# Phone Rage At "Extended Auto Warranty" Scammer **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 21, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777 "2009-07-21T20:45:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/41 "2009-07-22T20:11:33Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Wait, so _threatening_ telemarketers is a bit over the top, but actually _killing_ them via baconified wetsuit + shark droppage is okay? 1. It’s evident that my suggestion is utterly ridiculous and implausible, therefore it’s not a true threat. Nobody would waste that much bacon! :eek: – or – 1. I never said anything about killing them, in fact I’m looking out for their health. The bacon does double-duty: nourishment, plus when it attracts the sharks, the marketer will swim like hell, therefore improving his/her/its cardiovascular health. And really, who couldn’t use a nice relaxing beach vacation? My suggestion is pure altruism, and you wound me deeply by implying it’s anything else :mad: :p. Take your pick 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/42 "2009-07-22T20:29:38Z")
As **Vinyl Turnip** pointed out, this guy wasn’t ranting at a telemarketer who called him during dinner one too many times. _He_ called _them_ 'cause they sent him junk mail. Frankly I prefer the junk mail senders to the telemarketers. I’d prefer these people send me junk mail, 'cause I have to get the mail anyway and I can just trash it as soon as I step in the door, and then I’m guaranteed to be done with junk mail for the day unlike the phone calls. No, his ire was directed towards the wrong people, what a waste. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/43 "2009-07-22T20:33:02Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > It should be legal to curse or threaten them any way you want. If they don’t like it, stop calling. Let them sweat throughout the day thinking, wondering, will TODAY be THE day? Fuck them and extending the warranty on 12 year old cars. You understand, of course, that the people who actually make the calls are minimum-wage slaves working the most unpleasant desk job there is, and have no control over the content of the call or what time they call, right? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/44 "2009-07-22T20:33:54Z")
Charles W. Papenfus, a hero for our times. File this one under “We couldn’t get a conviction because the jury was too busy laughing and applauding.” ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/45 "2009-07-22T20:41:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > You understand, of course, that the people who actually make the calls are minimum-wage slaves working the most unpleasant desk job there is, and have no control over the content of the call or what time they call, right? You realize that’s not true, right? You can choose to make phone calls about car warranties or not. In my career in marketing, I’ve turned down lucrative jobs because I didn’t want to associate myself with certain products. I’ll also add, that I am extremely nice to telemarketers who call to poll about issues. I understand that calling someone and interrupting his day is a difficult thing to do. My sister had a job like that a while back, but even before that I was very polite to the telemarketers who made it possible. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/46 "2009-07-22T20:43:30Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > You realize that’s not true, right? You can choose to make phone calls about car warranties or not. Not if your town has 15% unemployment. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/47 "2009-07-22T20:50:54Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Not if your town has 15% unemployment. It’s still your choice. Working for a scum sucking dishonest sales company because you need the job, just demotes your status in the eyes of most people for doing that job. I am speaking about the auto warranty company in particular. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/48 "2009-07-22T20:52:26Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > You understand, of course, that the people who actually make the calls are minimum-wage slaves working the most unpleasant desk job there is, and have no control over the content of the call or what time they call, right? Doesn’t matter. No one’s forcing them to take a job with the sole purpose of invading people’s privacy. If they’re that desperate for money, there’s always Taco Bell. Most telemarketers – especially the ones who hound you endlessly and won’t go away – are sociopaths who _enjoy_ irritating people. Genuine energy vampires. ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/49 "2009-07-22T20:58:41Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Genuine energy vampires. HA! Great phrase. I just may have to borrow it sometime. With your permission, of course. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/50 "2009-07-22T21:16:58Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > HA! Great phrase. I just may have to borrow it sometime. With your permission, of course. Sure, be my guest. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/51 "2009-07-23T00:54:26Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Doesn’t matter. No one’s forcing them to take a job with the sole purpose of invading people’s privacy. If they’re that desperate for money, there’s always Taco Bell. > > Most telemarketers – especially the ones who hound you endlessly and won’t go away – are sociopaths who _enjoy_ irritating people. Genuine energy vampires. “Invading people’s privacy”? How? By _calling_ them? Have you ever worked as a telemarketer? They’re not fucking sociopaths. They’re normal people who need jobs. If you don’t like the practice, don’t patronize companies that do it - but don’t hold it against the guy on the phone. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/52 "2009-07-23T01:04:05Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Have you ever worked as a telemarketer? They’re not fucking sociopaths. They’re normal people who need jobs. Not as a telemarketer, but I did work a brief temp job for a survey company (Davis Research, it’s somewhere in Pr0n Valley) which cold-called people to ask what kind of gas they buy. Even though I wasn’t selling anything, I felt dirty every time I called someone who didn’t want to be bothered, and had to put up with quite a few abusive callers. (Even my mother, who coincidentally was on the list, hung up on me!! She took the survey when I called back and told her who I was, though.) I only kept that job a week, and quickly took a different assignment when it became available. I can’t imagine how anyone would actually _enjoy_ that type of job, unless they were a sociopath who enjoyed disturbing people. What’s the big deal anyway, RNATB? Were _you_ a telemarketer once? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/53 "2009-07-23T01:15:09Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > 1. It’s evident that my suggestion is utterly ridiculous and implausible, therefore it’s not a true threat. Nobody would waste that much bacon! :eek: That actually sounds like one of the best uses of bacon ever conceived of by a human mind. ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/54 "2009-07-23T01:31:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > If you don’t like the practice, don’t patronize companies that do it - but don’t hold it against the guy on the phone. The guy on the phone is acting as the only representative of his company with whom I will ever speak. The guy on the phone chose to act as this intermediary. The guy on the phone will therefore deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/55 "2009-07-23T01:35:25Z")
> [@atomicbadgerrace](#): > > The guy on the phone is acting as the only representative of his company with whom I will ever speak. The guy on the phone chose to act as this intermediary. The guy on the phone will therefore deal with it. Exactly. And he will get just as much abuse and defilement as I can legally give him, every time. Telemarketers are scum, every one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/56 "2009-07-23T01:51:52Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Exactly. And he will get just as much abuse and defilement as I can legally give him, every time. > > Telemarketers are scum, every one of them. Ahh, I didn’t know you thought I was scum. ::sniffle:: (Well, ex-scum I suppose since it’s been about 5 years since I did telemarketing work) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/57 "2009-07-23T02:54:22Z")
Ex-scum are ok. As long as you realize that what you were doing was Evil, and you are continuing to make amends to Society in general, that is. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/58 "2009-07-23T03:29:41Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Ex-scum are ok. > > As long as you realize that what you were doing was Evil, and you are continuing to make amends to Society in general, that is. 😃 Heh. (Um, you do realize I sell insurance now. Most people rate us barely above telemarketers in the grand scum scheme of things) I understand the general sentiment. But the telemarketing I was doing was for current customers to extend their services, usually at a nice discount. Also things like getting free baby magazines to ob/gyn offices and the like along with coupons and things for the new moms. We also abided by the DNC laws and hanging up on someone or refusing to honor a DNC list request was grounds for immediate termination and I saw that happen a couple times. That said, these warranty people are despicable and their tactics beyond slimy. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/59 "2009-07-23T03:37:33Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > I told these guys once I owned a 67 Mustang. For some reason they wouldn’t give me an extended warranty. They wouldn’t tell me why. The guy actually hung up on me when I told him my car was a 1991 Trabant… ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777/60 "2009-07-23T03:39:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > You understand, of course, that the people who actually make the calls are minimum-wage slaves working the most unpleasant desk job there is, and have no control over the content of the call or what time they call, right? Are there no prisons? And the union workhouses – are they still in operation? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-rage-at-extended-auto-warranty-scammer/503777.md?page=4)