Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

To be sooooooo annoyed that I gave a barage of abuse to the wrong person.

20 replies

missymoomoomee · 08/08/2012 17:00

I have been repeatedly called by some stupid company either trying to lend me money or claim compensation for a non existent accident I've never talked long enough for them to tell me, I have said EVERY time they called I'm not interested and not to call again. In the past 2 weeks I have had at least 30 probably more calls from the same number and they haven't said anything at all. Today I was up to my eyes in cleaning, cooking, moody kids, packing etc I had about 4 million things to do and it happened again. I snapped and called back and told them I am finding this annoying and could they please take my number off their computers as I have repeatedly said I'm not interested, the guy then launched into his whole speech - 'well actually the reason we were trying to call you is that we wanted to see if you wanted....'. Well the language that came out of my mouth would have made a sailor blush and then he said (bearing in mind I am i my 30's with 4 children) 'well there is no need for that type of language young lady.' I told him exactly where he could stick his patronising words and his bloody phonecalls. Then he said 'OK I've taken you off our list but I'm only trying to earn a living'. I hung up and now I feel a bit bad actually, I was annoyed at the company and took it out on some guy just trying to do his job. I know I really WBU but I also know I will do it again if they catch me in a mood. Is everyone else polite with these idiots people?

OP posts:

TeapotsInJune · 08/08/2012 17:04

i don't think you WBU to be honest - I get these constantly and it's beyond annoying.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 08/08/2012 17:14

This is the point where I would usually say, use the Telephone Preference Service. Except I registered with them years ago, and last night sodding Oxfam cold-called!

It's been pretty good up until now though. We're also ex-directory, and not on the "for sale" electoral roll. (We are on the private one.)

BMW6 · 08/08/2012 17:19

I thought cold calling was illegal? Don't companies who mget caught doing this get fined?
YANBU - he launched into the patter AFTER you had told him you were not interested and were fedi up with all the calls. He asked for both barrells imo.

BTW telephone preference service is supposed to stop cold callers but the ones from abroad still get through IME.

HappyAsChips · 08/08/2012 17:20

Yanbu. I can't stand these kinds of annoying calls. If the first idiot had done what you asked and taken you off the list in the first place, you wouldn't have had to be shouty or sweary with the last one. So you can blame the first idiot!

BMW6 · 08/08/2012 17:25

I particularly "enjoy" the calls from overseas, who have such poor English / strong accent that I can barely understand a bluddeh word they are saying!
(at some point I can usually make out the word "broadbandings")

JustFabulous · 08/08/2012 17:28

Years ago someone suggested I say "can you hang on a minute?" and then just put the phone on the table and carry on with my evening.

Now I usually say they are not supposed to ring me as I am on the TPS and they either hang up without another word or say "that doesn't apply to us."

Salmotrutta · 08/08/2012 17:30

Well, it is an offence to be abusive to someone on the phone ....

I'm always polite but brusque IYSWIM.

BlueberryPancake · 08/08/2012 17:32

yes I did the same, I gave a bucket load of abuse to one cold caller - the 4th one on that day - only to be told back 'but it wasn't me who made the other three calls, was it?' So now I have registered with the telephone preference service and I receive a lot less calls, and when I do I just hang up without saying a word. I know it's rude but I don't have time to hang around waiting for them to go through their opening speech. I just hang up.YANBU

yellowraincoat · 08/08/2012 17:32

Why be abusive? Just hang up the phone.

KickTheGuru · 08/08/2012 17:34

Find out their details, then report them

If you're on the telephone preference service, you can report them as well.

I find a nice snotty, "according to this act and law of this year, if you do not immediately remove me from your database, I will report you and the company xxx"

CecilyP · 08/08/2012 17:34

Waht you need is caller display. Then save all your friends and family's numbers in your phone's memory and then if a number comes up without name you can just ignore. Works for me. I assume if it is something important, they will leave a message but they never do!

AmandaLF · 08/08/2012 17:36

My husband fell out with someone. They phoned back and told him if he wasn't happy to change his number!

WithoutCaution · 08/08/2012 17:40

I normally politely ask how they got my number and then tell them to remove it from their lists. Have also asked for their line manager and complained/requested the removal of my number from their records

SoupDragon · 08/08/2012 17:43

You told him you were fed up with it, wanted your name removed and that you weren't interested but he still went on and launched into his spiel. Don't feel bad.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 08/08/2012 18:11

I think you were fine, TBH.

Anyone who lectures you on your language when they've persistently disturbed you with unwanted crap in your own home is being a prick.

eurochick · 08/08/2012 18:14

My response is usually a firm but polite "This is a private ex-directory number. Please explain to me how you go it." They usually hang up.

DoItOnce · 08/08/2012 18:21

YANBU, feel free to scream at them
Telephone preference service
Ex-directory
Don't give out your number if possible.
Caller ID

If the call is a survey from abroad it may well still be from a British Company. One of the biggest is Phruit They specialise in phoning from abroad and using surveys . This means they are exempt from the Telephone Preference Service requirements. They then sell the information they have obtained from you to various companies. They do have an opt out form on their website but it asks for lots of details so I would be nervous of filling it I .

Not surprisingly, they make it hard to contact them. However, their employees emails are [email protected]. I emailed several of their staff asking how I could remove my number from their database but I didn't get any replies. It is easy to find out the employee names from a bit of googling (LinkedIn etc).
They are are big company with lots of prestigious customers including Oxfam, vodacom, Carphone Warehouse etc but it is totally unacceptable to me to make uninvited and unwanted spammy calls to private numbers, even if they were managed to find a way to do it legally
Unfortunately , there is not much you can do about truly spam/scam calls from India etc., although I can't understand why BT can't do anything about them.

Rant over...

Original poster

missymoomoomee · 08/08/2012 18:26

I forgot about the tps I'll go and register with them right now. My phone did have caller display but since I changed companies it doesn't come up any more. I'm ex directory and how they got my number is anyones guess as I don't put my number on forms or online for anything. I maybe over-reacted but he was being a total dicksplash, I was polite until he took my asking him to remove my number to mean 'please go and try and sell me whatever it is you are selling'. I feel a bit less guilty for berating the guy now, I know he has a job to do, but he was still being an arse. I might try that 'just hang on a minute' trick next time though

OP posts:

DoItOnce · 08/08/2012 18:31

Another good thing to do is to remove you and your families electoral roll details from 192.com. You have to fill out a form and send it to them but it means your details are no longer searchable. The form is at the bottom of section three - Electoral Roll
I printed of a whole load of forms for several households (family, friends etc) and sent them in in one big batch.

Original poster

missymoomoomee · 08/08/2012 18:38

Great advice Doit thank you. I doubt that particular company will be calling me back but I did get another company who told me they could only remove me from their database if I confirmed my DOB and postcode. They were told to ram it as well, as if I would be giving out any personal details over the phone.

OP posts:

Flip