Over the last couple of months I have had a dramatic increase in the number of phone calls received from unknown telephone numbers, both to my cell and my home phone.  Both numbers are listed with the National do not call registry.

Since the numbers came up without names on caller ID and were numbers I did not recognize, I ignored most of them and let it go straight to voicemail.  None of the numbers left a message, and out of the countless calls, I've answered a few of them, and so far every single one has been one of only 2 subjects - the first one being "your vehicle warranty is about to expire"; the first thing I do is play the dumb blonde (shut up Chuck) and the whole "Oh no, that is terrible, blah blah blah, of the cars we have, can you tell me which make and model it is that is about to expire?" that usually stops them pretty dead in their tracks;  the second subject has occurred far more often and is more disturbing in my mind;  "We are calling to survey people on Barack Obama and (insert subject of the day here)"  I've since learned that the company responsible for the majority of the calls is using the economic stimulus and Obama's name to scam people into 'credit recovery assistance' or even try and get personal information using tactics such as "we are ready to ship your order and need to verify your address" etc.

I've researched the phone numbers to find area code locations, and the calls come from all over the US and the Caribbean.  There is a site called 800Notes where you can list comments about any phone number, and read comments from others. 

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I strongly encourage anyone who has been getting unsolicited phone calls to go ahead and post your comments to the above sites;  you don't have to register, they ask for no personal information and it's a very simple and easy to use site.  In addition, I am going to start posting the numbers and the company behind it to facebook, and encourage anyone who has an account with any social networking site to do the same.

Negative word of mouth reporting can be a HIGHLY effective tool once it gains momentum.  There are many a retail outlet with a policy and often a sign that says "If you have something bad to say, please say it to me;  If you have something good to say, tell all your friends!

 My motivation for posting this here is twofold really.  One, I am always concerned that it may be a clusterhead trying to reach me, and I am not answering;  the other is that this scam has the potential to genuinely hurt people if they end up giving out personal information unwittingly.

The company behind the majority of the calls is WCA Offer Clearinghouse.  I learned that by calling back the numbers, and all you get is an automated system giving instructions for how to have your number removed from their system.  So far I have managed to get through about 20 of the numbers that have shown up and have my number removed....if it can be trusted.  I have at least 3 times that many other numbers, all from the same company I suspect, and all different phone numbers.  If I didn't have flat rate long distance this would be a task that is simply not feasible to do because of the cost.

The more people that get the word out about these idiots, the faster the negative impact will effect their bottom line and their reputation will become known, and they will have to cease operations, and/or change to another form of tactics.

So if you've been affected by the latest rash of unsolicited phone calls, I strongly encourage you to use the sites above and report your comments as well as posting the numbers and the company (if you can find out - WCA is an easy one, just call back one of the numbers) and let's use the viral tactic to spread the news about these slimy vermin and stop their abusive and potentially harmful sales tactics.

Cat                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Or just dump your land line and go all cellular.

49 phone calls to my cell line alone.  Alex, Andrea and Clark also have gotten them on their cells.  And the cell phones are all on the do not call list.

Cat

Sorry, Cat - I didn't realize.

This crap doesn't happen to me. I don't know why, but I'm thankful for it.

No worries Brew, it never used to happen to me either, not since the do not call list came out.  And before now, never to my cell phone.

I think the way they are getting around the do not call registry is by a) using presidential surveys - they don't necessarily fall under the standard do not call rules, and b) anyone who has ever entered their # on facebook for the damn IQ results etc.  I've noticed that Clark, Andrea and myself have all managed to get nailed on that at least once before we realized that it was pay per use service.  They are pretty good at keeping that part in super fine hard to read print. 

Unfortunately, Alex has never used a social networking site, he can't stand them.  So I'm not sure how his number got caught up in it all other than the whole presidential exemption.  Of course, him being just shy of 18, doesn't bother with any of the traditional ways of dealing with unsolicited callers, and has used various methods of dealing with them;  from the classic of the homicide detective answering a phone, and then saying hold on one minute please, "Hey Joe, be sure to get a picture of the body before they move anything" then returns to his phone and says so can you please explain to me the nature of your business with Mr. B, this is an active homicide investigation and we need to know your connection with the victim.  That one is a favorite, but he also uses a variety of other equally annoying means, that I suspect will end up getting him arrested before they stop the caller lol!  (such as his hang dude, hey man this isn't that different than the crank, we can use this to cut it and sell it) then returning to the phone and asking so how much do you want and where do you want to do the drop - oy, he's turning me completely gray haired in a matter of months!

Cat

Funny stuff kids.

I give the caller 2 seconds to start the conversation, if not, I'm gone. That usually separates the automatic calls.

Even with "do not call," banks and fake surveys get through. The phone company won't leave me alone now that I have broadband through them. They are dying to save me money.

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So far, my cell phones seem o.k. as I haven't recieved one call that isn't someone I know.

I figured changing my land-line when I moved to Kentucky would give me a reprieve at least for a little while...it took them one week to find me.   >:(

In addition to your topics Cat, I can add the I can consolidate your debts. I get that call way too often and I'm on the do not call registry too. The only debt I have is my mortgage.

Now about not answerig phone numbers you don't know... My cell rang about 5:00 this past Thursday night, didn't even recognize the area code but I answered it out of curiosity. It was Lisa and she had borrowed the phone of the man who had just hit her! She didn't have her phone with her. The man ran a stop sign and hit the front end of her car and she hurt her arm geting it stuck in the steering wheel. She is a bit sore, her car needs some major repairs and it's not serious. I don't know what made me pick up on that unrecognizabe number but I sure glad I did!

Charlotte

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At the onset of their pitch, I interrupt the caller and ask for their personal home phone number, or the home number of their boss, which always causes a pause.  They tell me that they cannot give it out.

Then, I question the caller about calling me at home and logically ask why is it not acceptable to call them at home. I get a kick out of it..really, I do.

It's funny how when the NCL legislation was debated Congress excluded itself from the NCL. I save my most abrasive retorts for the political calls. I employ several different incarnation depending on the nature of the call or its political bent.

By the end of the call I feel very much like the cat playing with its catch.

Try it next time. It's rather entertaining.

Steve (Jerky Boy) G

In the newspaper here in Toronto this AM was a story about a guy who hung up on a Telemarketer.

His wife later played a message that was on their answering machine. It was Solomon the telemarketer.

" After calling this gentleman a bunch of names, after reaming him out for the hang-up, he then went way over the top. Stating he was going to come to his house and rape his wife, rape his mother and rape his daughter. The f-word was the verb used. Repeatedly"

There was no way to track down this Solomon

Scary!!!! >:(

Cat, I love Alex's methods!  I may have to try those myself.   ;D

We've been getting a lot more on our land line at home, with is on the DNC list.  With caller ID, we just don't answer, but the dang ringing phone is annoying and they never leave a message.

I'm also getting many more calls on my business lines, also on the DNC list.  Many calls are fron supposedly insurance companies trying to sell me group insurance for my employees.  Why are they exempt???

The really annoying thing I get is I have an incoming 800 number at my office.  My 800 number is one digit different from Sun Trust Bank's 800 number for customer service.  Do you have any idea how many people cannot dial 800-752-**** but dial 800-757-****?  Zillions!, and this includes the Sun Trust bank people who transfer the calls to their own customer service department.  They can't even dial the right number.

The 757 is MY incoming 800 number and I'm paying for these stupid calls.  Sun Trust even has stickers that go out on their new credit cards, you know, the ones that say call this number to activate your new card.  Guess what number is actually printed on that sticker!  MINE!  I politely ask the people who call my number to activate their card what number is printed on their sticker.  When I was told my number was printed, I can't really blame the caller, now can I?

I've contacted the head honchos at Sun Trust several times.  Since I'm still getting calls to activate cards, Sun Trust has done nothing.  My next step is sending them a bill! >:(

Sandy

edited because I can't type

Well my method is to pick up and say nothing. It's pretty funny, when you hear them breathing. Then they say "hello, hello" then hang up. their is no rule I have to say hello when I pick up my phone. ah good times.

Jrcox

Every few months or so for a couple of days, I get these very strange calls to my home # and to my unlisted # at work. And it is the same thing at both #'s.  I call it my stocking submarine.  It is a series of beeps that just won't give up.  When I am at work, I have round 2-8 messages of beeps on the answering machine at home when I get home! And then at work, different days from the home calls, I will get call after call on my unlisted number for like 2 hours, those dam beeps again.

Kinda frustrating...I don't know who to tell about it.  I have to pay for a trace from the popo's, says's the phone company.   >:(

Ah well,
Ange

I do the same if a voice does not answer right away when I say hello I hang up, if it is a telemarketer I simply say I have something on the stove can they hold for a second and just sit the phone down and go back to whatever I was doing, they hang up sooner or later and don’t tend to call back.  ;D

All you have to do is subscribe to some kind of yuppie magazine or contribute to some cause once in your life and you're stuck with "surveys."

The last one, they got little information from me because when I asked how long it would be: "Only 7 minutes!" I made it shorter after I said wait a minute and hung up. Even I don't have 7 minutes to waste like that.

Geeze.

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Nov 21^st, 2009 at 2:03pm:

I give the caller 2 seconds to start the conversation, if not, I'm gone. That usually separates the automatic calls.

When they do pick up after a delay, they'll say "Hello". I'll say (annoyed voice) "I already said that, It's your turn to talk". Put 'em on the defensive right away.

My kids love it when telemarketers call. I feel no need to acknowledge their humanity.

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Screecher Aerosol Alarm emits an ear-piercing 125dB shriek which can be heard up to 1/4 mile away. Convenient size for pocket or purse. 10 gram unit has a push-top activator. Contains approximately 20 short blasts


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Works great, they NEVER call back!
  ;)