I think, by now, everyone has had one of these calls. I have received my first one today (My number is registered with TPS so that's probably why it's taken me so long to receive one). The girl on the 'phone said something like "I understand you've had a car accident recently, is that correct?". I asked her if she found her job satisfying, but she hung up without asking, which I was expecting. I'm actually quite curious as to whether or not anyone in this group has (or knows someone who has) worked as one of these cold-callers. If so, is there much job satisfaction in 'phoning people up who you pretty much know haven't had an accident? I understand those call centred have a high turnover (which probably answers the question).
I've developed a new game in handling this calls, I speak in a high pitched distant voice and say 'can you hear me', 'help me' and 'I know what you did'.
I told them that, yes, I'd had an accident and spent a long time telling them a story about how I'd eaten a very spicy meal and then shat myself on the train home.
I have been with the TPS and recently getting one of these calls every other day, the number is not withheld, which is a surprise, they are calling me on my mobile now, it is a london number but each time it has been someone with a scouse accent and a female. Really think there should be a law against, tried being nice, rude, stupid, mad and foreign and get assured they will take me off the list. I thought the law was coming down hard on these callers now?
I usually say I'm not aware I have had an accident, but if they can get me some free money please go right ahead and do whatever they do, then send me my cheque when they are finished
I've not had experience of working for them, put I used to run a customer support centre but was made redundant. 9 out of 10 job interviews I was offered was to work in or run cold calling sites. I flatly turned them down. Whilst I feel sorry for the people that have to work in these awful jobs, they are actually trying to earn a living rather than dole scrounging. It's a horrible high pressure job and some people are forced into it by the DWP. Please always be polite to these people it's their bosses fault they're bothering you.
I had one today and did the ghostly voice and the woman on the end of the line simply said, 'Ok fine' and hung up. I think she had a secret. I might add that to the repertoire - 'I know your secret.'
"there were no witnesses and I heard the girl made a full recovery, how did you find me?". Or "wow that was quick I am in the ambulance now" We used to phone up teleshopping and see who could talk longest to the person who picked up so I guess I deserve all the spam I get now.
See how long , (and loud) you can keep them on the phone by saying "I'm sorry, you're going to have to speak up, I'm hard of hearing" I've only had one guy shout at me.
I find putting on a thick Irish accent helps, well it doesn't actually help but it always brightens any situation.
Ask them for characters 1 & 4 from their mother's maiden name. If they're stupid enough not to hang up tell them they've failed security and that you can't continue the call and they'll need to call back. Then hang up.
"Yes, I really want to talk about my recent accident, but first of all let me talk to you and ask you whether you've discovered Jesus in your life?"
Someone said earlier, give them a chance as they are trying to do a job, I disagree they are in fact trying to get people money for claims which are not real claims, thus costing the imsurance company's millions of pounds in time and money, the end result being that everyone pays more for their premiums. If you have an accident you claim through your insurance company, you don't wait for someone to ring you on the off chance and claim for you, keeping part of the proceeds!
I always answer something along the lines of 'How did you know? It was about a year ago.' They then start getting excited so I continue: 'It was really hard on the kids, but they are starting to accept that mummy isn't coming back'. This usually doesn't even knock them out of their stride, as they try to find out if we've had any compensation. They are vermin. Whilst I'm on the subject, I got called 4 times in one hour by a 4 different but very similar numbers trying to save me money on my energy bills. No 4 got very, very short shrift.
My mobile contract has recently finished and a company claiming to be acting on behalf of my mobile company keep calling me, very polite and number not withheld and all they are trying to do is get me a phone on credit, I ask for the company name and how they got my details and a number to call them back on and all they say is " on behalf of O2" and they don't receive calls, I then say it is a cold call and they claim they have permission to call me and is not a "cold call" they claim they have got my details from my Mobil provider so they claim they are not doing anything wrong, they then assure me I will be removed from their database and won't contact me again, then the same thing will happen in a month. Looking into it a bit more they are working for a company called "capita" who seem to be a third party providing credit for. People to buy phones, but I may be wrong.
My variant is to say "I only speak English, can you speak in English please" Every time they say anything I ask again "could you please speak English"
