What is the polite reply to a cold caller...

Martin Underwood

IPGURU wrote in message
HhRUh.1533$.net:

> Allan Gould wrote:
>> What is the polite reply to a cold caller who rings me at an
>> inconvenient time and starts babbling about my having won a special
>> offer to be double-glazed?
>>
>> Times, Sat 14 April 2007
>>
>>
>>
>> :-)
> Another good one is:
>
> I'm sorry I only do business with reputable companies
>
> But sir we are a reputable company
>
> Reputable companies do not resort to unsolicited calls.

Now that is a good one: "reputable companies do not resort to unsolicited
calls" - I'll have to remember that one next time I get bothered by
unsolicited calls.

Peter

On Mon, 16 Apr 2007 10:01:14 +0100, wrote:

>On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 15:08:51 +0100, Allan Gould
><invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>
>>What is the polite reply to a cold caller who rings me at an
>>inconvenient time and starts babbling about my having won a special
>>offer to be double-glazed?
>>
>>Times, Sat 14 April 2007
>>
>>
>>:-)
>
>a) "Sorry I don't live here I'm a burglar"
>
>b) "Can I take a message"
>
>c) Don't say anything, pretend the line's dead
>
>I've tried being polite. All it does is expose you to the good (bad)
>one's who are trained to turn anything you say into a way of keeping
>you interested.
>We had one who was very persistent.
>When I kept saying I wasn't interested he doubted my intelligence at
>possibly missing out on such a wonderful offer! He was trying a crude
>method of challenging my masculinity just to steal money of me.
>(it was some dodgy share scam)


I made an appointement with a cold caller once for thepossible supply
of 14 double glazed windows - the addtress was only slighty wrong and
didn't exist - as I'd told the halfwit that the appointment had to be
at 9:30 at night afer I returned home from work left mew with a warm
satisfied feeling
--
Cheers

Peter

Please remove the invalid to reply

Martin²

>I can't find a law called "Telecom Regulations" - where should I be
>looking..?

Well, it's not a law as such, but Ofcom should be able to point you to right
place.
Regards,
Martin

Michael R N Dolbear

Martin² <> wrote

> I stop them rabbiting, ascertain which co. they work for, then tell
them
> that since I had no previous dealing with that co. and I have
unlisted
> number they could only have called me illegally (calling in sequence
or at
> random) [...]

Illegal under what law ?

I challenged the last poster who asserted this but got no attempt to
justify.

You may find a good place to start.

--
Mike D

Michael R N Dolbear

Martin² <> wrote

> >I can't find a law called "Telecom Regulations" - where should I be
> >looking..?
>
> Well, it's not a law as such, but Ofcom should be able to point you
to right
> place.

So you claim it's illegal but no law makes it so and that Ofcom agrees
with you ?

Evidence please (of any of the above).

--
Mike D

Martin²

OK, ok, I used the term 'illegal' loosely.
My understanding is that you can only cold call Nos listed in public
directories or if you had previous contact with the prospective customer.
Calling random Nos. or in sequence is a breach of the "Telecom Regulations"
as originally set out by some ministry or other, but would now presumably
fall under the remit of Ofcom and / or the Information Commissioner.
If it ain't so, it certainly ought to be !
Regards,
Martin

MB

The message <462ab6d0$0$8743$.net>
from "Martin²" <> contains these words:

> OK, ok, I used the term 'illegal' loosely.
> My understanding is that you can only cold call Nos listed in public
> directories or if you had previous contact with the prospective customer.
> Calling random Nos. or in sequence is a breach of the "Telecom Regulations"
> as originally set out by some ministry or other, but would now presumably
> fall under the remit of Ofcom and / or the Information Commissioner.
> If it ain't so, it certainly ought to be !
> Regards,
> Martin



But as OFCOM seem to do nothing to enforce that regulation then it is
all irrelevant. All they would need is a couple of unlisted telephones,
any company that calls both is immediately penalised - one call could be
a mistake, the second confirms they are dialling random numbers.
Similarly immediate action would be taken on silent calls to both
numbers.

MB

Michael R N Dolbear

Martin² <> wrote

> OK, ok, I used the term 'illegal' loosely.
> My understanding is that you can only cold call Nos listed in public
> directories or if you had previous contact with the prospective
customer.
> Calling random Nos. or in sequence is a breach of the "Telecom
Regulations"
> as originally set out by some ministry or other, but would now
presumably
> fall under the remit of Ofcom and / or the Information Commissioner.
> If it ain't so, it certainly ought to be !

All the restrictions I know of are in :-

The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations
2003
which my notes say can be found at


There is no mention of ex-directory except the right to have your
number so treated.

If someone is making "sales calls" all numbers, however generated, must
be checked against the TPS "Do Not Call" list and against a list of
persons who have requested you do not call them.

There are no other requirement so organisations running genuine surveys
can do as they please including random generation. I understand the
British Market Research Society has rules about supplying a name and
telephone number to allow verification of the purpose and authorship of
the survey.

--
Mike D



--
Mike D

Light of Aria

"Allan Gould" <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:...
> What is the polite reply to a cold caller who rings me at an inconvenient
> time and starts babbling about my having won a special offer to be
> double-glazed?
>
> Times, Sat 14 April 2007
>
>
> :-)



NORAD: Please enter your failsafe auto-destruct cancel code.

NOSPAM

The message <f06h9d$3gk$>
from "Light of Aria" <> contains these words:


> "Allan Gould" <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
> news:...
> > What is the polite reply to a cold caller who rings me at an inconvenient
> > time and starts babbling about my having won a special offer to be
> > double-glazed?
> >
> > Times, Sat 14 April 2007
> >
> >
> > :-)



> NORAD: Please enter your failsafe auto-destruct cancel code.



But they will have no idea what NORAD is. Someone previously suggested
asking for an authentication code, then when they say they don't have
one, "do you know where you have called?" and telling them that their
full details have been passed to security for immediate action.

M