No to cold caller

[Shortcake]

When DH is in an evil mood, sometimes he'll just try to keep them on the phone with some nonsense.   Once he got one of those "you may already be a winner" calls, and kept them on the line for half an hour pretending not to understand why they couldn't just try the key in the truck for him and let him know if it worked before he bought whatever they were selling.  He says he figures he's keeping them from bothering other people while they're on the line with him.  

My cousin does this. He has a real talent for it, and he says he enjoys doing it! He says the same thing your DH says. "If they are busy with me, then they aren't bothering other people."

[Texas Mom]

Does everyone know about the Do Not Call Registry?  Information Here:  https://www.donotcall.gov/

If you want the telemarketers, poll takers, etc. to leave you alone for good, tell them (in a nice way) as soon as you get the chance & interrupt them if they won't give you the chance:

"Please remove my name and phone number from your list."

You have to say THAT or you will remain on their list to be called again and again and again.

[Suze]

I just told that line 3 times in 3 days to some poll taking place.

each time they told me that they would and said they were sorry for the interruption......

today I told them that I have told you people 3 times to take me off of the list and do not call again.  I think I was a little "short" with them, but really now.

I don't "play" with them, just say - not intrested and hang up

Although I will admit to asking the "refinace and lower your morgage payment" people if they can offer a better rate than 0%  - only one out of 10 got that the house was paid off - most of them just stammered and stuttered around

I think that I must have made that one girls day the way she started laughing......

[Virg]

I have two that worked.  The first was when I was visiting friends, and one of them answered the phone.  It was a telemarketer, and she hates talking to them so she said, "it's for you" and handed me the phone.  I had no idea who it was.

TM: Hi there!  Are you happy with your phone service?
Me: Sure.
TM: But is it really working for you?
Me: I'm talking to you, so yes.
TM: (blah blah sales pitch)
Me: No thanks.  This isn't my phone.
TM: May I speak to the owner of the house, then?
Me: No.  She doesn't want the service.
TM: Let me talk to her.
Me: (click)

The second (which I may have recounted here at some point) was a call at my house number.  To those who may not know, I'm a big guy with a deep voice.

TM: May I speak to the lady of the house?
Me: Speaking.
TM: ....

He then stammered his way though his sales pitch, to his credit.  I said no thank you, and we hung up.

For the OP, you did brush him off, and since he asked something entirely improper and you were polite in your brush-off, you're fine.

Virg

[Schmoopie3928]

Dang dingity dangit Virg!  Now I have to get more paper towels to clean off my keyboard!!

[MissyMa'am]

My brother hands the phone to his 4-year-old daughter and instructs her to either converse with or scream at the telemarketers.  Don't worry, my Dad did it too and we ended up being perfectly well-behaved adults.   

[Midnight Kitty]

I know we're on the national DNC list, but we still get calls from phone solicitors.  DH received a cold call from someone trying to sell disability insurance, the kind where you pay a premium each month out of your salary so that, if you are ever disabled and unable to work, they will pay you your salary or some portion thereof.

DH asked the caller how that would work, since he doesn't get a salary, having been unable to work due to an on-the-job injury for years.

Stumped silence.

One would think they would screen their database better to avoid wasting their employees' time, but I guess it's cheaper to pay minimum wage and punish the phone solicitor for poor results. 

Why, yes I did work as a telephone solicitor once.  What gave me away?

[WildChild@Heart]

I'm sure some would call me rude, but on the rare occasion when someone does call like that:

CC: blah, blah, blah wonderful offer.
Me: No, Thank you. Click

I have politely given them my answer, I have nothing else to say, so we're done.

[Midnight Kitty]

I'm sure some would call me rude, but on the rare occasion when someone does call like that:

CC: blah, blah, blah wonderful offer.
Me: No, Thank you. Click

I have politely given them my answer, I have nothing else to say, so we're done.

Based on my experience as a telephone solicitor, I don't think you were rude.  I do the same thing.  See, the people who are calling you can't afford to waste time on calls that aren't going to end in sales.  They need to "produce results."  I figure I'm doing them a favor by reducing the time wasted on me since I'm not buying what they are selling.

[beingkj]

My parents often have cold callers ring to sell them home phone and mobile packages, or broadband internet, or just mobile phone service. You'd think they'd check first - my parents live in an area with NO mobile phone reception, too far away from a telephone exchange to get decent dialup, let along ADSL broadband.

I've always wanted to answer a telemarketer and do the Crazy Frog sound.

[Asha]

Sadly, we don't yet have a DNC list up here in Canada.  And even in the states, there are some loopholes on that regarding political parties, non-profit organizations, companies you have done business with in the last year, etc.

When asked "what would be a better time?" I say "hmmmmmmmm, you know, I think things will slow down around June of 2010."

My favorite, though, was one afternoon I was answering phones for the church office and got a call about applying for a gasoline credit card.  I put on a valley girl voice and answered with something like "Oh, well, you know, this is a church and uh, well, the priests DO live here and they like totally do drive cars but I think there's something about being like so religious that they don't like do credit cards, ya know?  Maybe we could totally call the bishop but I would like totally not know what to say..." 

[cass2591]

It's one thing to discuss the rude behaviors of a general group of people but when the topic seques to stories of either how someone was one-on-one rude with a telemarketer, customer service rep, client, neighbor, etc in RL or encouraging people to be rude, that's an entirely different issue which cannot be condoned on this forum. 

Please, people, enough. Messing with telemarketers just because you can is rude, and boasting about one's rudeness is absolutely unacceptable on this forum. It's neither cute nor funny.

[Ceallach]

I try not to be rude to telemarketers just because I'd feel bad about it, two wrongs definitely don't make a right. But it can be irritating because they are so desperate to get through their scripts. I had the following conversation this morning:

L: May I please speak to Mr or Mrs E?
Me: Speaking
L: Hello Mrs E, I'm calling from X company, I'm sure you've heard of us and our X system by now
Me: Yes I have, and although we may consider installing your product in the future, right now we don't have a need for it. Thanks
L (in pissed off voice): Actually, that's not what I'm calling about today. We're actually visiting your neighbourhood in the next week to do in home appraisals and give you the opportunity to ask any questions you have about X systems, we're seeing some of your neighbours on Monday so we can visit you as well.
Me: That's great, but as I said we won't be interested in purchasing one anytime soon.

Why do they always feel the need to deny that they're trying to sell something?  It's clear I'm on to her, I know about the product, and I don't want to buy it. (It's true that it's something I'd consider in the distant future though, it's a good product). The other thing I don't know is how she got my name, because when all the documentation was done for this property it was a month before our wedding, so there is no data showing us as Mr & Mrs E anywhere. Unless our vet is selling phone numbers. Ah well, a few minutes out of my day, no big deal in the greater scheme of things. I just feel sorry for her because it's not a fun job.

[artk2002]

I know we're on the national DNC list, but we still get calls from phone solicitors.  DH received a cold call from someone trying to sell disability insurance, the kind where you pay a premium each month out of your salary so that, if you are ever disabled and unable to work, they will pay you your salary or some portion thereof.

We're on the national DnC and are still getting calls.  Several of them have tried to argue with me!

Me: Hello?
Them: Hi, this is Brenda Bingle from Bobs Boffo Builders!
Me: Do I have an "Existing Business relationship" with you?  (Yes, emphasizing the phrase.)
Them: No, but we have...
Me: I'm on the national DnC.  Do you understand that you've just broken the law?
Them: Are you sure?  Those registrations expire!
Me: I check it, every month.  Good-bye.  <click>

Urgh.

[DrinkingTea (was Sneezy)]

Being on the do not call list doesn't really help if there is nothing I can do to identify them unless I am extremely rude and keep them on the line until I can figure out who they are so I can report them for violation of the DNC list.

I find it extremely irritating that telemarketers no longer have their actual phone number show up on caller ID, are set up so that *69 does nothing, and that I can only get as far as, 'Please remove me fro-' before they hang up on me, leaving them free to annoy me again if it is an affiliate of someone I already have a business relationship with.