Telemarketers be gone! Greatest come back ever? This is brilliant.....
By James72
@James72 (26790)
Australia
December 29, 2008 3:39am CST
We have all received calls from telemarketers before and it can be a real challenge to get rid of them. The other day I listened to and watched the following video of a man dealing with a telemarketer in a way I have never seen before. It is absolutely brilliant! Here is the link to the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5z4Vs26-TI
Many of you may have already seen this as it has a lot of hits on YouTube; but I think it is an absolute classic and very, very funny! WARNING: There are a couple of profanities in the dialogue so please don't open it if you are concerned about a few swear words here and there.
How much would you love to be able to pull off something similar? 
How much would you love to be able to pull off something similar? 
10 people like this
22 responses
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
29 Dec 08
I have not watched the video but will do it. And i got a call from one telemarketeer a few minutes ago and boy, did he regret calling me
. No profanities,just a nonstop dose of informing him that this was the nth time i had informed then that i was not interested in their product and what nonsense they were promoting. Five minutes of me, the telemarketer had. I'm sure this will be thier last call.
I've watched a couple of friends pull of some smooth ones with them, first indicating that they were intereseted, going along with them and the giving them a full dose of verbal abuse after that.
. No profanities,just a nonstop dose of informing him that this was the nth time i had informed then that i was not interested in their product and what nonsense they were promoting. Five minutes of me, the telemarketer had. I'm sure this will be thier last call.
I've watched a couple of friends pull of some smooth ones with them, first indicating that they were intereseted, going along with them and the giving them a full dose of verbal abuse after that.2 people like this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Dec 08
When you do get the chance to watch the video you will be inspired for sure Alok! lol. It also shows the call as text in the video itself, so even without sound you can get the gist of it. It is honestly one of the best comebacks to a telemarketing call I have ever heard!
I like to have a bit of fun with them myself from time to time, but thankfully if I receive telemarketing calls here, all I have to do is ask them to speak English and they hang up! lol. Thanks for the response and Happy New Year to you as well. 
I like to have a bit of fun with them myself from time to time, but thankfully if I receive telemarketing calls here, all I have to do is ask them to speak English and they hang up! lol. Thanks for the response and Happy New Year to you as well. 
2 people like this
@alokn99 (5717)
• India
29 Dec 08
The video i will most certainly watch James. One of the reasons i never considered a career in the telemarketing line was precisely this.
I would have gone all red in the face and probably insane if i had to shut up and not react to all this.
And a Very Happy New Year to you well 

2 people like this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Dec 08
Telemarketing is a role that I have had to be involved in on many occasions and it is not fun or easy at all.
It takes a very determined and talented individual to be able to be successful at it as each and every call is an uphill battle! I too get rude with them on the odd occasion if they are too persistent, but I have also been on the other side of the fence, so tend to play around with them a little more than anything else! 
It takes a very determined and talented individual to be able to be successful at it as each and every call is an uphill battle! I too get rude with them on the odd occasion if they are too persistent, but I have also been on the other side of the fence, so tend to play around with them a little more than anything else! 
2 people like this

@balasri (26537)
• India
30 Dec 08
It sure is hilarious James.It is great fun reading it.I have had my bad moments with the Telemarketers.I don't know I just have mercy on them nowadays and say a simply sorry and cut the line.Honestly I don't want to make them hunt for another job in this recession.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Dec 08
Fair enough bala, we all deserve to make our living! I do love the way the prankster dealt with the telemarketer in the video though and it was certainly a very unique way to go about it!
Thanks for your comments and Happy New Year to you and your family.
Thanks for your comments and Happy New Year to you and your family.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
16 Apr 09
lol..that was funny.
This is something I'd love to pull off (but don't think I can).
Now give me idea fo all those recorded messages I get throughout the day on my cell! That's really something that bugs me. I can't try this stunt on them and besides disconnecting immediately, there's nothing much I can do.
1 person likes this

@SViswan (12051)
• India
16 Apr 09
lol..I get those recorded messages in Kannada.
I think there is a no-call registry...but don't know how to get there.
My dad would be the person to try out something like in the clip and if ever I do it, I promise to record it and put it up on youtube before I send the link to you guys.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
16 Apr 09
I used to receive those recorded messages too when I lived in India! They used to drive me crazy because most of them were in Hindi and I obviously had NO chance of understanding a word of it. Until such time as India introduce and enforce a "do not call registry", there's not much anyone can do about it really. I do know of a few cases where people contacted the mobile operator and requested they stop. I do believe this was effective, so maybe you could give that a try? Thanks for the response Sandhya and if you ever do pull off something like the clip I provided, make sure you record it!
lol.

@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
31 Dec 08
Hahaha...those telemarketers, I tell can can even make the PROUD PANDA SPANKER crazy! I wish to look at his face!! That would make my day!
I am no better, they are so diligently consistent! And something they ring back even after a blast! Just imagine, a doctor being offered a FREE DISCOUNT OFFER on some pathetic product, that he has least idea about and that too when he is about to scrub up for a complicated surgery!! I once heard one doctor giving the blast of the decade to one such telemarketers!!
PS: couldn't open the youtuber...missed on that!
I am no better, they are so diligently consistent! And something they ring back even after a blast! Just imagine, a doctor being offered a FREE DISCOUNT OFFER on some pathetic product, that he has least idea about and that too when he is about to scrub up for a complicated surgery!! I once heard one doctor giving the blast of the decade to one such telemarketers!!
PS: couldn't open the youtuber...missed on that!1 person likes this

@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
1 Jan 09
Hard luck! Still couldn't open it! Will try back at home...
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
31 Dec 08
Panda spanking with a telecommunications twist mimpi! lol. It's a shame you couldn't open the YouTube video because this one is a classic! The telemarketer on the receiving end would have enevr faced anything liek it in his life and I doubt he ever will again. (Assuming he is still a telemarketer after all that!) I can imagine that Doctors would get calls from every Pharmaceutical company imagineable and it must be frustrating. Thans for your comments and Happy New Year to you and your family also my friend. 


@sharra1 (6340)
• Australia
31 Dec 08
I love that it is so clever. I can never think of anything clever to say when they call I usually just say we are pensioners and hang up before they can say anything else.
I think this person was very creative and it was amusing to hear the poor little telemarketer getting scared. I almost felt sorry for him.


@James72 (26790)
• Australia
1 Jan 09
It WILL be if we make it so sharra. As long as we choose to think and act positively together as one, we have a chance for 2009 to be everything we dreamed and more! I am hopeful and eager to achieve greatness this year and I am sure we ALL will if we just believe. Have a good one! 

@James72 (26790)
• Australia
31 Dec 08
ALMOST felt sorry for him! Yeah, me too. lol. I have not had to deal with a telemarketer for a while now, but I have been in the game myself and am usually a pretty sarcastic guy, so in the past I have sometimes played around with them a little, but nothing like the way this guy did it!
I would love to have a chance one day to try something similar. Thanks for the response sharra and I wish for you a Happy New Year and beyond!
I would love to have a chance one day to try something similar. Thanks for the response sharra and I wish for you a Happy New Year and beyond!1 person likes this

@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
29 Dec 08
That is hilarious XD. Here the answering machine handles all phone calls and there is the caller id. Even if the number says private, we still let the answering machine do the work. If they decide not to leave a message, it must not have been very important.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Dec 08
You gotta love Caller ID! The problem for me though is that most of the calls I receive on my mobile are from overseas, so the Caller ID always shows a local number that the international call has been routed through. So based on this, I will usually ignore the incoming call and then get an email from family saying they had been trying to call me, but couldn't get an answer! lol. I really should set up voicemail I think.
Thanks for the response cupkitties and Happy New Year!
Thanks for the response cupkitties and Happy New Year!@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Dec 08
That is an interesting direction to take actually and how can they ever continue if you don't even have what they are calling about? Carpet cleaners - no carpet..... Satellite Dish for cable - No TV in the house etc
I can see how the "Huh, I can't hear you" would get them off the phone quickly too! lol. Thanks for the comments. 
I can see how the "Huh, I can't hear you" would get them off the phone quickly too! lol. Thanks for the comments. 
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
7 Apr 09
I would have loved to try something like that..lol I watched it and laughed most of the way through it. I hate telemarketers and basically just hang up on them and if they call back I will hand the phone to my husband and he will tell them not to call back or his lawyer will press harassment charges. We have no lawyer.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
7 Apr 09
I'd love to be able to pull something like this off too!
It's been some time since I had to deal with a telemarketer as I'm in an Arabic speaking country and the minute people hear me talking English, they disappear! lol. The lawyer angle sounds like it's quite effective!
Thanks for the response mtdewgurl.
It's been some time since I had to deal with a telemarketer as I'm in an Arabic speaking country and the minute people hear me talking English, they disappear! lol. The lawyer angle sounds like it's quite effective!
Thanks for the response mtdewgurl.@James72 (26790)
• Australia
5 Jan 09
Youare the second person to mention handing the phone over to their kids when a telemarketer calls! I think it's a great idea!
Kids can be so straightforward and the charms of a pushy marketer will pretty much fall on deaf ears. Thanks for the response riya. 
Kids can be so straightforward and the charms of a pushy marketer will pretty much fall on deaf ears. Thanks for the response riya. 
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
1 Jan 09
Well I have the old fashioned answer machine that if it is a solicitor, it automatically hangs up on them. but if I do get one, what I do is when they ask for whoever.. I say.."hold on, I'll get them" and then just lay the phone down and go do whatever it was they intrupted me from doing! I got back in a few minutes and they have hung up. Doing that also gets you off their automatic alling list.
1 person likes this
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
29 Dec 08
HA HA!!! that's funny as hell James........that's panda spanking funny!!!
i was over at my brother's house one time and he has an interesting way of dealing with telemarketers.
of course i just heard his side of the conversation, but it went something like this:
after letting the person go through their speal for a while...
"yes, and what is your name?"
"ok (name) and what is your billing address there?
"your billing address.....you know, the address where i send my bill!"
"well you're being paid for your time right now, and i would like to get paid for my time"
"i was just sitting down to dinner and was watching a little TV......this is MY time and i want to be compensated for you using up some of MY time!.....now can i get the billing address there so i can send you my bill"
"i charge $40 an hour for my time with a one hour minimum, how does that sound to you"
"Hello???......Hello???"
anyways.....it was pretty funny, and the person never called back so i guess my brother got his point across.
i was over at my brother's house one time and he has an interesting way of dealing with telemarketers.
of course i just heard his side of the conversation, but it went something like this:
after letting the person go through their speal for a while...
"yes, and what is your name?"
"ok (name) and what is your billing address there?
"your billing address.....you know, the address where i send my bill!"
"well you're being paid for your time right now, and i would like to get paid for my time"
"i was just sitting down to dinner and was watching a little TV......this is MY time and i want to be compensated for you using up some of MY time!.....now can i get the billing address there so i can send you my bill"
"i charge $40 an hour for my time with a one hour minimum, how does that sound to you"
"Hello???......Hello???"
anyways.....it was pretty funny, and the person never called back so i guess my brother got his point across.1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Dec 08
Panda spanking funny is EXACTLY what it is sconibear! Gotta love it when people think outside the box like this. The very last bit just before the telemarketer said it was ridiculous and hung up had me in stitches!
Your Brother is well on the ball with his approach, no question. I tell you though, I wouldn't mind having to listen to telemarketers for 40 bucks an hour! Damn, who wouldn't? I will have to remember this way for future reference I think. Thanks for the comments and I wish for you a Happy New Year and beyond! 
Your Brother is well on the ball with his approach, no question. I tell you though, I wouldn't mind having to listen to telemarketers for 40 bucks an hour! Damn, who wouldn't? I will have to remember this way for future reference I think. Thanks for the comments and I wish for you a Happy New Year and beyond! 
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Dec 08
The best thing about the video clip is that it shows the dialogue wording, so copy it down, give it a try and come back and let us know if it worked savypat!
This prank has done the rounds for some time now on YouTube, but hopefully there will be a whole bunch of telemarketers that are not aware of it yet and you can create your own little piece of prank history! lol. Thanks for your comments and I wish for you a very Happy New Year.
This prank has done the rounds for some time now on YouTube, but hopefully there will be a whole bunch of telemarketers that are not aware of it yet and you can create your own little piece of prank history! lol. Thanks for your comments and I wish for you a very Happy New Year. @Margarit (3676)
• Philippines
1 Jan 09
This is ridiculous, telemarketers beware, it might be you in the tape recorder. I do recieve this kind of calls when they started to intruduce themself i just hang it up. Its a waste of time intertaining them. But when i am in the mood to talk , i tell them prankly that they are just wasting my time and dont want to hear their voice again, even in the future, so pls. dont call anymore and put down the phone, usually they called back and say i am so rude to them. I said thank you, are you happy now.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
1 Jan 09
I would love to know who the telemarketer was, if he's STILL a telemarketer; and what he thinks about it all. Surely he can look back on it now and laugh because it's damn funny!
The only time I am ever rude myself is when the initial politeness fails and they won't stop being so pushy. I will hang up on the sometimes too, but will always tell them that I am about to first! Thanks for your comments Margarit and thank you, I am indeed happy now! 
The only time I am ever rude myself is when the initial politeness fails and they won't stop being so pushy. I will hang up on the sometimes too, but will always tell them that I am about to first! Thanks for your comments Margarit and thank you, I am indeed happy now! 
@Margarit (3676)
• Philippines
2 Jan 09
Ive never encounter a telemarketer that is not pushy james, they talk so much non stop and i cant even talk back to them when start talking, they are so persistent in selling until you said yes to their product. Ive tried to order one of their product so that they will stop calling me after that, but sadly every week they keep on calling at me and talk about their new product available and it take an hour conversation or more . OMG, i cant bear it anymore for i was so nice to them before. Now ive change. 

@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
29 Dec 08
You are such a flaming panda spanker, James.
We have had no house phone for a while now so we don't have to deal with these telemarketers. But we are also on the Do Not Call Registry. But still, we get a scattered number of these calls.
Funny prank though.
1 person likes this

@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Dec 08
"Flaming Panda Spanker" sounds like a cocktail SaintAnne! lol. Well I do intend to practice what I preach, so I will take this title as a compliment.
There is no better way to thwart telemarketers than by having no house phone for them to call you on! I don't have a house phone either. The mobile is silent on that front because any call I do receive ends quickly because I don't speak Arabic; and the rest of my calls are made over Skype and I doubt a marketer would call me through this thankfully. Thanks for your comments and I wish for you and yours a very Happy New Year! 
There is no better way to thwart telemarketers than by having no house phone for them to call you on! I don't have a house phone either. The mobile is silent on that front because any call I do receive ends quickly because I don't speak Arabic; and the rest of my calls are made over Skype and I doubt a marketer would call me through this thankfully. Thanks for your comments and I wish for you and yours a very Happy New Year! 
@SaintAnne (5453)
• United States
30 Dec 08
Happy New Year to you and yours as well.
Wouldn't it be awful when one of these days telemarketers would be able to bother us while we're using skype or any other internet messaging dealio they got going on...
1 person likes this

@korbchng (40)
• Philippines
31 Dec 08
Not really impressive, but at least it made me laugh a bit. Yeah you're right, telemarketers be gone. Prank calls could probably hurt their careers from now on. Not just careers, but their emotions as well. That telemarketer's reaction is priceless. I would say it's brilliant but not the greatest prank call ever.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
31 Dec 08
It is by far the best recorded prank call I have heard myself korbchng, but I would love to hear others if there are more available online! It is certainly an approach used that I have never considered myself and yes, the way the telemarketer reacted was very funny. Thanks for your comments and welcome to mylot too. 

@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
30 Dec 08
I really don't like telemarketer, I know it's not their fault it's a job
but many of them didn't stop when we said " No thank you " so I had to hang up because I didn't want them to waste my time
Hubby is the one that always answers the call. he knows what to say, how to say it politely and how to say it not so politely when necessary. He actually tells me that if I don't answer the phone then they win LOL
so he makes it a big deal winning over telemarketer I guess he can have his fun :)
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Dec 08
I am not so keen on them either LittleMel, but I have also been one in the past so I guess I am more patient with them than most. It IS their job and it is far from easy, but there are not many people that can stay calm when getting hammered by pushy people! Your Husband does sound like he has some fun with them from time to time and this is great. I too will play around a little with the occasional telemarketer, but have never taken it to the level of the video example. I would love to though!
Thanks for the comments and I wish for you a Happy New Year!
Thanks for the comments and I wish for you a Happy New Year!1 person likes this
@alindahaw (1219)
• Philippines
30 Dec 08
Telemarketers can be quite annoying at times but we should try to be more patient with them. These people are just doing their jobs and if they do not do their jobs, they get fired. Nobody really want to lose his or her job in these times economic crisis. You can't really blame these people for trying so hard to sell the products of their companies.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Dec 08
Yes they can unfortunately. I have been one myself in the past and it is not an easy job at all. Someone's gotta do it! It just becomes hard to be patient when people become so pushy at times and I love the way the guy in the video chose to deal with it this time around. Very funny and very original! Thanks for your comments alinda and Happy New Year! 

@checapricorn (16060)
• United States
30 Dec 08
[i]Hi James,
This is very funny..I shared it to my hubby and he was laughing a lot and forward also to his friend...LOL! I pity the guy, gosh! I am scared now to be one of the call center agent, it will stress me out if I am the one in the situation..
Anyway, we don't entertain them and if they continue talking, we will just say we are not interested, but one time, I hang up because he just don't listen to me! I know it was rude but he was just too persistent![/i]





1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Dec 08
Hi checapricorn. I have watched it a few more times now and I still find it hilarious. I kind of pity the guy on the receiving end too, but hopefully he was able to laugh about it eventually as well, because it was one heck of a clever and funny situation. At over 12 million YouTube hits, it has also made him somewhat famous I guess! I very rarely hang up on a telemarketer myself and when I do, I will always tell them first. I don't like to be rude either, but sometimes they just become way too pushy for my liking. Thanks for your comments and Happy New Year to you and your family. 

@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
30 Dec 08
I used to hang up and take the easy way out, but now i listen for awhile like most here are doing and then ask them questions about where they work,live and hobbies cause if they want to ask me personal questions i figure i should get to also...I talk very politely and sometimes say i'm so glad you called since my grandaughter needs to sell some more cookies and so since you called then should i put you down for a 100 boxes?..of course they stammer..um maam..I'm not trying to buy anything..so i say well neither am I..lol..
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
30 Dec 08
So another ex-Telemarketer! They don't respond to well to the personal questions at all. lol. It is not an easy job at all and they must get absolutely hammered on many of the calls they make, so I do try to be polite most of the time and it is only when they get way too pushy that I will end up getting flustered and angry at them. Trying to sell them something back is pretty funny!
Thanks for the response Rose and Happy New Year! 
Thanks for the response Rose and Happy New Year! 
@SeishiroX (1092)
• Philippines
29 Dec 08
Hahaha. This made my day! what a way to deal with pesky telemarketers pushing products and nonsense up your phones. Poor guy, though, he was just doing what he was paid for. Lol.
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
29 Dec 08
It was an event that telemarket will never forget, that's for sure. He has become famous for it in a sense too as over 12 million people have viewed this video on YouTube! lol. Yes he was just doing his job, but what a way to handle the call compared to hanguing up on them!
Thanks for the response Seishiro and Happy New Year!
Thanks for the response Seishiro and Happy New Year!





lol. Hopefully you will be able to open it at home, yes. It is very funny!











