discussion Strange Sales Campaign

[langy71]

That has been pretty much, if not entirely, eradicated in this country. First there was a “don’t phone me”-register, and any company cold-calling you if you had put your number in that, could be fined. As that proved to be a huge success, for reasons only marketeers can probably not understand, lawmakers got their act together, and it’s been forbidden by law since 1 July 2021 to cold-call people. The only exceptions are if you have indicated that you don’t mind it; if you’ve been a customer of the company calling you within the last three years; or if you donated to, did volunteer work for, or attended a meeting of a charity that’s calling you. Any other reason for cold-calling you, and you can report them to an agency that can administer fines for the offence. Plus, if somebody does call you, whether allowed or not, all you need to do is tell them you don’t want them to, at which point they’ll again be breaking the law if they continue or try again later.

Much improved compared to how it used to be. About the only calls like this I get, are from the occasional scammer, and those are easy to spot because they start talking in English, usually with a South Asian accent (though I suspect I’m one of the few people around here who can recognise those :smiling3: ). Also easy to get rid of by saying, “No, you’re not of <whatever company they claim to be from>, you’re a scammer” and putting down the phone.

Had one of these the other day,
tried to sell me a mobile phone contract from 02 despite being told a couple of times they were ringing me on a company supplied mobile phone, at which point she switched to asking me how much the contract was costing.... still banging on about 'getting me a special deal with all the bells and whistles'.....she still wouldn't listen when I told her for second time that it was a company supplied phone and I didn't deal with the finance for this...

In the end she got told in a very unceremonious way to 'wander off into the ether and do wonderful things to herself..
(Must say the ops director I was with at the time stood there wetting himself with laughter at my reply...and took the number to report it)

 

[langy71]

When you recognise a spam call just say "it's done where shall I put the body"

Done that a couple of times over the years...stops them dead in their tracks..lol

The best one I've ever had was somebody used to 'cold call' me quite regularly a few years ago, and despite me putting down the phone many times, they still rang each day,
this carried on right until I stayed on the line and after listening to the spiel they gave I informed them that the number they had been ringing actually belonged to the British Military and that the calls they had made to this number had been recorded and tracked, they'd also be getting a visit from British Intelligence officers very soon... funny thing was the calls stopped immediately... and to be honest I kind of missed messing around with them...

 

[wasdale32]

My usual response to calls of the "have you been in an accident?" type was to reply "is that the one in which I died?" That usually threw them completely....

 

[Richard48]

I like winding them up.I said we are a very busy restaurant they have rang.Would they like to book a table for that evening.We can ensure they wont be too near the band.Or i speak in French to them which bamboozles them!!.The popular one we get is from bank security weekly.
Rich

 

[stillp]

The popular one we get is from bank security weekly.

I bet there's a magazine of that name!
Pete

 

[Guest]

I've had a few bizarre emails in the last week - not phishing, or scams, but genuine sales ads - last week I had an email from Kingroon, urging me to buy a new 3D printer for Mother's Day! - and today one saying celebrate St Patrick's Day with a new 3D printer - I have no idea what world these people live in, but they seem to have an odd way of celebrating things!
Dave

Bit like buying the wife a new electric drill and 'Workmate' bench for the wedding anniversary.

 

[Guest]

I have fun with cold call telesales - conservatories & loft insulation especially ( I live in a mid-floor flat! ). Replacement gas boilers for central heating is a pet hate - no gas mains in any local block of flats!
Dave

I get the one telling me I have just had an accident....

I then go into my tell it like it is mode.... I start of fully agreeing that I have in fact just had an accident... I was out shopping in the local market, the Memsab was sitting comfortably in the howdah on the back of the Elephant, and the Elephant being of a gentle old age where nothing worried her... At least that was untill the Bee arrived looking for a new hole to build a new hive.... And what better place that up an nice warm Elephants.... So the Elephant felt the Bee trying to gain entry, turned around in alarm and crushed Gupta the Melon sellers stall, the alarmed at this, turned the other way, slipped on the melon juice and crushed Rishi the Pineapple sellers stall... At the same time the Howdah slipped and spun from a verticle position to hanging upside down under the Elephants stomach and with the Memsab hanging out with her summer dress up/down over her head exposing her knee length passion killers all a flow, filling with air and then deflating like two mating barage balloons... It was at this point the Elephant decided to sit down and squash the Bee, the said Bee avoided this and arrived at the end of the trunk, entered the trunk, the trunk contracted as the beginning of a sneeze developed, the sneeze exploded, out camr the Bee, out came a trunk full of slime and snot all aimed directly at the two police constables running to see what the disturbance was about, only to be glued up against Rajid the Carpet sellers display of fine hand woven rugs and carpets where their pose of running was captured to perfection.....
And so yes I have had an accident, would you like to send me a quote.....

 

[Guest]

Got a return call from the gas supplier, after first going through the usual 6 security quetions and then the robot telling me that I could press #1 and recieve a call back... So eventually the call came back and I started with this call will be recorded for future training and will be deleted in 6 months, then are they the company representative and are they in permission to make this call, can they give me the first, third, and last number of their password... The they start by telling me that they have called me and that they do not need to give me any details.... Then the next question out of their mouth is can I give xyz numbers/letters of my password, I then remind them that they have called me following my earlier call where I went through security with the robot, Yes comes the reply but we still have to confirm it is you... I then go into Grouch and ask if it is me calling you then who is it on the other end of the phone, because I know it is not me as I am at this end of the phone so it must be someone we do not know that is making unwanted calls....

 

[Guest]

Got a return call from the gas supplier, after first going through the usual 6 security quetions and then the robot telling me that I could press #1 and recieve a call back... So eventually the call came back and I started with this call will be recorded for future training and will be deleted in 6 months, then are they the company representative and are they in permission to make this call, can they give me the first, third, and last number of their password... The they start by telling me that they have called me and that they do not need to give me any details.... Then the next question out of their mouth is can I give xyz numbers/letters of my password, I then remind them that they have called me following my earlier call where I went through security with the robot, Yes comes the reply but we still have to confirm it is you... I then go into Grouch and ask if it is me calling you then who is it on the other end of the phone, because I know it is not me as I am at this end of the phone so it must be someone we do not know that is making unwanted calls....

I can imagine you and this call perfectly Wibble