Strange cell phone calls.

[Miriam C.]

Anyone get a cell call that said: "Do not be alarmed. This is the final notice to get a lower rate on your interest rate. Press one to connect. Again press 1..."

I don't have an account in New Brunswick. Me thinks it is a scam.

[toypusher]

Definitely a scam. Just like opening attachments to emails. If you do not know for sure who it is from - don't do it!!!

[QuietOutdoorsman]

There are a lot of scams like that. In many cases, you get scammed for just picking up the phone even if you hang up immediately. A computer set up to random dial every possible number in a given area code and exchange is primarily just searching for active phone numbers. Then the person running the operation has a list of number he/she can sell to various telemarketing companies. The same thing goes on with junk email too.

If you're not on it, get your number on the federal do not call list. It doesn't completely eliminate the problem, but it does significantly cut down on the telemarketing calls. Apparently most of those companies are willing to respect the law when it would cost them a lot to get caught breaking it. If you are on the do not call list, just ignore the call unless it becomes a regular occurence. If this keeps happening, report the incoming calls to the FCC. Not much else you can do.

[Bristol Delica]

Miriam

Quite a lot of these scams work by getting you to auto-dialback, so that you don't see that it's a premium rate number, you then get a ringing tone and you will usually hear a blip in the tone, this is means you are being connected to a digital recording of a ringing tone which will keep going (charging you big bucks per minute) until you get pee'd off and hang up.

IanJ

[Miriam C.]

Miriam

Quite a lot of these scams work by getting you to auto-dialback, so that you don't see that it's a premium rate number, you then get a ringing tone and you will usually hear a blip in the tone, this is means you are being connected to a digital recording of a ringing tone which will keep going (charging you big bucks per minute) until you get pee'd off and hang up.

IanJ

This is the kind of scam I was thinking. I keep a list of odd numbers and if I get charges I call Sprint and They really don't like me

[mechmagcn]

When the federal "do not call" list first came out, I signed up for our home phone and also both cells, even though they told me that telemarketers are not supposed to call cell phones. We have never been bothered by telemarketers since then.

[Bill_Storey]

On the do not call list you must go back to it every 5 years and re-enter your numbers, or so I was told. I just re-entered mine a few weeks ago.

[rasp]

after or before, makes no diff.

go here and report the call

https://esupport.fcc.gov/form1088/consumer.do

each and everyone of the call should be reported especially the ones made to your cell. it is against the law for a tellie marketer to call your cell, that is unless you gave them your permission.

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

I've been scammed twice recently by big name companies... Directv and AT&T.
Directv offered me a free DVD player when I signed up, but renigged twice when I inquired about the player.
AT&T offered me a huge rebate when I signed up for high speed.
They sent me the mail in information after the offer had expired.
I could persue both situations and make them stand good on their promises, but I'd have to get the State Attorney General's office involved and quite frankly, I don't want to invest that kind of time.
I dumped Directv, but still have AT&T, until something better comes along.
Directv calls me from time to time begging me to come back with even bigger and better promises and I just tell them to make good on their original promise and I'd consider it...

[ARKPAT]

If you have a company name bill-um at $100 an minuite consultation fee and $400 setup fee; then the turn them over to a colection agency. DONE! No more calls.




Pat