Dodgy numbers

[Marylou]

Here's a good way of dealing with cold callers:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... -time.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I have threatened to do this on a few occasions since hearing about the case. They generally hang up PDQ.

Another way is to ask the caller for their home number so that you can call them back later. When they refuse, ask them why. Then just take it from there.....

[scary mum]

I had one call me from somewhere overseas. They wouldn't take no for an answer and so I told them to f off ( ). She then phoned back to ask what I had said so I said I wasn't repeating myself but I did not want to talk to her. She then called me a third time and said "I want to know what you said, did you use a word beginning with "f"?". I didn't bother answering her. I have a variety of ways of dealing with them, usually just leaving them on the mantelpiece to talk to themselves for a while. DH thinks it is funny to speak to them in French. We took to not speaking if there was a pause (usually indicating an auto dialed) after the head teacher called from the school and hands free and DH was slightly rude to him, thinking it was a sales call. Fortunately he wasn't as rude as he sometimes is, just a little short! The ones who say you have filled in a survey or taken part in a competition drive me nuts. No, I haven't.

Eta: I've done both of those too Marylou.

[stevew61]

Hello, there is a problem with your computer..........

Used to get those calls a lot but they have stopped, if you enroll on my training course for just $9.99 a month I can tell you all my secrets.

Feel a bit sorry for people who have to make a living that way, but then I've been getting 'cold' calls at work for dozens of years. If you've got time and a thick skin you can have some fun but agree you don't want unpleasant calls at home that might impact on the kid
.
Using a false name can help (mainly in a work environment), oh no you need to speak to Simon Snowball but he's not here at the moment. They will call back and ask for Simon Snowball thus identifying themselves as time wasters .

[KS10]

DH thinks it is funny to speak to them in French.

Do you know, I've been planning to do that myself, but I think about it for too long and then it just becomes a long pause.

'James Parker' got very annoyed when I laughed at him. I told him that no way was that his name and asked for a number and address so that I could check out if they were legit. That's when his tone changed. I think his ego was bruised.

[Amber]

We get the foreign call centres too, as we are registered with TPS.
I have a deep voice for a woman

I apparently sound very young on the phone and regularly get asked (including rather embarrassingly by one of OH's colleagues) if the caller can speak to my mum or dad. I haven't ever had one of these calls but reckon I could use this to my advantage if I did.

[Tinkers]

We get the foreign call centres too, as we are registered with TPS.
I have a deep voice for a woman

I apparently sound very young on the phone and regularly get asked (including rather embarrassingly by one of OH's colleagues) if the caller can speak to my mum or dad. I haven't ever had one of these calls but reckon I could use this to my advantage if I did.

The other day DHs boss rang. I answered the phone and boss thought I was DH. I have a yorkshire accent and DH is from Kingston upon Thames. Now that was annoying!

[countrymum]

There are ones too that ring, hang up and then if you call the number back costs a fortune. Always google the number if you are thinking of ringing back.

[programmer]

If you can forward these calls to this service it will be hilarious

http://www.itslenny.com/recording.php?f ... d7d7ddac7e" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
and
http://www.itslenny.com/recording.php?f ... f602367b6e" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.itslenny.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; does not have a UK number to forward to yet, but if you have SIP/VOIP you can easily do so for free.

[scarlett]

The number comes up on our phone, so anything which says 0000 is either work ( hate being put on the spot and feeling obliged to cover sickness ) or a cold caller. I usually ignore both. If I do answer the phone I usually tell them I'm the au pair and I've no idea when Mrs Scarlett will be back. If they ask to speak to DH I just say try at 7 and then ignore the phone. He prefers also to be more direct.......

[StJamesDad]

Our Spanish neighbour/friend tells doorstep cold callers that she is the au pair.
Our Italian neighbour/friend was once asked to go and get her employer by someone when she answered the door Big mistake