1. If they want to loan you money, tell them you just filed for bankruptcy and you could sure use some money.
2. If they start out with, "How are you today?" say, "I'm so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems. My arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog just died . . . "
3. If they say they're John Doe from XYZ Company, ask them to spell their name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask them where it is located, how long it has been in business, how many people work there, how they got into this line of work, if they are married, how many kids they have, etc. Continue asking them personal questions or questions about their company for as long as necessary.
4. This works great if you are male. Telemarketer: "Hi, my name is Judy and I'm with XYZ Company. " You: Wait for a second and with a real husky voice ask, "What are you wearing?"
5. Cry out in surprise, "Judy? Is that you? Oh my God! Judy, how have you been?" Hopefully, this will give Judy a few brief moments of terror as she tries to figure out where she could know you from.
6. Say "No" over and over. Be sure to vary the sound of each one, and keep a rhythmic tempo, even as they are trying to speak. This is most fun if you can do it until they hang up.
7. If MCI calls trying to get you to sign up for the Family and Friends Plan, reply, in as sinister a voice as you can, "I don't have any friends, would you be my friend?"
8. If the company cleans rugs, respond: "Can you get out blood? Can you get out goat blood? How about human blood?"
9. After the Telemarketer gives his or her spiel, ask him or her to marry you. When they get all flustered, tell them that you can't just give your credit card number to a complete stranger.
10. Tell the Telemarketer that you work for the same company, and they can't sell to employees.
11. Answer the phone. As soon as you realize it is a Telemarketer, set the receiver down, scream, "Oh My God!" and then hang up.
12. Tell the Telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her home phone number so you can call him/her back. When the Telemarketer explains that telemarketers cannot give out their home numbers say, "I guess you don't want anyone bothering you at home, right?" The Telemarketer will agree and you say, "Me either!" Hang up.
13. Ask them to repeat everything they say, several times.
14. Tell them it is dinner time, but ask if they would please hold. Put them on your speaker phone while you continue to eat at your leisure. Smack your food loudly and continue with your dinner conversation.
15. Tell the Telemarketer you are on "home incarceration" and ask if they could bring you some beer.
16. Ask them to fax the information to you, and make up a number.
17. Tell the Telemarketer, "Okay, I'll listen to you. But I should probably tell you, I'm not wearing any clothes."
18. Insist that the caller is really your buddy Leon, playing a joke. "Come on, Leon, cut it out! Seriously, Leon, how's your momma?"
19. Tell them you are hard of hearing and that they need to speak up . . . louder . . . louder . . .
20. Tell them to talk very slowly, because you want to write every word down.
NOTICE: The above have all been tested and approved for use on telemarketers. No animals were harmed in the testing.










Comments (Add Comment)
I once saw my "ultra main stream" mother-in-law tell a telemarketer that the owners of the home were away ....in Iceland......on a cruise....they would be gone for a year, she was just the maid and "please call back next October"..... click........ I laughed until tears fell.
replyI have line just for the sale of our house. (I have it listed for the year) My main phone line has become 'our' company phone... long story. Yet, it is unlisted. And now we all have cell phones - it was just time. Well, the "telemarketers" have gotten hold of the number for the sale of my house... and they are out of control! Thanks, for all the input!
:-D :-D :-D These are great tips! And, Patio's mother-in-law sounds like a Hoot! :-D :-D :-D ;-)
replysomething else you could tell them is if they could call back in about 30 minutes your having sex with your wife or girlfriend and have a woman start moaning :-D :-D 8-|
reply:-D :-D :-D :-D I LOVE these responses!! I'm going to have to print this out and leave it by the phone!! ;-) :-D :-D :-D :-D
reply:-D :-D Good ones! And thank God for caller ID. ;-)
replythis has been done before: Act like you are a cop and the person they are asking for has been murdered. treat them as a suspect.
replyI use a variety of things -- one of my favorites, if I have time to play around: I say in a mechanical voice "this call may be recorded for quality control" then I ask them for their name, home phone number and the worst time to call. Sometimes I ask for a credit card number. If they do not give me the information I say "this call cannot continue without the required information" and hang up. ;-)
replyAdd yourself to the joke club again, any of you who are not showing up in mine, thanks!
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