# I'm calling because you took a cruise **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 29, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259 "2017-03-29T01:14:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/61 "2017-03-29T21:11:48Z")
I often pick up our land line and say “Hello” only to hear: “This is Stan Pearson.\* How are you today?” Since I don’t know a Stan Pearson, I figure it’s a scam and immediately hang up. I figure the company must be targeting people who either are basically “all there” but too trusting (“He gave his first and last name, so he must be legitimate!”) or, worse, at some stage of dementia and thus easily convinced Stan is an old friend they just can’t remember at the moment. - or “Laura Simmons”, or just “Duane” – I’ve heard about six different names so far. At least American English appears to be their first language, as opposed to the “Windows tech support” guy named Kevin Miller, who sounded as if he had spent his entire life in India. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/62 "2017-03-29T21:45:02Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#): > > I often pick up our land line and say “Hello” only to hear: “This is Stan Pearson.\* How are you today?” Since I don’t know a Stan Pearson, I figure it’s a scam and immediately hang up. I figure the company must be targeting people who either are basically “all there” but too trusting (“He gave his first and last name, so he must be legitimate!”) or, worse, at some stage of dementia and thus easily convinced Stan is an old friend they just can’t remember at the moment. > > - or “Laura Simmons”, or just “Duane” – I’ve heard about six different names so far. At least American English appears to be their first language, as opposed to the “Windows tech support” guy named Kevin Miller, who sounded as if he had spent his entire life in India. You are listening to a recording made by a native American speaker, in a folksy manner, complete with pauses that appear to be where you respond. It’s a computer program you are talking to with a repertoire of canned phrases, not a person. I believe I have frequently described this elsewhere. Try responding with illogical responses and see what happens. You are now performing a Turing test! ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/63 "2017-03-29T22:19:10Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I’m surprised at how many of you actually answer calls from unknown numbers. I’m honestly surprised that “Don’t ring and go straight to voicemail unless caller is in my address book” isn’t a built-in option on both iOS and Android. Do Not Disturb on iOS _almost_ does what I want, but I need to use it to actually keep people I know from waking me up during times I’m asleep, and there’s no way to use it for that at night _and_ use it for muting everyone else at other times. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/64 "2017-03-29T22:44:37Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/65 "2017-03-29T23:04:13Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [FCC warns consumers about new ‘Yes’ phone scam](https://gma.yahoo.com/fcc-warns-consumers-yes-phone-scam-233916329--abc-news-topstories.html#)(Auto-play video at top of article)) Oh, yeah there are warnings. But no documented cases where it actually occurred. Everybody’s just freaking out because someone suspects that maybe it could be possible. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/66 "2017-03-29T23:11:11Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I keep getting phone calls asking me if I want to sell my timeshare. I don’t have a timeshare, I have never had a timeshare. They asked me how I liked my timeshare. I don’t have a timeshare. But lately, when prodded, I say that I really like it a lot. This causes some kind of confusion, the last guy went off script and handed me off to a “supervisor” or whatever. I like to talk into a large coffee can when speaking on the phone, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/67 "2017-03-29T23:31:06Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I’m surprised at how many of you actually answer calls from unknown numbers. > > I figure if it’s someone I know and it’s important, they’ll leave a voicemail. A few actually do leave (automated) voicemails. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/68 "2017-03-30T05:56:39Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Nomorobo, I’ll check that out. Thanks again. I did check but for home phones they only work on VOIPs – free, though, so that’s good but mine isn’t VOIP. Hopefully there’s another solution for home phones? > [@Joey\_P](#): > > I don’t believe in ‘wasting their time’ either. If you want to see how long you can keep them on the phone or yell and swear at them, have at it, but in my head, you’re just wasting you’re own time. I do not want to waste their time, nor do I want to waste my time. I certainly don’t want to keep them on the phone long. My goal is to dispense with the call ASAP, and also not have a recorded VM that is only a dial tone. > [@Spiderman](#): > > I don’t answer the landline. I’m amazed at how many times it rings & the ‘caller’ hangs up when the answering machine picks up. Since it only records if they’re still there after the beep (at the end of the outgoing message), there’s nothing for me to play/delete. I wish my machine did that, but it doesn’t always. Sometimes it doesn’t record the hang up, and sometimes it does and I have to delete the recorded dial tone. Annoying, very. > [@DigitalC](#): > > I simply don’t bother picking up a number I don’t know. I haven’t had a telemarketer get more than two rings in years. I do, on my cell. On my home phone, I do not. If it’s a spammer then I hang up and I add their # to my contacts list under the last name ZZ\_junkCaller. It gets sorted to the end of my contacts. I also make a note of it – I like lists for some sick reason. Here is my list, pasted in: 904-274-8599: 2017-03-10T1135 Fri, Greg Parker(?) with Green Energy, acknowledged putting me on Do Not Call list 408-569-4834: 2017-01-27T1715 Fri Marriott Vacations 855-328-6700: 2017-01-25T1458 Wed: Visa 0% offer 210-981-1407: 2016-10-12T0930 Wed, I asked them to remove me from their calling list, while in the hospital visiting Lorrie P 484-891-1721: 2016-10-04T1631 Tue, call, no response 562-384-1596: 2016-09-29T1710 Thu; Spanish recording 760-292-5016: 2016-08-27T0927 Sat; nobody talking 714-694-8195: 2016-08-26T1323 Fri; Spanish recording 408-610-4900: 2016-07-27T0321; 2 VMs, quick yodel, like Yahoo!, or like WooHoo! 408-569-4584: 2016-05-27T1803; Marriott \<704-652-4300: 2016-05-17T1635 Tue; 1 ring then stop\> 704-652-4300: 2016-05-11T1719 Wed; 1 ring then stop 408-569-8938; 2016-04-20T1503 405-421-0879: 2016-02-22T0953 337-446-0498: 2016-99-99T9999 I guess I get a handfull each year. But that is my cell, which I only give to friends. Whenever I need to give a phone number (accounts, orders, etc), it’s my home number. > [@Projammer](#): > > Unfortunately some of us don’t have a real option to not answer. I literally receive calls from all over the country due to my work. It took my company 6 months to get me a work phone so my personal cell is still making the rounds. Fortunately Jenny or Emily only try calling me once a week or so. Perhaps you can create a ZZ\_junkCall or similar in your contacts, like above, so the next time they call you’ll know not to answer. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/69 "2017-03-30T12:15:52Z")
I got a new phone yesterday. I was switching my internet/cable services and the phone was free, so why not. I haven’t had a landline phone in years but I figured to save a few bucks by using it for outgoing calls. So a few hours after I get this new phone number, which I have given to no one, the phone starts to ring- pretty much constantly. Like a telemarketing call every 5 minutes. Luckily I can just turn the ringer off. But first I had some fun. I picked up the phone and SCREAMED “What did you DO to her?” Where is my daughter, you son-of-bitch? Don’t play dumb, you’re the ONLY person that has this number" Give me my daughter! The guy hung up on me. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/70 "2017-03-30T12:25:20Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I also make a note of it – I like lists for some sick reason. Because you like Bullitt points? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/71 "2017-03-30T13:11:07Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > The one that calls me pretends to drop her headset, then laughs about it, to try to make me think she’s all human. Then proceeds to tell me I stayed at one of their resorts. I’ve never been to a resort. > > StG I’ve gotten that one several times. I think it’s partially to make up for the slight delay caused when a robocaller dials several numbers simultaneously and then connects only the ones that pick up. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/72 "2017-03-30T14:21:26Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I’ve been getting robo-calls about a final notice on the expiration of my car’s warranty. > > It’s a 2001 Subaru. The warranty expired before I even bought it. Did the dealer you bought it from provide their own warranty? In some states, used car dealers are required to provide a warranty on every car they sell. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/73 "2017-03-30T15:02:42Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I’ve gotten that one several times. I think it’s partially to make up for the slight delay caused when a robocaller dials several numbers simultaneously and then connects only the ones that pick up. I fell for the headset dropping chick that started in about staying at resorts for about 3 seconds. And that’s only because I’ve booked getaway weekend rentals with a reputable company that has the word “resorts” in its name and they’ve actually surprised me with good promotions although always via e-mail. So I almost started to talk back to the chick, then it clicked and I hung up. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/74 "2017-03-30T15:36:39Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I got a new phone yesterday. I was switching my internet/cable services and the phone was free, so why not. > > I haven’t had a landline phone in years but I figured to save a few bucks by using it for outgoing calls. > > So a few hours after I get this new phone number, which I have given to no one, the phone starts to ring- pretty much constantly. Like a telemarketing call every 5 minutes. > > Luckily I can just turn the ringer off. But first I had some fun. I picked up the phone and SCREAMED “What did you DO to her?” Where is my daughter, you son-of-bitch? Don’t play dumb, you’re the ONLY person that has this number" Give me my daughter! > > The guy hung up on me. [Oh my God! HE’S GOT A GUN!](http://www.collectedcurios.com/sequentialart.php?s=664) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/75 "2017-03-30T15:54:39Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > I got a new phone yesterday. I was switching my internet/cable services and the phone was free, so why not. > > I haven’t had a landline phone in years but I figured to save a few bucks by using it for outgoing calls. > > So a few hours after I get this new phone number, which I have given to no one, the phone starts to ring- pretty much constantly. Like a telemarketing call every 5 minutes. > > Luckily I can just turn the ringer off. But first I had some fun. I picked up the phone and SCREAMED “What did you DO to her?” Where is my daughter, you son-of-bitch? Don’t play dumb, you’re the ONLY person that has this number" Give me my daughter! > > The guy hung up on me. THE PHONE CALLS ARE COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE!!! Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/76 "2017-03-30T18:16:44Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I’ve gotten that one several times. I think it’s partially to make up for the slight delay caused when a robocaller dials several numbers simultaneously and then connects only the ones that pick up. It’s to make you think you are talking to a human. Must people have a passing familiarity with robots and may be suspicious of recorded messages, but would a robot drop a headset? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/77 "2017-03-30T18:19:41Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > It’s to make you think you are talking to a human. Must people have a passing familiarity with robots and may be suspicious of recorded messages, but would a robot drop a headset? That too, but I think the dropping the headset trick serves both purposes. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/78 "2017-03-30T19:17:45Z")
I am surprised how sophisticated some of these robocalls can get. At first, I used to ask, “What is your name?”; they started responding, “My name is \.” Now, the minute one starts, I reply, “Robot” or “Are you a robot?”; I have gotten a response of, “We do pre-record messages, but there is somebody live on this end.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/79 "2017-03-30T20:31:32Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Now, the minute one starts, I reply, “Robot” or “Are you a robot?”; I have gotten a response of, “We do pre-record messages, but there is somebody live on this end.” To which your response should be, “Not on this end, though” just to fuck with their heads. The day they come up with a robo-caller who can pass the Turing test, I am smashing my phone with a rock and moving to Mars. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259/80 "2017-03-30T21:35:11Z")
Robocallmachine this is Carnivorousplantmachine my Master does not wish to receive calls from your Master thank you robocallmachine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-calling-because-you-took-a-cruise/783259.md?page=5)