No one likes telemarketers. They call at the most inappropriate times. We always think of what we’ll say next time they will call.
We always say it but never do. Just once we wish we could do what Jerry did on Seinfeld. Not once but twice. Or what about Seth Davis’ telemarketing scene from the movie “Boiler Room”? If I had the balls to do that, that would be awesome. But I am not like that. I don’t have a script in front of me telling me what to say. I have but mere seconds to act on impulse and catch them off guard.
I don’t get many unknown numbers or telemarketers calling me but when I do, I usually hang up during their pitch. For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I took the recent calls and went with them. Here is a story about a telemarketing company trying to reel me in with a great opportunity to work at home and make money. Cause we all like money.
The last few days I have been receiving phone calls from a number I do not know. It started last week when I took a trip to see “Hangover II”. While at the movies, I received a total of three phone calls from this place. Each one I missed. These calls didn’t come in all throughout the day. No. The said 3 calls all came within the length of the movie. During the 102 minutes of Hangover I redux, this unknown caller tried with all their might to reach me. I left the movie and reached for my phone. WTF? I missed 3 calls!? I looked at the number.
I looked up the number and sure enough, it is a telemarketer. They want me to sign up and make money from home. I don’t care to. I never spoke to anyone. If you try to call the number you receive a message like this…
They called a few more times that night but I was either away from the phone or they would hang up before I could answer it. This was the final time I received any calls from this number out of the ATL. Does it stop there? Have they given up on trying to reach me?
No. They just switched numbers in some effort to trick me into thinking it’s someone else. Sneaky sneaky. But you got to get up pretty early in the morning to catch me peeping through your bedroom window.
I started to get calls from the number below.
(877) 759-4409
It had to be the same telemarketers. No, wait. It has to be the same persistent telemarketers. What could they be trying to sell me? What deal of a life time could I have missed out on? I get home and check the web. I found many sites that talk about these folks. Here, here, and here.
My phone rang and it was that 877 number calling me once again. Normal people give you at least 4 or more rings before they hang up and assume you’re busy. Not these people. They let it ring once and if you don’t pick up right then and there, they’ll hang up and move on to the next victim. I called the number back (which was probably a bad call) and hoped to maybe get some insight on who they are. I wondered if David was going to greet me again with a nice automated message.
Woman: Hello.
Me: Hi. You just called me and I missed the call. Seeing what you needed?
Woman: Oh, were calling people to see if they’re interested in making extra money at home.
Me: Oh. No thank you. I already work three jobs. I just got home from the second and about to head out for the third one.
Woman: But I bet you could really use more money?
Me: I already make enough money. I work three jobs.
Woman: Everyone likes more money. Don’t you want more money? It only takes an hour.
Me: I don’t have much time. Like I said. I work three jobs. I don’t have much time to do much of anything.
Woman: Well okay…we’ll just try back again at another time.
Another time was the very next day.
I don’t know how many times they called while I was at work. I get bad reception. I have to be in a certain spot to receive calls. Lucky for me, at one point in my job, I was in a perfect place to get another call. And a little FYI…my name is not Quentin.
Guy: Hello. Is Quentin there?
Me: This is him.
Guy: Hi Quentin. How are you doing today?
Me: Oh, not so good. I just got in a car accident. I am at the police station right now filling out some reports. Today has been horrible.
Guy: What if I can tell you something to make your day so much better?
Me: I don’t think anything is going to make this day and better. This car accident has me pretty shaken up. Sorry, I have to get going. I am filling out paper work.
Guy: Well, if you’re….
I was hanging up the phone and the man on the other end was still talking me.
I ended up going to the bar with some folks from work. This was no less than 3 hours later. This time, a woman calls me.
Woman: Hi. Is Quentin there?
Me: This is him.
Woman: Well, hi. How is your day going?
Me: Upsetting. I just left a friend’s funeral.
She pauses. I think I caught her off guard.
Woman: Oh, dear. Well, I’ll you go. Sorry for your loss.
I received another phone call from them at 8pm that night. I was sleeping and missed the call. These people don’t know when to quit. Maybe me calling them back put me at the top of the interested list. But with each excuse I give them, I hoped it would make them take me off the call list. But no. They keep at it. They keep calling and don’t stop. Here is a snapshot of just the missed calls I got from the 877 number.
Like I said. They keep calling. I talked to my mom and we were devising different excuses to give them. While we were talking, they called. The phone rang but twice and when I picked up, they hung up. For being very persistent, I have to wonder why they hang up so quickly? Don’t they want me to sign up and send them money?
Later that night, they called again. I picked it up.
Guy: Hello. Is Quentin there?
Me: (sigh) This is him.
Guy: We’re calling to see if you would be interested in making money just by working from home.
Me: No thank you. I am actually being deployed tomorrow. Heading to Afghanistan.
Guy: I’m sorry. You must be driving right now. There is a lot of wind on your end.
Me: No. I am at home. I’m not driving.
Guy: I’ll let you drive. We’ll try again later.
Me: WTF?
I got another call from them while at work. I was outside and the weather was beating down on me. Oh, god! It was hot. I was upset. I was hot and not in the mood for their calls.
Guy: Is this Quentin?
Me: Yes.
Guy: Would you like to make some extra money at home?
Me: I’d love to talk right now but I am about to get arrested.
The guy keeps talking as I hang up.
I got my last call from the last night. I tried to answer it but before I could react to the first ring, they hung up. For the love of God! Stop doing that. Just let me talk to you. I want to talk! Since last night, the calls have ended. I am glad but also upset. I really wanted to continue on with the most random excuses as to why I can’t talk or reasons why I don’t need the money.
Has anyone else received calls from this number? What did you tell them? How did they react? Have they kept calling? I would love to hear. Please, enlighten me. Tell me the headache you’ve gotten just from these very persistent telemarketers.