What these people have in common is that they don't listen to, or care, how the person they contact responds, so instead, they just keep on with their usual sale's pitch. That is, how their victim reacts is usually of no importance to them--so, they just carry on trying to sale their product.

If you say "No Thanks', it just goes in one ear, and out the other of most solicitors.

A salesman called me today and asked to speak to my husband.
When I informed him that my husband was deceased, he said, 'Oh, OK', and preceded to give me his sales-pitch anyway.

I tried to talk over him to say 'No, it wasn't OK', but this went right over his head. He didn't even realize--let alone care--how crude and insensitive he was being.

Therefore, I just hung-up on him, still talking.
---

Another similarity to what they have in common, is that what they are trying to sell is--usually--not in the least of interest to most of the people with whom they are trying to speak (hence, the hanging-up of the phone, or the shutting of the door in someone's face).

The irony is, that trying to sale something using bad manners almost guarantees a negative response.

Another thing that's similar--you know that scam where a phone call asks you an obvious question and you like "Is this Mr. Jones" and you naturally say "Yes", but it then records your voice saying "Yes"? They can use as proof you gave your consent some bogus thing.

Never say yes, with phone solicitors OR missionaries.

EXACTLY!

They record you saying "Yes" and other answers to different questions, then edit the audio to make it seem like you agreed to a sale or service. It used to be prosecuted by the FTC, but that's been gutted by the GOP. Millions of people get screwed by this-many of them elderly. It's pathetic.

NEVER give the time of day to phone solicitors or door to door solicitors-including missionaries.

When I get a phone call asking, 'Is this Mrs.Jones?' (or whatever), if I don't recognize the voice, I ask, "Who's asking?"

I suppose the next time I get a call and a cheerful (recorded) voice asks "If this Mr. Chicken N. Backpacks?" I'll say "Ab-so-fukkin-lootly-mutha-fukka!"

Let's see them use *that* as proof I agreed to something...

"What are you selling?"

"Not interested."

CLICK!

Works every time.

Trained to take control of the conversation;

Trained NOT TO ACCEPT NO.