Once upon a telemarketer
I’m not sure if it’s coincidence, or if it’s spurred by the addition of a phone line at the house, but the telemarketers and autodialers must have us on speed dial. It’s getting out of hand, and the Do Not Call Registry seems to hold little weight.
The most frequent, and subsequently, the most annoying, are calls that reference the warranty for our cars.
Sure, I realize we’re not the only getting these calls, and I’m probably only making things worse, but I decided to follow through on one:
[Automated prompt to stay on the line for extended warranty coverage; male voice picks up]
Him: Hello?
Me: Hello.
Him: How can I help you?
Me: Um, you called me…
Him: Oh, yes sir. Are you calling about the warranty on your automobile?
Me: Uh, sure.
Him: Okay, well I’ll need to collect some information. Can you tell me the make and model of your car? I’ll also need your social security number so that I can verify your information.
Me: Right. Well, before I give you that, can you tell me again who I’m speaking with?
Him: This is [I can't remember the name].
Me: And the name of the company again? Also, my connection is bad—can you let me know what number I can reach you at should our connection drop?
[Click. Silence.]
And this is why I’m calling for a ban on telemarketing. (Get it?)
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I get these calls several times a week. Not only on my cell phone, but also on my line at work. Somehow they’re calling my extension, bypassing the receptionist.
The fun thing is that I don’t own a car. And I’ve told them this before.
Well, we have cars, none of them covered by factory warranty anymore. I’m pretty sure this is just phone spam – I just wish there were a way to fire back. Do Not Call seems to be pointless if there’s no actual enforcement (I’m sure there is, but by exaggerating I demonstrate my frustration).