Nerd Pride Radio

Omg, so this just happened:

Telemarketer calls
Him: Hi how are you today?
Me: (Suspiciously) fine thank you, how may I help you?
Him:this is Josh, I'm calling from windows support about a problem with your computer.
Me: (giggling, cause I love these particular scammers), ok, are you calling about my iMac, or my Linux Box?
Him: your home computer, with windows.
Me: I don't have one, I run Ubuntu on my LINUX BOX
Him: Will you have the sex with me?
Me: (shocked)EXCUSE ME?!?!
Him: *Click*


I feel violated and amused.

I dearly love to hear someone from a foreign land call to say that they've detected issues with my computer. I bait them along for a little while and then ask them something simple, something that if they were actually reporting an issue they'd know, like my MAC address or my OS and service pack level.

Barb thinks its the equivalent of the 'fake the throw' game with a dog and disapproves of my behavior. But, she can't stop me.

I've never had one of those calls. Maybe it's because if we don't recognize the name or number on caller ID, we just let it go to voice mail.

I get them at work, but they are usually security system sales calls which, when I tell them that I have 12 guards, 2 on patrol at all times, a 12ft high chain link fence with razor wire at the top, and proxy badge entry points, usually hang up. They assume that I am at home,

The most memorable call was someone selling an arthritis cream that was "better than Blue Emu". I told the nice person when I answered the call that it was the engine inspection department of a certain airline and they plowed straight into their speech. I let them run on for a few minutes answering their questions as honestly as possible. I even gave them the mailing address of the company for free samples. When they asked how many I would like I said 8,000. I then explained that our company has an aging work-force whose average age in my department is 50 and if they would send the samples they might actually get some sales. CLICK.

I tried to help them at least

I love that particular caller. I like to pretend that my husband won't give me permission to touch the computer. You would be amazed the sympathetic, understanding response this generates with the men who work as these telemarketers. At other times I pretend to be stupid, usually by imitating one of my professors that I long ago tried to teach how to use a desktop computer. In much the same way that he could not master the difference between the left-click and right click of the mouse, I ask those sorts of questions in response to their efforts to get me to deliver computer information to them. Normally I treat telemarketers with a great deal of polite respect because I know their suffering, having had a similar job before, and because it was my husband's career for many years. But I don't have a lot of sympathy or respect for these Jokers who are trying to defraud you.

Yeah. My wife plays dumb and acts like she's following along for a while. Then after about five minutes, she says, "Okay, how do you find that on a Mac?" and then after all their work, she admits that she doesn't have a Windows machine.

I should point out that I only have Linux because our friend Mikey built my computer and he only runs Linux, not because I know anything about it.

Lol, it happens that I too have Ubuntu on Linux at least on one computer, but also because my husband made it so. I really prefer it though. Would like to know more about how to use it.

me too!

My favorite was a cold call about buying aluminum siding. I sounded really interested to the caller, and asked a lot of questions. He was ready to send someone down to offer me a free estimate. It all went great until I told him "Apartment 60." I guess they don't do just part of a building.

The quickest I've ever gotten a telemarketer off the phone is when they called to try and get me to change my long distance company. I apologized profusely to the telemarketer and told them that I'd love to help them, but that I didn't own a phone. Then they apologized to me. I couldn't believe that actually worked.

"I appreciate your effort, but you're barking up the wrong tree. Good luck on your next call." *click*

That's my typical response to telemarketers while I'm at work.