Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Aug 30 7:56pm: Parsec: "Dennis Smith"

I must be on their shit list. "Dennis Smith" from yesterday called me again. The only reason I can think of for him to call me again is to annoy me. His explanation that he just wanted to help me didn't make sense after how it went yesterday. He did say things that proved to me that he was the same "Dennis Smith" from yesterday. After that, he clearly remembered me and I certainly said that I remembered him.

Also, he even said that they could help if my mortgage rate was 1% when I told him to suppose that that's what it was. After getting that number, he probably fell into his script. I had to snap him out of it by saying that of course 1% isn't what it really is.

I refused to reveal any additional information about any debt I may have to a telemarketer for some company I've never heard of. I even asked him how long his name has been "Dennis Smith". He didn't answer, and I don't care what the answer would have been anyhow.

He started talking about how he works all night calling people in the US and that he's in New Delhi and how his job is the best paying job there is in India. Of course, that could be as fake as the name he gave, but maybe I caused him enough stress to reveal the truth and what he really believes. But it doesn't matter to me.

I called him a telemarketer. He said he wasn't a telemarketer because he's not selling anything. He just wants to help people save money on their mortgage. Okay. He's not a telemarketer. His job still involves deliberately annoying people. Calling me on two consecutive days convinces me of that.

I'm sure I'd been horribly rude to him.

http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/02/2048223

Monday, August 29, 2005

Aug 29 8:54pm: Parsec: Dennis Smith: Paul Smith

I'm annoyed enough to resume my logging. Eventually, I may become annoyed enough to try the do not call list.

Parsec: Mortgage telemarketer. The telemarketer claimed his name is "Dennis Smith".

My new tactic: Ask them why they keep asking about my mortgage when I get junk mail that purports to know that information. If they say that that the junk mailers buy that information, then I'll ask them why I should tell them for free.

Another new tactic: Ask them if I'm on some sucker list, because I get so many telemarketers calling me.

"Dennis Smith" eventually passed me on to "Paul Smith".

I apparently upset "Paul Smith" so much that his final words were "Hang up already! Hang up!"

WIth a little regret, I think I've given up on not being rude. However, I'm glad that I've never said anything abusive. I've just become very insistent with my questioning of why they need my information, and have been persistent in refusing to tell them any information that they don't already have.