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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

....to persistently ignore....

29 replies

SnapFrakkleAndPop · 31/03/2011 15:37

....calls from a company trying to sell me something in the hope they'll give up?

They've called me 5 times so far today, left 2 messages and are generally annoying me. I don't want to call them up because then I'll be trapped on the phone for ages. They didn't accept 'I don't want to buy this product' and told me that they'd call back today once I'd had time to think about it.

OP posts:
valiumredhead · 31/03/2011 15:39

Do you really need to ask?!!! YANBU

VinegarTits · 31/03/2011 15:39

personally i would answer and tell them to cockoff and stop harrassing me

longislandicetea · 31/03/2011 15:40

YANBU. How annoying is that!

What are they trying to sell you? It's clearly not chocolate or alcohol Grin

Hammy02 · 31/03/2011 15:43

YANBU. I think cold-calling should be illegal. I especially feel for old/disabled people that struggle to the phone only to find its a sales call. Who the hell actually buys anything these people are selling? There must be some gullible naive people out there!

VinegarTits · 31/03/2011 15:44

next time answer and say 'im just putting you on hold...' then put the phone next to the stereo with on repeat and go out

valiumredhead · 31/03/2011 15:44

If you just let the ansaphone take the call, the hang up - do it a few times and they won't bother. I screen ALL our calls.

Finger · 31/03/2011 15:45

Answer the call, tell them you'll be right back then put the receiver down but don't hang up. See how long they hold on for. My record is 7 minutes

VinegarTits · 31/03/2011 15:46

or pretend you a bit deaf and batty and say something 'Mavis is that you dear? how did you get on at the doctors dear?' 'whats that you say...you have Piles dear?'

Slightlyreluctantexpat · 31/03/2011 15:53

Just sign up to the Telephone Preference Service www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/

Desperateforthinnerthighs · 31/03/2011 15:54

get a whistle and blow it down the phone - that'll deafen them for sure!

2madboys · 31/03/2011 16:01

I second telephone preference service. Anglian Windows were the sole reason we signed up when they were constantly pestering us, especially at mealtimes. We still sometimes get calls from people but as soon as they know we are registered they apologise and ring off. Remember though, that it's your phone - I'll quite happily just say no thanks to someone and put the phone down.

droves · 31/03/2011 16:04

when we get a sales call , i give the phone to my autistic dd , on speakerphone and listen with amusement as she confuses them .

its usually hillarious. She thinks shes talking to Mr tumble or whatever dvd that shes been watching.

LadyThumb · 31/03/2011 16:07

It really annoys me when people say "sign up to the TPS" - they DO NOT screen calls from abroad!

JenniL1977 · 31/03/2011 16:08

They can't do this. Report them to OffCom. And register with the TPS.

chickbean · 31/03/2011 16:08

Don't blow a whistle down the phone - I know it's annoying, but it's not the poor person who is phoning you's fault. They probably have no idea that you have been called so many times.

Can you not just say, please do not call again or I will report your company to the ??? ombudsman? Or, sign up to the Telephone Preference Service and then tell the next person that you have done so and will be reporting them if they call again.

TwoWeeSausages · 31/03/2011 16:09

I would contact OFCOM as companies are only allowed to cold call you twice a day. Also, once you have advised you are not interested, they must remove your number from their dialler.

Original poster
SnapFrakkleAndPop · 31/03/2011 16:11

Non-UK but will investigate the equivalent of TPS. I would divert all calls but then I would miss anything important coming through.

So I'm left with screening the number and letting it ring out Angry

OP posts:
chickbean · 31/03/2011 16:12

Oops - just read LadyThumb - I have found that the TPS is good for most sales calls - just those "congratulations, you have won .... calls get through, as they are from overseas.

Which company is it? I am getting daily calls from TalkTalk at the moment - we are customers of theirs, so the TPS does not apply, but they won't talk to me because I'm not the account holder and my husband won't ring them back.

BringBackGoingForGold · 31/03/2011 16:14

'I'm not interested; please take my number off your mailing list. Thank you! .' Say it fast enough that they can't interrupt.

Or just take Vinegar's advice and tell them to cock off Grin

valiumredhead · 31/03/2011 16:34

If you just put the phone down as soon as you realise it's a company, they will take you off their list of people to call themselves.

Slightlyreluctantexpat · 31/03/2011 17:07

Lady Thumb, no the TPS doesn't cover the cold calls from abroad but if you didn't sign up for the TPS you would have loads more calls than if you didn't. It is still worth doing it.

thisisyesterday · 31/03/2011 17:08

aswer the phone ad then just leave it somewhere

costs them money

Nicknamesallused · 31/03/2011 17:14

I just say,'sorry I can't afford it'. Works every time,without taking it out on telesales.

GloriaSmut · 31/03/2011 18:22

I'm on the TPS. However, this is of no help at all with the nuisances who pretend to be Orange as they attempt to ambush my phone contract. Bastards. Right now I'm getting at least 4 calls a week directly to my mobile. Are Orange interested? Are they fuck.

chickbean · 31/03/2011 18:23

I have also found "I'm only renting" works for quite a lot of cold callers.

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