Friday, June 12, 2009

Just say no

I have heard before of a scam telemarketers do where they just try and get you to say yes at some point during your conversation then can splice up their recording to make it sound like you said yes to whatever crap they are selling. I make it a point to never say yes on the phone to telemarketers. Today I think I may have been signed up for a stupid extended warranty, what do you think:


ring, ring.
me: Hello.
bastard: Mrs. blahblah {important to know this is a real person, not automated}.
me: This is she (I never respond with a yes). 
bastard: A few weeks ago you received some crap in the mail that is totally bogus for an extended warranty on your vehicle. We noticed that you did not renew this fake warranty and wanted to give you an extra opportunity to let us steal your money. Would you like to renew your warranty?
me: No, we are not interested and could you please remove our name from your call list (learned this while doing telephone surveys, if someone ever specifically says 'remove my name/number from your call list' they legally must do so and not call you anymore). 
bastard: don't even know what he was saying. mumbling on about his warranty as if I had never said anything.
me: I said no we do not want that and remove our number from your call list. 
bastard: still going with his script as if I had never said anything.
me: Remove us from the call list.
bastard: warranty will be good for. . .
me: Are you deaf, I said no and take us off the call list.
bastard: Mrs. blahblah
me: Yes (damnit argh)
bastard: hangs up. 

Ugh, he caught me. The number he was calling from did not show up on caller ID and when I tried *69 it said it could not tell from where the last call came. I better not have been signed up on some scam!!

13 people are laughing with me:

The Wades said...

Loved this! I didn't know that yes trick, I just know they are relentles.

What's with the car warranties now a days?? Geez, they're all over the place!

The Wades said...

^less!

Anonymous said...

Oh man! That made me laugh, I am so sorry! I have been having a similar thing happening to me, which I was planning on blogging on, lol... but then maybe that would make me a copy cat. Oh well!:)

Keri said...

I'm with Michelle! I loved this post! (Sorry if your signed up...) But, this was so funny!

Kim said...

Regina!
Great post! These calls have been driving me crazy. This reminded me of something important. Even savvy people I know did not know this...
I read somewhere that it is the last 4 digits of your SSN that are crucial. The first 5 apparently indicate the year and state you are born, the last 4 digits are random.
I got a call 2 times from some person that sounded really legit, claiming they needed just the last 4 digits of my husband's SSN so they could confirm an order that he placed with them for his work.
Thank goodness, I remembered this info. because I almost gave it to her. Then, I started questioning her, and it all got suspicious. She actually questioned that I wouldn't give her the last 4 digits of his SSN. (Like, why are you calling me instead of him at work?) and got defensive! That's when I knew it was garbage...

Also, these annoying phone calls get away with it by being computer calls. Try punching in the number to talk to a person to sign up for their program. When you reach a live person, then employ the "take me off your list."
I've done it twice for the warranty people...hope it works this time....

Heather said...

that's why we don't answer the phone, yuck.

Shelly said...

i'm with heather... we don't answer the phone. only if it's a number i know... i never answer 800-type nos.

good laugh from this post... sorry if you indeed did sign-up! :P

regan said...

we get this same vehicle warranty one quite a bit. i never answer-thank God for whoever invented caller id-but they do leave messages.
i didn't know his name was bastard though....but it makes sense. it totally fits his personality:)

Our life is a bowl of Barry's said...

I can still get away with claiming to be the babysitter!! I can't stand telemarketers....we have an unlisted number but every once in a while one sneaks through....

Auntie Nee said...

That really stinks. Hope you didn't sign up. Keep us informed. really funny

Anonymous said...

I haven't heard of that trick. Hopefully it isn't true, it would be outright fraud. Good luck! I have started not even listening at all.

Telemarketer: "Blah, blah, blah..."

Me: "I am not interested in buying anything over the phone, remove this number from your list." Hang up.

There is NOTHING I want that a telemarketer will call me for, so there is no point in even listening.

Laura The Crazy Mama said...

Eeeeeheheheheheeee!

Aubrey said...

Big dumb jerks.