We have three persistent repeat offenders. Yes, the Indian gentleman from Microsoft who says he knows what's wrong with my computer and yet when pressed he admits he doesn't know what kind of computer I have and is confused when I tell him it's a Mac. Then there's the automated dialler with a recorded voice - something to do with insulation and government funding, but as we're not the house owners that's fairly pointless. And then there's the calling company who always ask for Mr John Ball. They've been calling since we had the phone put in, well over two years ago, and despite being told on every single occasion that this number has never belonged to a Mr John Ball they keep on calling. I vary in my techniques with these calls (except the automated recording, which I simply hang up on each time) but nothing seems to deter them. In our previous house we had a caller for a Mrs someone or other - always the same name. They persisted in calling for eight years, generally once or twice a month but sometimes more often, despite us talking to supervisors, explaining that this woman had never had that phone number and even on one occasion making the breakthrough that the area code they thought they were calling wasn't the code they had called (if you see what I mean - so the address didn't link up to the number). Nothing seems to work. I've been very rude and I've tried being very polite. I've left them on hold for an hour. Still they call, generally when I've got cosy with a cup of tea and a snack in front of the television for a break.
They're a total menace.