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Original poster

Do you play along with those 'have you had an accident' cold calls? 😜

96 replies

JFDIYOLO · 04/07/2023 23:44

I usually have some fun … then I spotted a twitter thread and have been taking notes for next time cos I really must up my game!

Some favourites:

'I did the same. Told them I must have amnesia from the accident and I'd like to claim. So they asked me for details, I said I couldn't remember but if they knew I had an accident, they could tell me what happened. Just went round in circles after that till they hung up.'

'I once told an ‘accident’ company during a scam call that my ‘injuries’ had involved decapitation. They continued the call…
I was happy to waste their time and gradually explained that I’d lost my ability to see/hear/speak etc. They just didn’t get it… 🙄'

'Saying you've had both of your legs bitten off by a Giant Crocodile, normally shuts them up.'

What are your favourite answers?

OP posts:
Seeingadistance · 05/07/2023 13:24

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 05/07/2023 13:17

But you'll have gone on a sucker list as someone willing to engage - and their thinking is they might not get you this time, but at some point they will. Engaging is doing exactly what they want.

Show quote history

The ideal technique is to play then block.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 05/07/2023 13:28

The ideal technique is to play then block

As far as I;m concerned the ideal technique is to end the call. But if you're a fan of wasting your time on a futile exercise, crack on.

LittlePoBeep · 05/07/2023 13:39

I had one and let her go through everything I needed to do to make a claim for my injuries and what I could include (injuries, trips to hospitals/doctors, etc) before letting her know I wasn't even in the car when it was hit (was parked outside the house). She hung up on me. Grin

EvenmoreDetermined · 05/07/2023 13:55

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 05/07/2023 13:17

But you'll have gone on a sucker list as someone willing to engage - and their thinking is they might not get you this time, but at some point they will. Engaging is doing exactly what they want.

Show quote history

I'm sure I haven't, I get about 2 or 3 scam calls a year and have never come anywhere close to believing any of them. I'm going to carry on doing what I do thanks.

JamSandle · 05/07/2023 13:56

Yes I do! Try to put them off doing such a horrible job.

marshmallowfinder · 05/07/2023 13:58

Good god no. I've far better things to spend time on.

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 05/07/2023 13:59

I'm going to carry on doing what I do thanks

Never has the phrase 'you need to get a life' seemed more fitting.

RenoDakota · 05/07/2023 14:06

I used to play along but it gave me an uneasy, guilty feeling so I stopped.
Think the feeling was because it is a living, breathing person at the other end and they probably don't need more shit from me on top of already having a shitty job.

EvenmoreDetermined · 05/07/2023 14:50

MrsDanversGlidesAgain · 05/07/2023 13:59

I'm going to carry on doing what I do thanks

Never has the phrase 'you need to get a life' seemed more fitting.

Grin
AmusableDragon · 05/07/2023 15:12

I usually reply with 'oh, it wasn't an accident........', which results in the call being terminated.

ErrolTheDragon · 05/07/2023 15:23

The ideal technique is to play then block.

Except, they can use different numbers.

Nowadays I generally don't answer calls if I don't recognise the number - if it's genuine they can leave a message or text me.

Topseyt123 · 05/07/2023 15:43

I just immediately cut the call and block the number. Yes, I know that at some point they are likely to try again with another number, but I still think it best not to engage with them

That said, I do find some of the replies on this thread entertaining and I see no need to feel sorry for the scammers. They have wrecked many people's lives and have no scruples.

WelshNerd · 05/07/2023 16:20

Never get the accident ones. Did have one about loft installation the other day and normally hand up but she mentioned something about gdpr (which is one of my specialist areas at work) so had an absolute field day quoting legislation at her.

Surely2023IsTheYearForMyRainbowBaby · 05/07/2023 20:09

I usually just say. Well you know more about it than I do and put the phone down. Although one time after another spam caller wouldn't take the hint. Get my DCat to miaow down the phone by waving one of his treats in front of him so he could tell the person on the other end what he'd done that day (lots of snoozing) and what he was having for his tea. It went something like. 'Felix tell the man on the phone what you've done today' miaow miaow miaow. 'Oh really! You've spent all day snoozing have you?' Miaow. 'Tell the man what you're having for your tea' miaow miaow miaow. 'Ooh you're having stinky tuna today are you?' Miaow. Heard fucking time waster yelled down the phone before he put the phone down 😅

PonyPatter44 · 05/07/2023 20:18

I made one cry once 😮 It was one of the "calling about problems with your Windows PC" calls. He had a very strong Indian accent, and was obviously calling from a call centre in India - I told him he spoke brilliant English and seemed lovely, so why was he working for criminal scammers, and weren't his parents ashamed of him? He cried.

I'm still not sure whether I'm ashamed or proud of that moment.

BrightLightTonight · 05/07/2023 20:24

I have asked them which accident are they referring to as there have been three in that year

TheFeistyFeminist · 05/07/2023 20:26

Were you involved in a serious accident?

Yes.

How serious?

I died.

FourChimneys · 05/07/2023 20:34

I turn into a slightly dippy old lady. A problem with my computer? Oh, thank you so much for letting me know, I'm so grateful you have phoned. Is that the black or the silver computer? What's the weather like where you are today by the way? I can't see a problem, it's sitting on the table as normal. Shall I dust it and see if that's better? And so on. Never got beyond about 10 minutes though.

Or if I'm short of time I ask them how fulfilling they find a job making scam phone calls is, and if their mother is proud of them.

BrightLightTonight · 05/07/2023 20:37

I should also add, that once I have spoken to them for some time, I ask how did they get my number as I have telephone preference service and they legally shouldn’t be cold calling me

OutsidInInsideOut · 05/07/2023 21:04

Yes i tell them ive been waiting for their call. As the body of the person i ran down is in my boot and its starting to smell.

EvenmoreDetermined · 05/07/2023 21:19

BrightLightTonight · 05/07/2023 20:37

I should also add, that once I have spoken to them for some time, I ask how did they get my number as I have telephone preference service and they legally shouldn’t be cold calling me

Yes, I quote the TPS at them too if I remember, I don't get many so it seems to work fairly well

FrillyGoatFluff · 05/07/2023 23:04

I go full evangelical on their ass.

'So glad you called! Tell me, have you welcomed the love of Jesus Christ into your life and heart? No? Oh hooo, we've got some talking to do mister!'

They tend to hang up at that point, which is just as well, cos I'd have no idea what to tell them

piesforever · 06/07/2023 06:33

Someone could end up getting fired from their horrible job, you're not funny, leave them alone and hang up.

Denise82 · 06/07/2023 06:48

I did it in person decade's ago, I was about 20 in the middle of Birmingham City centre, I'd been Christmas shopping in town and was walking to get the bus home. This guy stopped me and asked if I'd recently had an accident that wasn't my fault. I replied that yes I had last week actually and I'd broken both my legs terribly! His face lit up before looking down at my perfectly fine legs and realising I was taking the mick, he then laughed and said good one 👍🏻

ForTheSnarkWasABoojumYouSee · 06/07/2023 07:12

EvenmoreDetermined · 05/07/2023 08:36

I just hang up or say no thanks to all the ones pretending to be from Microsoft, EE etc, but somehow the accident ones make me want to string then along. I know it's a shit job etc but I am more concerned about the people being scammed by it all.

Wrong way round. The Microsoft/EE people are thieves preying on the elderly and vulnerable.

The "accident that wasn't your fault" people are selling a legitimate if overpriced product using some questionable sales tactics.

If you had had an accident and responded in good faith to their cold call then they would quite probably have got you some compensation - although they'd have taken a large slug of it themselves. They're comparable to double glazing salesmen - if you engage with a double glazing cold caller you will probably get acceptable but overpriced double glazing out of it.

The reason I know they're legit-ish is that when the laws were changed to take the profit out of small accident claims they stopped calling. If they'd just been running a complicated scam to steal your money they'd have kept calling.

That said, they were very annoying and used dishonest tactics to get leads, so I used to simply say "yes, it was terrible, I died" and hang up while they were trying to think of a response.