Cold caller techniques

[Karnidge 2]

This was posted by rach in the Important news thread, think it's brilliant:

 

 

Cold-call victim gets his own back

 

Leeds man sets up personal 0871 telephone number and makes 10p a minute from businesses and cold callers

 

Cold-call victim Lee Beaumont has taken revenge on his telephone tormentors by turning his home number into an 0871 premium rate line – and has so far made more than £300 from the calls he has received.

Beaumont, 25, was getting fed up about the number of nuisance calls he was receiving, particularly those offering to help him claim for mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI), so he started looking at ways to stem the tide. Then he realised there was money to be made.

In November 2011 the self-employed designer paid £10 plus VAT to set up his personal 0871 number, which sits on top of the normal Leeds 0113 number used by his friends and family.

He bought an 0844 and an 0871 number but said he used the latter "because it's more revenue for me".

Calls cost 10p a minute from landlines, from which he receives 7p.

"I was getting peed off with getting PPI calls when I was trying to watch Coronation Street and Heartbeat," Beaumont told the Guardian. "Originally I got the 08 number to get them to stop. But when I started making money I thought 'this is better'."

He acknowledged it was satisfying to have turned the tables on the cold callers, and indicated the move had succeeded in cutting the nuisance calls he received. At the beginning he was making around £7 a month, so the number paid for itself in less than two months.

However, as news of his unusual venture has spread, and with media outlets keen to speak to him, his phone has been ringing non-stop – sending more money his way. "Over the last three days I've had literally hundreds [of calls]." Beaumont said it was very easy to set up the premium rate number: he found a company online – which he said he had been advised not to name – and paid a one-off £10 plus VAT, with no other fees or charges.

On a Which? online forum, Beaumont – who has a website that carries the 0871 number – said: "I look for ways to get companies to call me." When he opens a new bank account, switches energy supplier and so on, and the company asks for his home number, he gives them the 0871 number.

"Sometimes they ask why. I am honest and say it's so I make 10p per minute when companies call me ... Three days ago I had a problem with my Ocado shop. I tweeted them and they asked me to call an 0845 number. I refused and asked them to call my 0871 number. I posted this in a open tweet so if cold callers pick up on that number, it will help me make a few more quid if they phone me." Ocado did phone him on the number and sorted out the problem, he added.

Beaumont is not alone in taking action against cold calls – in October 2012 Richard Herman told how he had won cash from a claims management company to compensate him for wasting his time with calls.

The premium rate service regulator, PhonepayPlus, has issued a warning to others thinking about copying Beaumont, saying that people could land themselves in trouble.

"Premium rate numbers are not designed to be used in this way and we would strongly discourage any readers from adopting this idea, as they will be liable under our code for any breaches and subsequent fines that result," a spokesman said.

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Any other good strategies?

[Slippery Jim 65]

There's the guy who pretended to be a homicide detective investigating a murder at the called home.

That's ROTFLMAO brilliant, even though it's probably just a spoof.

[Chriselle 158]

I don't get the genius DiGriz?

[Chriselle 158]

Slightly off topic but..Look up crank yankers on youtube.....some funny prank calls.

[Mantas 3]

I like this. They are right up there with mosquitos in the nuisance rankings.

[Alexander L 80]

As annoying as cold callers are, I sometimes empathize with the shitty jobs they are doing. They probably hate it as much as we hate them.

 

Sometimes I let them get their first paragraph in and then just butt in and say "thanks, but no thanks, bye bye" and sometimes I just hang up.

 

But most times now, if I see a number I don't recognise, I just cut them off.

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

I just tell them to go away.

Do both of us a favor.

[Alexander L 80]

the calls aren't of their choosing. The system dials the number and they mutter the words. They can't take you off the database even if they wanted to.

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

the calls aren't of their choosing. The system dials the number and they mutter the words. They can't take you off the database even if they wanted to.

 

Yeah, I've noticed that. Get calls from the same outfits trying to interest me in dodgy real estate investments or platinum futures year after year.

Still tell them to dork off early on, and save their breath for someone else.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

We have a Do Not Call register here in Aus. It is supposed to prevent this from happening if you register your phone number.

However there are a lot of exceptions...

I've been inundated with charity donation calls - multiple per day. It feels BAD saying it is annoying, and you feel like a jerk saying no...but the more I said yes to the more I got called...so now the answer is NO.

[Slippery Jim 65]

I don't get the genius DiGriz?

do a search on phone salesman prank & tom mabe, Chris, but not in a place where laughter is inappropriate.

[fukdane 2]

We have a Do Not Call register here in Aus. It is supposed to prevent this from happening if you register your phone number.

However there are a lot of exceptions...

I've been inundated with charity donation calls - multiple per day. It feels BAD saying it is annoying, and you feel like a jerk saying no...but the more I said yes to the more I got called...so now the answer is NO.

 

Shouldn't, and isn't.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

We have a Do Not Call register here in Aus. It is supposed to prevent this from happening if you register your phone number.

However there are a lot of exceptions...

I've been inundated with charity donation calls - multiple per day. It feels BAD saying it is annoying, and you feel like a jerk saying no...but the more I said yes to the more I got called...so now the answer is NO.

 

Shouldn't, and isn't.

I know. But I am that girl... You know. The one who always does the 'right' thing even when it is approaching martyrdom.

I am learning to say NO. But it doesn't come naturally.

[1 4]

I think you should give them all a bunch of cash, Mamabear.

 

(I'll call in about 10 minutes, ok?)

[Tubby Beaver 209]

middle class christian guilt, MB.....don't give in to it!!

[HelperElfMissy 42]

so true Tubby. I blame my Ma. She is just the same.

 

I have zero issues stringing the "Your computer has a virus and if you just log on and give me all your bank account details..." callers. LOVE making them think they have a live one on the line and then after about 20 minutes of playtime saying 'You are a dirty dirty scammer and I am thrilled to have occupied your time saving one poor old innocent granny from being ripped off".

 

But it's the 'Thank you so much for your previous support of the fight against women's cancers/special event movie night for children with disabilities/disabled sports association etc etc...without your help.."

 

ARGH!!!

 

They just know how to poke the 'mother guilt/Christian guilt/whatever other guilt' you like button.

 

Personally I think telemarketing is a blight.

It shouldn't be allowed.

Neither should door to door.

Your home is your castle, and it should be off limits.

 

Fair enough set up a table at a local shopping mall.

Send emails and post appeals (people can look at that and disregard or decide to support all in their own good time).

[Alexander L 80]

I know. But I am that girl... You know. The one who always does the 'right' thing even when it is approaching martyrdom.

I am learning to say NO. But it doesn't come naturally.

 

How long did it take to get to first base then?

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Well, now...the RIGHT thing there is a lady never kisses and tells

 

 

Back to telemarketers/cold callers...I MOST hate when they call with a Private/Blocked number. Hate hate hate people calling with no ID.

Hate it even more when they then don't leave a message.

[Error404 0]

Door to door. Hate that. Except for the Jehovahs of course.

[Alexander L 80]

No door to door here. Security would stop them at the gate to the estate. Except for the Jehovahs of course.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

My trio of canines prevent anyone coming past the front gate.

 

INCLUDING the Jehovahs

[Alexander L 80]

Ain't nothing in this world can stop Jehovahs

[stemik 14]

my previous office was across the road from a large call center.

We poached two of their employees. They became our best sales people.

One of them could talk the hind leg off a donkey.

[Alexander L 80]

what would it take to talk off a front leg?

[634-maru 4]

Ain't nothing in this world can stop Jehovahs

 

Screening.