It all depends. Sometime I will sit through their chat and then use an old credit card that expired and just was 2020 instead of 2015 for the date and of course it declines and then I said, “Sorry it didn’t work out. Have a great day”. Typically loses around 20 minutes of their time......mine to but it seems so worthwhile. lol.
I love that. I may use that.
You stole my idea;) LOL!
I thought of saying “This is Office Philbin, how may I assist you. If this is an emergency, please call 911.”
Call blocker. We went from about a dozen calls a week, down to maybe one or two, all because we block every number that comes in from a solicitor. Believe it or not, eventually the calls stop, although some of the more enterprising scammers spoof their numbers to make you think it’s your pharmacy, or some such.
Now with Robo-callers, the new way to deal with them is Jolly Roger Telephone, a real phone service that stays on line with the ‘bot, gets to a real person, and keeps him on for as long as possible wit its own ‘bot, saving you a recording for your entertainment. You can choose male or female bot, and different personalities. There’s the guy who has a bug crawling up his arm, the old lady who things the phone solicitor can help her set up her DVR, etc. Featured on the Tom Woods podcast.
http://jollyrogertelephone.com/about/
A VERY LOUD SPORTS WHISTLE
I have posed as a LEO. Typically I will answer the phone saying:
“XYZ County Sheriff’s Office, Fraud Division, Detective Yancy...this number has been associated with interstate fraud, what is your name and where are you located?! (All spoken loudly and authoritatively). DO NOT HANG UP! WE HAVE TRACED THIS CALL. THIS IS A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION, WHAT IS YOUR NAME?!!”
They never call me again.
Something like we don't have a head of household, we're an anarcho-syndicalist commune where we take it in turns to act as a sort of executive officer for the week. But all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special biweekly meeting, by a simple majority in the case of purely internal affairs but by a 2/3 majority in the case of external affairs and cost expenditures such as you want. If anyone has ideas to make it better I'm open. ;^)
I call forward the number another telemarketing number.
Hubby does that. Or he keeps them on the phone forever.
I don’t answer or if I do by accident then immediately hang up and block the number.
Are tactical nuclear weapons off the table?
it doesn’t work because they’re all robo calls - you’re listening to a computer, not a human
( after listening to their spiel): “Oh, you’re trying to SELL me something! I thought you were just another bill collector!”
Once I know it’s a sales call, I simply hang up. Salesmen are very thick-skinned, and you’re doing them a favor by not letting them waste their time on you.
I let my 14 year old son with DS talk with them. He really enjoys it because he learns social skills.
It’s simple,don’t answer.
.
Answer the phone, get them hooked then...”someone’s at the door”, put the phone down and leave the room.
Once I realize it’s a solicitor, I just hang up. I don’t even say goodbye.