Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[sevenlayermuddle]

Can't remember where I heard, or read it, but when the nuisance call happened, the gentleman answered the phone as if he was investigating a murder.

He started quizzing the unsuspecting cold-caller, asking how did he know the murder victim etc etc. Was funny as .....

Probably this one...?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGsMjmTzeS4

It was posted on kitz's forums some time ago, though I can't find it any more so don't remember who to thank.  Made me laugh again listening to it now, though.   How I'd like to have the acting talent to do that myself   

[Black Sheep]

LOL. Cheers for that linky 7LM. I too wish I could carry-off something like that.

We've a bloke at work who is brilliant at voice-impersonation. He can 'do' all of us and loads of celebs as well. If I got a cold call, and had his talent, I'd have to reckon on I was Alan Sugar or someone similar ,and then start to grill them on their selling technique.

Or maybe take it a step further an pretend to be Liam Neeson in the fim, 'Taken'. Can you imagine their faces as you quote the [famous line from film removed]


[edited by Admin by request]

[kitz]

Oooh thats a classic..  thanks again for the linky 7LM  well worth listening to again.

I wish I was quick enough to be able to come back with the witty retorts against annoying telemarketers...  but I also am also no good at voice impersonation so wouldnt be able to carry something like that off.

I suppose the one area though where I cannot help myself but play along with sometimes is the telemarketers for broadband.   I used to get a lot of those a few years back for some reason from the likes of TT, Bulldog, BT etc.   It was interesting to see what garbage they sometimes spouted off. 

Touch wood I dont seem to get many these days and if I do I normally start off with something pretty boring along the lines of
how did they get my number ..   and telling them that Im listed with the TPS so they shouldnt be calling :/

[roseway]

I haven't got the energy or the quick thinking to make any worthwhile comebacks, so when they say "Is that Mr xxx?" I reply "Hold on, I'll go and get him" and put the phone down.

[tickmike]

Do people on a 'Ex-directory' line still get these calls ?.

 

[kitz]

Yes....  despite being ex-d and listed with TPS

I confronted them once how they got my number and apparently its random diallers.

[tickmike]

Yes....  despite being ex-d and listed with TPS

I confronted them once how they got my number and apparently its random diallers.

We are with TPS but a lot seem to take no notice of it then say they are doing consumer research     

[roseway]

I'm registered with TPS too, but I still get nuisance calls. Quite a lot of them come from overseas, particularly the US. I don't imagine that TPS can do anything about those.

[sevenlayermuddle]

When I worked in telecoms a story used to circulate, about one of the operators of the cold-calling centres. I really don't know if it was true...

...The story goes that his business model was carefully planned, and he knew exactly how many numbers he needed to turn a profit.  He was short of a few tens of thousands of numbers, then he discovered TPS, who would give him a list of numbers that nobody else would be using.  He'd have to face the possibility of a fine for calling these numbers of course, but it wouldn't break the bank, quite good value in fact 

[kitz]

 

[sevenlayermuddle]

I was about to apologise for causing alarm as my story is completely unproven and more of an industry myth.  But I decided instead to do a quick google on the subject of TPS and fines/penalties.  If wikipedia is to be believed...

from... (my text highlighting)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_Preference_Service

Enforcement

Once a number is registered it may take up to 28 days to become fully effective. Then, it is unlawful for telemarketers to call a number on the list. The TPS has no enforcement power, so all complaints are passed on to the Information Commissioner's Office. The maximum penalty is currently £5,000. However, there have been no prosecutions undertaken as the legislation does not allow for prosecutions.
[edit]

  

[kitz]

Oh my!

Makes you wonder if its worth registering with TPS?


I notice this is what the TPS site says

Complaints received about receipt of live unsolicited direct marketing calls are processed by the TPS complaints team. Where appropriate TPS writes to the organisation involved asking for an explanation of why it has called a TPS registered number and request that it removes the number from its call lists.

The TPS has no enforcement powers, on a regular basis TPS passes appropriate complaints that fall within the TPS remit (complaints relating to receipt of live unsolicited direct marketing call) over to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), who are the UK independent supervisory authority reporting directly to the UK Parliament. It is the ICO's responsibility to look at non-compliant organisations and take appropriate action. If you wish to follow up on a complaint that TPS has investigated on your behalf please contact the ICO directly

[burakkucat]

Do people on a 'Ex-directory' line still get these calls ?.

Yes, I occasionally do. 

[sevenlayermuddle]

Do people on a 'Ex-directory' line still get these calls ?.

Yes, I occasionally do. 

Of interest, have any of you with ex-directory successfully traced where your number was obtained (only applies to calls that address you by name, 'Mr Muddle', 'Mr Cat' etc?

My situation is less clear as it's my better half's name who is listed in the phone book, but 99.99% of the calls that address us by name ask for her name.  I attribute it mainly to the number of loyalty cards and the likes that she subscribes to, many of which seem to have very dubious privacy policies.

I once managed to stand my ground regarding a 'double glazing' sales call, and traced the source all the way back to a specific 'win a car' competition I'd entered on the back of a magazine.   The double glazing company named the magazine's publishers as their source, and a call to the publisher pinned it to my competition entry.  That was about 20 years ago, I've never made any headway tracking recent instances.

On a more recent occasion I checked into a well known UK budget hotel chain using a false name (I had my reasons, nothing sordid  )   but  they already had my correct phone number from calling line ID.  A few days later I got a call from one of the power companies, addressing me by said false name...

[kitz]

>> have any of you with ex-directory successfully traced where your number was obtained

BT seem phone me quite a lot trying to get me to take out BT Broadband or up my call package etc.  I think its pretty obvious where they will have obtained my number from...  but I  used to play along with the broadband calls as at the time I was on either on Max Premium or LLU both of these gave me more than what BTw could do.

Bulldog was another, they obviously got my number from me using their online checker once despite me being so very careful to tick the box as not wanting further contact.  The amount of garbage that the Bulldog telesales rep came out with was incredible.  Ive had similar from TT.

Aside from that most of the rest are  the 'You have won a holiday to Florida' type calls I  get a lot of those despite advising them that Im TPI listed.  I think many of these calls are coming from outside the UK.. but I have asked on several occasions how they got my number only to be advised its random diallers.