Mothy McFey's blog: "Telephone Harassment"

I got in touch with my phone company about inordinate number of daily calls I get from various "insurance companies" that are probably bogus anyway. The sheer number of calls I get on a daily basis at all hours of the day from people who even sound suspicious is enough to get totally up my nose. This crap totally interferes with my daily life in terms of being able to concentrate on my tasks at hand.

I consulted my phone company, which, while sympathetic, wasn't highly helpful, but it was a place to start. I should explain that for the time being, I don't have a functioning cell phone, so this is all on my landline, so I cannot block these calls. My phone company referred me to a couple of government agencies and some other place, but were not overly encouraging about at satisfactory outcome to contacting them.

So far, I have been rather polite, but perfunctory, with these people who obviously have fake names; however my exasperation is reaching a critical mass. Believe it or not, I am actually a very patient person, but I do have a limit.  I have reached it, and now I see I need to adopt a differe4nt strategy. 

Usually, and ineffectively, I simply say "I am not interested and want you to take me off your call list. Thank you." That doesn't work at all. No relief. 

Sometimes it is best to flip the script. My new plan may take more minutes on the phone, and these goons aren't beyond hanging up on me, but I intend for them to hear what I have to say for as long as I can keep THEM on the phone. I am not beyond threatning them with US government agencies nor lawyers nor whatever else I can dream up. I am up the point to be snide and telling them exactly what I think of them, which they are crooks and scammers. 

I really hate this level of defense, but you can only push people so far before they just get fed up, and I am fed up. They are harassing, intruding, and rude themselves. I sm beyond done.