New telemarketing scam

[897tgigvib]

I solve the problem using the neanderthal-bigfoot method: all calls that come in from some area code I never heard of, I just hold my thumb over the ringer speaker until it's done. ThenI wait a few minutes to see if i get a voicemail. Once I determine it is a spammer, I ADD THEM AS A CONTACT!!! Yep. But I make sure I give them the rudest name, often concerning some disgusting item they enjoy eating. Them, if that spammer calls again, my phone informs me that @#%@%@-eater is calling. If it happens when others are near, we all get a laugh out of it.

Mama bigfoot says humans aren't very fiscally bright. She says we ought to have a way to find the spam callers, actually suspend all phone calls worldwide until technology discovers a way to find them, and catch the spam callers, and neuter or spay them, and then remove the spammer from every red cent they may have, even the value of their teeth, and then spay and neuter all their relatives. Mother bigfoot says this will help control the population, and be excellent for the environment.

 

[ducks4you]

If you don't want them to call back, just let them hear the "beep" of a recording machine. I used to have an old cassette answering machine hooked up, which would beep when you hit RECORD... they will hang up so fast it makes your ears ring. A pity that machine gave up the ghost, it was really good for that purpose. On the rare occasion that the wife answers an annoying call, she prefers to use a referee's whistle.

The most aggravating part about those calls is that they usually come when I am eating supper. Caller ID usually identifies them, but only after I pull away from my dinner.

Recently telemarketers are getting smarter... they have found a way to route their calls through a local number, making it appear that they might be someone you know.

I get those calls on my landline. We have an answering machine set up and I let that screen the calls. You are right, they hang up when it goes to the message. I figure that anybody who knows me also knows my cell# and will call me on that. Don't need an old cassette machine. DD recorded a nice, short message on it to greet anybody I know that DOES call me and they can leave a message for me to return.

 

[flowerbug]

caller id is too high tech for us.

we are already on the do not call list so the only people who should be calling are friends, family and people we've already contacted.

telling a criminal to not call me seems a bit pointless, if they are shady enough to have gotten the number via other means i doubt they'd care.

Mom used to ask them for their personal phone number so she could call them, none ever would saying that wasn't allowed or such. not that she ever would call them anyways.

 

[flowerbug]

@marshallsmyth Mama Bigfoot and my Mom would get along well. Mom wants to use the Mackinaw Bridge to hang criminals and leave them there as an example...

 

[bobm]

I solve the problem using the neanderthal-bigfoot method: all calls that come in from some area code I never heard of, I just hold my thumb over the ringer speaker until it's done. ThenI wait a few minutes to see if i get a voicemail. Once I determine it is a spammer, I ADD THEM AS A CONTACT!!! Yep. But I make sure I give them the rudest name, often concerning some disgusting item they enjoy eating. Them, if that spammer calls again, my phone informs me that @#%@%@-eater is calling. If it happens when others are near, we all get a laugh out of it.

Mama bigfoot says humans aren't very fiscally bright. She says we ought to have a way to find the spam callers, actually suspend all phone calls worldwide until technology discovers a way to find them, and catch the spam callers, and neuter or spay them, and then remove the spammer from every red cent they may have, even the value of their teeth, and then spay and neuter all their relatives. Mother bigfoot says this will help control the population, and be excellent for the environment.

Marshall... good to hear from you again. I had another 5 telemarketing calls between 9 and 12 for Carabian Cruise vacation from India telemarketers. PLEASE ask Momma Big Foot to contact her Abominable Snow Man cousins to start on the Indian telemarketer population control.

 

[so lucky]

Bobm, you could start getting calls on your cell phone, too. I do. Not as many as you, though. I just add the number to my "reject" list after the first call. It doesn't do any good to answer and "tell" them anything, because they are recordings. Trying to relieve my credit card debt, student loan debt or sell me a medic alert system.

 

[thistlebloom]

Answer once and you're doomed. They put a big gold star by your contact info. This is obviously passed around between all the telemarketer companies. At least it seems that way.

I only answer if I recognize the number. If I don't know who it is they can leave a message. I block the ones I don't know that didn't leave a message.

 

[seedcorn]

Latest one (that really fires me up) is Red Cross. I give blood whenever I can-free. They are constantly calling me. It’s always someone from India. I don’t know how many times I’ve told them, not to call on a Sunday. Guess when they call-Sunday..... most of their $$$$ goes to management. I’m about over Red Cross.

 

[Collector]

I'm with thistle don't answer any number that is not in my contact list. If it important they will leave massage if not scammer.

 

[Beekissed]

We don't answer any number that isn't familiar either. The ones that persist that I know are charities, I'll finally answer them and ask them to take us off their list and they do.

One day I had a little fun when my little granddaughter was here and handed the phone to her when a politician call came in. She kept jabbering on and on and I kept hearing the lady asking a question over and over, not sure what she was asking her. She finally hung up but the GK just kept jabbering away. It was cute! We never got a call from that place again.