Is this a problem anyone else runs into?

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Crouton

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Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« on: May 11, 2020, 05:01:07 PM »
There is a very specific type of telemarketers that keep contacting me,  real estate investors.  I own a few houses in Las Vegas.  In Nevada real estate transactions are a matter of very public record.  It would seem that a sort of scammers have zeroed in on that. 

When the market is hot I get around 4 or 5 calls a week from total strangers asking to buy one of my houses.  This has been going on for years.  It's to the point that I just ignore calls from the 702 area code.  I don't deal with cold callers.  It seems insane that anyone would so I don't know why they think persistence would change things.

Things I have tried:

Hanging up.  Always a classic.

Picking up but not answering.  Interestingly If I don't say anything then neither will they and they just hang up after about 10 seconds.  If there were a crazy person trying to intimidate me by calling me and never saying anything then I honestly wouldn't have any idea that's happening.  I would assume this murderer is probably trying to buy my house.

Breathing heavily.   They will occasionally still run their sales pitch.

I've tried arguing with the caller and aggressively questioning their life choices which brought them into this line of work.  It's very hard to get them to break from their script.

A few times they've tried to buy a house that I no longer own.  I of course enthusiastically agreed to that but I never heard back from them.

Once I told them I had the coronavirus and that I would love to sell the house but they have to meet me in person.  I got a confused response, something like "we'll call back when you don't have the coronavirus".

Here's my current strategy.  This is interesting, to me anyways.  They call up and say "I represent a local investor... blah blah blah".  Then I ask "what's the name of your investor?"  And they immediately hang up.  Every single time.  It's like a magic spell or something that makes this particular telemarketer vanish.
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boydster

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2020, 05:59:15 PM »
I haven't had that call. But the car warranty scam has recently taken on a new dimension that I hadn't encountered until recently. It's a robot that calls, and it's not even remotely ambiguous. But this latest one used a better robot voice than the previous ones I received, so I laughed and said something about it being a great improvement on the AI. And then it went to an actual recording of a woman laughing and stating it was a real person, before reverting back to the actual robot voice. So naturally, I kept asking it things just to see what it would say. Most questions sent it back through the same exact recording of the fake laugh and reassurance that it was a person. This totally real person that had only 3 or 4 totally not prerecorded robot responses and 1 prerecorded human that wasn't included to help confuse stupid people wanted me to press 1 to speak to someone about extending the warranty on my car.

To be fair, when I call people, I frequently ask them to press 1 if they want to hear more about the super important and very real thing I am calling about. Not just in business, but in life. I find it really shortens my phone calls.

What I'm saying is, I think you should respond to those calls in a similar fashion and try and help those callers get a warranty extension on their vehicle.

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Space Cowgirl

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2020, 07:05:54 PM »
I have been getting phone calls for someone named Antoinette Gomez for at least 15 years. It's always a recording, so I can't tell them I don't know who Antoinette is. I keep hoping someday a real person will call for Antoinette, and I think about what to say. Should I pretend to be Antoinette? Should I try to sell them one of Crouton's houses?
I'm sorry. Am I to understand that when you have a boner you like to imagine punching the shit out of Tom Bishop? That's disgusting.

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hoppy

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2020, 04:04:15 AM »
Among other calls I get. The funniest one is the robot voice that says, "Dear citizen your social security number has been compromised, blah blah blah. It is just ridiculous and funny.
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Wolvaccine

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2020, 04:21:49 AM »
You guys should pretend you're in the middle of a domestic violence dispute or some mafia boss in the middle of torturing some poor schmuck. Just sound really pissed off, tell them 'hold on a second' and then walk off to be in the background, yell all sorts of profanities and make out as if you are killing someone.

Then come back, cool as a cucumber and ask what do they want....

Or you could pretend to be the victim. Whisper that someone is trying to kill you and if they can call the police. But then as you are telling them the details you scream and cut the call

Or you could just tell them you just have to quickly do something if they can wait a few seconds and then leave them hanging.


Quote from: sokarul
what website did you use to buy your wife? Did you choose Chinese over Russian because she can't open her eyes to see you?

What animal relates to your wife?

Know your place

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Crouton

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2020, 04:56:16 AM »
That reminds me of one strategy a friend of mine used.

He picks up the phone and regardless of what they say he yells at the top of his lungs,  "ARE YOU CALLING ME A NI----!!!???
 I AM NOT A NI----!!!  i WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER IMMEDIATELY!!!"

*edited for the lounge forum.
Intelligentia et magnanimitas vincvnt violentiam et desperationem.
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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2020, 05:00:48 AM »
I haven't had that call. But the car warranty scam has recently taken on a new dimension that I hadn't encountered until recently. It's a robot that calls, and it's not even remotely ambiguous. But this latest one used a better robot voice than the previous ones I received, so I laughed and said something about it being a great improvement on the AI. And then it went to an actual recording of a woman laughing and stating it was a real person, before reverting back to the actual robot voice. So naturally, I kept asking it things just to see what it would say. Most questions sent it back through the same exact recording of the fake laugh and reassurance that it was a person. This totally real person that had only 3 or 4 totally not prerecorded robot responses and 1 prerecorded human that wasn't included to help confuse stupid people wanted me to press 1 to speak to someone about extending the warranty on my car.

To be fair, when I call people, I frequently ask them to press 1 if they want to hear more about the super important and very real thing I am calling about. Not just in business, but in life. I find it really shortens my phone calls.

What I'm saying is, I think you should respond to those calls in a similar fashion and try and help those callers get a warranty extension on their vehicle.

Youre just making the lrobot smarter!

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Lorddave

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2020, 06:00:02 AM »
Christ.  How rich are you that you own several houses?
You have been ignored for common interest of mankind.

I am a terrible person and I am a typical Blowhard Liberal for being wrong about Bom.

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Crouton

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2020, 06:45:03 AM »
The ones in vegas aren't very big.   One of them is a starter home that I couldn't sell because of the housing crash of 08 so I became a landlord by default.  The other is a smaller house that I bought for my parents when the housing market bottomed out a few years later.
Intelligentia et magnanimitas vincvnt violentiam et desperationem.
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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2020, 10:07:09 AM »
Many even have wheels!

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Colonel Gaydafi

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2020, 01:13:58 PM »
There was a few weeks when I kept getting telemarketer calls and I started handing the phone to my toddler and then the calls died out. I did once say I would love to talk but I'm busy doing a poo right now and they were quick to hang up.
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wise

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2020, 02:32:44 AM »
They call up and say "I represent a local investor... blah blah blah".  Then I ask "what's the name of your investor?"  And they immediately hang up.  Every single time.  It's like a magic spell or something that makes this particular telemarketer vanish.
They can not tell the name of their investor due to customer privacy principles. I think someone who lives there and does not do very clean works wants to buy that house. I would sell if I were you. call, let them come to talk.
1+2+3+...+∞= 1

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NotSoSkeptical

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2020, 08:48:47 AM »
I used the automated answering service for telemarketers.  "We're sorry, all representatives are currently busy.  Please hold, as your call is important to us.  If you know your party's extention, you can dial it at any time."   Then I hit mute, speaker phone, and put the phone down and walk away.  Had someone try to dial an extension once. That was laugh worthy.
Rabinoz RIP

That would put you in the same category as pedophile perverts like John Davis, NSS, robots like Stash, Shifter, and victimized kids like Alexey.

Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2020, 09:16:34 AM »
It must be very lucrative busy that so many want to do this.

Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2020, 09:18:15 AM »


Have you seen this guy?

Hillariously backdoored his way into a scammers office system - comps cameras everything.

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Wolvaccine

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #15 on: May 13, 2020, 10:07:39 AM »
Commander Shepard calling gun stores


Quote from: sokarul
what website did you use to buy your wife? Did you choose Chinese over Russian because she can't open her eyes to see you?

What animal relates to your wife?

Know your place

*

Crouton

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #16 on: May 13, 2020, 10:33:45 AM »
Commander Shepard calling gun stores



I've got tears running down my face right now.
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Crouton

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #17 on: May 13, 2020, 12:53:37 PM »
After watching those video now youtube thinks I want to watch hours of things like this.



They're probably right.
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Wolvaccine

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #18 on: May 13, 2020, 01:42:44 PM »
After watching those video now youtube thinks I want to watch hours of things like this.



They're probably right.

Haha, I got the exact same recommendation    8)

Quote from: sokarul
what website did you use to buy your wife? Did you choose Chinese over Russian because she can't open her eyes to see you?

What animal relates to your wife?

Know your place

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faded mike

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #19 on: May 14, 2020, 12:59:48 AM »
The type of calls i've been getting over the last few years make me question the rule of law i inderstand to exist. people using my last name and our houses contact info to get cars and then the repo men calling my house. canadian tax and revenue impersonators...? what a shit.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2020, 09:13:28 PM by faded mike »
"Using our vast surveillance system, we've uncovered revolutionary new information..."
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theoretical formula for Earths curvature = 8 inches multiplied by (miles squared) = inches drop from straight forward

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faded mike

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #20 on: May 14, 2020, 02:22:13 AM »
We need to meet this problem head on and report all these people.
"Using our vast surveillance system, we've uncovered revolutionary new information..."
           -them

theoretical formula for Earths curvature = 8 inches multiplied by (miles squared) = inches drop from straight forward

kids: say no to drugs

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boydster

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #21 on: May 14, 2020, 04:28:21 PM »
To be fair, Kitboga is pretty funny. Especially if you know anyone that has fallen victim to a tech support scammer.

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Stash

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #22 on: May 14, 2020, 05:01:13 PM »
I used the automated answering service for telemarketers.  "We're sorry, all representatives are currently busy.  Please hold, as your call is important to us.  If you know your party's extention, you can dial it at any time."   Then I hit mute, speaker phone, and put the phone down and walk away.  Had someone try to dial an extension once. That was laugh worthy.

Similarly, I do the old Kramer bit when I answer - Booming voice, "Welcome to Movie-Phone..."


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faded mike

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #23 on: May 14, 2020, 09:09:09 PM »
Oh i got a slightly more creepy one.
 My sister got a call from france "from?" a women crying quite severely. So we called the number back and it ws a 5 min recording loop of what sounded like a man and the same woman having a phone date. At one pojnt the man asks her what are some pick up lines and she says"i love you very much", and something else. Also he says something like how many colours of contacts do you have, i dont want any cheap shit, and she says 23. then it sounds like they were talking in code for a bit

There was a google return to the number that had similar stories, a lot of them from florida.

I tried changing the last number a couple of times and on one variation got a global teleconferencing answering machine.

This one i actually want to report.
"Using our vast surveillance system, we've uncovered revolutionary new information..."
           -them

theoretical formula for Earths curvature = 8 inches multiplied by (miles squared) = inches drop from straight forward

kids: say no to drugs

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faded mike

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #24 on: May 14, 2020, 09:40:45 PM »
HAHA Kitboga
"Using our vast surveillance system, we've uncovered revolutionary new information..."
           -them

theoretical formula for Earths curvature = 8 inches multiplied by (miles squared) = inches drop from straight forward

kids: say no to drugs

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Username

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #25 on: May 15, 2020, 09:36:44 AM »
Commander Shepard calling gun stores


Watching a few of these. Laughing my ass off.

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boydster

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #26 on: May 15, 2020, 07:03:32 PM »
I need.      Thermal.Clips.

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Username

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #27 on: May 16, 2020, 09:35:17 PM »
It seems like one could automate this - prank calls. Or scripts for selling door polish.

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sceptimatic

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Re: Is this a problem anyone else runs into?
« Reply #28 on: May 17, 2020, 10:42:10 PM »
If I ever get phone calls from people like this I tend to say to them, " can you hold a second, while I get a pen" then I just go and do whatever I was doing and leave the phone for a few minutes.
It wastes their time just as much as they waste mine with the annoying calls.