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From: tneff@bfmny0.bfm.com (Tom Neff)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Dealing with Telemarketers
Message-ID: <14702@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 14 Nov 90 00:48:18 GMT
Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu
Reply-To: Tom Neff <tneff@bfmny0.bfm.com>
Organization: TELECOM Digest
Lines: 40
Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 822, Message 10 of 14


I discovered a really fun way to deal with telemarketers!

*RING* *RING*

ME: Hello?

TM: Hello, is this Thomas Neff?

ME: Yes, can I help you?

TM: Well Mr Neff, I'm calling from XXXXX and I was wondering if you had
    a few moments to talk about blah blah blah blah.......

(I wait for the whole sentence to finish -- don't cut him off)

ME: What number are you calling from?

TM: Um... urgh... errr... um....  Well have you heard about our blah
    blah blah....?

ME: I asked you what number you're calling from.

TM: Well... <frantically searching his scripts for something to say>
    Perhaps this isn't a good time to call you...

ME: No, it's a fine time to call.  What number are you calling from?

TM: <...pause...>

*CLICK*

I've done this three times recently, with only minor variations.  It is
more fun than ice cream!  The poor TM slaves have to go by their
carefully prepared scripts, but nothing has prepared them for my
perfectly reasonable non-answerable question!  I can't be accused of
abusive behavior, yet they MUST hang up!

Pass it on ... it would be terrific if a few thousand exchanges like
the above took place this month :-)