So, is this the new ploy?

I get calls from people that go like this:

Caller: Hello, this is XXXXX calling for YYYYYY
Me: What are you selling?
Caller: I’m not selling anything, I just want to inform you about…
Me: Call me back when you’re willing to admit you’re selling something (and then I hang up)
(I would still hang up on them even if they admit they’re selling something)

Anyway, is this some industry standard now? Every damn one of them always say “sir, I’m not selling anything”. Do they actually think that this works? Does it work on some folks and then before they know it they’ve bought something?

It must work, at least enough for them to keep testing it. Like you I can’t stand’em.

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I bet I do as well, only I’ll never know. If I do not recognize the number, I refuse to answer. If its important, they’ll leave a message. Only 1 in 50 deserves a call back. Using some settings, I get notified that the call is potential spam also, and some calls are considered junk right away and I get a notice that the call was screened. I see that new regulations are going into effect in September 2021 that will dramatically reduce spoof calls, calls that use a local number but are really coming in from elsewhere from a scammer.

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a while ago I opted out to receive unwanted calls and spam mail. I honestly don’t know how well that works? It seems like once you add your email or phone number to anything, which in many instances is required i.e.- rewards program, ordering take out, petition, you’re exposed. Its insanely annoying.

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This is my solution, and it works extremely well. I get 7 or 8 calls per day, that are not in my contacts, I never answer any of them, and perhaps 2 or 3 times a month, someone that I actually want to speak with leaves a message and I call them back (and add a contact). My telephone life is now generally very quite and peaceful :slight_smile:

The only problem that I have, is that when it comes to managing my (elderly) mother’s health, I end up having to accept all calls when I’m waiting for a return phone call as I never know what number it will come in on.

And yes, when that happens recently, they always start off with the “I’m not selling anything” phrase - which is my cue to hang up.

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Telemarketing sucks!!! Probably invented by former students from TDS.

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Everybody who knows me personally addresses me with a nickname. I’ve had the same nickname my entire life. So if I answer my phone and the person on the other end addresses me with my given name, I just hang up.

Greg, you might be on to something. There is a telemarketing company in Provo that employs a lot of BYU students.

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I’ve been working remotely from home since early 2020 (like most in our office). Finally had enough people ringing my bell during work hours that I put up a NO SOLICITING PLEASE sign up near my front door. Still get some unwanted people at my door.

Had one recently where I calmly and politely pointed at the sign and they said “we aren’t soliciting” and babbled about informing me or something, blah blah blah. I just sighed and said patiently “not today please” and closed the door.

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Yeah working a medicine is brutal because I get 10 to 20 phone calls a day and all of them are from unrecognized area codes (due to the pletura different Attending’s Residents, students, nurses etc. ) With a plethura of area codes.
I virtually have to answer my phone.
Not sure how it’s legal…

Yep.

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Don’t answer the phone by saying “Hello”, that word triggers the computer that they are using to autodial to connect the “agent”. I answer the phone by saying my name, if there is a slight delay, I hang up because I know it is a computer lag connecting me to the “agent”.

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I used to pretend to be a polygamist to keep them on the line for as long as I could to waste their time. I flipped the sales pitch back to them by offering a franchise starter set from my wife inventory. Ever since I started that tactic they never called me back.

Sales job here, so I have to answer all those unknown numbers because it may be a client calling.

The one I’ve seen a HUGE uptick in lately has been junk texts, especially group ones. They hit up a block of 20’ish numbers that are all one digit off from each other, hoping to get a bite. You can’t remove yourself from the group, and you inevitably get half a dozen “STOP” or “TAKE ME OFF YOUR LIST” messages from the other people (which only triggers their number as “active” in the scammers database, I’m sure). Drives me nutty, especially when they come in late at night.

I’ve been doing this for ages. Pause = hang up.

With the absurd number of scam Amazon, credit card, PayPal, and other notifications I get (both phone and e-mail) on a daily basis, I’ve often wondered how any of these companies would contact me if there actually were a actual problem with my account.

I don’t think I’d believe any of their communications were legit at this point.

I got card guard added to my accounts because of this Shyte. It is free and I get a notice every time my card is charged. It helped me stop something like this at one transaction.

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The best part of card guard is you can turn your card off from an APP on your phone. I also use it to help track the spending of my young children.

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