[Finance] Acme Thunderer comes out of retirement (scam related)

[drew]

I used to run a girls football team for about 8 years. Started because my daughter trained with them and there was no else prepared to take it on. That meant the purchase of a suitable whistle and I opted for the tried and tested Acme Thunderer. Well it was retired just before the first lockdown and has been hanging on a coat hook in the hall.

Today I found an excellent use for it. I took a call from a manchester number and the caller gave me the great news that I was due a refund for a domestic appliance. Kept him talking whilst I wandered out to the hallway and then gave him the full end of the match final whistle right in the mouthpiece. By the time I'd got the phone back to my ear he'd hung up!!

Second time I've now done this to effing scammers.

Does anyone else have a different method other than just hanging up?

 

[Bodian]

I used to run a girls football team for about 8 years. Started because my daughter trained with them and there was no else prepared to take it on. That meant the purchase of a suitable whistle and I opted for the tried and tested Acme Thunderer. Well it was retired just before the first lockdown and has been hanging on a coat hook in the hall.

Today I found an excellent use for it. I took a call from a manchester number and the caller gave me the great news that I was due a refund for a domestic appliance. Kept him talking whilst I wandered out to the hallway and then gave him the full end of the match final whistle right in the mouthpiece. By the time I'd got the phone back to my ear he'd hung up!!

Second time I've now done this to effing scammers.

Does anyone else have a different method other than just hanging up?

I engage them in 'meaningful' discussion about the various domestic appliances I have, and the various very minor issues I have had with the over the years.

 

[usernamed]

My technique varies dependent on the type of call. If I don’t have any time pressure at my side, then (for accident/insurance calls) I go past the robo-caller to a human, and then go into ever increasingly gory details about the car accident that I have definitely had that wasn’t my fault.

Different callers have different levels of tolerance before realising they’re being led down the garden path, but if I’m having a good day and haven’t crossed the line too far into implausibility then I can often keep them on the line up to the point where I run out of ideas, and drop the bombshell that the accident was in fact fatal to me.

At this point I begin making ghost noises down the line, and I usually find that they’re gone. (I like to think fled in terror)

I feel by slowing them down, giving them false details, and making them type out an increasingly unlikely set of symptoms/effects (e.g. all my toenails fell off) I’m performing an important public service by slowing these ******** down in getting to their next caller.

 

[FIVESTEPS]

Let the phone ring 4 times before answering,scammers ring off after 4.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Mobile rings and I see Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol etc and I don’t answer it…..these callers never leave a voicemail.

 

[usernamed]

Mobile rings and I see Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol etc and I don’t answer it…..these callers never leave a voicemail.

If anyone is getting lots of these, it’s worth (re-)registering your number at the Telephone Preference Service:

https://www.tpsonline.org.uk

It stopped 99% of these calls for me, I believe it works for landlines too.

Weirdly, after a number of years I began getting them again, but reregistering has largely put a stop to them again.

 

[BN9 BHA]

If anyone is getting lots of these, it’s worth (re-)registering your number at the Telephone Preference Service:

https://www.tpsonline.org.uk

It stopped 99% of these calls for me, I believe it works for landlines too.

Weirdly, after a number of years I began getting them again, but reregistering has largely put a stop to them again.

Many thanks, i will do this now.

 

[WATFORD zero]

My technique varies dependent on the type of call. If I don’t have any time pressure at my side, then (for accident/insurance calls) I go past the robo-caller to a human, and then go into ever increasingly gory details about the car accident that I have definitely had that wasn’t my fault.

Different callers have different levels of tolerance before realising they’re being led down the garden path, but if I’m having a good day and haven’t crossed the line too far into implausibility then I can often keep them on the line up to the point where I run out of ideas, and drop the bombshell that the accident was in fact fatal to me.

At this point I begin making ghost noises down the line, and I usually find that they’re gone. (I like to think fled in terror)

I feel by slowing them down, giving them false details, and making them type out an increasingly unlikely set of symptoms/effects (e.g. all my toenails fell off) I’m performing an important public service by slowing these ******** down in getting to their next caller.

I find it depends on my mood. Normally if I'm doing something an extremely loud and immediate F*** OFF! suffices, but sometimes i'm tempted. I tend to vary it between

For the accident ones, see how long I can keep them talking about my accident, before revealing it was of the bowel variety
A simple creepy 'I don't get many phone calls', 'It's nice to talk to someone' and 'will you be my friend ?'
Unsurprisingly, I do a particularly good doddery old git who takes forever to do anything (particularly good when they want me to do something with my computer)
A favourite is to get a drum and stick out of the cupboard and intersperse the conversation with the occasional THWACK with the phone held over it 'No, I didn't hear anything'
Or a simple Mr Gullible and see how many levels of management I can get referred up when they think they're on a winner

A little variety in all things helps keep me entertained

 

[darkwolf666]

Slightly different, but I had Jehovah's Witnesses knock the door one day. I invited them in, which confused them and they declined. We then arranged for them to call round for a "chat" at a mutually convenient time - which I made sure I was out for, up the pub for a lunchtime tipple!

Petty, I know, but I enjoyed it, in a sad way...!

 

[boik]

Whoever they ask for, I just say "I'll go and get them" and then leave the phone off the hook whilst carrying on with my business.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

I leave my phone in Do Not Disturb mode a lot of the time so only those I want to call me can. On the odd occasion it isn't and one of these calls gets through I try to wind them up until they put the phone down on me. It's hilarious when they get very angry and start swearing at me. I try to get a "do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" line in before they hang up.

When its one of those you were involved in a crash or accident scam calls I try to come up with the most outlandish injuries and circumstances I can think of as to how the accident occurred. It takes them ages to twig.

 

[jcdenton08]

Ask them what they're wearing and make dirty old man noises until they hang up. Works even better with guys

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Thought this was going to be a real "whistle-blower" thread.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Make out you have either tourettes or a stutter, that's funny.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

My phone can now do screening. If it is an unrecognised or withheld number, the nice Google lady pipes up and gives a spiel. Without exception the unwanted caller hangs up.

 

[Questions]

If it’s a woman that calls I generally ask them what they’re wearing.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

If I'm not too busy then I will string them along for a while. I've also tried the approach someone else on here said that they use which is to ask them how they would feel if someone was trying to scan their own parents.

If I get bored or don't have time, the Air Horn app on my mobile gets blasted down the landline at them at full volume.

 

[drew]

If I'm not too busy then I will string them along for a while. I've also tried the approach someone else on here said that they use which is to ask them how they would feel if someone was trying to scan their own parents.

If I get bored or don't have time, the Air Horn app on my mobile gets blasted down the landline at them at full volume.

Have to agree, quite fun to string them along when I'm in the mood.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I usually ask them if they are religious - they tend to say yes. I then ask them if their God approves of what they do for a living. It normally gets rid of them and, you never know, some might find a conscience.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Slightly different, but I had Jehovah's Witnesses knock the door one day. I invited them in, which confused them and they declined. We then arranged for them to call round for a "chat" at a mutually convenient time - which I made sure I was out for, up the pub for a lunchtime tipple!

Petty, I know, but I enjoyed it, in a sad way...!

A mate of a mate had a great way of dealing with the JWs. He opened the door stark bollock naked.