Here's a pretty close transcript of a telephone call I just received:
HIM: Mrs. S?
ME: Yes
HIM: How are you today?
ME: I've been better.
HIM: Mrs. S, this is Anthony calling from the Reserve Police. The reason for this recorded call today is that the Reserve Police are having a fund raiser........
ME: Hold it, Reserve Police officers where??
HIM: Yonkers, New York
ME: Forget about it! (or fahgedabowd it if you prefer) CLICK!!!
AFTER I hung up, I said They got big balls! Why didn't I say that for the recording?! Just so you know, I live in RHODE ISLAND! Last time I checked a map, Yonkers was in NEW YORK.
Except for being disturbed and having to answer the telephone it was pretty much 'no harm, no foul.' I hung up and they didn't get any of my money. But what about my mother?
A couple times a year I see a check she's written to the North Shore Animal League. North Shore of where??! It's not local. Somebody got this nice old lady on the phone and talked her out of $15 she can't afford to give away. Okay, she's an animal lover (wonder where I get it?) and if she wants to give to some animal rescue league, that's great, but she probably would rather give somewhere local. I don't know where they say they are located when they talk to her and they MAY BE legit, but it's not local and I think that's a scam.
I'm sure when Anthony got my click in his ear he had some choice words about me, too. But what I really wonder is What kind of people do they hire to prey on little old ladies this way?
ME: Yes
HIM: How are you today?
ME: I've been better.
HIM: Mrs. S, this is Anthony calling from the Reserve Police. The reason for this recorded call today is that the Reserve Police are having a fund raiser........
ME: Hold it, Reserve Police officers where??
HIM: Yonkers, New York
ME: Forget about it! (or fahgedabowd it if you prefer) CLICK!!!
AFTER I hung up, I said They got big balls! Why didn't I say that for the recording?! Just so you know, I live in RHODE ISLAND! Last time I checked a map, Yonkers was in NEW YORK.
Except for being disturbed and having to answer the telephone it was pretty much 'no harm, no foul.' I hung up and they didn't get any of my money. But what about my mother?
A couple times a year I see a check she's written to the North Shore Animal League. North Shore of where??! It's not local. Somebody got this nice old lady on the phone and talked her out of $15 she can't afford to give away. Okay, she's an animal lover (wonder where I get it?) and if she wants to give to some animal rescue league, that's great, but she probably would rather give somewhere local. I don't know where they say they are located when they talk to her and they MAY BE legit, but it's not local and I think that's a scam.
I'm sure when Anthony got my click in his ear he had some choice words about me, too. But what I really wonder is What kind of people do they hire to prey on little old ladies this way?
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16 comments:
The problem is this type of telemarketing is rampant. I got one the other day from the "Fraternal Order of Police" requesting money from me - now I know dang well this is just some telemarketing outfit, not my "local" police looking to fund anything and I politely told them my famous (and fabulous) line, "I'm sorry, I just can't." and promptly hung up. Too many people fall for this nonsense and it's a shame (and a sham). The ones that get me are the pre-recorded calls that even if you hang up your phone, they still tie up your phone line until their "talk" is over. It's supposed to be illegal but good luck finding them and reporting them because there is never a usable phone number from caller ID. Hate telemarketers - hate them. Going off in search of blood pressure pill now...LOL
My great grandfather used to give away money, too. So much that he wouldn't have any left for his own bills, thanks to telemarketers.
I don't know how those companies live with themselves.
Crone...I suppose it's a marginally legit business and all I have to say is No thanks or just hang up but it's the principle! These people know when they have an older person who probably can't afford the few bucks they are scamming out of them. It's just so WRONG even if it's not ILLEGAL! (going off for my tranquilizer)
I usually say something to the effect that I give generously to a few handpicked charities and therefore will not be able to include you. Click.
Nothing pisses me off more then people taking advantage of the elderly. And I am fast approaching elderly.
This is a serious pet peeve of mine as well. My parents are savvy (to the point of paranoia) but I know a lot who aren't. I've learned to hang up quickly - because I've had folks really play on my guilt - which is not difficult to do. I still don't send them money, but I feel bad about myself. Nice.
My own kids have learned when "anyone" asking for money calls to just say, I can't talk now, or something similar and just hang up. I'm not without any compassion, I just choose to donate where I want, when I want.
It's too much.
Even legit organizations drive me crazy.
I do my part for the local police by obeying the law.
I buy poppies from the vets.
I clean up chemo vomit from my daycare kid.
[pat, pat, pat my back]
So true!
Oh MY lanta...I was the biggest lollipop when it came to organizations like the World Wildlife Federation and such... I even took out a line of credit for The Nature Conservancy. I am a weirdo like that, but I've gotten better...I truly have.
Sadly enough, a lot of those so-called charities are completely bogus. You definitely have to pick and choose, and the rest of them can go, you know.
That's why I let my calls go to voice mail and return the ones I want to. :)
I usually hang up without ever uttering a word passed my initial "hello". It is terrible the way they take advantage of the elderly. Something I've always wondered though is this. Will I be susceptible when I'm older? Did the older people who fall for this also fall for when they were younger? Is it a function of age or personality? Just something I've always been curious about. I suppose I'll know the answer in a few years when I'm officially eligible for AARP!
Ugh, make sure she is on the do not call list. It doesn't eliminate them, but it drastically reduces them (at least it has for us!) Your comment totally made me laugh tonight and I SO NEEDED TO LAUGH TONIGHT! I'm still trying to get caught up! I'm all fuzzy and messed up on my hours - I need to sleep so I can be ready for Chosen Child's party tomorrow - BUT I AM WIDE AWAKE! Aughhhhhhhhh,at least their's blogs~ :)
Hey, I used to get those phone calls all the time. And the light bulb salesmen. Weird, I'd forgotten all about that. I never fell for it, (maybe that's why they stopped calling), but my poor (literally) parents often do.
'I've been better', haha
ps. I lived in Newport and Providence as a child. That was A LONG time ago, but I would love to go back.
I agree on the scamming of the old people. We have caller ID, which announces the calls and we don't answer calls if we don't know who is calling. It is appalling how many 800# calls we get every day. It's disturbing to have the phone ringing so much. I wish we could block all of them.
I've gotten two calls just this morning from Massachusetts. I live in Alberta, Canada!! And to boot, it is a holiday Monday today and they woke up my family!! Grrrr!
The one bad thing about cordless phones is that you have to click in their ear and you don't get the satisfaction of a SLAM!! lol
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