Do you find this annoying?
By ElicBxn
@ElicBxn (63594)
United States
August 31, 2012 10:09am CST
Okay, so this happened a number of years ago.
A LARGE number of years ago... before there was a "Do No Call" list.
So, the phone rings and I answer it.
"May I speak to Jas M____" (my last name).
Now, for those of you who don't know this, and I'm sure there are a lot of you - because I hadn't know it until shortly before this call, that "Jas" is often an abbreviation for "James" that also happened to be my father's name.
To top off this stupid call, my father had died a couple of years earlier, but it was very near the anniversary of his death so I was already kind of on edge.
I replied. "That's James."
"No, it says Jas," the woman said.
"Its short for James," I replied.
"It says Jas," she insisted.
I was, as I've indicated, already kind of upset about getting a call for my father, but then this stupid woman argues with me!
"It's an abbreviation for James!" I shouted at her. "And besides, he's DEAD!" I then called her an unpleasant name and hung up.
You know, some telemarketers are stupid enough to call back, but, I've got to say, she wasn't THAT stupid.
How stupid is that?
16 people like this
25 responses
@GardenGerty (160677)
• United States
31 Aug 12
Yes, that is annoying. It is also annoying when some big firm decides to try and sell you on a deal. More specifically, over twenty five years ago, when I bought this house it was a duplex, upper and lower. We converted it back to single family less than a year later. All of the sudden ATT wants to sell services to my upper floor. Excellent deals, but I cannot have them, they are for new customers only! I have called them and asked them to stop mailing me this offer, and calling me with this offer. They promised me they would, but I still get them on a monthly basis. I also still feel bothered when people call looking for my deceased first husband so I understand about how you feel when people ask for your dad.
@GardenGerty (160677)
• United States
1 Sep 12
AARP even sends my thirty five year old son junk. I tried a membership for a while but hubby said since they support Obamacare and they never got us anything good in the past he was dropping it.
2 people like this
@LetranKnight25 (33121)
• Philippines
31 Aug 12
I can't really blame them, but they do have to get used to those responses. working on an outbound call center or outsourcing is really making agents stupid, doing things over and over again. that's why i preferred the customer service than calling out to sell, who ever this person is must have been desperate. It's sad to hear something like that, maybe companies should stop outsourcing to overseas.
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
31 Aug 12
Back in 1985-6 there was wasn't as much outbound sales over seas as there is now, and from this gal's accent, I would say she wasn't from overseas, she sounded like she probably lived, as we say over here, south of the Mason/Dixon line. It wasn't a language problem, it was a brain problem, like her IQ was also... south of some line...
3 people like this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
31 Aug 12
How rude. I hang up on them soon as i answer. My grandson always answers the ophone if he is here. I keep getting calls about my credit cards[which i don't have any or want any] & he'll just hang up to & tell me it's just that crazy lady about your credit cards, lol. Quick learner, he is, lol.
4 people like this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
31 Aug 12
Yes, I've had stupid ones like that. One day, somebody called from an electricity company and asked to speak to the account holder. They were trying to get us to change suppliers, but we weren't interested, so I told her so. The rest of the conversation went like this:
Telegirl: 'I need the account holder to tell me he's not interested.'
Me: 'Trust me, he's not interested.'
TG: 'Can you get him to the phone? I need to speak to him.'
Me: 'No, he doesn't want to come to the phone - he's not interested.'
TG: 'I have to hear it from him - please call him to the phone.'
Me: 'He can't come to the phone.'
TG: 'Why?'
Me: 'Because he's collapsed and we're waiting for an ambulance. Now clear off and don't
3 people like this
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
31 Aug 12
That's a good one!
I was talking to 911 (our emergency number like the 999 in the U.K.) after Maggie had fallen and was screaming in the middle of the kitchen.
The conversation went something like this:
"Is the patient conscious?"
"Yes, she's screaming on the floor in the kitchen."
"Is she rational?"
"I think so, she told me to call you between screams."
2 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
1 Sep 12
hi Elic oh my G I am laughing not because maggie was hurt but
because that operator was just funny and silly i mean if a person is screaming she is surely conscious and rational of course., forgive me for chuckling as I am super tired tonight and can hardly wait until 9 pm and I 
can shut down.,whatever I made today will have to be enough as I am pooped,. lol,.
can shut down.,whatever I made today will have to be enough as I am pooped,. lol,.1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
12 Sep 12
And John wayne's real name was Marion!
My mother Marianne has a very deeeeeep voice. She calls this place once, to get me some dance cessions. They call back, I answer.
Woman: Is Marion there?
Me: Marianne?
W; Marion. I'm looking for a man names Marion.
M: Marianne is a woman.
W: I talked to a man.
M: that nab is my mother!
And then there was the Indian call centre idiot who I yelled at, who had the balls to call back and tell me I need to work on my manners. I told him to F off.
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
6 Sep 12
well that really was stupid, and I have been a telemarketer, but to give her credit she probably took your father's name of their list.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (47314)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
1 Sep 12
I've mentioned before that I keep getting calls from a South Asian man in regards to air duct cleaning... I keep telling him I don't have a furnace so don't have air ducts. Well, the last time he called, he claimed I called them, then started arguing with me, finally accusing me of lying. I finally lost it and screamed in the phone "Give it a rest!" and hung up. He hasn't called back since, but that was only a few weeks ago.
2 people like this
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
1 Sep 12
That happened, after a fashion, to the roomie's folks.
Her father had gotten bad about bills during a fit of depression, and so her mom put the phone in her name. So it was first initial and last name in the directory. This guy called for something, roofing or something, and after several times brushing him off, he said that: (initial/last name) had told him to call. To which she replied "I'M (initial/last name) and I most certainly did NOT!"
Before the days of caller id and way before the internet... pity...
2 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (47314)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
1 Sep 12
When they ask for Mr P, I answer "No such animal."
2 people like this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
31 Aug 12
That's the new illiteracy for ya. People can barely read anymore and abbreviations are beyond them unless it's something they type in while they are texting. Also, many telemarketers are calling from other countries and are not familiar with our pronunciations and abbreviations. I was at a friend's house once and a telemarketer insisted that her last name was Stee-lee, not Steele. She, too, had some choice names for that rude person.
I know it hurts to be reminded of our departed. I finally got Sleep Number to stop sending brochures to my mother, who crossed over last February. I still get some phone calls for her. They just don't understand what "take her name off your list" means, even when I tell them they're wasting their time and losing money if they don't. 
3 people like this
@eagletrek2 (5499)
• Kingston, New York
1 Sep 12
Hi there a song
Call here your sign
The sign say stupid.
Talking about stupid
Phone rep my friend
in florida her dog keep
Getting phone calls about jobs but her son
Having a hard time
Finding a job.
When phone reps
Call me I do a switchro
On them ,i,m in
Network marketing and I ask them if they want to makew
Like to make money the phone reps ha.g
1 person likes this
@eagletrek2 (5499)
• Kingston, New York
1 Sep 12
Had trouple trying to post
The phone reps hang up
On me after I ask
Them if they like to make more money
1 person likes this
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
1 Sep 12
also it is her duty she was performing. many times it is not the incident that causes irritation. it is the belief in us that causes irritation. here our member was affected by the loss of ... hope you understand.
1 person likes this
@Jshean20 (14348)
• Canada
1 Sep 12
It sounds like this person was persistant over something so stupid that she kind of had the comment coming to her. I don't find it fair when people are rude to telemarketers "just because", but in this situation you had every right to react the way you did; what horrible timing for that phone call to happen.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
3 Sep 12
Gee this is stupid and too many times even yet still many people continue to get calls from places like this. Due to being online everyone can almost find you if they wish. The problem is these people many times continue to be rude and often easy to confuse. They must be desperate for pay and companionship as well. And when you insist on wanting to talk to someone else it really confuses them often worse and most do not want to move anywhere from there.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
1 Sep 12
i ElicBxn I have been getting this same phone call almost every
day," Don't hangup this is Arthur and I have a bargain for you.I will clean your air conditioning ducts for only $39.95 and I am screaming I live in a retirement center I have no house then I realize its a canned message gr gr gr. and get this I am on the national Do NOt Call list so what gives here? grrrrrrrr.!@#$#$$%%%%^^&&&****
1 person likes this
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
1 Sep 12
yes. it would have been more annoying. thank god nowadays we do not get such calls.
1 person likes this
@Belle_of_the_Ball (896)
• Philippines
1 Sep 12
Luckily, I don't receive calls from telemarketers who sells products and services except from my local internet provider who calls and asks if I already have internet connection lols!!
1 person likes this
