There are few things in life more annoying than cold callers.
We all know how irritating it is to be harassed by a complete stranger who just needs "a few seconds of your time" to chat about "a great opportunity" as they try their best to sell you something you really don't need.
So if you struggle to put the phone down and are looking for help - look no further. A group of social media users shared their best tips for trolling scammers in a very enlightening thread.
The topic was first brought up last week on Reddit when a user going by the handle u/ChipForClicks took to the subforum AskReddit to inquire of other users: "What is something you say to scammers instead of hanging up?"
This question clearly resonated with a lot of other Reddit users and has since generated over 48,000 upvotes and a further 15,400 comments at the time of writing.
One person wrote: "I once saw caller ID (landline days) with a number that I figured was a telemarketer. In a 'tough' voice, without saying hello I asked: 'Is he dead?'
"And about a beat and a half later I said: 'Because if he ain’t dead, don’t you even think about coming back here.' Then what sounded like a young woman on the other end said: 'Um, uh, uh Bye!'
"Hope she had as much fun telling her friends as I had telling mine."
A second then commented that his last conversation went as follows: "'Hi, We have been trying to reach you about your car's warranty.'
'[That's] great, what plans can you offer me on my 97 Geo Metro? I've only been in 6 wrecks.' They usually just give up."
Another wrote that they often replied: "'Oh hang on, let me get the wife/husband/parent/appropriate decision-making figure, they'll be able to help you!'
They then stated that they: "Just turn the microphone off and go about my day."
Meanwhile, another Redditor added: "I sometimes try to sell them stuff. I once spent 45 minutes on a slow day at work trying to sell a 120 kg vibrator to some dude."
While another wrote: "If they are calling about windows and doors, I tell them I live in a tent. 'You're calling a tent, did you know this?
"If they call about HVAC, I tell them I live in a castle, and we heat it in the wintertime by burning witches."
Finally, someone else wrote: "I once repeated 'uhuh, go on...' over and over until they got really irritated and then just hung up on me."
So if scammers are the bane of your life then why not employ one of these tactics next time they ring you?
