So what do you tell telemarketers/scammers?

broknsymetry

I can usually tell its not a legit call because there is a delay and then a "pwoop" sound before they speak. I just got a call from someone claiming to be from Medicare. She began the call with "How are you doing this morning?" That's when I hit her with, "Well I'm not really felling well at all. I've been throwing up all morning with green and yellow chunks." They usually hang up at that point. But If that doesn't get rid of them I go into the diarrhea descriptions. They often never call back.

vaxvms

broknsymetry I don't waste any time with these type of calls. I say "Have a mediocre day." and hang up.

takeahike

broknsymetry
I can't even remember the last time I even answered either of my phones, either my landline or my cell. Actually, I can hardly remember even receiving a legitimate call anytime in the recent past--about all it's used for nowadays is scammers and telemarketers, and that's why I never answer it. When I was growing up many moons ago almost every time it rang it was a real call but no more of course. I of course have caller ID on the cell and again almost never see anyone I know, and they rarely leave a message, just occasionally being someone trying to get me to borrow some money that I don't need or want--the scammers and telemarketers know better than to even bother. On that rare occasion that I see it's someone I know I'll of course answer it. On the landline I don't have caller ID so it just goes to the answering machine, and I rarely, if ever, get any message (if it's that rare legitimate call that I would typically be expecting they start talking and then I pick it up). It's really a crying shame what the telephone has come to, as I regard it as one of the greatest of all inventions. Alexander Graham Bell must be turning over in his grave.

[deleted]

I don't bother answering if it's an unknown number

broknsymetry

takeahike I get legit calls on both my cell and landline. I only keep the landline because my mom has had the same number for decades and gets calls from many friends. I screen all her calls though since there have been too many close calls with scammers. I rarely get any scam calls on my cell and having Nomorobo on the landline helps.

Heat84

takeahike

takeahike Alexander Graham Bell must be turning over in his grave.

Imagine how the guy who actually invented the telephone feels.

takeahike

takeahike Alexander Graham Bell must be turning over in his grave.
Heat84 Imagine how the guy who actually invented the telephone feels.
That was Alexander Graham Bell. See: Who is credited with inventing the telephone? 😀

px_eliezer_

takeahike

Running a customer-facing business, whether pizza or plumber or physician, you gotta answer calls.

There are many call-blocking services of course but they're not perfect, also you don't want to prevent any real folks from getting through. It's a balance.

Nash211

Deleted

cypherstream

Right if I get a call from a number I don't recognize I don't answer it. Lately its spam texts threatening to suspend my license for unpaid tolls, and there a link to a .top domain. The number is usually coming from the Philippines country code. There's quite a few free sign up for joke and spam text sites, but they only work for US and Canada unfortunately.

px_eliezer_

takeahike

Alexander Bell had the most successful lawyers, but Antonio Meucci, Johann Reis and Elisha Gray (perhaps others) deserve equal mention.

takeahike

px_eliezer_

Running a customer-facing business, whether pizza or plumber or physician, you gotta answer calls.

Naturally. I was referring to calls to my house. I had a retail computer sales and service biz for 24 years (retired in 2014) and I of course answered all calls. Almost all were legit but there was a share of harassing ones, some repeatedly from someone claiming to be from the FCC about "electronic certifications" and other harassment that I eventually reported to the phone company who traced them to a small eatery in the same town. After it was reported by them to the owner of the place, it all stopped. In general it seemed like at least for my biz there was kind of a pattern harrassment by competitors, with sometimes these types of calls ending with statements like "why don't you just close your doors." Another trick I learned from the Dean of my law school was if someone calls claiming to be in an official capacity, just advise that there will be no telephone discussion of the matter and that all communication must be in writing--you'll never hear from them again. This was back in the 1990s when caller ID first came out and I got it shortly thereafter--it was not only good for spotting harassment but enabled me to return calls even if no message was left and thereby potentially increase business.

edin

Theres a few lawyers out there that help fight this sort of thing. Especially if your getting calls from the same company. I always answer them, tell them its the wrong number (They usually ask for a name I've never heard of) And if they call again then they get reported. I've gotten a few payouts from it. So its certaintly worth taking there call if they keep calling, doing so will 100% stop them. Scams on the other hand ehh not much can be done other than using some sort of blocking service. But 90% of my calls are from overseas, but are usually working for US based companies.

Slab_Bulkhead

I never answer the phone if I don't recognize the number. For a while I was routing calls to the Google screening bot, but noticed it seemed to increase the spam call rate because they saw it as an indication that it was a good number.

broknsymetry

Slab_Bulkhead I was routing calls to the Google screening bot, but noticed it seemed to increase the spam call rate because they saw it as an indication that it was a good number.

I currently do that but have not noticed any increase in spam call. (yet)

mmmdonuts

My VOIP landline doesn't ring unless it's a human calling or a whitelisted number. I had Lenny for a while then switched to Jolly Roger who is now using AI bots.

I don't answer other phones unless I recognize the number. They can leave a message if it's important enough.

Vintagewino

mmmdonuts
My home phone rings, and if the #'s white-listed, I pick up. Otherwise, I let the answering service pick up. Usually, around 90/100 become immediate hang-ups, 7 leave as robot message (ignore), and the 2 might be humans that pass the test that often want to sell me something I don't want, try to impersonate a bank or the CRA, and the last may be a doctor's office (real).
Haven't had calls from Ishmella Havarti wanting to clean my ducts for almost a year, now! 😃

HooRU

mmmdonuts 2 State agencies I work with, when encountering my Pixel Phone call screening, just quite the call and I only found out months later. Amazing but people can't be bothered, all when they themselves get spammed too.

broknsymetry

Just got a call from a "computer technician". In my best whiny voice I went into my spiel about throwing up and running off to the bathroom all morning. Everytime he started to speak I would ask if he could help me. The guy didn't know what to do. Once he asked if I could go to my computer. I said "no, I'm in the bathroom right now." He asked if there was a better time to call and I told him I have been running off all day and did not know when I'd feel better. I then told him I was sorry but I'd have to go. I kept him on the line for several minutes - time that he will not be bothering other people. I hope he has that image in his head the rest of the day.

takeahike

Many of my customers when I had my computer biz used to tell me about a phone call they get a call from someone wanting you to give them access to your system who would say that they were from "Windows." How stupid do they think people are? Isn't is Microsoft? I suppose that they are were so stupid and ignorant that they didn't even know the difference.

Rich221976

takeahike

I love those calls, I mess with them. Sometimes I will play very dumb. I will sometimes say, ok so I am looking out my window right now and it looks fine, probably will rain soon. Then they will usually say something that they meant my computer. I would then go what's a computer.

Or I will go ok, well I can't follow your instructions because I don't have windows.

Sometimes, when I am really bored, I will reply to them with Thank you for contacting the Orange County Sheriff office.

Or the thank you for contacting the city morgue.

I think my last one I did was well I want to thank you for staying on the line today. We were able to trace your location and the FBI will be there in less than 5 minutes.