Weird and Wacky Wednesday: “North Carolina Man fed up with telemarketers cashes in”

A North Carolina man who was fed up with phone solicitors is turning those annoying telemarketing calls into a new business venture. Omar Khouri, like most others, was home every day during the pandemic and couldn’t get over how much he was being harassed by telemarketers, even though he is on the Do Not Call List. So, he decided to spend some time talking to the callers just to find out more about the company they were representing. Then, he took the time to threaten legal action — which eventually led to cash settlements from 30 or 40 companies totaling $100,000. The former IT guy decided to use that money to buy a bar in Winston-Salem, which he is appropriately renaming The Wrong Number. The drink menu features telemarketer-inspired cocktails like “The Car Warranty,” “The Student Loan,” and “The Debt Relief.” He hopes to open the bar next month.