Things to Say to Cold Calling Brokers

[The Minsky Moment]

Broker calls have always been an annoyance, but recently it seems to have been accelerating.  I guess a combination of desperation to make bonuses combined with hope that people are looking to put money back into the market.

I really hate being rude on the phone, but it seems to be the only thing that gets these guys to stop calling.  So if anyone has advice on what to do or say to stop the calls, I would appreciate it.

Recent responses that worked.

Broker: "blah blah blah  . . . I cant trust you to keep an open mind, can't I?
A:  No you can't, I am a very closed minded person.

Broker: If I could double your money in the next 6 months, you'd like that wouldn't you?
A: No I'd feel terrible and wracked with guilt.

Broker: You agree with what I am saying right?
A:  Yes I do agree.  And yet I am not investing any money with you. Ever.

[Monoriu]

Broker: Hello, I represent Blood Sucking insurance company...
Me: I'm not interested.
Broker: I have not even started!
Me: That's right.  I am not interested in anything you say.
Broker: But...
[Hangs up]

[Grey Fox]

I use your first answer a lot Minsky.

Fucking Primerica.

[Jacob]

Usually I do the following (not with brokers... for some reason they don't call me, but other cold calls selling shit):

Caller:  Hello, I'm calling from Phone Harassement Inc. and....
Me:  I'm not interested.  Please remove me from any lists of numbers you may have.  I don't want you to call me.
Caller:  But we have a....
Me:  Please remove me from your phone list.  Bye.

*click*

[KRonn]

I don't know what gets you off the list of being called, except "the do not call list" helps, or is supposed to. Some of the callers I've told to remove me from their list, and they say they will, but the calls/mail still comes from the same group. Same with junk mail when I get frustrated and tell them to remove me from their mailing list.

So I pretty much just hang up on most solicitation calls now. If it's a group I subscribe to I may listen for a bit, but it's rare that I'll give anything or buy something. I'll give by mail if I want to give, and there are charities I do give to. I have no patience with the unwanted "nuisance" calls I get from everywhere else. I don't give the callers any grief, I realize they're just doing a job, but too bad, I don't care to have my phone ring because of these calls. Many of these calls are made to many phones at once, or something like that, and even if you answer you'll get no response sometimes. So sometimes if I answer the line is just tied up for a few minutes, or it gets messed up in some other way as the call cycles through, or what ever goes on at their end.

[BuddhaRhubarb]

I screamed at Telus one time and they stopped calling (knocks on wood) ... They were always calling while I was eating dinner. I told the guy Look I don't care what kind of great offer you have for me, I'm happy with my current setup. I'm not changing ever. Take me off your call list or I'm calling and reporting you to the police for harassment (I think he'd already hung up by that last bit.)

I wouldn't have made any such call. too lazy. no interest in talking to law enforcement.

[DGuller]

I simply say "Sorry, I'm not interested".  First time never works, second time almost always does.  I don't wait for them to speak, I talk over them.  I don't think I'm being rude, I'm just trying to save them the effort.

[alfred russel]

It is annoying when people call, but sometimes they offer good deals and it is worth listening.

[saskganesh]

I usually listen then ask them to send me something in the mail so I can see the terms in print.

they never do that. most are not allowed to.

[Richard Hakluyt]

"I'm sorry I don't take cold calls, goodbye!".

Regrettable that one has to be so abrupt; but, from being quite rare, these calls have increased in frequency.

[garbon]

I don't pick up the phone if I don't know the number or don't want to speak with that person.

[Maximus]

I don't pick up the phone if I don't know the number or don't want to speak with that person.

Same, actually. If it's important they can leave a message.

[Neil]

You guys actually get cold calls from real people?  The few I've gotten are always a machine asking me to hit 1 to lower my interest rates or something.

[Barrister]

WHat I hate are the cold calls from companies you have a pre-existing dealing with.  My bank is particularily bad for this.  I generally like dealing with them, but they insist on calling every few weeks...

[KRonn]

I don't pick up the phone if I don't know the number or don't want to speak with that person.

Same here. I rarely pick up the phone anyways if I don't know who it is, or if I think it's a solicitation or sales call.

I seem to be getting a lot fewer of these though. Maybe something's changed due to the economy. Or maybe that I never answer so after a few decades/centuries the callers finally give up and actually do remove me from their call lists?

I do seem to be getting far fewer applications for credit cards in the mail, for instance, which I was assuming had to do with the financial economy before.