Accidents Helpline cold caller told me to get fucked!

[Primafacie]

AIBU to post this here to name and shame that company?

They are calling us all the time. We have tried everything - humour, politeness, hanging up. This time I just lost it, and told the guy " I don't know how to impress on you that we don't want you calling. We don't even have a car. Please put your boss on the line so I can get my message across". To which he replied "Fuck you!", and hung up.

Smooth. Very smooth.

Gah. I was having a good day so far.

[Primafacie]

Update - I can report that Accidents Helpline are still calling us all the time, and no amount of pleading, humour or stern warnings will convince them to delete our number from their list as we DON'T HAVE A CAR. I had one more guy hanging up on me recently, and another one telling me that I shouldn't complain as they are "just doing their job". I replied "really? So the 'Fuck You' bit, is that part of your script?"

And yet they keep calling, so I've come here for a refresher on your techniques. There are so gems here - I may print this thread and keep by the phone :o

[purplemurple1]

My grandad use to keep them on the phone and try to sell them things from his house (plants normally), he always found it funny when they are trying to get off the phone and trying to explain why they don't want to buy anything.

[Jestrin]

TPS does not stop all calls. I asked BT and even they said that they can't 'stop' overseas calls. I have TPS and I am still getting bloomin' cold calls day in, day out.

[YouTheCat]

Answer them with 'Hello, fraud squad' and see how fast they hang up.

[Whothefuckfarted]

I always say REALLY enthusiastically, "Oh yes! I have been looking at getting whatever they are selling hold on one second I just need to shut the dog in the kitchen"

Then I just leave the phone on the side and every now and then go back to it and say "Sorry about that, are you still there? Oh.. hold on one second I need to bla bla bla"

I carry on like that till they're gone.

[Wbdn28]

I'm always tempted to tell the double-glazing ones that we have no windows

[BreadNameBread]

Did you do the things suggested down thread? Remove your details from 192.com etc
Also call them on 01536 486218 (this is a Kettering, UK, dialling code which is where the company is based) and tell them to remove ALL your details from ALL their databases and inform them that they do not have your permission to call you. Insist that they confirm that they have done so.
I got this number from the privacy part of their website.

You have to be proactive about nuisance calls. I follow up any I recieve and now I barely get any. It seems a bit OTT but it works.

[DingbatsFur]

I had a call from a company claiming to be the TPS but they wanted my debit card details. Total scammers, the TPS is free.

[MrsWinn]

I just got one of these - supposedly from Accident Helpline, but know from searching the web that they are NOT from Accident helpline, as they don't cold call. I told the 'foreign' chap that I knew they weren't from accident helpline as they didn't cold call and he just hung up.
Constantly getting the ones from the Microsoft scam, unfortunately TPS cannot do anything about these calls as they originate from outside UK. I am looking into getting a phone that does not allow calls from withheld numbers (which these all are).

[pharmgirl]

get Caller ID and don't pick up from any number you do not recognise. Also, if the call is from a "number witheld" phone, then the caller ID will say so. It's really simple and has made life a lot easier--I work from home and the calls used to drive me mad.

[Castlemilk]

I heard a really funny response the other day. My friend's sister (she has been getting very annoyed by the volume of calls). They started the spiel and asked her for name or whatever - she responded 'Ooooooooooo'. (in woo voice not sexy voice). Then to every attempt to get her to tell them anything she varied between 'Oooooooo' 'Eeeeeeeee' 'Whaaaaaaaa' 'Ammmmmmm' and similar. They eventually hung up, no swearing, think they thought it simply wasn't worth it - I don't think they were sure they were even through to a human being.

It sounded so funny when she told it. I can see now her sitting patiently trying not to laugh going 'Oooooooooooo' down the phone.

[Castlemilk]

Yup pharm, if I don't recognise a number on my mobile - I never answer. Never. Never have. I rarely get selling calls...Don't know whether this helps, that they ring so often and genuinely remove your number from the list if there is NEVER an answer.

[somewheresomehow]

name and shame and report to ofcom

[windchime]

I have stopped answering my home phone and just wait for messages. Scammers and cold callers don't usually leave one

[MrSheen]

I had rape threats when I said I didn't want to upgrade my mobile. Tossers. Haven't answered the house phone to unknown numbers for about 2 years.

[Greyhound]

Similar thing happened to me with a British Gas person trying to sell me something. I told him, politely, that I didn't require the item and he got very rude indeed. I was having a bad day anyway, and it really upset me. I told him that he was being very rude and would report him. I did report him and got a letter back apologising for this man's behaviour and was told he was being 'retrained' - hope he got fired.

[ProfYaffle]

I've found that if you ask for the name of the company, some of them (not all) get twitchy and know they're about to be reported to TPS so they back off and don't call any more.

I now only have one repeated call, I think it's from one company pretending to be others, they all have vague names like Government Awareness Service ("I'm aware of the Government thank you", "No you're not!") or the Insulation Information Centre. Tbh it's pointless engaging, I just terminate the call as soon as I realise.

Similarly on my mobile I just don't answer numbers I don't recognise.

[furcoatbigknickers]

Have you named and shamed? If not please do.

[IgnoreMeEveryOtherFuckerDoes]

I done a high pitched squeal done the phone it bloody worked because my house phone rarely rings now whereas before it was several times again.

The nice approach, the hanging up, the angry approach failed.

It's bit like when sky and all those other companies hound you in street I just tell them I live in a tent, they have no come back to that.

[Trollsworth]

Put a child on the phone. I don't mean an assertive fifteen year old, I mean a child who is still in nappies.

[ProfYaffle]

Have I named and shamed to the TPS? No, but I did intend to. I found that the more 'legit' companies realised what I was doing, most of them asked "Are you going to report us to the TPS?" and then there were no more repeat calls.

Now I'm just down to the ones who announce their made up name from the get go. There's no point reporting because it doesn't actually exist and TPS can't do anything anyway.

[Muddledupme]

I'm not sure if this has been suggested but I always say " I have to inform you that all my calls are recorded for monitoring purposes" it instantly ends that call and prevents any further ones.

[PongPongPlease]

Bumply DH once did that with a conservatory cold call. He went as far as setting up the appointment, then when the time came for the address and the caller was counting his commission, he gave the local high rise tower block and instructions for which lift to use

[PongPongPlease]

Oops, somewhat of a zombie thread