How do you deal with telemarketers

I use a service called NoMoRobo, which automatically intercepts any robocalls and cuts them off after one ring. It works extremely well.

Yeah, if I don't recognize the number at all, I'm not answering my phone. I figure if it's actually important, they'll leave a voice mail for me.

Well, I either don't pick up the phone, or I just keep saying "Sorry, what?" every time they finish saying something, forcing them to either repeat themselves or hang up...they get bored of it pretty quick.

"Can I speak to the home owner?"
"Sorry, what?"
"Is this the home owner?"
"Sorry, what?"
"AM-I-SPEAKING-TO-THE-HOME-OWNER?"
"Sorr, what?"
*click*

I know these people are just doing their jobs and we all have to make a living, but if they're going to choose a career that seems specifically designed to annoy people, they need to be prepared for the consequences.

Usually I just don't answer my phone if it's not a number I recognize. If it's important they'll leave a voicemail is my mentality.

That being said I actually have been on the other side of the phone, and while I wasn't technically a telemarketer, I was calling people encouraging them to go vote for stuff like mayoral elections and jazz. Lots of people don't answer. Had a couple people accuse me of spreading propaganda (note, I literally was just reminding them that the election was just the next day and that they should go out to vote if they're eligible), some people asked me if I was being paid by xyz party or candidate (I technically was being employed by a candidate but I wasn't campaiging for them in this call and I wasn't being paid since it was an internship so the answer was usually "no" since I wasn't being paid), and I had several people saying they received too many of these phone calls, that I was violating their right to privacy, etc. It's interesting but definitely not as stressful as fielding when constituents call the offices.

Dawn said:

I know these people are just doing their jobs and we all have to make a living, but if they're going to choose a career that seems specifically designed to annoy people, they need to be prepared for the consequences.

Click to expand...

^^^

My favourite is when they ask to speak to the owner of the business - and usually, to be polite, I just say something along the lines of "they're not in right now, can I leave a message" - and THEY sigh in frustration because they know I'm bullshitting them

If I actually let you harass the owner of the business and waste his time he'll literally cuss you out and hang up, so you're welcome