[matmat]

i keep getting these phone spam calls. i usually hang up, occasionally I click to be connected to a rep, to tick them off a little bit, or just to waste some of their time while i've got nothing much else better to do.

so... i just tried doing that. what do I get? i get a recorded message that their offices are closed. huh?! they don't give out their company name in the messages nor the phone number... what exactly is the point of these calls? weird.

[matmat]

did you read my post, wayne, or did you just randomly tap on your keyboard?

[Gerben42]

Around here they are implementing laws that spam calling is now punishable by law, which I think is a good thing. I do hope that if someone really bothered to find out who called them, that the punishment is high enough to stop these spammers.

[kenberg]

Where there is a will there is a way. The Do Not Call List is great but companies are finding ways around it. I got a call asking me to participate in a survey. Are you concerned about the high price of groceries? Are you aware that company X can send frozen steaks to your house at low prices? etc. And yes, I get these informative calls saying my car warranty is about to expire. My 2001 Accord has 110,000 miles on it so I think they are a bit late. And I can reduce the rates on my mortgage. If I had one. Back before the Do Not Call List I also would, if I had time, play along a bit sometimes. My most successful encounter led to the guy calling me back and saying "You could have just said no, asshole".


We moved three years ago and our new phone number was previously the number for a real deadbeat. I got many calls. The worst by far was a car loan company. The recorded message threatened dire consequences if I didn't act at once, and the number I was to call provided no option for reaching a human so that I could tell them I was not the person that owed them money. I would hang up, they would call in another week or so. I eventually had to get a consumer agency to intervene. I still get calls from time to time from people trying to reach this jerk. At least now the callers are human and, when I gently explain, they don't call back.

I did read your post. But like Wayne, I decided to just type. But to take a swing at your question I guess the point is that some idiots actually call these companies and buy their products. Why do we get spam suggesting someone has a million dollars in a bank account that they will share with us if we send them five thousand dollars? I guess someone sends them five thousand dollars. A few years ago there was a story about a guy arrested for scamming folks. They were to give their money to him, he would invest it in foreign banks, and this would lower their taxes. So they gave it to him.

[Gerben42]

Quote

Where there is a will there is a way. The Do Not Call List is great but companies are finding ways around it. I got a call asking me to participate in a survey. Are you concerned about the high price of groceries? Are you aware that company X can send frozen steaks to your house at low prices? etc. And yes, I get these informative calls saying my car warranty is about to expire. My 2001 Accord has 110,000 miles on it so I think they are a bit late. And I can reduce the rates on my mortgage. If I had one. Back before the Do Not Call List I also would, if I had time, play along a bit sometimes. My most successful encounter led to the guy calling me back and saying "You could have just said no, asshole".

I kinda feel sorry for those making the calls, as they are not the responsibles, but on the other hand as long as you keep them busy, someone else is not bothered by them.

If you feel particularly evil, try this:

http://www.xs4all.nl...nterscript.html

[matmat]

kenberg, on Oct 17 2008, 08:31 AM, said:

I did read your post. But like Wayne, I decided to just type. But to take a swing at your question I guess the point is that some idiots actually call these companies and buy their products. Why do we get spam suggesting someone has a million dollars in a bank account that they will share with us if we send them five thousand dollars? I guess someone sends them five thousand dollars. A few years ago there was a story about a guy arrested for scamming folks. They were to give their money to him, he would invest it in foreign banks, and this would lower their taxes. So they gave it to him.

gah
maybe i just explained this wrong...

1) you get an automated call.
2) you press a button to be connected to a representative (i.e. you "fall" for their scam)
3) instead of being connected to a human, you get a machine that tells you that you have reached them after their business hours, and that you should try again some other time. they do not provide any callback information, however.

i was wondering what the point was of having these automated calls when they can't even be there to scam you successfully.

[david_c]

We keeping get calls telling us we've won a cruise. If you listen right to the end they say "press 9 to claim your prize", or something like that. From what I understand, if you were so stupid as to press 9, you'd be in for a nasty surprise when you got your phone bill. I'm not sure exactly how it works, maybe it just has the effect of making a premium-rate call back to the people who've phoned you. Though I believe I heard a report that it allows the caller to make unlimited phone calls at your expense.

[ASkolnick]

My favorite strategy telemarketer:

Put my 3 year old daughter on the phone. She loves to talk and say things and some gibberish as well. I used to put my son on as well, but now at 6 he is perfectly capable of providing information I don't want to provide.

Or if I have the time:

I had Jehovah witnesses come to my house, and my goal was not to be able to let them leave for a long time. Talking about peace and love in the bible. I tried to point out that the bible is one of the most violent books out there, at least the old testament.

[onoway]

http://howtoprankate...eter.ytmnd.com/

[kenberg]

Gerben42, on Oct 17 2008, 08:48 AM, said:

Quote

Where there is a will there is a way. The Do Not Call List is great but companies are finding ways around it. I got a call asking me to participate in a survey. Are you concerned about the high price of groceries? Are you aware that company X can send frozen steaks to your house at low prices? etc. And yes, I get these informative calls saying my car warranty is about to expire. My 2001 Accord has 110,000 miles on it so I think they are a bit late. And I can reduce the rates on my mortgage. If I had one. Back before the Do Not Call List I also would, if I had time, play along a bit sometimes. My most successful encounter led to the guy calling me back and saying "You could have just said no, asshole".

I kinda feel sorry for those making the calls, as they are not the responsibles, but on the other hand as long as you keep them busy, someone else is not bothered by them.

If you feel particularly evil, try this:

http://www.xs4all.nl...nterscript.html

I'm sort of with you here, when I was a teen I had a girlfriend who had a job calling people. A very good person with a very lousy job. So usually I would restrain myself. Now most calls are soliciting for charity. I don't give money to anyone who calls me on the phone. These folks are, sometimes, volunteers and so I have set the following rule. If within the first thirty seconds otr so they take a breath and allow me to politely say that I am not interested, and them accept that fact, then we go that route. If not, I am free to respond as I choose.

[kenberg]

matmat, on Oct 17 2008, 10:16 AM, said:

kenberg, on Oct 17 2008, 08:31 AM, said:

I did read your post. But like Wayne, I decided to just  type. But to take a swing at your question I guess the point is that some idiots actually call these companies and buy their products. Why do we get spam suggesting someone has a million dollars in a bank account that they will share with us if we send them five thousand dollars? I guess someone sends them five thousand dollars. A few years ago there was a story about a guy arrested for scamming folks. They were to give their money to him, he would invest it in foreign banks, and this would lower their taxes. So they gave it to him.

gah
maybe i just explained this wrong...

1) you get an automated call.
2) you press a button to be connected to a representative (i.e. you "fall" for their scam)
3) instead of being connected to a human, you get a machine that tells you that you have reached them after their business hours, and that you should try again some other time. they do not provide any callback information, however.

i was wondering what the point was of having these automated calls when they can't even be there to scam you successfully.

Actually you said it fine, your intent came to me while I was in the shower. Maybe I should shower first and wake up a little before going online.

It would be interesting to know if they make much money with their approach.

Here is a possibility. Back in the fifties the father of a friend was browsing the classifieds in something like Popular Mechanics magazine. He saw the ad: Life giving formula, send 25 cents to Duffy to get this amazing secret of life. On a whim, he sent Duffy two bits and got back a sheet of paper with the formula H2O. Later, he saw another ad addressed to marketers. Get a list of proven buyers from Duffy.
Maybe when you press the button they record your number and sell it.

[G_R__E_G]

These calls about car warranties that are going around right now are not only spam - they are in fact a scam. There was an article in our local paper a week or two ago about it. Basically they will sell you a warranty on any car (they start by talking about your new car's warranty but if you say you don't have a new car then they offer it on whatever car you have) but the warranty is useless. These automated systems that dial out will connect with an operator that is available in their call centre, my guess is that the call the OP got somehow got misdirected to the wrong spot in their call scripts. Since they are criminals they won't give you contact information and they obviously won't have any respect for do not call lists.

[blackshoe]

I have been annoyed lately because my cell phone (my only phone) works poorly at best in my house. T-mobile is cheap, but in spite of their advertising, their coverage ain't so hot. I was gonna get a landline, but you know what? I think I'll just live with the cell's problems.