Rachel called again today. She calls several times a week to let us know that we are eligible for a reduced interest rate on our credit card.
Yesterday someone from GE called to say that we won a free security system. Normally I don’t stay on the line as soon as I realize it’s a telemarketer. When I answered the phone, a guy who sounded a lot like a friend of ours said, “Don’t hang up!” So I didn’t only to get the beginning of the spiel.
For about a month, someone with a thick accent – I am thinking Bangladesh maybe – called every day to let us know he has discounted prescription drugs for us. The first time I said very nicely that neither one of us takes any prescription drugs. (Silly me!) Somehow it didn’t get through. After that I resumed my usual stance of hanging up on him.
We get at least one, often more than one telemarketer call a day. We are on all the “do not call” lists – state and federal – so I don’t get it. I know that charities (we get a lot of those calls too) are exempt from this. Note to charities: I don’t respond well to phone solicitations. It seems like politicians are exempt too. It was a big joke around the election. Whenever the phone rang one of us would say, “It’s Barrack or Hilary or Sarah or John for you!” Note to politicians: I don’t respond well to politicians at all!
I am absolutely sick of it. We often don’t answer the phone and let it go to voicemail. Some of our friends, who know we do this, will scream into the phone, “I know you are there – pick up!” Actually, it’s pretty funny what they do to get us to pick up. I am easily amused.
My question is this — does anyone really follow-up on those offers? Who would buy prescription drugs from a guy who doesn’t speak English and lives on the other side of the world? Or penis drugs from a company you never heard of (most of those offers come by email)? Does someone really think that a security system would be free?
If you do, please contact me. I have a bridge I am trying to sell. It’s is in a prime location and will be very valuable in a few years. And for you, I have a good deal.
Photo credits: Rachel by rdracer17, charity cartoon by cheerfulmonk and covered bridge by jimdude all courtesy of Flickr.
When our oldest daughter was still in high school, she answered the phone one morning and somehow wound up receiving a walter filtration system. To return it, we had to go thru more twists and turns than a circus performer.
In the last few years, I have absolutely refused to answer the phone unless I know who is calling. Most callers – politicians, telemarkers, etc. – don’t leave a message and hang up. My hubby used to be frustrated when he was home and I would not answer the phone. He now does the same.
But, I’m still waiting on my fabulously rich relative in Nigeria to send me the money I inherited. Whoops, I forgot to provide my personal info. Dang!
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Well, dang!
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I get so irked when they call EARLY on the weekend of Sunday during dinner. I mean, really? That do not call thing doesn’t seem to do much at all! Even worse is when they stalk you on your cell phone!
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Yesterday, while trying to take a much needed nap, American Travel called. For the 137th time this month. Normally, I don’t pick up when they call. I did yesterday. I was NOT polite.
I don’t think they’ll call back. 😉
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Let’s hope so. Sometimes I think they just give your name to someone else more annoying.
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I love your friends, that is hilarious! I have been home for vacation and I feel your pain. The calls are literally all day. As soon as I hear the delay…bam.
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The delay is a sign but I have had a few calls that didn’t have the delay. That was really annoying because I actually listened for a few seconds! I hope they aren’t coming out with new technology to eliminate the delay. I would love to block those callers if only I knew how!
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Obviously you would trust a sketchy website with a security system meant to protect your computer from sketchy websites
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Of course!
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I admit to having had my fun with telemarketers from faking an accent, to asking them if they knew my Uncle Pete in Mumbai, to engaging them in a deep and meaningful conversation about cat food. Usually, they hang up on me. I think I might be on some “don’t call that crazy loon in Sydney” list.
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Now that is a wonderful idea! Maybe I have some distant relatives too! I like crazy loons!
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When my father was on the downward slide to senility he bought all kinds of things from telemarketers. It was sad. When he died we didn’t pay them. His phone was disconnected of course, dead people don’t have phones. Some companies got through to my brother who was the personal rep of the estate, such as it was–or wasn’t, he never paid any of them and eventually they went back to bothering and taking advantage of other folks. Daddy was confused and couldn’t understand why he never had enough money to pay the bills. I will stop now I am getting angry again…
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I am glad they didn’t get their money!
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Awww man… Rachel has your number too? That gal gets around.
These people have forced us to become rude. We have opted for caller ID.
If a number shows that we don’t know, we click answer followed instantly by hang-up.
Our phone, our right. We’ll show them…
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I’d like caller id but we just don’t use our phones very much to incur the extra cost. I remember when I was young, I was terrified of missing a phone call (that was before cell phones). Now I could care less. Most friends email or if they do call and leave a message, I will call them back. BTW I had to fish you out of my spam! Wonder how that happened!
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Rachel probably tossed me there 0.o
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They do call cell phones too… We only have cells and we still get calls. Not as many as landlines, though. Generally, the people who call us are associated with our credit card company or phone company some way or another. It is still bothersome… Not as irritating as someone trying to give us barring prescription drugs.
I am way too nice and often listen to them and politely and repeatedly say no… Apparently, if you say no 3 times, they are supposed to hang up. That is my go to. I think in a way, I am terrible for wasting their time, but really, that is what they are doing to me too, I suppose.
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You are so much nicer than me!
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This one really hits home and I agree with every single reaction you have had! They must have some success though or would they continue to call and call and call? I’m going to try the “Take me off your list” statement. This is a funny funny post Kate, that’s actually not so funny when we get bombarded.
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KC, I loved the sentiment of this, and I have a suggestion for you. By law, if you tell a telemarketer that they have to take you off of their list, they have to do it. And, by law, they cannot sell your name to other telemarketing resources. Should you decided to try this w/ your telemarketing friends, do expect them to hang up on you. But, the good news is, they won’t call back. They can call cell phones too, unfortunately. Second bit of good news. After a few of “take me off of your list” phone interactions, you should have a slowdown of daily telemarketing calls. Best of luck!
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My husband has done this successfully a few times but they are like warts. You get rid of one and another pops up! We will keep working on this though. Thanks!
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But it makes for funny stories, yeah? : )
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Yeah!
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: )
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I share your pain! that’s why I got rid of my land line!!!!
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Hmmmm. They only call landlines? How do they know a number is a landline?
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I don’t know – but we dumped our landline and it’s much nicer…so far no junkers on the cell except for those weekly political polls with Jennifer or Rachel or … (not sure of their names as it gets cut off so quickly).
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I’m having to assume that someone, out there, does fall for this stuff, otherwise why would they keep doing it?
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I would think so too but it’s so hard to believe.
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