In the UK we have a national database called the “Telephone Preference Service” - if you are on the list it is illegal for anybody to try and cold-call you and sell you anything. We are on the list.
I just had the following conversation on the phone…
Ring ring, ring ring… I pick up
me - Hello?
him - Hello - is this Mr Beckett?
me - Yes.
him - My name is Abran, I am calling from BT.
me - What are you going to try and sell me?
him - I am not trying to sell you anything.
him - My name is Abran, I am calling from BT
him - Can you confirm you are Mr Beckett
me - I am.
him - Do you have a computer Mr Beckett?
me - Yes.
him - Do you have a dial-up or broadband internet connection?
me - You’re going to try and sell me BT broadband, aren’t you - so you ARE trying to sell me something
him - No, I wanted to tell you about the best deals we have on Broadband at the moment
me - I am signed up with the telephone preference service, and don’t take cold calls. Are you aware you are breaking the law?
him - Sorry to have troubled you Mr… (I hung up)
Cold calling is the one time I will be intentionally rude to people.