I'm just a big meanie..........

[CathyA]

We are on a do-not-call list. Of course, several companies still send us robo calls, and I hate it.
Today (Sunday afternoon), I get a call on my cell phone. Normally I wouldn't answer it if I didn't recognize the number, but it had a local area code, so I answered it.
It was a woman from Walgreen's, asking if I wanted to refill any of my prescriptions. It really ticked me off. I said "No, and please don't call me again. I know when I need to fill my prescriptions."
She said in a wounded tone "Well, I was just trying to help you out."
B.S.!! I told her "Thanks, but I know when I need a refill".
I guess I'm just a meanie.

[Kestra]

I was mean the other day, too. I try to be at least polite on the phone, but we were getting calls every day from the credit card company. Usually it should be 3 calls and stop. Or at least leave a message with whatever the hell you are selling, but no - it was daily calls with no message for 1 month.
At one point they asked for my husband and I said, look, just tell me what you want or stop calling. But that didn't work. They were trying to reach both of us as we each signed up for a card to get extra points.
Finally, when they were calling for me and we actually picked up, they said they were selling that dumb credit card insurance for your balance if you're injured or whatever. I very bluntly and somewhat rudely said "I don't need that." "Why?" "Because I have tons of money and can pay off my cc balance whenever I want!" Apparently they can't see that we never pay interest etc.
I hate that insurance spiel - pay you money so that you're not out money if I default on my card? How does that make sense? Such an obvious money grab. And I'm usually a proponent of insurance, but not that type, when I have a tiny limit on that card, and never pay interest. And we don't they have rules about how many times they can call, and why don't they leave a message? I work for a similar company and we have actual rules about calling.

[Dhiana]

CathyA - The woman was NOT trying to help! Don't let her act get to you. She was making a sales to call to keep you as a Walgreen's customer. As an employee she wants to keep you as a customer to keep her job. Understandable on a person to person level but there really wasn't anything altruistic in the call you received.

I find these kinds of calls insulting as if I am a child that needs reminding. Best way to end these calls is to not give out your number.

[happystuff]

Off and on for almost two months, dh and I both fielded several automated calls from a carpet cleaning place. I finally listened through the entire computer ad and pressed to talk to a "real" person. I told the person to please remove us from their call list. Well, it didn't work and mainly dh was continuing to get the calls. I was home one day for one of the calls, so I took the phone from dh and, again, listened to the entire computer ad before getting to the live person. When I got the live person, I politely asked for the company name and where they were located. She gave them to me. I then proceeded to tell her that "I have asked to be removed from your calling list and you have continued to call us. If we receive another call from your company, I will be contacting the Better Business Bureau. Now, please remove our number from your call list!"

Yeah, I was mean, too, but we haven't had a call from them since. :-)

[Jilly]

I keep receiving calls from my Internet provider. I do not answer unfamiliar numbers, but I do look them up on-line. So, when they called again today I did answer and the woman identified herself and the company and asked to speak to xxxxxxxx. It was close to my name, but a slightly off last name. Either she her script/customer list was incorrect, or she is just plain tired of her crappy job. I told her that that person did not live here. She was incredulous, as she is working, my best guess, from a decent customer list.

When I confirmed that it was not my name and ended the call I felt mean because of the deceit on my part, although I was very nice to her. But, if it stops the calls, that will be great. And, it is not my job to correct my name for her. :~)

I have a lot of sympathy for the people who call. Sometimes that is the only employment someone can find, like that pharmacy woman who just works at the store and has no choice but to make the customer calls that she is required to make.

I used to have a friend whose husband would have complete conversations with these kinds of callers. He would ask them all manner of questions, listen to their entire script and then thank them for calling, but he was not interested.

[jp1]

Since I only have a cell phone I rarely get unwanted phone calls. Any time I do I google the number to see who it is, but won't answer. The last 2 repeated unrecognized numbers were actually my cell phone carrier trying to get me to upgrade, according to message boards I found when googling the numbers. Since my carrier, Sprint, has an online tool where you can block calls or texts from numbers, I've just added their numbers to the blocked list.

[Gingerella72]

I'm amazed that in this day and age, companies still try to do telemarketing calls. Who in the world bites on these offers? Let alone listens to them?

[jp1]

I'm amazed that in this day and age, companies still try to do telemarketing calls. Who in the world bites on these offers? Let alone listens to them?

The same people that respond to Nigerian email scams telling them that they have a big inheritance check or whatever if they'll just cover the cost of recovering the money. Not that most telemarketing calls are anywhere near that level, but nonetheless, they don't real offer the listener a whole lot of benefit over what can be found on one's own.

[creaker]

I'm amazed that in this day and age, companies still try to do telemarketing calls. Who in the world bites on these offers? Let alone listens to them?

Often it's telemarket companies that have convinced businesses they'll make more money if they buy their services.

[SteveinMN]

I ported my landline number to my mobile phone, so I continued to get the junk calls (though at least with the mobile phone I had Caller ID). At first, I would answer the phone and get off as soon as I realized what they wanted (or when I heard the telltale silence between my hello and hearing any response at all). Then I got "mean"; as soon as I realized it was a junk call, I put the phone aside and just let the caller read the script until they realized I wasn't listening and they hung up. I figured if I wasted their time, that was one fewer person they would be able to call. Over time, I just quit answering the phone when I didn't recognize the number. Now with software on my smartphone, if the caller's number isn't in my phone's contact list, the phone doesn't even ring. If it's important, the caller will leave a message. Hardly anyone does, so obviously the calls are not important. They certainly aren't important to me.

[Gregg]

We changed cell providers last year and I took the opportunity to change numbers from ones we had for almost 20 years. The new numbers only went out to family and friends who we would actually like to hear from. I also immediately put the new numbers on the do not call list, FWIW. It has been wonderfully peaceful since that switch. If that silence were interrupted by a sales call I'm sure I would be a meanie, too.