Feeling Overwhelmed by the Amount of Telemarketing, Scamming, and Fraudulent Calls?

I'm Sick of It

Nowadays I need to go to extreme measures to avoid certain situations. In my case, it is regarding phone calls. I have had enough of the daily telemarketers, scammers, and fraudulent calls. It gets to where it is one call after the other. Sometimes for the same reason and the calls come in from different numbers, different states, and/or countries! I have received calls from Luxembourg, China, Russia. I do not know anyone in these countries! I have never been to these countries. Most of the time it is a recorded message, which makes it more frustrating.

Expiring Extended Warranty

What are these calls for? Well, it seems every day the extended warranty on my vehicle is about to expire and has been for I do not remember how long. That is so polite of them to continue giving me the opportunity to renew it—although I purchased no warranty. They do not understand that I am not interested in renewing. When I got a human, he mentioned a vehicle that I no longer have since 2003.

False Mortgage Refinance Inquiry

Then we have the mortgage refinance that I “supposedly” requested information on, even though I do not recall asking for such information. In fact, I once got one of these calls and I asked the gentleman if I had contacted him for this information. He claimed that I did not, but my husband, Mr. Centeno, did. Mind you, I use my maiden name, not my married name, therefore, there is no Mr. Centeno. Liar! No thank you, I am content with my mortgage and interest rate as of now. I did not call you or request any information. 

Any One in the Market for Solar Panels?

Some other company is so concerned about my power bills that they continue to call offering solar panels with government rebates and/or tax credits. That is a darling concern—so sweet. Except, I’m not interested in solar panels.

We Will Forgive Your Student Loans

I cannot leave out the gazillion calls to forgive my student loans. It seems they do not listen to the news or do their research. There are no student loan forgiveness programs out there. The President vetoed the bill earlier this year. If it was a real thing, the process to have student loans forgiven is simple enough to do on my own. I know how to read and follow instructions—hence why I went to school and college after. No need for help on that.

All Insurances Included

It does not end there because insurance is a biggie. I get calls to lower my payments for health insurance, auto insurance, homeowner’s insurance, and whatever other insurance there may be out there. My insurances are all up to date and in good hands. Get it? 😊 Do not need any, thank you.

I Can Qualify for Disability!

I probably seem disabled and have not noticed. I feel perfectly fine. This is another common call to help me qualify for disability. I once told the gentleman I thought it was illegal to get someone on disability if they didn’t need it. He hung up on me.

Blocking Unwanted Calls Does Not Work

Yes, there are apps out there to block unwanted calls, and I use one. But it does not work all the time. In fact, I have more blocked calls than contacts on my phone. At this rate, I should not have to pay my phone bill. I get more of these calls than personal ones. Apparently, it is not a private number because every darn company has it. I feel that if I pay for something, I should get to decide what I can do with it and who can access it. Well, that is not the case. I can always register on the “Do Not Call” registry list, except that I am already on it and still get these daily calls. 

My New Voice Message

What is the extreme measure I took? I have a new voice message on my phone for live telemarketers, scammers, and fraudulent callers because it doesn’t work on the message calls. It might seem tacky, inappropriate, or unprofessional. Frankly, I don't care anymore and so my voice message goes like this:

“Hello, I’m unavailable to take your call right now. Please leave a brief message after the tone. Please know that I’m not interested in buying an extended warranty for my car or solar panels for my home. I don’t care to refinance, have my student loans forgiven, or save on health insurance. I feel perfectly fine and need not qualify for disability. So, if this call is regarding any of the above, do not leave a message and don’t call again. Thank you and have a nice day.” 

So, tell me. How do you handle your unwanted calls?