Telemarketing scam

n/a | n/a | Texas Eagle

[Texas Eagle]

Sorry if this post doesn't fit this category but I hope to prevent as many as people as possible from getting scammed.

I received a telemarketing call from someone professing to be from a magazine clearinghouse and sweepstakes company. The caller said the name so fast that I didn't catch the exact name. I told the caller that I wasn't interested in ordering magazines but he interrupted me before I could get the whole sentence out and started naming off magazines I could get for 3.35 a month.

After a few minutes of this I hung up only to have the same person call back a few seconds later. I said I wasn't interested and told him not to call back only to have him call back a few seconds later.

He called back 3 more times and the last time he called back he simply said, "Hey, m******f*****, enjoy your 700 dollar bill!"

I would normally discount this as some sort of prank but the caller asked for my wife by her first name and her name is not listed in our local phone book so obviously these people have at least some info on us and may possibly have our home address as well. This all happened less than an hour ago so obviously I have not received any such bill but I am wondering if anybody else out there has received similar phone calls so I can decide if this is something I might want to get the authorities in on.

[justlurking]

I keep getting a recorded message on my machine about an important business message and then they leave an 800 number for me to call.

This is a typical message left by a collection agency. Legally, they can't leave a message identifying themselves (because someone else might hear it and embarrass you).

They aren't necessarily looking for you: they may be looking for someone with a similar name or even someone that is/was married to someone with a similar name (this actually happened to me). They pick your number out of a phone book and put the burden on you to "prove" you have nothing to do with the overdue account.

I put a stop to it by sending them a certified letter that further calls would be considered harrassment and I would file charges with the police. I even quoted the relevant state law. They haven't bothered me after that.

[Michael Barnes]

Psst...over here..any sadistic idea's?

[sharktrager]

That's what the telezapper does.

I want a tone that sends virus code to their computer and trashes their system.

[mikeb704]

Probably got your wife's name from voting records. Sure it wasn't a DemocRAT precinct captain? They're about that gracious.

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[sharktrager]

I just tell them that whatever they are selling is against my religion.

My favorite was a video sales company that told me they had religous tapes for me when I said I was a devout muslim. Kinda strange, since Imams don't allow televisions.

[sharktrager]

Hopefully between your .wav and the stat do not call list I can get some peace and quiet.

[halley]

For years I ran telemarketing sales offices. Once upon a time it was ok: people got about 2 calls a year and actually seemed to enjoy talking with us. By the late 80's it was over.

The best technique I found to blow off unwanted calls was to just say very calmly and sadly (if you're sure it's a sales pitch that you don't want to hear)... "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr(s)xxxx just took his own life about an hour ago" They are always so startled that they don't know how to proceed and never call back. An alternative is to tell them that "I'm so sorry, the federal Marshalls just took him into custody this morning"

Cheers!

[PatrioticAmerican]

If they actually charge you $700 through your phone bill, they are easy to track. Hunt them down and....

[gunnut]

If you believe this is a threat, before you get another incoming call pickup the phone and dial *51. This will record the phone number of the calling party in the telephone company's records and can be used as evidence. The phone company can charge a buck or so for this but it might be worth it.

Only the police can usually pull these records but it would create a record.

http://www22.verizon.com/ForYourHome/CustomerSupport/Guides/Product_Guide.asp?File=UG_CallTrace_P_1.html&state=MD&HC_ID=592

[Lx]

OK, now you've got me curious enough to call them. If it's a collection agency, they don't seem to be doing too good of a job. I've had this unlisted number for over six years. If it's for the previous holder of the number, they've wasted over two months calling me.

I wonder what their collection rate is, 10%? Do they just use a war dialer and a recording? Hey, at least it's cheap on labor.

I thought it was a new technique telemarketers were using. If it is, I can't imagine it working very well.

[Eva]

I was sent magazines that we never ordered and after a few months they sent a post card saying that they were sending the magazines and that we could cancel at any time. We called and cancelled but they did not stop sending the magazines and they just bill us on a credit card. I don't know how to stop it.

[Texas Eagle]

Ahhhhh....very helpful......I will remember that.

[agrace]

Here in NJ (notorious for a LOT of telemarketing calls), we do the same - screen all calls. Anyone we want to talk to knows we do it, and anyone else like drs as you said will leave a message. Our phone hardly rings at all anymore. One thing we do that is different is have it set to a higher number of rings. Telemarketers usually hang up BEFORE our machine comes on because they get sick of listening to the phone ring.

I did answer the phone the other day because I was expecting a call and lo and behold, it was a DNC call fundraising for Lautenberg! :)

[Terriergal]

I would report it just in case. I have had obnoxious telemarketers call me back when I hang up on them too, but this sounds a little over the top! If you haven't rec'd any calls since then you might be able to run a trace (usually just pick up the phone and dial *57) - call your phone company help and ask them if they have a record of the calls too.

[shempy]

I currently manage a 160 seat call center. Most of what we do is inbound customer service and order-entry, but we still run about 250 hours of outbound per day. Only about 20% of our outbound is consumer sales. The rest is market research, business sales, and a little political (as long as they pay up front).

I love this business! I even get on the phones once in a while myself. The company I work for is respectable and an asset to the communioty. It is a company that rewards effort and ability.

We have never been successfully sued or fined. Most telemarketing companies are like the company I work for - above board and honest. I don't enjoy every telemarketing call I recieve, either. I just hang up or ask to be put on the "do not call" list. It isn't like an outbound telemarketer can get their feelings hurt. If you hurt their feelings they have either just been hired or are about to be fired. Thick skin is mandatory.

[Dianna]

I've gotten this particular call a couple of times. The first time, I was tempted until I did the math and then I was totally outraged.

I hope the guy was just being nasty and you don't have to deal with this mess.

[Mark17]

With an unlisted phone number, over 99% of the phone calls you get are from people you want to talk to.

I have an unlisted number, and still get calls from these nerds, so it doesn't always work.

[tdadams]

I've been getting a call like that almost everyday for about a month now. I don't know how naive these people have to be if they expect me to call them back when they leave a pre-recorded message on my machine and don't give me the first clue what the call is about.