How do you handle Telemarketers?

[GiddYupJoe]

I have VOIP with Simulring...that is I can have it ring a number of phones when someone calls. I have a Google Voice number, which is free, and I have my home phone simulring the google voice number. Google Voice has spam call blocking with its telemarketer database. If it still get through, I go in and mark it as spam and they get a number is disconnected message. I hear half a ring. Over time, it has cut my telemarketing calls down 90%....not only the number that get through with even a 1/2 ring because they were screened, but future attempts. Telemarketers use auto dialers and when it auto dials your number and gets the number disconnected message that includes the tones at the beginning, the auto dialer will essentially update the database that the number is bad and over time you won't even get attempts.

This is what I do if something gets through and I answer it...."sorry, I don't do business over the phone and hang up". I then log in to Google voice and block the call for the future. I do the same thing for door to door sales. "Sorry, I don't do business door to door, good luck"

Good info. I just hang up and block the number. Didn't realize they would filter that and not use that number again. It try the app. It honestly been better since I revived this post.... maybe that scared them away! Or they realized I knew @Julian and his shanangins.

 

[ripler]

At home I don't answer, here at work they get put on speaker phone and messed with. The other day I had someone from "Microsoft" call by the name of Dennis Quaid saying my computer was infected and he needs to fix it right away, so I said OK. His very first request was for me to to bring up the cmd window and he proceeded to tell me what to type in there. I didn't do anything he requested, but he asked me what does it say in the window after I typed in the command, I told him that in all capital letters it says "GO F*** YOURSELF", he hung up.

 

[Shuck Water]

Out of state calls: "City morgue, you kill em, we chill em."

 

[Julian]

I like to tell them I'm extremely interested but busy at the moment, can I have your home contact number so that I can call back to get more information.

They usually ask befuddled "My home number?" Or "Huh"

Then I follow up with, "Well you called and harassed/bothered me at home about X product, I would like to reciprocate at a later time..."

Swift hang up shortly thereafter.

That is the classic Seinfeld reply! (linked on an earlier post) Hilarious!