"Hello! I just would like to tell you that you are the winner of a brand new BMW..."
"Get a serious job, as*hole!"
"Get a serious job, as*hole!"
Do you accept phone calls from strangers?
- Thread starter Archguy
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beat_truck
Addicted Member
I should have added to my original post that, if the call is, or at least seems to be coming from a legitimately good cause, I am at least somewhat polite when I tell them I'm not interested. The obvious scammers and sellers trying to feed me a line of BS? I feel no sympathy for them when I tell them to f*ck off.
On my cell phone, I don't answer numbers that I don't know. Period. I buy the cheapest minutes card possible because my phone doesn't get used much. I'm not going to waste them on crap.
On my cell phone, I don't answer numbers that I don't know. Period. I buy the cheapest minutes card possible because my phone doesn't get used much. I'm not going to waste them on crap.
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beat_truck
Addicted Member
About 10 years ago, the BS calls were BAD at times. I don't think we had caller ID yet, either. This one Asian sounding scammer called EVERY SINGLE DAY despite being told we weren't interested.
He called the day (or day after, I forget) I came home from work and found my Dad dead. BIG MISTAKE. I was practically foaming at the mouth screaming and cussing him out.
That no good piece of shit never called again.
He called the day (or day after, I forget) I came home from work and found my Dad dead. BIG MISTAKE. I was practically foaming at the mouth screaming and cussing him out. That no good piece of shit never called again.
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soundmotor
super modified
When Northeastern calls me on their annual money grab I remind them of their $600+ million endowment and near $70K yearly nut across ~13,000 students.
/ain't the workin' man's school anymore
dosmalo
T-Totaled
Sometimes opportunity does call.
Last summer after having blood work done with my pulmonologist I was informed that my IgE antibody blood count was sky high, thru the roof and was contributing to uncontrolled severe asthma wrecks (that's what I call them) BUT the medication to control these antibodies was very expensive, like $10K per treatment expensive and treatment consists of 2 subcutaneous injections every other week or twice a month.
With my insurance it still left me out of pocket over $800 per month and there's no way I was even entertaining the thought of shelling out that kind of money.
One day I get a call from a guy that actually introduced himself by name and told me he represented a company called GENTECH. I just terminated the call and googled Gentech and sure enough they sold generators and I didn't need one.
Something about the whole spill bothered me because I seldom get solicitation calls from anyone. I finally went thru my medical paperwork and discovered the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the treatment rx was called GENENTECH.
After a few phone calls back and forth to the number that had called me, I found out Genentech wanted to offer their treatment medication "free, at no cost to the patient" for a period of a year. All I pay is an administration fee which works out to less than 20 bucks a month.
Needless to say I was very apologetic for hanging up on them to begin with.
Last summer after having blood work done with my pulmonologist I was informed that my IgE antibody blood count was sky high, thru the roof and was contributing to uncontrolled severe asthma wrecks (that's what I call them) BUT the medication to control these antibodies was very expensive, like $10K per treatment expensive and treatment consists of 2 subcutaneous injections every other week or twice a month.
With my insurance it still left me out of pocket over $800 per month and there's no way I was even entertaining the thought of shelling out that kind of money.
One day I get a call from a guy that actually introduced himself by name and told me he represented a company called GENTECH. I just terminated the call and googled Gentech and sure enough they sold generators and I didn't need one.
Something about the whole spill bothered me because I seldom get solicitation calls from anyone. I finally went thru my medical paperwork and discovered the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the treatment rx was called GENENTECH.
After a few phone calls back and forth to the number that had called me, I found out Genentech wanted to offer their treatment medication "free, at no cost to the patient" for a period of a year. All I pay is an administration fee which works out to less than 20 bucks a month.
Needless to say I was very apologetic for hanging up on them to begin with.
For a while I was getting calls saying "As a valued American Express customer we'd like to bla bla bla." Funny thing...I've NEVER had an American Express card.
beat_truck
Addicted Member
Recently we got calls with offers to help out with our student loan debt. Nobody here has been in school in 15+ years and never had any student loans.
I never answer unrecognized numbers. This eventually stops some, but not others. Any caller is free to leave a message.
Regarding rudeness: deserting real people you are with to answer the phone is rude. Providing an answering device is being polite to both those you are with and the caller. People who call and think you are being rude by letting the answering machine take their call are incorrect. It doesn't matter who they are, a telemarketer or your mother, they are rude for thinking that their call should interrupt whatever you are doing.
Regarding rudeness: deserting real people you are with to answer the phone is rude. Providing an answering device is being polite to both those you are with and the caller. People who call and think you are being rude by letting the answering machine take their call are incorrect. It doesn't matter who they are, a telemarketer or your mother, they are rude for thinking that their call should interrupt whatever you are doing.
jcamero
Who are you people anyway?
If the same number shows 2-3 times in an hour, I'll answer. 99% of calls to my home phone are either tele-marketers, or for my wife. Years and years ago, way before caller ID., 2 buddies and I had an apartment, one evening, the phone rang, I answered it. It was some young girl, (bored), dialing random numbers, and just happened to get ours. She talked and talked for at least an hour.
ben_
Active Member
On my pro cell yes, kinda required because lots of companies have a lot of outgoing numbers and its just being pro to answer everything even uninterested. But on my personnal never as its always scammers or telemarketers and I dont want to just say the usual polite "no thanks" and then just hang when they start insisting
Djcoolray
Addicted Member
It’s better to set up a separate email account that can be deleted just for contacting those you don’t know. You can even have them send a picture of themselves so you know what they look like. With your telephone you’d have to change your phone number and update those that need to know.
JasinSwift
New Member
I barely answer known calls, why would I answer unknown ones? If its really important they'll leave a message.
A couple years have passed since I wrote this answer. In that time, it seems we get even more automated calls and telemarketers. I see even less reason to answer than I did before.
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The direct main step of My website in future.2018 hype!
A couple years have passed since I wrote this answer. In that time, it seems we get even more automated calls and telemarketers. I see even less reason to answer than I did before.
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The direct main step of My website in future.2018 hype!
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bobsvinyl
Painfully Aware
I had a message on my machine the other day. It was a local insurance agent stating he saw how I was looking for information online about Medicare plans and he could help me out. That really got me upset. You don't know who is selling or stealing your info out there on the great electronic highway.
The telemarketers are getting really sneaky. My caller I.D. shows calls from my town with just a number and it turns out to be an overseas scammer.
The telemarketers are getting really sneaky. My caller I.D. shows calls from my town with just a number and it turns out to be an overseas scammer.
Actually, they have no idea whether you are looking or not, they simply spoof a number, many times using your area code and even the local exchange, then they leave their bs message. They really want you to stay on the phone until a person can talk with you to sell you something.
Most recent one was I was selected to receive a new home security system because I'm a homeowner....except they called my City mobile phone. Most annoying!
Most recent one was I was selected to receive a new home security system because I'm a homeowner....except they called my City mobile phone. Most annoying!
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
Years ago(early 2000`s) I bought that anti telemarketer Zapper device from Radio Shack and installed it on my wire line .
It seem to work very well with that digitally stored telephone disconnected sound bite that played after being triggered by the first ring and worked great for a few years until.......
And all my land line calling friends either figured it out, or I called them and advised what I was doing, and they ignored it and left a message if I wasn`t home. Or I checked my caller ID when I returned home and called whoever had called and didn`t know the situation and called them back.
However, my mid eighties aged father( retired from the phone company after 37 years)forgot one day when calling me, and I wasn`t home to answer.
Anyway he calls the phone company to report my phone line as out of service.
And I don`t know what kind of "bullet" the phone company sent down my house`s phone line to kill the, @ the time $ 50.00 purchase, but it was nonfunctional after that "repair", and when my father called later on to tell me, quite proudly, that he took care of my "land line problem" by reporting it to the phone company`s repair department !!
Thanks Dad, for having my pricy functioning telephone device toasted !!
I wonder, are these devices still available and sold brand new ?
It seem to work very well with that digitally stored telephone disconnected sound bite that played after being triggered by the first ring and worked great for a few years until.......
And all my land line calling friends either figured it out, or I called them and advised what I was doing, and they ignored it and left a message if I wasn`t home. Or I checked my caller ID when I returned home and called whoever had called and didn`t know the situation and called them back.
However, my mid eighties aged father( retired from the phone company after 37 years)forgot one day when calling me, and I wasn`t home to answer.
Anyway he calls the phone company to report my phone line as out of service.
And I don`t know what kind of "bullet" the phone company sent down my house`s phone line to kill the, @ the time $ 50.00 purchase, but it was nonfunctional after that "repair", and when my father called later on to tell me, quite proudly, that he took care of my "land line problem" by reporting it to the phone company`s repair department !!
Thanks Dad, for having my pricy functioning telephone device toasted !!
I wonder, are these devices still available and sold brand new ?
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