Automated Nuisance Calls in France

WIGAN ?

My Oh does that and they don't understand the difference between Linux and Windows. Strange that, if they are calling from a technical department.

I tell them that they are fraudsters and scammers and does their mother know what they are doing for a job.

I'm from Lancaster and I can't understand it either!

I ask if they speak Chinese....line goes dead.....

You could try giving them the bird......

give the bird
flip/give somebody the bird
to make a very impolite sign by raising your middle finger towards someone in order to show that you are angry with them
Urban Dictionary.


If someone is trying sell me something I always try to be polite. The majority of sellers have no idea of how to pronounce my name. English is obligatory in french schools so I assume that the average french person calling me will at least be able to pronounce my name ! When I hear attempts like Misseiur Beered ou Beeiard or Breed et al I put the phone down. If the caller has made an honest attempt ie Bird or Bid etc I reply as these I find are usually the more educated soul trying earn an honest crust. My other problem is when the caller asks for Mme Bird. This isn't great as my good lady passed away a couple of years back. Not so much upsetting but unprofessional and showing a lack of preparation.

Or am I too picky ?

Haven't had that one yet. Try telling them "That's interesting, because I am using Linux." ans see what happens..........

Despite attempts to stop them we still get enough to be annoying. It's such a pain that, unless we recognise the number, we don't answer; if it says "secret", we don't answer - we let the machine do it. If someone we know then speaks to the answer-phone message, we pick up.

I have sometimes got caught out and actually answered to the odd cold-caller, in which case I usually say, "Excuse me a minute, there's someone at the door." Or suchlike - then I put the phone on the table and ignore it……

I'd like to give these annoying, time-wasting plonkers a good slap and tell them to get a proper job.

Sometimes up to 6 times a day! - nearly all from someone claiming to be Microsoft and to have detected a problem with my computer. Have tried everything, from polite English, through French ('But can you speak any English - even a little?') to the whistle. Doesn't stop them. They only seem to be targeting 'English' numbers. And they only seem to call just when we have sat down to eat!

When I start getting the automated calls when I pick the phone up I don't speak. The system appears to get a little confused and it stops ringing you. I don't know why.

Anyway it 'appears' to work for me.

Although if there is someone there you appear a little stupid...

Yesssss…for at least a month now despite being on the Liste Orange

Automated sales calls are a real pest, I do agree. When there is someone at the end of the line attempting to sell something I think it's downright rude and aggressive to "blow a whistle at them" - they are doing their job, they are people who have got up and gone out and found work. It must be a nightmare to work in a Call Centre, the high turnover figures tell us that so, next time you're tempted to pick up your whistle and have a blow, show some consideration for the employee at the other end of the line.

Gerraway :p

Interesting link, Haydn, thanks.

As Mike says up above, many of those who speak have North African accents, and it is common knowledge that Morocco harbours many of these call centres. I larfed uncontrollably when one of these ladies said "Bonjour, ici Marie-Chantal" with an impossibly thick North African accent :)

This is UK data, but I bet it is the same issue

http://conversation.which.co.uk/technology/silent-calls-abandoned-nuisance-phone-calls-ofcom/

Yup they are a pain. I agree with Chris...answer machine.

Not sure I'd use a whistle. To be fair some poor sod trying to earn a few quid is only doing what the company asks. You could say tough, but for me I would not wish to risk damaging someone's hearing. I just leave it to the answer machine.

I now just answer with a haughty English Hello? And continue in same vein. They can't pronounce my name either so I always know. Sometimes the mandatory silence my end reveals the telling sounds of cold callers so the phone just goes down.

A friend is a funeral celebrant. He simply buts in with "I'm glad you called, have you given any thought to your funeral plans?" This usually provides the desired response of a cut line.

Yes, we get the "Goodbye" lady. I suspect that someone bought a ready made call handling system from an English supplier. The "Goodbye" happens when there isn't an operator free to give you their spiel.
We are doubly blessed, having two surnames and therefore two entries in the phone book. So every nuisance call is followed by another 15 minutes later.
Our solution is to use an old-fashioned answering machine. They always hang up before the end of my bilingual announcement (except for the "Goodbye" lady who leaves a "Goodbye" message). Friends wait for the announcement to finish and ask us to pick up. Serious callers leave a message. There is one clever cold caller that asks us, in a very official sounding female voice, to call a number "to confirm our appointment." but we are wise to that one now.
My wife, who is more attuned to the subtleties of accents, says that many of these calls come from North Africa, where life can be tough and jobs hard to find. So perhaps we shouldn't be too hard on the call centre workers who must endure a great many insults in the course of the day.
I find it interesting that this brings enough sales to make it pay. I would never buy anything from a cold caller.

No, that is far too furrin! Nor would I either.