leaving the house without being with someone that could help me out are nonexistent. C. Everything that I earn from a job goes into my bank account. I don't look at any money. My family and relatives are often nice enough to slip me a couple bucks every now and then, and if I really need money, I go the ATM or write a check.

After this, the people usually go: "Oh... What kind of person are you?"

To which I respond: "A smart one."

Gah, that was probably a lot more than anyone wanted to know.

[WillowIX]

Originally posted by Larry_OHF: If I get some sort of shit in my mail...who do I contact to close the freaks down?

Morning Larry. You can always check with your "local" attorney general. They probably have this "company" black listed already. Send an email or something and they can close the scammers down [img]smile.gif[/img] And tell the Mrs: Good job! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Do this font look like fire to you? [img]graemlins/laugh3.gif[/img]

[DragonMage]

Good job to Karen for continuously putting out the message that she wasn't interested in anything they had to offer!

But this IS harrassment. If your phone company CAN track them down, they can report the call and do something about it. (If they are so inclined).

But from now on, Larry, my advice is: Don't play their games! It only gets you put on more call lists with more companies. If someone is calling you trying to sell something, you tell them that they WILL put you on their 'no call' list right NOW or be prosecuted for harrassment. They aren't supposed to call after 9pm anyway, but they also are NOT supposed to call at all if you tell them not to. I've got an unlisted number and they STILL call me! I give them a right good piece of my mind! I inform them that, if I get even one more call from them, I'll personally see them prosecuted for harrassment. They usually hang up at that point. It is unlikely it would ever happen, but the threat seems sufficient. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

What really gets my goat is when they call and say something like: "Hi! Is this Brenda?" Like they KNOW me!!!!!! And I say to them: "And just who is this?" And when I get the response of "I'm *insert name* from *insert company*, I cut them off and say: "Well, since I don't know you, I particularly do NOT appreciate you calling me by my first name as though you know me!" LOL I've gotten more than one spluttering apology before telling them to never call my home again and hanging up. Needless to say, I've rarely gotten more than one phone call from any particular telemarketer.

[Attalus]

My favorite one happened years ago. I happened to answer the phone at my office (which I rarely do) and someone told me they had a free computer for me if I would buy some advertising pens. Now, I had already read about this scam (The "Computer" is a calculator) so I said, sure, but send them COD. They did and I refused it. I got an irate call, and I told them that I had never authorised such a thing, and that I never answered the phone! So, they were stuck with a lot of pens with my name on them, hehe.

[john]

I just ask them if they'd give me their home phone number so I could call them back later at their home.At supper time of course.If that doesn't work i tell them to hold for a minute and turn up the tv and forget about them..If all else fails just a good line of your favorite curses usually does it..

[Morgeruat]

Christi (RevRuby) was a telemarketer for a while (no, don't start throwing things, she was a good one, not pushy, and she actually followed the rules)

she's sick now and in bed, but I'll bookmark this and have her answer it tomorrow morning [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Ronn_Bman]

I hate scammers! Hate them, hate them, hate them!

I have a three pronged attack when they call.

Step #1 - Before they even finish speaking, I say, "I don't accept telemarketing calls, please remove my name and number from the list."

Step #2 - Ask to speak to a supervisor and complain of harrassment.

Step #3 - Tell the scammer things s/he didn't know about his mother and a horse named Lucky.

[Redblueflare]

You guys should just do what I do. "I'm not interested." *click*

[Sir Goulum]

Ah, my mom does funny things with people like this.

One time, someone was asking for her to subscribe to a cooking magazine thing, and she just said 'Oh, I'm sorry...I don't cook'