Apparently I am a very rude person over the phone (telemarketers, usually timeshare)

[moonstone]

That Tom Mabe prank on the telemarketer is the best! The first time we heard it (on the radio) was while we were driving to Florida. We were laughing so hard DH had to pull off the road because he was laughing so hard he couldn't see.

My 87yo dad lives alone and likes to have a bit of fun with telemarketers. I guess that's what happens when you are lonely! When a guy called saying he was from Windows, my dad played along (he doesn't have, or know how to operate, a computer) until the guy got so frustrated he hung up. He often gets calls from a company wanting to clean his (furnace) ducts. Dad tells them he only has geese!
The other day a guy called saying he was a Barrie (my dad's town) City Police officer and was working for the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) to collect unpaid Income Tax. He told Dad he would be arriving soon in a cruiser and Dad should go and get X amt of money out of the bank to have ready for him. Dad kept asking questions about the amount of money, the type of bills to get and so on. Then he told him he'd rush right out and be back in 15 mins, then he asked the guy if they had the right address. Of course they didn't know the address and Dad said that was ok, he was a retired Bell telephone employee (true) and he'd kept him on the line long enough to trace the call and the police would be coming to get him! Click!


~Diane

 

[clifffaith]

I find myself wondering how many robo calls are actually answered these days. We only got caller ID on our home phone a year ago, and it's the best $12/month we spend. In addition to all the clearly junk calls, I never have to pick up the phone and find myself talking to Worldmark, and I don't have to talk to folks I give money to anyway when they send me a solicitation. Unfortunately on my business line some of the telemarketers use what looks like a real name -- even answered once because I thought our accountant was calling, only to find they had spoofed her phone number.

 

[Patri]

Of course they didn't know the address and Dad said that was ok, he was a retired Bell telephone employee (true) and he'd kept him on the line long enough to trace the call and the police would be coming to get him! Click!
~Diane

Your dad is a gem.

 

[AnnaS]

We do not answer if we do not recognize/know the number. If it's important, someone that knows us/legit, they can leave a message.

Recently three calls from Apple - so it said......kept leaving message iCloud compromised. Fourth time, hubby answers. He gives me the phone, heavy accent tells me my iCloud has been compromised from someone in Nigeria and he was a technician who could help me if I had and got my laptop. I said really???? Give you personal information or turn on my laptop and listen to your instructions? No thank you and hung up. I was pissed at hubby for answering and wasting my time.

We get them a lot on our cell phones too - most say Scam Likely. I have blocked one here and there.

They are very annoying. When I am in the mood - I will answer. Give them the run around, ask them stupid questions and annoy them. They end up hanging up on me

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

While pranking might be fun, it still requires effort. The most effortless way of managing the situation is to not answer unless you know the number. If it's not a real call the caller will leave a message.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We have had a chimney cleaning business for 35 years, and even though our son is running it, I still answer the phone for him because his fireplace store gets busy, or he is out working, and he needs me to answer the phone. I answer all calls, unless I know the call is a scam because it's called before.

Unfortunately, most of the scam calls are from different numbers. Just now I got a call from 303-180-9009. I know that is a fake number because of the 180. The 303 is our area code.