Author Topic: An annoying telemarketing scam  (Read 2995 times)

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Offline pjohns

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An annoying telemarketing scam
« on: May 13, 2012, 12:17:18 am »
Do others here have the same problem we do with telemarketers?  They annoy us contunually, frequently calling at very inopportune moments--and this, even though we are on the national Do Not Call Registry and a similar registry in Tennessee. 

Today, I e-mailed the Attorney General about this, as follows:

"Why cannot someone put a stop to these ubiquitous telephone solicitations from 'Rachel' at 'Cardholders' Services'?  We receive about two every week, on average; and have been receiving these calls for the past two or three years now. 
 
"Presumably, this is a classical phishing scam:  These folks are searching for credit-card numbers that they can either use, themselves, or sell to a third party.
 
"But these phone calls are enormously annoying.  Sometimes they come at very inconvenient times.  They should cease.  Immediately.
 
"We are on both the national Do Not Call registry and Tennessee's similar registry, which preceded its national counterpart.  But it really does not seem to matter to these scammers.
 
"Since they have (obvious) contempt for the law, why doesn't somebody shut down their boiler-room operation?

"This is starting to become more than a little frustrating..."

Of course, I will probably never hear back from anyone at Eric Holder's office; or, if I do, it will doubtless be in the form of a canned response.  (The man is far too busy suing those states that attempt to control their borders or who require proper identification for the purpose of voting, to have any time left over for a little thing like enforcing the law against those who cavalierly ignore the Do Not Call Registry.)

About a week or ten days ago, I saw a story featured by MSNBC on this matter.  It seems that many are openly ignoring this list.  Some are halfway around the world--in, say, the Phillipines or India--so they may feel immune to American law.  But others are right here, in the US.

Has anyone here had similar experiences?

Offline ABX

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2012, 12:21:15 am »
I get at least 4 calls a week from 'Rachael' but worse is one I get at least twice per day, even on my cell phone, which is the 'complete this political survey and win a cruise' scam.

Offline pjohns

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2012, 01:01:15 am »
I get at least 4 calls a week from 'Rachael' but worse is one I get at least twice per day, even on my cell phone, which is the 'complete this political survey and win a cruise' scam.

We sometimes get telephone surveys, too--frequently prefaced by the semi-reassuring words that the call "is not a telephone solicitation"--but we simply inform the caller that we do not accept this type of phone call, and then hang up. 

Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2012, 01:07:39 am »
My cell phone gets about 6 a day from one of two scammers.

The most common is "Account Services" who are the idiots trying to get your credit card and/or bank information.  They always claim to want to "lower your rates".

The newest one, and even more annoying is someone, usually named "Tom," from "Home Security," trying to sell a home security system.  Of course, what they want is your personal info.

I continually block their phone numbers, but within a day or two, they have a new one.  I never answer, just look up the number if I don't recognize it and it's always these two groups.

The way they are constantly changing numbers is because they're not using a traditional phone system.  They are using an IP based phone system and there are countless programs out there which will allow you to spoof your phone number when using IP phones.  Many of these scammers are overseas, but their number still appears to be US based.

There isn't much that anyone can really do to stop them since they change numbers and likely locations on a regular basis.  When all you have to move is a laptop, a few phones, and yourself, it isn't hard to stay one step ahead of the law.  I doubt most in law enforcement has the ability to track these people, so unless the NSA or CIA looked for them, it isn't going to stop anytime soon.
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton

Offline TheMom

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2012, 05:22:12 am »
This is why I love caller ID.  If I do not recognize the number calling, I don't answer.  After a few attempts, they don't call again.
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Offline R4 TrumPence

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2012, 05:41:29 am »
I get at least 4 calls a week from 'Rachael' but worse is one I get at least twice per day, even on my cell phone, which is the 'complete this political survey and win a cruise' scam.

I am getting about 5 calls A DAY!!! from that political cruise scam.. the number always shows up (702) 000-0001  There is no such number.. There is no number that starts with 000   :chairbang: :chairbang:


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Offline Puss-N-Boots

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2012, 05:53:28 am »
I get at least 4 calls a week from 'Rachael' but worse is one I get at least twice per day, even on my cell phone, which is the 'complete this political survey and win a cruise' scam.
I get them constantly, at home and on the cell phone.  I've stopped answering it unless I recognize the number.
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Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2012, 05:57:48 am »
I am getting about 5 calls A DAY!!! from that political cruise scam.. the number always shows up (702) 000-0001  There is no such number.. There is no number that starts with 000   :chairbang: :chairbang:

I actually got a 000-000-0000 call once.  Just another spoofed number from an IP phone.
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton

Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2012, 05:58:51 am »
Here are a couple of useful sites for checking numbers.

http://whocallsme.com/

http://800notes.com/
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton

Oceander

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2012, 11:42:51 am »
You don't need to do anything more complicated than spoofing your caller ID signal to make it look like you're calling from a nonexistent number.  If you search on the phrase spoof your telephone number: http://duckduckgo.com/?q=spoof+your+telephone+number  you'll get tons of hits on that subject.

Offline Chieftain

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2012, 01:51:24 pm »
Endless telemarketers and obnoxious political robocalls are what finally drove us to get MagicJack phone service and cancel our regular telephone service all together.  It costs $20 a year, as opposed to $37 a month, and we have not had one late evening obnoxious phone call since.

My wife and I have cell phones that features unlimited cell to cell calling and that's how we stay in touch.  We also do not have the local 911 callback "service", but that was part of what was running us $37 a month in the first place.  The peace and quiet has been worth it.

famousdayandyear

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2012, 10:11:57 pm »
How is the Magic Jack service?  Tired of ATT

Offline Chieftain

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2012, 11:05:01 pm »
How is the Magic Jack service?  Tired of ATT

We've had no complaints.  It works just fine and is cheap to boot...


Offline pjohns

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2012, 01:09:30 am »
My cell phone gets about 6 a day from one of two scammers.

The most common is "Account Services" who are the idiots trying to get your credit card and/or bank information.  They always claim to want to "lower your rates".

The newest one, and even more annoying is someone, usually named "Tom," from "Home Security," trying to sell a home security system.  Of course, what they want is your personal info.

I continually block their phone numbers, but within a day or two, they have a new one.  I never answer, just look up the number if I don't recognize it and it's always these two groups.

The way they are constantly changing numbers is because they're not using a traditional phone system.  They are using an IP based phone system and there are countless programs out there which will allow you to spoof your phone number when using IP phones.  Many of these scammers are overseas, but their number still appears to be US based.

There isn't much that anyone can really do to stop them since they change numbers and likely locations on a regular basis.  When all you have to move is a laptop, a few phones, and yourself, it isn't hard to stay one step ahead of the law.  I doubt most in law enforcement has the ability to track these people, so unless the NSA or CIA looked for them, it isn't going to stop anytime soon.

That is interesting, AC.  Thanks for the information. 

I do wish that the current administration would strongarm the applicable nations (if we have any leverage, at all, with them), so as to persuade these folks to go after these boiler-room operations, and shut them down...

Offline Chieftain

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2012, 01:28:59 am »
That is interesting, AC.  Thanks for the information. 

I do wish that the current administration would strongarm the applicable nations (if we have any leverage, at all, with them), so as to persuade these folks to go after these boiler-room operations, and shut them down...

If you think the phone scams are bad, try running a web site.  Any of the Admins here can tell you what a PITA it is fighting of the intarwebs spambots, and they are nonstop trying to sign up at sites like this one so they can pimp everything you can imagine...


Offline aligncare

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2012, 01:30:31 am »
Endless telemarketers and obnoxious political robocalls are what finally drove us to get MagicJack phone service and cancel our regular telephone service all together.  It costs $20 a year, as opposed to $37 a month, and we have not had one late evening obnoxious phone call since.

My wife and I have cell phones that features unlimited cell to cell calling and that's how we stay in touch.  We also do not have the local 911 callback "service", but that was part of what was running us $37 a month in the first place.  The peace and quiet has been worth it.


I've been on MagicJack for 2 years.  Can't beat that savings on phone service.  Is it perfect?  No worse than cell phones.  I just renewed for the 5 year deal, $69.00.

Offline Chieftain

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #16 on: May 14, 2012, 01:47:55 am »
I've been on MagicJack for 2 years.  Can't beat that savings on phone service.  Is it perfect?  No worse than cell phones.  I just renewed for the 5 year deal, $69.00.

The only downside I've seen is we are off of the 911 system, in that they can't call us unless we register with the County emergency agency, which we have no intention of doing.  I can still call 911 but they probably cannot ID the house on their system.  Same goes with trying to order movies on DirecTV.  The box no longer sees the telephone connection.

Minor inconveniences compared with the bliss of no more robocalls.....


Offline Atomic Cow

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Re: An annoying telemarketing scam
« Reply #17 on: May 14, 2012, 01:51:41 am »
If you think the phone scams are bad, try running a web site.  Any of the Admins here can tell you what a PITA it is fighting of the intarwebs spambots, and they are nonstop trying to sign up at sites like this one so they can pimp everything you can imagine...

You would not believe how many Spam BOTS Myst and I reject on a daily basis.
"...And these atomic bombs which science burst upon the world that night were strange, even to the men who used them."  H. G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914

"The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority, or rather of that party, not always the majority, that succeeds, by force or fraud, in carrying elections." -Lord Acton