From the 1990s to mid 2000's Americans began getting telemarketing calls and the law never really helped stop it. It was really intrusive, you never knew who was calling you so like rotary calls till at least 2014 there was no way to know who was calling you even on early cell phones (2011-2013 or so when cell phones became popular and avail to everyone). It was so bad that govt finally made a do not call list law.
Prior to 2017 telemarketers would call and you would not know if it was a scammer. In fact you never imagined it would be. As if they were only legitimate businesses cold calling people to see if someone was interested in their stuff.
Somewhere around 2015 the US started hiring foreign call centers instead of paying Americans for that job and from there a lot of scammers began big business in India and when you get a call (or called for any tech support) it would be a very thick Indian accent. Most Indians at call centers were looking to scam for big bucks &/or learn English for practicing English without having to pay a tutor... and then they would move to America. Anyway, so this opened a floodgate of problems and scammers scamming people out of their savings. Tech ones would get personal info off your computer via remote-in (the newest thing) or start a visa gift card scam around 2017 (today even ticktock warns people and i saw a commercial psa on that in 2023).
So since 2020 most cell phones companies have created a spam or scam filter, allow you to report the scammer & block the number. We also can actually see who is calling us now so there are some better helps today to avoid scams.
But before talking on witnessing to telemarketers... i need to give a real warning.
Legit telemarketig is rare today. It isnt too much of a thing anymore; everyone moved to facebook and online ads.
You might find an opportunity to witness to a telemarketer occassionally. If the caller id is not in your contact list, not noted as a scammer... it still could be one (we got a spoofed call acting as Verizon in 2018), or... it could be a real business cold calling doing legit business. Use caution anyway.
Biggest advice for answering any phone call of someone you dont know, even if a business you know calls you is always answer and respond like this...
If they say Is John there? You say...
SPEAKING. or Hold On Pls if you need to get him.
Usually that was rotary phone era bcuz on a cell phone they call the right person.
You never say "yes" because today scammers and neferious callers record you saying Yes or ok or sure and they use that as a voice authentication to buy house or car or get a loan in your name.
Memorize this and put it into practice. Never say Yes, Ok, Sure, alright, mmhumm, correct, and words like that. Be afraid of those words on a call 🚨 so it might save you from big financial disaster.
If you need to give an affirmative response to something, no matter how nice they are and disarming you, find a different way. They'll keep baiting you on the call using 10 diff tactics ir repeating themselves until you fall
TELEMARKETING EVANGELISM
Somewhere around 2004 I was volunteering at LW ministry helping them mail out the Basic, then Intermediate and then the Advanced Training courses that were offering in a box like package. I was there a lot and sometime afterwards. I was connected to them irl in 2003 after seeing Kirk on tv on a public broadcast station airing Hell's Best Kept Secret.
There was a time Scotty was outside and some staff was there with us sitting down. Scotty was telling us how he started sharing the gospel to telemarketers and I was 🤯😀 by such a great idea. People were coming to us via the phone [just as people do on Halloween]. He explained how he goes about it and it is sort of like the above example.
In 2005 or 2006 I was at work and got a telemarketer call on my cell phone; again we had no caller id back then. The job I was working at was in real estate and was owned by my boss whose office was right next to my desk. There was 1 or 2 other employees there and a small entry to another room opened up to a second business, the main business he had on site at the ocean. He had 3 workers in the office there and all the main workers were outside. So it was basically him and me all the time.
So I got a call and started talking to the guy, he was American and it was a legit business. [It was before India invaded the call centers].
I followed how Scotty suggested. The first time I ever got to try this out 😂.
We talked while I was at my desk. I didnt think the call was going to take too long. I went through it and discussed the gospel with him and he git so angry. Just yelling at me and he was just very angry about God topics. During the convo he hung up. 🤷♀️
A few minutes later he called back 😂 abd was still ranting and I kindky answered and [went outside on a break 😂 to chat] then was able to talk more with him. He didnt turn to Jesus but he got a good discussion with me and I am glad I was able to do that. It felt like 10 minutes and 10 more minutes. So it was a decent call. I didnt really have much to do at thst timeframe anyway so it was good that it happened. Def a God ordained moment. 😊
I had an idea what my aunt went through when she worked in a complaints dept call center in 2000 😅. Hard job I am sure!
Anyway I never forgot that call because he hung up and called back 😂. I hope he never forgot it too and hopefully is now soundly saved. Pray for him. 🙏
Anyway... you might have opportunity.
Be wise, careful and be prepared for rabbit trails and know how to control the call to swing it back to the gospel. And stay on the gospel. People will do all kinds of talking and things to avoid accoubtability and looking in the mirror. Let's be faithful to ude the law to lead them to Christ.
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Background and Warning
into the trap. I have heard some stories!
A way to avoid that is for YOU to control the call convo. Here is a sample.
Ring ring
Hello?
Oh Hello is this Johan?
Speaking 🚨
This is Johan?
Speaking 🚨
I see, this is Muknagth from the business name. We are offering a special to help you with xyz problem....Johan?
I am here 🚨
So Johan can we tell you about this offer?
Well,🚨 I am not sure I am in need of nor interested in xyz but I will hear you out if you let me ask you something afterwards, deal?
Sure sure Johan So I will tell you [shpeel given].
If he asks things in script to get you to say "yes"....you just let him talk. If adamant to get your compliance... instead of saying yes you say...
I am listening, continue...
He gets frustrated but keeps trying and then finishes the shpeel.
Is this something you would like to buy Johan?
No, it isnt something I need but I appreciate you telling me about it. I hope you also appreciate what I wanted to ask and talk with you about.
[Goes into the gospel convo...]
Sometimes they hang up 😂. But when you bring up about God or Jesus they are convicted that they are lying and seeking to steal. Even if you dont get that far, they know in their conscience they are guilty. If it is a scammer.
There are times you will have a legitimate business call. And because they still have hope that you will buy into whatever they're selling and because the call is recorded [their boss and bosses boss and quality assurance dept reviews these calls] they will be polite out of having to. So they might avtually listen to what you are saying and a seed can be planted.
As far as I'm concerned... the longer you keep a scammer on the line the less people the'yll try to scam today. And they might just quit their job out of guilt. At the very least.
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