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No one wants to talk to me on the phone anymore — Parallax Forums

No one wants to talk to me on the phone anymore

frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,983
in General Discussion
Well after a fairly long while, (probably because I must have caused the last one severe beatings from wasted talk time) another scammer has finally called me from the microsoft computer support center. Seems he had a report of my computer not behaving correctly. we spent about 10-15 minutes on the Is your computer on and up to the nothing happens when I hit windows then r. Also took time for him to ask if I could select the start menu. Which of course being a Debian system, I don't have. At that point, he asked me what I use my computer for and I said without a blink, "Hardware development, taxes, and pornography". At that point he said, "I see,..... and then dead air on the line. Probably being taken out back and being caned again for wasted talk time. My wife is still rolling on the floor after that last answer..... Cheap entertainment, and on their dime (not mine anyway)........

Comments

  • jmgjmg Posts: 15,173
    hehe, yes, it is some form of social service to swallow their time, so they are not bothering someone else.
  • MicksterMickster Posts: 2,693
    Wasting computer time on hardware development and taxes...shame on you. :snooty:
  • tomcrawfordtomcrawford Posts: 1,126
    I say, "If you expect to succeed at this scam you will have to improve your English skills".
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    ROFL +1
  • WBA ConsultingWBA Consulting Posts: 2,934
    LOL, I always answer spam calls now. It is a wonderful form of entertainment. Two days ago, I got one about reducing my credit card rates. Had him on the phone for nearly ten minutes before I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore and he hung up on me.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    We had an alarm system salesperson bugging us for awhile. They just couldn't understand that we didn't need their services. After four or five calls on my wife's phone, I decided to answer it. Just a few questions in the opposite direction, was all it took from me. Both of our time was wasted equally, but as the one being intruded on, he the one that has to account for his time.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    jmg wrote: »
    hehe, yes, it is some form of social service to swallow their time, so they are not bothering someone else.

    I agree. Thank you for being so civic minded Frank ;-)
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,764
    jmg wrote: »
    hehe, yes, it is some form of social service to swallow their time, so they are not bothering someone else.
    My wife told him to F*** Off. She loved your hardware development.....
    Jim
  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,185
    WBA Consulting wrote: »
    LOL, I always answer spam calls now. It is a wonderful form of entertainment. Two days ago, I got one about reducing my credit card rates. Had him on the phone for nearly ten minutes before I couldn't hold in my laughter anymore and he hung up on me.

    Every time they call me, I sometimes do that.

    I got one call on my business number, he, ah, did not want to be made to look foolish.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    You should see the opportunities on things like that.

    If I get calls like that, asking for the 'Business Owner' I tell them that he has a new Phone number, the Business moved.

    Be nice and tell them the number they want to reach changed and you are very happy to give them a new one to enter in their system for all their future calls. Be nice, be helpful.

    Let them do their job and change the number in their system. They usually are happy about that.

    Now you need a list of phone-numbers to chose one from to provide to the callers.

    Can be a list of your ex-spouses. Some local offices of your police department. NSA, CIA, whatever you have handy.

    You really can get funny here and use stuff like (shoot can't say that, religion) or (shoot can't say that, politics), but you even can give them the number of the car insurance you dropped last year.

    Or the AT&T hotline or whoever you want to annoy.

    be helpful.

    Mike
  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    There's a guy (in Canada I think) who set up robot answering systems for scams. It's a recording, but it sounds real to the caller.. lots of 'wait a sec, somebody's calling me from the kitchen. .. Can you take it from the beginning please?' and so on. It can sometimes drag out for a long time until they catch on.
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    I had Rachel from card holder services call me. So I pushed 1 and went through the script. At the question "How much credit card debt do you have?" I said none. Click.

    A week later it's Jennifer from card holder services. I push 1 and ask "what happened to Rachel?" Click.

    My mom's native language is German, so she started talking in German to them. That confused the heck out of them.
  • Buck RogersBuck Rogers Posts: 2,185
    Martin_H wrote: »
    I had Rachel from card holder services call me. So I pushed 1 and went through the script. At the question "How much credit card debt do you have?" I said none. Click.

    A week later it's Jennifer from card holder services. I push 1 and ask "what happened to Rachel?" Click.

    My mom's native language is German, so she started talking in German to them. That confused the heck out of them.

    I'll have to remember that one next time.....

  • Jeff HaasJeff Haas Posts: 421
    Look up the "Jolly Roger Telephone Company" - that's the one with the bot designed to waste telemarketer time. He's posted recordings of the bot talking to telemarketers. Some of those are hilarious. "Wait, I've got a bee on my arm! Ok, it's gone. What was that again?"

    http://jollyrogertelephone.com/about/

  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    The funniest prank I've ever heard played on a telemarketer was pulled off by Tom Mabe. I can't post it here due to adult content, but you can find it on YouTube (the murder scene audio).

    -Phil

  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »
    The funniest prank I've ever heard played on a telemarketer was pulled off by Tom Mabe. I can't post it here due to adult content, but you can find it on YouTube (the murder scene audio).

    -Phil

    Thanks for posting that. Googled it and watched it along with his top 10 pranks. They were hilarious.
  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    edited 2017-04-18 22:30
    Anyone remember the "wrong phone number" scene with Danny DeVito in 'Ruthless People'? Had me rolling on the floor with laughter...much too adult to rephrase here.
  • Ron CzapalaRon Czapala Posts: 2,418
    My internet/phone service provider offers NOMOROBO robocall blocking service - I noticed a difference immediately.

    My Panasonic cordless phone lets you block up to 400 numbers (or ranges). It doesn't even ring the phone if a call comes in from a blocked number...

  • Hal AlbachHal Albach Posts: 747
    Unfortunately, these "IRS" and "Windows" scammers are also using a caller ID spoofer. They make it look like the call is coming from anywhere with any number. I'm constantly getting out of state calls from every state in the union - all 57 of them, and I answer none of them anymore. The thrill of winning a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent has faded.
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    I got one of those calls one time. :-) I played along with him for a bit... even though the only computer running at the time was my iMac. Finally, I asked "You say you work for Microsoft Worldwide Support?"... he says "Yes". Hmm... I ask "Are you actually employed by Microsoft?"... he says "No". Finally, I ask "Does Microsoft know you are using their name?"... A bit of silence followed by *CLICK*! :-)

    @!
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