I did something rude, today!

[Jayson1]

You don't need to do threads about that stuff dude, it only gets people jealous.

Anyways, frankly I'm much ruder to salespeople than many of you guys seem to be. I tend to simply say "not interested, thanks" and shut the door, hag up the phone, whatever.

You also have the strategy which my mom does a lot and that is to tell everyone to be quiet and hope the person walks away. I mean I could do that as well but for some reason when a door knocks I fell compelled to open it. I always want to know who that person is. Maybe they are bringing good news. I think I would even fall for the SNL walking sharks if that was a real thing.

Jason

 

[Timewalker]

The problem is that those of us who grew up in the pre-cell phone/answering machine/internet age were conditioned that you always answer the door and you always answer the phone.

My phone is a landline with no caller ID, and no answering machine. I pretty much have to answer the phone in case it's about my dad, who is in a nursing home and goes in and out of the hospital.

So I get extremely annoyed when the phone call turns out to be some scammer trying to muck around in my computer or sell me some kind of security service I'm not allowed to have here even if I wanted it.

 

[UncleRogi]

Was it just me who read the thread title as "I did something nude today"?

Why, yes... Yes it was

 

[rahullak]

r and n don't look so similar...

 

[tharpdevenport]

Here's how you handle one of these calls:

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(Link for those who can't see embedded videos: youtube.com/watch?v=ZmKtS-k12b0)

 

[John Clark]

For me at home, it's usually the spammers saying something is wrong with the computer (and it's possibly about to explode). I usually just tell them I don't have a computer - usually while I'm on it.
If they ignore that, hanging up is the way to go.

At work, it's always about the energy contracts, but we're a serviced office so they get a pretty much canned response from me telling them to contact the landlords.

 

[nightwind1]

There's nothing rude about telling telemarketers and scammers to fuck-off.

 

[TrickyDickie]

hag up the phone

 

[Owain Taggart]

I tried that. The next question was "Why aren't you interested?"

It's like trying to reason with a 4-year-old.

Yeah, exactly. I think it's best not to leave them room for an inquiry. Leaving them room is akin to leaving the door open and letting them put one foot in the door. As long as they've done that, they'll keep asking questions to try to turn the tide. Some of these people are quite persistent. If they still try after giving them a good statement in the first place, that's their problem.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

My phone is a landline with no caller ID, and no answering machine. I pretty much have to answer the phone in case it's about my dad, who is in a nursing home and goes in and out of the hospital.

An elderly father with medical needs was exactly why I begrudgingly got my first mobile phone some years ago.

 

[Australis]

These days, when I get calls about solar panels, electricity companies, or similar, they're usually calling from some benighted SEAsian country and don't speak English properly let alone comprehend. I say "NO NO NO NO!" loudly several times and hang up. In the case of support for charities I'm polite but firm.

If I EVER found out who gave my phone number to these places (phones lists being sold on as they are) I WILL be quite rude to them.

 

[Refuge]

Why? It's just paper and ink. Nobody is going to smite you for tossing it in the garbage/recycling (whichever applies).

I don't know, it's a psychological thing. I feel the need to at the very least flick through something before I discard it. The better the publication the more wasteful it seems to chuck it. Also specific to belief systems although I definitely have my own beliefs (so reading a WatchTower is not going to change those) I sometimes do feel curious about the lay of the land with other philosophies and spirituality etc.

 

[Australis]

Nowadays though, I don't even pickup because I have Truecaller telling me who is calling most times.

And the scammers sometimes have software that can detect commonly called number sto your house/phone and imitate it. Also, I've tried calling back some of them and get a "number does not exist" msg.

These people that ring you usually are just trying to make a living. I hear them out usually, say I'm not interested and wish them luck. It's like the WatchTower people who come to the door. I hide. However sometimes I inadvertently open the door and then I smile and listen. Say I have my own beliefs and hope they don't insist I take one of their magazines. I had some poor guy come to the door the other day he was so painfully apologetic, it almost hurt.

Next time they knock on the door, don't open it, but knock back. If they knock again, do it louder. After a few attempts, it'll freak them out and they'll go away.

 

[Owain Taggart]

And the scammers sometimes have software that can detect commonly called number sto your house/phone and imitate it. Also, I've tried calling back some of them and get a "number does not exist" msg.

Yeah, like IP spoofing. Several times we've gotten our very own number spoofed by scammers.

 

[rahullak]

And the scammers sometimes have software that can detect commonly called number sto your house/phone and imitate it. Also, I've tried calling back some of them and get a "number does not exist" msg.

Yeah, like IP spoofing. Several times we've gotten our very own number spoofed by scammers.

That level of crookedness and hacking hasn't reached India yet. But I'm sure if it does reach here, the regulator will clamp down on it hard.

 

[Avro Arrow]

I always want to know who that person is. Maybe they are bringing good news.

I am baffled by this. Has it ever happened in your lifetime that someone has shown up at your door to bring you good news?

Fortunately, I have caller ID, and if it's a number I don't recognize, I don't answer, and if it's an unknown/private number, I don't answer. There are a couple times I get caught because I *think* I recognize the number, but for the most part, I no longer have to speak to telemarketers.

I rarely ever answer the door either, if I'm not expecting someone.

 

[Timewalker]

An elderly father with medical needs was exactly why I begrudgingly got my first mobile phone some years ago.

I'm home about 99% of the time. And since I rarely talk to anyone in RL, I have no need of a cell phone.

Or at least I didn't. There are a lot of pay phones that aren't around anymore. Makes it hard to call a taxi.

I am baffled by this. Has it ever happened in your lifetime that someone has shown up at your door to bring you good news?

That's the line used by a lot of those religious doorknockers - they've come to bring you "the Good News".

 

[Owain Taggart]

I am baffled by this. Has it ever happened in your lifetime that someone has shown up at your door to bring you good news?

Yeah, come to think of it, I've never heard of a happy ending happening via random door-to-door. It can't be that great a strategy, yet it's still being done to this day.

 

[Marynator]

Yeah, come to think of it, I've never heard of a happy ending happening via random door-to-door. It can't be that great a strategy, yet it's still being done to this day.

What if it is a little girl scout selling cookies?

 

[Doom Shepherd]

Telemarketers who call me always seem to take an extra few seconds to realize that I've actually picked up, before they start in. I take this time to grab my favorite gun, hold it right up to the microphone, and let er'rip at max. volume:

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What if it is a little girl scout selling cookies?

"I'm a diabetic! You tryin'a KILL ME?!?! GET OUT OF HERE!!!"