Cold callers

[SueA]

If I'm in the mood I just lie...ooh fitted kitchen..sorry just had one fitted last week. Loft/cavity insulation...got everything 3ft thick. Won a holiday...pathological fear of flying etc.
The TPS does only really work for companies operating in this country & lots of cold calls come from abroad now, the one I hate the most is the recorded message in an annoying American accent which begins 'Congratulations...' never hear the rest as I put the phone down!

[Glutton4...]

Well, I don't have a land line now, so don't have the problem. But I don't know if I'm alone in my opinion or not;
I am actually offended by cold-callers! If I wanted double glazing, loft insulation, a fitted kitchen, or whatever - I'd do the appropriate research and buy what I wanted, certainly not from a company that uses cold-callers GRRRRRR

[Hilary B]

My OH simply says "sorry not interested" and rings off before they can say anything else.
Cold callers tend to remind me of the Harp lager ad with the DG salesman knocking on doors, everyone just shuts the door, eventually someone looking rather like a Buddhist monk says "Yes, come in.." salesman vanishes at speed, next to be seen in pub!
Must admit I rather like the extreme version as demonstrated by an American comedian, where he pretends to be a policeman on the premises after a crime (murder I think) and treats the cold caller as a potential suspect... It is FUNNY (but not much fun for the cold caller).
There are plenty of such 'games', and yes, most of them are unkind to people just doing a job, but that job consists of INVADING my space.
BTW, I get them trying to sell me a different mobile phone (our phone line is left connected to OH's computer as a fax).

[Bren In Pots]

Our funniest was a window salesman knocking at the door and saying 'did you know you still had single gazed windows' Mr in Pots walked outside looked up at the house said thanks for letting me know went back inside shutting the door behind him

[Flummery]

We had one yesterday. He was trying to get me to have my roof sprayed with some stuff to waterproof it. There was another group doing the same about 18 months ago. He started off saying he could see that some people in the village had had their roof sealed by an inferior company. It was the same company - they are a franchising effort. If the only way you can advertsie yourself is by criticising others I don't want to know. Any road up - he got no-where with me, just like the previous bloke.

[jacob marley]

Had one this afternoon and he started by telling me that i was having problems paying my mortgage when i told him i did not have one he then said that it must be your credit card then and then when i told him i was a old codger that aint got one and do not believe in them i then did what i usually do and told to go away forthwith...jacob

[rogesse]

My name is, and I've been a cold caller - it lasted about a week as I was rubbish, hate it myself and didn't have the brass sphericals, but I've admitted it!

What I do find distasteful is the minority who target those who are vunerable. Sadly I lost my dad last month but the previous year he had been plagued by such calls mostly of the 'you have won' kind which frightened him as he couldn't work out how they had got a hold of his mobile No. He lived 2000 miles away with no computer to check things out so invariably rang me. I put a stop to what I could but the same people kept ringing.

[sarraceniac]

I have now had caller I.D. enabled on my phone and have told all friends that I don't answer 'Caller witheld', 'Number unavailable' or 'International' calls unless they ring twice and hang up then ring again. That has got the telephone ones fettled. I tried 'Telephone preference' but as the callers are mainly overseas nowadays it wasn't much good.

I make sure Ed is very visible in the garden as much as possible and although, like his family, he is now getting old and is very friendly, the fact that he is a Staffie, and they have a bad press, deters door knockers.

The latest one is dozens of emails trying to sell me Viagra. I don't know whether I am flattered or insulted. The senders must be very stupid if they don't realise that in the UK (and my email is a .co.uk) I can just walk into the chemist, have a chat with the pharmacist and buy it quite legally - if I wanted it, which I don't. I shall invest in 'Mail Washer', which allows me to bounce the email straight back to them saying I don't exist.

[Hilary B]

I used to get hundred of e-mails trying to sell me products to enhance that which (being female) I do not possess! The e-mail group I was in then included a witty gent who posted that he had answered all these messages and was having trouble getting close enough to the computer to type......
I don't seem to get these messages any more, fortunately, just people trying ever so hard to sell me a new mobile phone......

[basketcase]

One of my friends used to say "I'll let you talk to me about your product, if you'll let me talk to you about Jesus..."

Worked a treat (Lest this offend, he actually is a Christian!)

[Glutton4...]

... I shall invest in 'Mail Washer', which allows me to bounce the email straight back to them saying I don't exist.

I was thinking about this just the other day. I'm sure we used to be able to 'bounce' unwanted emails back, or am I dreaming? Anyone else on here use a 'Mail Washer' and can recommend one?