Telemarketers!

[A340]

So, I got a phone call today (right at dinner time, there's a shocker!) from some company "representing" my cell phone provider.

He goes on to tell me that they've been "authorized" to give me a new, "free" phone and change my plan to "save" me money on my monthly bill because I'm such a good customer.

OK, sure. Why not? My current phone is a year old, so it's time for an upgrade. As far as my plan goes, well, I'm pretty happy with mine as is, but let's see what they got.

Currently, I'm paying about $45 a month for 200 minutes anytime and free evenings and weekends. 100 text messages, voice mail and caller id included. And, yes Canada is very expensive when in comes to cell phones. My phone is a Samsung, has an OK camera, MP3 player and is a quad band, meaning I can use it on any network in the world.

So, the telemarketer proceeds to tell me that I can have 400 anytime minutes, free weekends and evenings for $50 a month.

OK I said, but what about text, voice mail and caller ID?

Well, that'll be an extra $12 a month, plus system access fee, taxes and such he said.

Grand total came out to $85 a month!!!!

So I asked, where are my savings?

Well, you're savings are there because you're getting a second phone and line.

But I don't want a second phone or line. I just need the one. And if I did need a second one, I can just go out and buy a second one and it'll come out just as much, if not less. So, again, where are the savings?

Well, he said, that's what I'm trying to explain to you.

There's nothing to explain I said, but continue.

Well, we'll have to cancel your previous contract and start you up with the new one.

Which I'm assuming I'll have to pay the penalty fee I asked.

Yes, which comes out to about $240 he said.

So, let me get this right, I said. Since I'm such a "good" customer, you're offering me a "free" phone, which is going to cost me $240 and you're offering me a new plan to "save" me money on my monthly bill, yet will end up costing me twice as much as I'm paying right now?

That is correct sir, he said. Can I sign you up?

Well, I said, where are my savings?

You're getting a second phone, sir.

Nah, I don't think so, I said, thanks anyways.

Of course, he was persistent. So this went on for about another 15 minutes. I swear, people like this are going to give me a coronary one day, lol!

And by the way, the new "upgraded" phone they wanted to give me, a Sony Ericsson 205a, probably one of the most low end models you can buy. And it's only a dual band, so I can't even use it in Europe!

Yes sir, sign me right up ... NOT! :hmm3grin2orange:

[Lady Hobbs]

Do you have the Do Not Call listing there? I've been on that for some time and get no calls.

[jphonger]

Wow! what a bargain.
you have patience. I would have hung up on them.

[A340]

Do you have the Do Not Call listing there? I've been on that for some time and get no calls.
The CRTC is working on it (for several years already, gotta love bureaucracy), but I haven't heard if it's been approved yet.

I have however, have changed my avatar dedicated to the fine gentleman, who I'm sure was just doing his job, that was trying to "save" me money today .... :hmm3grin2orange:

Wow! what a bargain.
you have patience. I would have hung up on them.
Actually, I was kind of bored at the time, otherwise I do just hang up.

[PUNISHER VETTE]

I'm on the Do Not Call list but now they've resorted to Text messaging SPAM.

I get about 3 a week now. If it continues i'll contact my provider and b1tch them out about it. I know it's not just me since my sister also gets them and her roommate as well.

Wasting my money isn't something i like to much.

[A340]

I'm on the Do Not Call list but now they've resorted to Text messaging SPAM.

I get about 3 a week now. If it continues i'll contact my provider and b1tch them out about it. I know it's not just me since my sister also gets them and her roommate as well.

Funny thing, is in Canada I've never gotten a spam SMS before, but when I lived in Germany, I'd get a couple a day, but never any phone calls.

Just goes to show you how far behind Canada is with cell phones.

[jphonger]

The CRTC is working on it (for several years already, gotta love bureaucracy), but I haven't heard if it's been approved yet.

I have however, have changed my avatar dedicated to the fine gentleman, who I'm sure was just doing his job, that was trying to "save" me money today .... :hmm3grin2orange:


Actually, I was kind of bored at the time, otherwise I do just hang up.

You must have been! hee hee :)
I'm glad you didn't hang up, because this thread would not be as funny!

[Drumachine09]

That telemarketer is SOOOOO lucky he didn't have me on the other line. I would have taken him for a ride he wouldn't forget. That is one of my few past times. Screwing with telemarketers. Them, and the door-to-door mormons. Those are just as, if not MORE entertaining then telemarketers.

[Wild Turkey]

OMG I pray for those calls, i have way, way too much fun with those people. A great tactic is cut them off alot, (like they do to you) and try to sell them something. Something no one would ever buy, like a rear axle for a school bus, or a refrigerator thats missing a door. Never fails to brighten up my day.

[Drumachine09]

I tried to sell my dog to mormons once.

"Nice obedient dog. Very strong, would make a great work dog. Whadaya think about 50 bones?"


Never seen them leave so fast.

[A340]

OK, I got one!

So, this Telemarketer calls this Jehovah's Witness and says:

"Today is your lucky day, sir!"

and the Jehovah's Witness says:

"What a coincidence, today is your lucky day too!"


HA!

(OK, it's late, I'm hungry, so I better run off to get something to eat before I really go crazy) :hmm3grin2orange:

[Wild Turkey]

Mormons are usually generally nice kids (thats all i ever get are the 18 year old missionaries) that are extremely sheltered, i have a good time with them cuz believe it or not, they wanna hear stories about partying and having fun, cuz they dont get to. Ive totally had one take me up on a soda offer before.

[crackatinny]

I had one call the other day, he was not selling anything he said, just doing a survey on our tap water quality, he seemed a nice old bloke, so I done the survey, as a gratitude thing, he entered me in a comp for a free water purifier.
The following day I get a call, I had won, now I never win anything like that LOL, only catch was, I had to buy the 1st cartridge, $100, I said no thanks, pass the prize onto someone else, no worries he said, and that was it.
Well that was it for 5 min anyway, the phone rang again, my wife answered, they asked for her by name, guess what, it was a nice old bloke wanting to do a survey on our water quality LOL.
You would at least think they would do there homework.

[A340]

Hey Crack, I'm hoping the Mrs. didn't fall for it. But, now that I think about it, if you would have signed up for it, and your Mrs. would have signed up for it, you'd have had 2 water coolers! That'd be like his and hers ... lol!

[angelcakes]

That telemarketer is SOOOOO lucky he didn't have me on the other line. I would have taken him for a ride he wouldn't forget. That is one of my few past times. Screwing with telemarketers. Them, and the door-to-door mormons. Those are just as, if not MORE entertaining then telemarketers.
i just put the phone down and let them babble on,there phone bill....,but agreed with another if youre x directory then they text you.........

[mitcore]

i get those horrible calls as well and here is how i respond
1: if in regaurd to a phone or electricity,
i tell them to call the other mobile phone number and speak to my husband, by the way i dont not provide them with the number, if they were really who they say they are then they would have the mobile number LOL

2: free gifts, cheap holidays etc
i let the talk for all they got and i say nothing mind you, they keep saying "hello are you there" i still say nothing and when i think they have gotten to the end of the convo, i hang up the phone, and in the whole call all i said was "hello"

they dont call me back in a hurry, LOL and i just love it

[cocoa_pleco]

i usually just hang up on them, or leave the phone off the hook and walk away til they talk themselves out, but one guy was really desperate like he was going to get fired if i didnt do some quick survery, and it was genuine desperate, so i did it

[Adrian]

I got a feature on my phone that gets rid of telemarketers. They seem to use a computer program to dial calls, and since my phones ability to send back to the computer that it is a dead number, it gets added into the database of being a dead number, and I never get those calls. Kinda wish I did, I wouldn't mind messing with someones mind....though, I have to say, they are just trying to do their job.

I think it would suck being a telemarketer. Memo to self, don't be a telemarketer, or in any form of call center.....

[Blue Ram]

hey call all the time. I like to pick up the phone and make weird noises at them. and freak them out. LOL

[cocoa_pleco]

another thing i have is a telemarketer zapper.

something else you can do is when a telemarketer calls press # and then some number (i cant remember), and it screws up their machine

[Drumachine09]

We used to have one, but it never worked. They probably uprgraded their system after being zapped so many times.

[tropfish]

haha, luckily were on the do not call list. We used to mess with the telemarketers, like, when they ask how my day was, i would go on and on about how bad it was and everything that went wrong. Once we got called during dinner time, so i said, can i have your home number so i can call you later and we can talk bout this, and he said it was against his policy, and i said is that so that customers don't interrupt you when you want to be home and relax? when he said yes i said well, now you know how i feel, and hung up.

[Tooch]

We usually need what the telemarketers are calling about like we need a hole in the head, but they do provide many opportunities for trouble making!

[A340]

For you viewing pleasure ....

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Not really a telemarketer but classic none the less ...

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[fraggle]

When they ring me I say I'm just a visitor and will get the person they want, then see how long it takes for them to hang up the phone, just leave it off the hook, or say she's just on the loo, or just outside, or just with the kids and can they hang on a minute, then go back again and ask them to hang on a bit longer, figure the longer they are on hold with me, the less they are annoying anybody else!

Talking about having the mormons or whoever come over, there was an incident here a couple of years back now where they got fed hash cookies by the house owner, they wanted to come in and he made them a drink and gave them some cookies, but they were laced with hash. It didn't go down well with them I tell you!:ezpi_wink1: