Telemarketers.

The Luke · Dec 20, 2018

I have been getting an insane amount of telemarketing calls recently. 14 yesterday. Six so far this morning. Most I ignore. But the automated system has been leaving a voicemail and I think calling more often cause it takes that as answering. Does any one else get a ton? How do y'all handle them?

Not going to lie, I've screwed with them in the past and kept them on the phone for an absurd amount of time. Pissed them off to no end.

DallasBlade · Dec 20, 2018

Same here and most show up as local cell phone numbers. So, I have to answer due to my business.

Beerj · Dec 20, 2018

All.The.Time. Mostly about student loan forgiveness even though I've never had one, never cosigned, etc.

My most recent encounter was possibly my most productive.

Him: Hello, how are you doing today?

Me: F#@& OFF! Nobody want's your stupid ass scammer calls.

Him: *crickets*

Me: Seriously dude, do you enjoy your job?

Him: No

Me: Then why do you do it?

Him: No other options

Me: Well what country are you in? I'm not looking for you, just curious. (He sounded Indian so it was anyone's guess)

Him: USA

Me: Well there ya go! Land of opportunity! You can do whatever you want! We don't like getting these calls, you don't like making them so why are we even doing this?

Him: Land of opportunity? (Starts spouting off about the decline of the economy, micro chips under your skin and bar code tattoos)

Me: Well then pack up your ****, move to the middle of nowhere and live off the land. You won't have to worry about any of that ****.

Him: I suppose that's an option. I'll remove your number from our list.

Me: Thanks! Have a nice day!

Him: You do the same.

That was about a week ago. Not a single call since.

jeeptj99 · Dec 20, 2018

DallasBlade said:
Same here and most show up as local cell phone numbers. So, I have to answer due to my business.

I get a 488 number that calls me constantly. I blocked it and then it went up by 1 number and keeps calling. Pisses me off to no end. Asking about refinancing a credit card. I dont even have a cc.

poolman · Dec 20, 2018

DallasBlade said:
Same here and most show up as local cell phone numbers. So, I have to answer due to my business.

Same here, they are calling from local cell numbers. Some I've just hung up on. Over half are automated.

CHASMAN9 · Dec 20, 2018

What use to be identified as a random 888 number or such, has now evolved into local cell phone numbers. Case and point, my cell number is 205-482-xxxx and I recieve calls from someone saying they are my wife and wants to text me a grocery list. I just hang up. (SHE IS NOT AMUSED) molaugh

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tonybolton · Dec 20, 2018

There's a few decent apps to kill those buttholes.... I use "Should I answer?"

Works pretty good.

muddinmetal · Dec 20, 2018

This recent rash of telemarketers using local phone #s is KILLING my wife's job & paycheck!

She is a home health nurse for a very large home health agency. Every morning she and all the other nurses use their personal cell phones to call and schedule their patients for the day. Over the last 5-6 months less and less people are answering. Something like 3 out of 10 answer ...maybe. We even found out that some of the new phones show her # as SCAMMER LIKELY when she calls. No wonder her check has dropped by 35% lately

jeeppoor · Dec 20, 2018

I have just recently been getting calls on our health insurance. Never answer them and just block them on my phone.
Before that was all political. Some are local numbers. Some are out of state.
If I don't know the number I don't answer it. Let them leave me a message and I will decide if and when I want to call back. :flipgotcha:

It always seems I am in the middle of working something with my hands full when they call. Which always puts me in a real good mood.

felipecj · Dec 20, 2018

Beerj said:
All.The.Time. Mostly about student loan forgiveness even though I've never had one, never cosigned, etc.

My most recent encounter was possibly my most productive.

Him: Hello, how are you doing today?

Me: F#@& OFF! Nobody want's your stupid ass scammer calls.

Him: *crickets*

Me: Seriously dude, do you enjoy your job?

Him: No

Me: Then why do you do it?

Him: No other options

Me: Well what country are you in? I'm not looking for you, just curious. (He sounded Indian so it was anyone's guess)

Him: USA

Me: Well there ya go! Land of opportunity! You can do whatever you want! We don't like getting these calls, you don't like making them so why are we even doing this?

Him: Land of opportunity? (Starts spouting off about the decline of the economy, micro chips under your skin and bar code tattoos)

Me: Well then pack up your ****, move to the middle of nowhere and live off the land. You won't have to worry about any of that ****.

Him: I suppose that's an option. I'll remove your number from our list.

Me: Thanks! Have a nice day!

Him: You do the same.

That was about a week ago. Not a single call since.

Impressive

The Luke · Dec 20, 2018

So, they have to be getting your number off a list. Just a matter of finding out where.

Which leads me to this, 90% of the telemarketers says "oh, is this not Frank Thompson?" Which I found to be odd that they all think I'm the same person.

Fast forward to checking out at Lowe's here in Lebanon about a month ago, they ask for my number, I give it and they respond "frank thompson?" Then they ask if I just recently got that cell number. I've had the same number since 2004.

cbrjeeper · Dec 20, 2018

I answer the phone ( sheriff's department ) or fire department is this an emergency?

xjmarc · Dec 20, 2018

Had an incedent happen here about 2 months ago. Robo dialer calls someone and they get pissed, as we all do and sends a text to the number, "the bomb is armed". Turns out the number it used was the cell phone of a paster of a church daycare/pre-k. They in turn evacuate the school, police get involved etc. all due to a telemarketer. My bosses daughter goes to the school that's how I know about it, news just called it a bomb threat and didn't let out details.
I've had them call me with my own number popping up and my work phone blows up all day and like Dallasblade I have to answer.

red94yj · Dec 20, 2018

I have these phone calls all day everyday.
I even had a call today showing up as Egypt with a country code and everything.
My question is, how do they make their money? Do people buy anything from these people?

The Luke · Dec 20, 2018

Just ripping off your credit card info

Or ask you specific questions, record your answers, play them back to credit card companies and sign up for credit cards under your name.

dwa2469 · Dec 21, 2018

When I worked in the car business they told us they bought info from pizza joints, so if you ever order a pizza your name number and address are sold. If we had a customer move it would update their info once they placed another order and new info was imported into our system. These people using local numbers are just cloning numbers, my boss has 3 or 4 people call him daily saying thay had a missed call and he never called them. He called Verizon and they gave him a number to call everytime it happened, I guess they are going to try and pinpoint the offender.

onepieceatatime · Dec 21, 2018

My phone will catch them and say Scam Likely sometimes and give me the option to block them. Sometimes if it doesn't catch them right away and I answer but immediately hang up it'll ask me if it was a scam and give me the option to block it in the future.

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Zjman · Dec 21, 2018

If it's not one of my contacts I kick em to the weeds and don't answer, if it's important they will leave a message

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TBItoy · Dec 21, 2018

The cloned/spoofed numbers are the biggest problem.

It's annoying to me, but easy to screen calls because I have a 731 cell number, but have lived in 931 for 15 years, so the only "731" people that call me are already in my contacts. Everyone else can leave a message or text me if they need something.

jwilson645 · Dec 21, 2018

Yeah, the cell number spoofing is bullshit. I've had my own number call me. Even a few times people call me saying they just had a missed call from my number.

I don't answer any calls that aren't in my contacts anymore. If it's important, they'll leave a message and I'll call back.