View Full Version : Whats up with this scam?
So I received a phone call last night on the house phone. I was hoping it was some survey about firearms or some other political yahoo that I could have some fun with. Unfortunately, no luck there. It was some lady saying that my wife had previously helped them in the past with something (I wasn't really listening but I assumed it was a prior survey and they had another). Well by doing so, it entered us into a daily sweepstakes and we won! Oh joy. Well it was one of those time share trips and she tells me "You just tell them you're not interested in going to the meeting when you check in". Yeah...sure. I keep trying to say no and she says "I'm just trying to do my job. Its my job to get this certificate out to you.". I finally say ok figuring they'll just mail it out and I'll toss it. This is when it gets weird:
Her-"Will you be available in 30-40 minutes to receive it?"
Me-"What? How do you send it out?"
Her-"We hand deliver them. The company requires a signature upon acceptance."
Me-"Um, no. We're going out to dinner at the moment." I really wasnt but wanted them to think that in case they were going to try any funny business.
Her-"What about 8:30 pm?"
Me-"No. *click*"
I've never had a phone solicitor tell me they'll be at my home to deliver something. Obviously, I was prepared for a home visit from anyone but I was on edge all night. Has this happened to anyone else before?
kawiracer14
08-21-2014, 14:56
My one question from this is:
People still have home phones?
sellersm
08-21-2014, 15:02
Nope, never had one like that. We got a call last night stating that we had a package coming from Jamaica and all we had to do was call this 1-800 number and blah blah blah...
kidicarus13
08-21-2014, 15:13
So I received a phone call last night on the house phone. I was hoping it was some survey about firearms or some other political yahoo that I could have some fun with. Unfortunately, no luck there. It was some lady saying that my wife had previously helped them in the past with something (I wasn't really listening but I assumed it was a prior survey and they had another). Well by doing so, it entered us into a daily sweepstakes and we won! Oh joy. Well it was one of those time share trips and she tells me "You just tell them you're not interested in going to the meeting when you check in". Yeah...sure. I keep trying to say no and she says "I'm just trying to do my job. Its my job to get this certificate out to you.". I finally say ok figuring they'll just mail it out and I'll toss it. This is when it gets weird:
Her-"Will you be available in 30-40 minutes to receive it?"
Me-"What? How do you send it out?"
Her-"We hand deliver them. The company requires a signature upon acceptance."
Me-"Um, no. We're going out to dinner at the moment." I really wasnt but wanted them to think that in case they were going to try any funny business.
Her-"What about 8:30 pm?"
Me-"No. *click*"
I've never had a phone solicitor tell me they'll be at my home to deliver something. Obviously, I was prepared for a home visit from anyone but I was on edge all night. Has this happened to anyone else before?
Nope, never had one like that. We got a call last night stating that we had a package coming from Jamaica and all we had to do was call this 1-800 number and blah blah blah...
Two reason I don't answer my phone unless I recognize the number. To each his/her own though.
sellersm
08-21-2014, 15:16
Never said I answered the phone, listened to the machine... I don't ever answer. They can now spoof the caller ID numbers. We got a scam phone call and it listed Memorial Hospital (local hospital here in COS) as the ID name and it had the right #... Some people I know have received scam calls and the caller ID was their home # (they received the call on their cell phone)!!
Yeah, I usually don't answer it but I was hoping to bust someone's chops about something political. I needed a laugh. I asked the wife "Are you being served for something?" ROFL.
I would said sure, I'm home 24/7 but beware the dogs
Circuits
08-21-2014, 15:34
answer a phone? why?
i got machines for that.
My guess: personal sales pitch with one foot inside your door and one hand holding your "prize" just out of reach.
BlasterBob
08-21-2014, 16:02
We have disabled our answering machine. These scammers were leaving some type bull shit offers/political mumbo jumbo and then our answering machine would constantly BEEP until we would listen to their recorded message. Now we just have to get to the display showing who is calling and not answer unless we recognize the callers phone number.
Only problem is we still have to stop whatever we are doing to check/see who is calling.[Rant1]
Whistler
08-21-2014, 16:02
Back when people actually had hard-wired phones in their houses there were devices that you could configure to screen calls...
BushMasterBoy
08-21-2014, 16:06
Wait until you get the one from the IRS saying they have a warrant for your arrest.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/police-phone-scam-uses-irs-arrest-threat-to-get-personal-data/27648576#!bHJiyP
People still have land lines?
Great-Kazoo
08-21-2014, 16:49
My conversation with them goes like this. HELLO we're, CLICK. Usually i check caller iud. Other times, it's Click. Why do people allow a call from someone they do not know, to go more than 2-3 words. Hang Up. Let the next call go to VM. If it's important, they leave a message. If not they don't.
I have to be polite on the phone all day for my job so it's kind of fun to be able to say whatever to them for once.
Wait until you get the one from the IRS saying they have a warrant for your arrest.
http://www.kmbc.com/news/police-phone-scam-uses-irs-arrest-threat-to-get-personal-data/27648576#!bHJiyP
Anyone, including the IRS, that is notifying you of any action they are going to take, will do so by mail. Period.
We have disabled our answering machine. These scammers were leaving some type bull shit offers/political mumbo jumbo and then our answering machine would constantly BEEP until we would listen to their recorded message. Now we just have to get to the display showing who is calling and not answer unless we recognize the callers phone number.
Only problem is we still have to stop whatever we are doing to check/see who is calling.[Rant1]
So glad to have caller ID pop up on the TV.
But we generally let the machine get it regardless.
Simple trick I learned from my dad: Don't pick up until the 4th ring, and then only if the caller id (or iud in Jim's case) shows a number you recognize. Solicitors are paid based in part on the number of live people they talk to...
StagLefty
08-21-2014, 18:38
I got one from a local heating company the other night to schedule my annual furnace check-up. According to the lady I am a longtime customer ?
I've never used anyone for an annual furnace check-up.
USMC_5-Echo
08-21-2014, 19:42
This is the exact reason I miss having a house phone. My wife would get pissed at me cause I would keep them on the phone for an hour. I always figured if I could keep them on the phone long enough that would prevent them from scamming someone that is more vulnerable than I am.
ChunkyMonkey
08-21-2014, 19:44
My conversation with them goes like this. HELLO we're, CLICK. Usually i check caller iud. Other times, it's Click. Why do people allow a call from someone they do not know, to go more than 2-3 words. Hang Up. Let the next call go to VM. If it's important, they leave a message. If not they don't.
Yep, I will never call you w/ any freebies no more.. EVER!
I have fun with it, I seem to get one a day, I usually just keep saying hello till they realize I can hear them.
Never had something like that...but I have heard of burglars trying to scope out potential houses to hit. Maybe that was part of the scam?
Don't ever go to one of those time-share thingummies. The spouse and I were once young, dumb and were rooked into attending one, with some sort of 'prize' for our time. What a waste of time. I thought used car salesman were pushy, but they could take lessons from these time-share yahoos.
GilpinGuy
08-22-2014, 01:16
Having fun with telemarketers is fun, but the OP had someone actually want to visit the house. Weird. Maybe they were going to show up with a "prize" of a $10 off carpet cleaning deal or something.
Next time tell them, "Sorry - we can't have visitors because we suspect my dog has rabies....we're waiting on the results to come in. But we can come to your office to pick it up. Where is it?"
Bailey Guns
08-22-2014, 05:04
Haven't had that particular scam call...yet.
We still have a landline because it's bundled with our internet. $75 for phone and internet. $79 for internet only. One of the downsides to living in Bailey...limited options. So we still have the same landline number we've had since 1990.
The most annoying are calls from "cardholder services", or some variation of that, wanting to lower interest rates on credit cards. They're masters at spoofing local numbers and when I've made the mistake of answering in the past they are very rude, threatening and aggressive. I told one guy with a heavy east coast accent that if I could ever find him I'dkill him in a pretty barbaric way, then his wife and family. He really pissed me off. I hope nothing ever happens to that guy just in case that call was recorded.
[Coffee]
Now I just dial *60 and block the number. They still find ways to call. Filing complaints with the National Do Not Call list and/or the state AG's office has been a monumental waste of time.
sellersm
08-22-2014, 11:09
From what I've heard and read, no one's been prosecuted for violation of the do not call legislation and no AG has done anything about it....
kidicarus13
08-22-2014, 11:11
From what I've heard and read, no one's been prosecuted for violation of the do not call legislation and no AG has done anything about it....
Sounds like another law I know.
BigNick73
08-23-2014, 10:43
So I received a phone call last night on the house phone. I was hoping it was some survey about firearms or some other political yahoo that I could have some fun with. Unfortunately, no luck there. It was some lady saying that my wife had previously helped them in the past with something (I wasn't really listening but I assumed it was a prior survey and they had another). Well by doing so, it entered us into a daily sweepstakes and we won! Oh joy. Well it was one of those time share trips and she tells me "You just tell them you're not interested in going to the meeting when you check in". Yeah...sure. I keep trying to say no and she says "I'm just trying to do my job. Its my job to get this certificate out to you.". I finally say ok figuring they'll just mail it out and I'll toss it. This is when it gets weird:
Her-"Will you be available in 30-40 minutes to receive it?"
Me-"What? How do you send it out?"
Her-"We hand deliver them. The company requires a signature upon acceptance."
Me-"Um, no. We're going out to dinner at the moment." I really wasnt but wanted them to think that in case they were going to try any funny business.
Her-"What about 8:30 pm?"
Me-"No. *click*"
I've never had a phone solicitor tell me they'll be at my home to deliver something. Obviously, I was prepared for a home visit from anyone but I was on edge all night. Has this happened to anyone else before?
I don't admit it often but years ago I did door to door vacuum cleaner sales for a few months (tri-star, not kirby if you're curious) and this sounds real similar to the way they generated leads to get us into peoples houses to try and sell.
speedysst
08-23-2014, 14:48
Uh, yeah. Some of us don't need the electronic leash/babysitter/guide/pacifier/hold your hand to find a pizza place gadget.
My one question from this is:
People still have home phones?
buckshotbarlow
08-25-2014, 20:05
I went to ooma, never looked back. Now, you need to do this:
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=671_1408394505
This is the exact reason I miss having a house phone. My wife would get pissed at me cause I would keep them on the phone for an hour. I always figured if I could keep them on the phone long enough that would prevent them from scamming someone that is more vulnerable than I am.
Yup. "Oh sure, that sounds interesting. Tell me all about it." Then you set the phone on the table and go back to watching the game. Sometimes takes them 30+ minutes before you hear the beeping from when the other end has hung up.
Uh, yeah. Some of us don't need the electronic leash/babysitter/guide/pacifier/hold your hand to find a pizza place gadget.
Dude, you're missing out. The iPhone pizza cutter is amazing! Stainless steel, nice and sharp, and you already have it because you have your phone!
USMC_5-Echo
08-26-2014, 18:09
Yup. "Oh sure, that sounds interesting. Tell me all about it." Then you set the phone on the table and go back to watching the game. Sometimes takes them 30+ minutes before you hear the beeping from when the other end has hung up.
Actually one of my favorites is/was "oh you're selling ______? That's awesome because I sell stuff too! I tell ya what, I'll buy some of yours if you buy my magazines. Oh you can't do that? Well just give me your number and I'll call you when you get off work." And then I would proceed to sell them on why they needed to buy my stuff. I would switch out magazines with finger nail clippers, cars, books, tires, paper, whatever. Once I tried selling them girl scout cookies saying I was a reseller lol.
Actually one of my favorites is/was "oh you're selling ______? That's awesome because I sell stuff too! I tell ya what, I'll buy some of yours if you buy my magazines. Oh you can't do that? Well just give me your number and I'll call you when you get off work." And then I would proceed to sell them on why they needed to buy my stuff. I would switch out magazines with finger nail clippers, cars, books, tires, paper, whatever. Once I tried selling them girl scout cookies saying I was a reseller lol.
Love it. That's way better than the regular pranking. That is a full blown personal challenge and sales exercise all at once.
EDIT: Has anyone checked to make sure Dave_L is still alive?
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