Is abusing telemarketers wrong?
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,004
Likes: 1
From: North of Boston MA
Is abusing telemarketers wrong?
So, I was sitting here minding my own business at 8:55 PM when a cute sounding young lady from Global Finance or some nonsense called me. Here is the conversation.....
Her: Hi, Ray? How are you tonight?
Me: Good until you woke me up.
H: I was wondering what interest rate you have on your mortgage.
M: I don't know, it changes all the time.
H: How much do you owe currently?
M: Including late fees? Maybe $350k
H: Do you have a second mortgage?
M: A couple.
H: Do you know what the interest rate is?
M: They change all the time too......can you help me?
H: Oh yes, I think we can definitely lower your rate to around 7%. Do you have any other debt? Car loans or credit cards?
M: I owe a ton to a couple bookies.
H: Bookies?
M: Yeah, you know the kind that come break your legs when you don't pay them.
H: (laughs) Oh, so do you know how much you owe altogether?
M: Not at all.....what are you wearing?
H: Seriously, do you have any idea what your total debts are?
M: Seriously, what are you wearing?
H: (laughs again) Are you interested in hearing about our options for debt consolidation?
M: I am very interested in hearing about your "do not call" option.
H: Okay, bye.
Poor kid. I hope she quit her job after that.
Her: Hi, Ray? How are you tonight?
Me: Good until you woke me up.
H: I was wondering what interest rate you have on your mortgage.
M: I don't know, it changes all the time.
H: How much do you owe currently?
M: Including late fees? Maybe $350k
H: Do you have a second mortgage?
M: A couple.
H: Do you know what the interest rate is?
M: They change all the time too......can you help me?
H: Oh yes, I think we can definitely lower your rate to around 7%. Do you have any other debt? Car loans or credit cards?
M: I owe a ton to a couple bookies.
H: Bookies?
M: Yeah, you know the kind that come break your legs when you don't pay them.
H: (laughs) Oh, so do you know how much you owe altogether?
M: Not at all.....what are you wearing?
H: Seriously, do you have any idea what your total debts are?
M: Seriously, what are you wearing?
H: (laughs again) Are you interested in hearing about our options for debt consolidation?
M: I am very interested in hearing about your "do not call" option.
H: Okay, bye.
Poor kid. I hope she quit her job after that.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 9
From: Kasson, Minnesota
That's funny. I think it's a given that telemarketers get abused verbally. I would never want to be one and I kind of feel sorry for people trying to make it work especially for college kids trying to get through school. But, it's the territory of a telemarketer to get verbally abused. For one thing, it's very annoying. Especially when they call early in the AM or late in the PM. I have gotton to the point of just not answering the phone.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
I got on Indiana's Do Not Call list when it first came out (it's one of the strongest in the country), and almost never heard from telemarketers on our land line. Prior to that we would get plenty, and my wife and I would always say, "We're not interested, please take our name off your list." By law they are supposed to comply with that request, and we did notice a gradual decrease in the number of calls, which the Do Not Call list virtually ended entirely. Now we don't even have a landline, cellphones only, and we never get any.
Jason
Jason
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,288
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From: Leamington, Ontario
It's not really a nice thing to do, but that doesn't mean that I don't 
. If I'm in a good mood and I'm bored I'll let them go through sayin what they gotta say then pretend like I didn't hear and ask them to start over again. That or just answer the questions as randomly as possible.
If you ask them to call back at a later time depending on what there calling for (mostly government polls and things like that) they actually have to call back, sometimes I will ask them to call back 2 or 3 times before I say that I'm not intrested.
. If I'm in a good mood and I'm bored I'll let them go through sayin what they gotta say then pretend like I didn't hear and ask them to start over again. That or just answer the questions as randomly as possible. If you ask them to call back at a later time depending on what there calling for (mostly government polls and things like that) they actually have to call back, sometimes I will ask them to call back 2 or 3 times before I say that I'm not intrested.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,447
Likes: 0
From: Georgia
I am on the do not call registry. I still get telemarketers. The way I look at it anyone who calls my house unsolicited is fair game.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 910
Likes: 8
From: West-Central New York
It's interesting but I just spent 28 minutes yesterday with a "cute sounding young lady" for a telecommunications research survey. She and I talked about all kinds of things. I didn't realize until later that I'm supposed to be on the do not call list... But I enjoyed the talk and I knew all the answers. Lucky for me I had just researched all this trying to cut some of my bills. Interestingly, her survey did not take into account that ATT now owns Cingular but, oh well.
She genuinely laughed at my jokes. There was one where she actually burst out laughing and tried to cover it up. What kind of guy is going to turn down a conversation with a cute sounding girl who laughs at your jokes?? Her name is Samantha... I hope she calls again.
She genuinely laughed at my jokes. There was one where she actually burst out laughing and tried to cover it up. What kind of guy is going to turn down a conversation with a cute sounding girl who laughs at your jokes?? Her name is Samantha... I hope she calls again.
Moderator
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 164,379
Likes: 82
From: MA
Slightly off topic...
Did anyone know that the "Do Not Call" list has an expiration date?
I didn't.
Just saw this on the net today... You must resign up for the list or the telemarketers will be out in full force..
Here is a link..
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/0...telemarketers/
Did anyone know that the "Do Not Call" list has an expiration date?
I didn't.
Just saw this on the net today... You must resign up for the list or the telemarketers will be out in full force..
Here is a link..
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/0...telemarketers/
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,958
Likes: 0
From: Southeastern Indiana
Do what this guy does. He always keeps his recorder by his phone. I catch him on The Bob and Tom Show in the mornings.
www.ebaumsworld.com/audio/play/5848
www.ebaumsworld.com/audio/play/5848
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
Originally Posted by rangerfan
Do what this guy does. He always keeps his recorder by his phone. I catch him on The Bob and Tom Show in the mornings.
www.ebaumsworld.com/audio/play/5848
www.ebaumsworld.com/audio/play/5848
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,317
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From: Auburn, Wa
That is a good one! I mess with them all the time! Sometimes im rude somestimes i lead them on.
My favorite goes like this.
Them: hey can i intrest you in blah blah blah?
Me: Ohh really i have been wondering about this for some time please explain!
Then they go on for about 6 or seven mins
then i say "Hold on one second i have a call on the other line. Push the flash button and come back to them pretending like i dont know they are on the on the other line.
then i say "hey john ill be over about 30 mins im stringing this ******* telemarketer around and wasting they time." then i push flash again and try to pick up the conversation with them agian LOL its great!
My favorite goes like this.
Them: hey can i intrest you in blah blah blah?
Me: Ohh really i have been wondering about this for some time please explain!
Then they go on for about 6 or seven mins
then i say "Hold on one second i have a call on the other line. Push the flash button and come back to them pretending like i dont know they are on the on the other line.
then i say "hey john ill be over about 30 mins im stringing this ******* telemarketer around and wasting they time." then i push flash again and try to pick up the conversation with them agian LOL its great!
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 8,770
Likes: 14
From: The Great North~West!
When my daughter was young, two and three, I would tell the telemarketers that they were speaking to the wrong individual and call her over and hand her the phone. She would talk for what seemed like forever, and then I'd come along later and hang up the phone. Worked like a charm!! She got her calls, I got to go back to what I was doing and everybody was happy!!