please help the prince of turkmenistan reclaim his millions.
We have caller ID at my house, so I get to see exactly where telemarketers are calling from before I ignore them altogether. But recently a Houston phone number has been turning up that I don't recognize, and they hang up when I answer. The same thing happened to my husband and we were about to block the number when I decided the other night to give it one more shot. The phone rang, it was a Houston area code, so I answered. The following conversation made me realize that yes, people actually fall for these things.
Me: Hello?
Man: Hi, is this [my real name]?
Me: *eyerollmumblemumbletelemarketer* Nope, can I give her a message?
Man: Well, I need to speak to her regarding a personal matter. Here's my phone number and extension.
Me: Can you give me any more details? /:)
Man: No ma'am, I'm sorry. I need to speak with her.
Me: I can almost guarantee she won't call you back unless I can tell her what this is about.
Man: I'm sorry, it's against California law for me to tell you.
Me: But you're not in California.
Man: Well, when I have to call California, I have to abide by their laws.
Me: Uh huh. I'll let her know.
So, the next day, I'm in the kitchen while the boy cooks dinner and I wave the phone number at him. He says I should call it back and see what they want, so I do.
Me: Hi, this is [my real name]. You called and left a message with my sister the other night about a personal matter.
Man: Oh right! *sounds of scrambling* Uh... your name again?
Me: *repeats* /:)
Man: Did I leave a reference number? *more scrambling*
Me: *yawning* Nope.
Man: Oh. What phone number did I call?
Me: You don't know that?
Man: Well-- well-- it just makes it easier to call up your file.
Me: Yeah. You can't do that with, you know, my name?
Man: It just takes longer. Uh...... okay, here we are! This is about your [something I can't remember] Mastercard.
Me: I don't have one.
Man: Oh, is this [my real name][wrong middle initial]?
Me: *snorts* Nope.
Man: *hangs up*
Dude, now I totally wish I would have said yes, so I could see if he asked me to verify my account number over the phone. And possibly asked for my SSN.
Me: Hello?
Man: Hi, is this [my real name]?
Me: *eyerollmumblemumbletelemarketer* Nope, can I give her a message?
Man: Well, I need to speak to her regarding a personal matter. Here's my phone number and extension.
Me: Can you give me any more details? /:)
Man: No ma'am, I'm sorry. I need to speak with her.
Me: I can almost guarantee she won't call you back unless I can tell her what this is about.
Man: I'm sorry, it's against California law for me to tell you.
Me: But you're not in California.
Man: Well, when I have to call California, I have to abide by their laws.
Me: Uh huh. I'll let her know.
So, the next day, I'm in the kitchen while the boy cooks dinner and I wave the phone number at him. He says I should call it back and see what they want, so I do.
Me: Hi, this is [my real name]. You called and left a message with my sister the other night about a personal matter.
Man: Oh right! *sounds of scrambling* Uh... your name again?
Me: *repeats* /:)
Man: Did I leave a reference number? *more scrambling*
Me: *yawning* Nope.
Man: Oh. What phone number did I call?
Me: You don't know that?
Man: Well-- well-- it just makes it easier to call up your file.
Me: Yeah. You can't do that with, you know, my name?
Man: It just takes longer. Uh...... okay, here we are! This is about your [something I can't remember] Mastercard.
Me: I don't have one.
Man: Oh, is this [my real name][wrong middle initial]?
Me: *snorts* Nope.
Man: *hangs up*
Dude, now I totally wish I would have said yes, so I could see if he asked me to verify my account number over the phone. And possibly asked for my SSN.