(no subject)

[morwen]

I just had the oddest phone conversation with a cold caller doing a "survey". During it, I claimed that I was 512 years old, that there was nobody else younger than me in the house; that I was not the highest income person in the dwelling, and that that person did not work full-time or part-time but was a member of the idle rich, owning half of London. And he still didn't hang up. Do you think that in fact his claim that he wasn't going to try to sell me something was false?

Comments

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

I take the view that answering telesales calls is an act of charity, as it stops the bastards wasting someone else's time.

However, if you must stop the call, the most effective lie is: "Young man, I'm Eighty-Sheven yearsh of age". Most of the products and services sold over the phone are aimed at a different age bracket and they will terminate the call immediately.

If they don't, your advancing years and deteriorating hearing will make it necessary to request that they repeat themselves. Repeatedly.

You may use the surreal option of increasing confusion (or outright dementia) at your discretion. Overlapping monologues about your great-grandchildren, kittens and gardening are particularly effective.

Joking apart, you should always have a pen and paper by the phone. Take notes as they speak. Asking that they identify themselves, their employer, and state clearly their data protection policy - you know the drill.