or perhaps racist?

[pingu2209]

I must have 1 call every 20 mins trying to sell me something, at leat 80% of the time it is someone with an Indian accent. If I answer the phone now and the person has an Indian accent I put the phone down. In fact, I have decided not to answer the phone before 8pm, much to the annoyance of friends and family.

I usually try to distract them by asking what city they are in and what's their real name and asking about the cricket in summer time.

I used to get a lot of them even when I was on TPS (which helped) and ex-directory (helped more) but still got them. Turned out I had a recycled phone number. It used to be very funny to ask them about the weather. Also funny because my name, maiden name and DH's surname are almost impossible to say in an Indian accent.

Then we moved to an area where the phone numbers are really old and therefore most are 5 digit numbers. I've not had a single one in almost a year.

So, um, move house? least helpful advice ever

'Hanging up on people with an indian accent is racist yes. '

But not if they are trying to get you sign up to their ppi offer.

I get that loads. I hang up on them all the bloody time but I know the difference betweeen them and my family (lots of indian accents there). My family usually say hi and my name.

Tell them that you need to get your brother as he's had power of attorney since coming out of the home - they usually don't phone back on that one.

I'm sorry x is now in prison call back in 10 years.

Record a gun shot on your mobile then play it back and scream 'I've been shot!'

Pretend you are a CSI and ask why they are calling a murder victim ask them where they were between the hours of x and y.

Tell them that the person they have called have moved and their new number is 0171 930 9000 (It's MI5)

Haven't tried the last 3 yet but I've got the shot recorded.

EvilIsAGiftTiggaxx

the other day I got a call saying there was something wrong with my computer. I have had this before.

I said unfortunately my computer wasn't working which was true. I am always polite but I get fed up with these sorts of calls. especially if you rush to answer the phone and think it is a relative etc or something important.

Used to have an old lady who dialled our number my mistake frequently.

"Hello Rose, did you watch Eastenders tonight".

"sorry you have got the wrong number"

I humoured her for a while but did get a bit upset when she rang past midnight with my DH having to get up really early and kids were young. When the phone rings late you always think something terrible has happened don't you? Well I do.

Hate being rang past 9 p.m. TBH.

These threads about phone calls keep coming up and each time I post this link.

This box is very clever and can screen callers - including from abroad - before you even get a ring.

www.truecall.co.uk/home.aspx

We're also registered with TPS, have registered several times over the years but we still get loads of these calls

I got a block put on the line by BT to stop calls from withheld numbers - any friends or family with a withheld number have to put a code in before they dial our number. It's stopped a lot of them. We've also got call minder and our phone allows you to add numbers to a barred list (it just rings out their end, without ringing my end) so I google any number I don't recognise then bar it

Sorry if this has already been mentioned upthread, but plenty of Indian people do genuinely have 'western' names. Especially if they are from Kerala - many of them are Christian and English style names are an influence from back in the days when British missionaries were commonplace.

I live in the middle east and I have known plenty of Indians with English names - and sometimes they don't even speak English!

We seem to attract people doing surveys and less occasionally selling stuff. None from India, and I really couldn't care less about the accent, it's annoying when anyone bugs you but there are plenty of people in the UK with Indian accents too. We get the automated calls, sometimes from apparent bailiffs. I can't imagine that they get much joy from them, but I guess they are very cheap. Our school district also sends out calls like that for snow days and other info, so we don't hang up instantly.

A couple of days ago I got a call from a newspaper subscription department, I told the very polite and persuasive lady that her sales pitch was excellent but I had no interest whatsoever in her product. I don't think it's always necessary to be rude (although if the other person is abusive that's a totally other matter).

Caller ID seems like the obvious thing to do for the OP, then she doesn't have to pick up at all. Every 20 minutes seems crazy.

Had the pensions one yet?

I think my best line was "exactly why would I want to discuss financial information with a little girl in a call centre?"

Patronising as hell but I was particularly pissed off and yes, normally I am polite and realise they are only doing their job.

Or the - "Can I speak to Mr Bush?"
"Can I ask who is calling?"
"its confidential"
"Phone him on his line, this is my telephone number"

We don't get many now, unless self-inflicted as we have previously used the company. We have TPS and ex-directory and cable - so our number isn't a standard number in this area.

We used to, but it was quite fun getting someone to go through a long quote, then at the end say that was great, if they could send it in writing so we could pass on to our landlord, as we would love to have double glazing fitted. As a student dh even let someone quote (on the doorstep) for windows having sent him round to count all 96 of them in his ancient but beautiful hall of residence, before asking them to send it to the university. Saying you don't have the authority works all the time, though maybe kinder on them to tell them at the begining.