Phone scams (1 Viewer)

[Fusilier]

Anybody else ever get those calls where a prerecorded message says something like: "This is your credit card servicer. There are no problems currently with your card, but you are eligible for a reduced interest rate. Since you eligibility expires soon, you must hurry and contact us to take advantage of this offer. Please press 1 to speak to your account representative."

I usually hang up, but today I actually pressed 1. It took about 5 seconds, then some guy says "Card services, what is you account number?" I then asked "Who do you work for?" in a pleasant voice. And suprise, suprise, he hung up on me! I'm shocked....:rolleyes2:

Which just proves one of the great truths in life: Scammers suck.

Noah

 

[Combat]

The one I've heard about is that you get a recorded call that says something like you have a past due debt and you need to call a certain number to get it resolved or it will be placed on your credit history. Of course a lot of people, particularly elderly people are gullible to this type of thing. They call and are told they didn't pay some account from years ago. They tell them if they pay it off they will remove the debt and try to get the credit card number from them. If you get anything like these report them to the Federal Trade Commission. You can find the info to file a complaint on their website. Try to provide as much information as possible like the telephone number or name of the company. It's unlikely anything will ever be done, in part because many of these scams are off shore, but it's worth trying.

 

[IXEC]

Yeah, I get the same exact calls about twice a week. One day I pressed 1 and kept the guy rolling with questions. Asking how he got my # and he said everytime I made a purchase the information was passed on to their service. I asked why don't they just send me their information in the mail (mail fraud) and he said that they had done that(BS). So I gave them a made up credit card # and he knew it was fake.

They never give up though and keep calling me.

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

If you look up the number they usually come back to a cell phone. I don't no too many banks that use cell phones to conduct business.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Anybody else ever get those calls where a prerecorded message says something like: "This is your credit card servicer. There are no problems currently with your card, but you are eligible for a reduced interest rate. Since you eligibility expires soon, you must hurry and contact us to take advantage of this offer. Please press 1 to speak to your account representative."

I usually hang up, but today I actually pressed 1. It took about 5 seconds, then some guy says "Card services, what is you account number?" I then asked "Who do you work for?" in a pleasant voice. And suprise, suprise, he hung up on me! I'm shocked....:rolleyes2:

Which just proves one of the great truths in life: Scammers suck.

Noah

I get the exact same call 1-2 times a week...I have never made an attempt to respond and have had no disruption of service on my card...

just hang up...

some people say if you press the asterik (*) symbol on your phone repeatedly...that it confuses their system and discards your phone number from their phone bank for future calls...it has not worked for me...

 

[Go for Broke]

I read this thread and then got the call about 30 minutes later. Funny.

 

[theBaron]

Grampa Simpson: "Oh, it's not a scam. Whatcha do, see, is to give 'em yer credit card numbers, and if one of 'em's lucky, you win a prize!"

Prost!
Brad

 

[mikemiller1955]

here's an Andy Rooney column...you might try this...

http://digitaljournal.com/blog/3073

 

[lancer]

I have the same experiences you all have. I get 2 or 3 calls from them every week, week in, week out. Doesn't matter what I say or do, they just keep calling. I wouldn't give that outfit(s) the time of day, even if I had any credit card debt. Idiots. -- Al

 

[theBaron]

You could also contact your respective states' attorney general, their offices are usually the ones tasked with consumer protection. Give them the details. It may not lead to any immediate relief, but if enough people do, eventually, it could bring action.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Peter Reuss]

I had an odd one the other day at my office at church..

Someone called and said, "We're calling on behalf of your copier company. There may be an issue with your copier that needs to be resolved. Can you provide me with the make and model number of your copier?"

Me: "Can you tell me what brand of copier I have?"

Him: "I'm sorry, sir, we work with many different companies. I don't have that information."

Me: "So you don't have any idea what copier I have, but somehow you know we have an issue with it."

Him: "That is correct."

The phone call ended quickly.

 

[gk5717]

You know what I do when a female calls like you are describing? I stop her and ask if I can ask her a question, she will reply yes, then I ask her what kind and color are the underwear she is wearing. They then hang up on me!
Gary

 

[Wraith]

You know what I do when a female calls like you are describing? I stop her and ask if I can ask her a question, she will reply yes, then I ask her what kind and color are the underwear she is wearing. They then hang up on me!
Gary

I'd just love to hear the conversation that follows if your wife walked in half way through that call. :tongue:

I'm guessing it would start something along the lines of, "It's not what you think darling......." and ends with something being broken.

Incidently, whenever I use that line when on the phone to my wife, she hangs up on me as well. Go figure.....^&confuse

 

[Jack]

Anybody else ever get those calls where a prerecorded message says something like: "This is your credit card servicer. There are no problems currently with your card, but you are eligible for a reduced interest rate. Since you eligibility expires soon, you must hurry and contact us to take advantage of this offer. Please press 1 to speak to your account representative."

I usually hang up, but today I actually pressed 1. It took about 5 seconds, then some guy says "Card services, what is you account number?" I then asked "Who do you work for?" in a pleasant voice. And suprise, suprise, he hung up on me! I'm shocked....:rolleyes2:

Which just proves one of the great truths in life: Scammers suck.

Noah

I have a bigger issue with companies who tread a fine line between legal and illegal rather than the out and out crooks. A thief will steal, whether it be a phone scam, a burglar or a pick pocket. It is what they do.
I think the electricity providers - ostensibly compelled to act legally - are morally just as bad. They send representatives to the door who claim that 'they are in the area and are checking everyone's bills to ensure that they have not been overcharged'. It takes a basic question to be rid of them - 'If you are my provider wouldn't you know what's on my bill' but it is a really cynical misuse of people's basic decency and their desire to be polite to someone who comes to their door. It contributes in its own way to a breakdown of good manners.
I did some research for a College I worked at which involved me interviewing WW2 veterans. I would ring at about 7 pm and politely ask for the gentleman or lady in question and I could hear the mistrust and suspicion from the moment I started speaking. I would then blurt out that I wasn't selling anything, but that didn't always help because that is what these people say as well. Once they knew who I was I would invariably end up at their place for morning or afternoon tea and hear stories of operations over Germany, naval patrols in the Med, years as a POW or desperate battles against the Japanese in PNG.
It saddened me then - as it still does now - that these giants would spend part of their final years having the manners that were drilled into them from childhood used as a weakness by people who would argue that they were acting within the law.
On re-reading my post I had another thought - perhaps I could start a separate thread - 'How old was I when I first started sounding like a grumpy old man'?

 

[wayne556517]

I'd just love to hear the conversation that follows if your wife walked in half way through that call. :tongue:

I'm guessing it would start something along the lines of, "It's not what you think darling......." and ends with something being broken.

Incidently, whenever I use that line when on the phone to my wife, she hangs up on me as well. Go figure.....^&confuse

Another hit.................

I have a bigger issue with companies who tread a fine line between legal and illegal rather than the out and out crooks. A thief will steal, whether it be a phone scam, a burglar or a pick pocket. It is what they do.
I think the electricity providers - ostensibly compelled to act legally - are morally just as bad. They send representatives to the door who claim that 'they are in the area and are checking everyone's bills to ensure that they have not been overcharged'. It takes a basic question to be rid of them - 'If you are my provider wouldn't you know what's on my bill' but it is a really cynical misuse of people's basic decency and their desire to be polite to someone who comes to their door. It contributes in its own way to a breakdown of good manners.
I did some research for a College I worked at which involved me interviewing WW2 veterans. I would ring at about 7 pm and politely ask for the gentleman or lady in question and I could hear the mistrust and suspicion from the moment I started speaking. I would then blurt out that I wasn't selling anything, but that didn't always help because that is what these people say as well. Once they knew who I was I would invariably end up at their place for morning or afternoon tea and hear stories of operations over Germany, naval patrols in the Med, years as a POW or desperate battles against the Japanese in PNG.
It saddened me then - as it still does now - that these giants would spend part of their final years having the manners that were drilled into them from childhood used as a weakness by people who would argue that they were acting within the law.
On re-reading my post I had another thought - perhaps I could start a separate thread - 'How old was I when I first started sounding like a grumpy old man'?

Good post Jack.

 

[bromhead]

You know what I do when a female calls like you are describing? I stop her and ask if I can ask her a question, she will reply yes, then I ask her what kind and color are the underwear she is wearing. They then hang up on me!
Gary

Being a good gentleman I first ask what is she wearing,,then try to work into the other garments and their colors,,well you know what I mean,,if its still ok i go into preferances of which I have many,,,I once was contacted by someone advertising dancing lessons,,I replied I was a double amputee recently

 

[mikemiller1955]

my grandfather would always act sad...once they identified themselves as solicitors...and reply to them that his dog had just died and he wanted to talk to someone...they would usually hang up after that...

 

[Fusilier]

You know what I do when a female calls like you are describing? I stop her and ask if I can ask her a question, she will reply yes, then I ask her what kind and color are the underwear she is wearing. They then hang up on me!
Gary

This made me think of that recent State Farm commercial, where the husband is talking to the insurance guy at 3:00 am and his wife comes in. Funny stuff!

Back to these irritating scam calls, I have received two more since I started this thread a couple days ago. Do these outfits flood a region for a week or so, then move on or what?

Noah