Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Just got told to F Off by cold caller.

205 replies

mummmy2017 · 06/04/2019 12:44

I do laugh about this.
I get a man saying from credit investigations calling.
So I ask him if he got up this morning and is proud of how he was going to scam people, how he can face his family knowing what his job involved..
He told me to F off and hung up...

My child is laughing at me..

OP posts:
Bloodybridget · 06/04/2019 13:13

I once had a (male)scammer call me back, after I'd hung up, saying "fuck you, fuck you, fuck you", which did rather shock me. And one who rang the other day asked me why I was being so rude! I said, because this is a nuisance call.

TalkinPaece · 06/04/2019 13:14

The Microsoft ones are best dealt with by explaining that because it rained recently my windows are nice and clean

The double glazing sellers get told I use linux not Windows

JayoftheRed · 06/04/2019 13:14

I had one the other day, asking to speak to Dave (not real name) because he'd been in an accident which wasn't his fault. I refused to hand over the phone. Why not they asked, we think we can get lots of money for Dave.

Because Dave is my son and he's 6.

They also hung up pretty sharpish!

Triglesoffy · 06/04/2019 13:14

I pretend to be a Chinese Takeaway.

C’mon now what do you want I got customers waiting order please order come on spring rolls very good today order please aaaaarrrrrghhhhhh he cut his fingers off call an ambulance!!

It’s brilliant.

Whitelisbon · 06/04/2019 13:14

I had a call from openreach the other day, letting me know that they were going to cut off my phone if I didn't pay my outstanding bill, and they'd accept credit or debit card payments, but it had to be paid there and then or I was being cut off.
Confused her no end when I told her I didn't have a phone, as the waves would get into my head and cause cancer of the ear and other horrible diseases Grin

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom · 06/04/2019 13:18

I spent a good ten minutes with a accident scammer agreeing that the accident was very bad indeed, in fact I died, I would love compensation but I am a spirit and because of that I can't touch anything so I won't be able to touch the money to use it. She kept saying what do you mean, She was very very confused! I eventually said very clearly I am dead, I am a spirit the crash killed me, I'm very sorry but you are talking to a ghost.

It clicked eventually and she hung up.

Redshoeblueshoe · 06/04/2019 13:19

I have also been dead, have no windows, or internet.

ispepsiok · 06/04/2019 13:20

I had one of these recently. I kept repeating 'hello, hello?' (I was channeling Fawlty Towers I feel) and he got FURIOUS with me! He swore a lot, then hung up on me, then called me back and started shouting 'hello, hello' at me. I got the giggles and it wound him up even more, he called several more times before giving up.

Cosmos45 · 06/04/2019 13:20

I had one yesterday from Big Telephone company yesterday allegedly. They had been phoning and phoning for days but I could never quite get to the phone on time. They phoned to talk about my broadband not working (it was fine). When I explained where I work and asked him to provide his employee number (we are allowed to do this) he went batshit. Started screaming down the phone at me. Prick - I just hung up.

PCohle · 06/04/2019 13:21

I assumed it was a normal cold caller (based on the thread title) not an obvious scam. I'd still just hang up tbh.

Thanks for the many notifications correcting me.

MadSweeney · 06/04/2019 13:21

My latest one, after getting bored with being dead, is to tell them I'm 12 and yes, I fell over on the playground and grazed my knee.
Usually gets the phone put down within seconds 😂

QueenKubauOfKish · 06/04/2019 13:21

I try to be reasonably straightforward and tell them I'm not interested, as I do kind of feel sorry for anyone who has to do that for a job.

But one man tried again to convince me I have a Windows PC when I don't, and I just laughed. He was furious and yelled "You laugh at me? You LAUGH AT ME!!!??? Suck my cock lady!" :o

Original poster
mummmy2017 · 06/04/2019 13:22

The other one I do is I pretend they are an old friend and keep asking how the family is....
By the way had over 30 calls from this company before I started playing with them...

OP posts:
Cheeserton · 06/04/2019 13:24

LOL at 'earning a living'. These people literally lie to and cheat people. They're thoroughly dishonest. But of course, we can't be mean to them, eh? That wouldn't do. 😐

TalkinPaece · 06/04/2019 13:26

I assumed it was a normal cold caller (based on the thread title) not an obvious scam
I've been registered with the TPS for over 20 years
I should get NO cold calls
so any I do get are breaking the law
and thus fair game

QueenKubauOfKish · 06/04/2019 13:28

But you don't know anything about their life - why would anyone do that soul-destroying job unless they're desperate. A lot of the calls come from India where there are even less welfare rights than here.

morefoolyou · 06/04/2019 13:30

I had a call from someone pretending to be from BT. Said that my computer had a virus and he had to fix it, otherwise my broadband would be disconnected.
I kept him on the phone for ages.
I kept pretending that I was trying to follow his instructions, that my computer kept crashing, that it was broken etc.
He was loosing his shit with me. I even pretended to go next door and borrow their laptop.
I had a shower and made breakfast in between pretending that the computer was rebooting.
He was RAGING!!!
The way I see it, I was keeping him from scamming the next person on the phone!
It's strange that I've had no attempted scans since and that was over a year ago!

formerbabe · 06/04/2019 13:31

But you don't know anything about their life

They don't know anything about the people they're phoning. They could be ill, elderly, recently bereaved, suffering with dementia, have learning difficulties. In fact, they'd probably prefer that as it would be easier to con them.

Original poster
mummmy2017 · 06/04/2019 13:32

They know what they are doing.
They get given a script, and are conning people, if the police caught them, they face jail.
Would you be so happy if your parent was caught up in one of their scams, and list thousands.
Also I did say it was credit investigations...

OP posts:
QueenKubauOfKish · 06/04/2019 13:32

Yes I know - what they do is awful. I still feel sorry for them though that that's what they do. I'm a bleeding-heart softie I know.

madcatladyforever · 06/04/2019 13:32

There is somebody who is having complete work burnout.
I'm not surprised in that job.

PeachyPrincess · 06/04/2019 13:33

I LOVE giving those ‘bt’ scammers the run around. I’ve got time to waste (run my own business) so I lost every device in the house to ask what I should use. Then I have to go upstairs to get my laptop. Then it doesn’t have any charge so I have to go to the car for the charger.

Then I can’t remember my password.

The internet isn’t working.

Etc etc etc. All whilst getting some writing done or something.

QueenKubauOfKish · 06/04/2019 13:34

And actually I think more should be done, more effectively, to make this kind of call impossible, by the comms companies. And don't say "how?", I don't know but cold calling should be blocked as a default.

Purplecatshopaholic · 06/04/2019 13:35

I am amazed how many people waste time they wont get back on these calls. I just put the phone down - life is too short. I constantly get calls about my alleged car accident, which drives me demented as I dont currently drive (health issues) and dont have a car! But I would not be rude to the sales people, they are just trying to make a living, albeit a dodgy one!

LadyRannaldini · 06/04/2019 13:35

On the 'being rude' front, a cold caller is the equivalent of someone breaking into my house and I wouldn't feel the need to be polite there either. To use the stupid excuse 'they're trying to earn a living' could equally be applied to burglars.