Cold call

stickywicket

“Good afternoon, Madam, and how are you today?”

You know immediately that you don't want this phone call but, if you hang up, they'll only ring back later as you're stirring a sauce or attempting to get your knickers out of a twist. So you reply “OK” in your most discouraging voice. There is a brief pause then:

“My name is ….... …... (Oh no it's not ) and I'm from Mumble Jumble Rhubarb Rhubarb. Has someone in the household taken out a loan in the last 10 years?”

Has someone in ANY household NOT taken out a loan in the past 10 years? However, I don't want to encourage him so I say “No. No-one.”

“Our records indicate that someone in the household has taken out a loan.”

I went for a new tactic. In my most outraged tone of voice (Oh, yes I can ) I cried “Your records? Your records? WHO gave you access to that sort of record?”

And he hung up HE hung up on ME, not vice versa. Blimey, I must remember that one

tjt6768

Excellent tactic your stickyness...

I usually say, "one moment, I'll go get them"
Then carry on watching TV.

villier

I got caught with one the other day from a patriotic company trying to sell me telephone,broadband,etc. Madam can you tell me who your provider is, me NUP!!!! Silence Ok goodbye xx

Boomer13

And, that is just how I would have replied too. It seems like the only reason I have a phone these days is so I receive these types of calls, Arrrrrrgh!!

I am mostly a polite, respectful person but frequently I find myself pushed to exasperation by this type of call and a monstrously, rude and abrupt person emerges. And, I do not apologise for this!

Way to go Sticky! 8)

Slosh

My phone tends to go to voice mail quite quickly and unless I am expecting a call in which case I keep it near me, lives in the hall so I don't get to it before it goes to voice mail. I have told all my friends and family to start talking as if leaving a message to give me time to get to the phone, and assume other callers will leave a message if it is important and just leave it. As a result I must be one of the few people who has never had a cold call about a PP claim, double glazing etc.

barbara12

Brilliant one SW..I now.. pretend I am ..well what can we say not quite with it..ok I can hear you... so it would goes something like.. oh young man are you giving money away then..I will get my carer to pick some up..I have a few lines for whatever they are selling and they don't ring back..

applerose

@ Sticky. I either ask them to hold on for a minute then put the phone next to the tv for a while or I tell them I am registered with the telephone preference service and they immediately hang up.

Slosh

Just remembered a story a friend once told me. Her Father kept getting calls from a company selling conservatories. In the end he gave in and made an appointment.
He called his family round for the set time and they all gatherec, looking out of their 5th floor, tower block window as the salesman arrived, looked at the building, and then left!

frogmorton

Very good all

Definitely raised a smile!!

Thanks XXX

Doubleouch

My hubbie loves these calls
he keeps repeating "hello" "hello" they soon hang up

dachshund

Hello Sticky
i had a call from a man who said i read you have been in a car crash
i said have i. i have not got a car.
joan xx

ichabod6

If the cold caller I interupt to ask the colour of the knickers she is
wearing today; if the cold caller is male I tell him I'm my live- in
lover. For reasons unknown to me whoever they are they invariably
hang up.

bubbadog

I'm so sick of cold calls these days that I now just leave the answerphone on and look to see what the number is, if it's a family member or friend it will come up with their name on the phone but if it says 'withheld' or the most annoying one 'International' I leave it for the answerphone to pick up! If it's someone or something important they will leave a message!!

Slosh

That's my theory exactly

stickywicket

Ah, no can do. I have a son in the States whose number comes up as 'International Unavailable' because he uses one of the cheap dial-out lines.

Plus, all our health service numbers come up as 'withheld'. I don't want to miss the doc

Megrose489

Our health numbers are all 'withheld', too, Sticky. It's very difficult. I've just had a conversation with a lady who was from the Hearing something or other - the number actually came up on the screen. I told her I'd already spoken to them last week and told them we have Telephone Preference. In fact they rang three times when we were out last week - I checked the missed calls. She insisted that 'this is the first time we've called you, madam'! I told her it wasn't and again said we're signed up to Telephone Preference, so take our number off your list. If they ring again I'll just report them to Telephone Preference. So annoying!

stickywicket

We with TP too, Megrose, but they can't stop calls that come from outside the UK - and most do :roll: