From 213-710-8151 - "This is Anne, from the warranty department...". I pushed one. Somebody picked up. I asked her her name. She told me. I told her I would personally sue her into bankruptcy. It's not true, but hopefully she'll quit her job today.
I've been dealing with these vermin for the better part of an hour, but I have to say I've been having some real fun with them....the caller ID says "Datalink" and they appear to be a debt reduction company.
When I picked up the phone an automated recording started yammering on about their services, and instructs the listener to press "1" to speak to an agent about reducing their debts. I pressed "1" to ask them to remove my number from their calling list, but as soon as they hear this they hang up. That's when I went absolutely ape [***].
For the next 15 minutes, I called their number and to try to get them to remove my number, and each time they just hung up. Luckily, though, I kept getting through to the same two or three reps (I could tell by the sound of their voices). I just kept calling, kept calling, kept calling....some times I dialed directly, but most times I dialed *67 first to block my number from appearing on their caller ID.
FINALLY, one of the reps, sounding completely frustrated, blurted out the following, "Your number will be removed, ok? Happy now?!", and abruptly hung up. Of course, I wasn't satisfied, so I kept calling for another 20 minutes, each time stating the following, "I'd like to speak to a manager, please". Of course they kept hanging up, so this was starting to turn into a bit of a stalemate.
I was getting a little bored, so I changed tactics a little bit and actually responded "yes" when the rep asked if I'd like to speak to an agent about reducing my debts. She asked some questions about the kind of debts I had, and I replied with bogus info. About 5 minutes into this, she said I'd be transferred to a supervisor who would then process my application.
After about a 5 minute hold, she got back on the line and asked "Did you call about 10 minutes ago to have your number removed?", to which i replied "yes" (luckily, this time I'd forgotten to hit *67 first).
THIS is where it got really fun for me:)
Clearly frustrated, she actually asked me, "Sir why are you wasting my time?". In my calmest, most arrogant voice I said, "Because you've wasted mine".
She hung up, of course, and then I went back to calling to ask for a manager. This went on for quite a while, with the same poor, unfortunate souls picking up the line each time and quickly hanging up when I asked for a manager. About 10 or 15 calls into this game, one of the reps FINALLY broke down and said that the manager on duty was on break and would return in 30 minutes. Whether or not this was true was, for me, irrelevant. The point was that I finally broke her down and forced her to set aside her stupid little phone script and speak to me like a human being.
Feeling all smug and tingly inside from the victorious rush of adrenaline known only to gamblers, cokeheads, and Navy SEALS, I ended my little revenge campaign, and went about my business, secure in the knowledge that I had throroughly ruined the mornings of no less than 3 telemarketers.
Something tells me I won't be hearing from these maggots again anytime soon:)
this number has called 3 times in the past week about reducing my debt. Can nothing be done about these people? WAY TO GO JOE, I wish I had thought to do the same thing. (see comments above this one)
Joe you are a freakin genius!!! I did the same thing and had so much fun doing it! My husband, brother, and sister all started calling back and either yelling in the phone to take me off their call list, squealing in really high pitched voices or playing along like we were in severe debt. If we played along we would give them really bogus totals and names. My personal favorite name we gave: Takme Ofurlist. I don't think they will be calling anymore! I think if everyone did this for 20 minutes, maybe they would get a hint! These people suck!
Here is what you do. Get one of those air horns that they use to use at basketball games. Keep calling them back. Once they answer let loose on the horn right in their ear.
If they want to get nasty, get nasty back. Fight fire with fire I say. It is a load of fun! They will get the message and quite calling.