| Author |
Message |
    
greenetree
Citizen
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1912
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 12:51 pm: |     |
I just got a taped message from someone promoting vacations. The tape went something like this:
"Hi! I'm Barbara and I'm calling about the request for information and sweepstakes you entered at a local shopping Mall. I don't have any news on the grand prize yet, but I'd like to tell you about a special offer. Please call me at....."
Don't tell me that I requested info at a mall. I haven't been at a mall in months, and I don't fill out sweepstakes cards. How sleezy is this??? Is this the kind of thing we can expect since the Do Not Call lists have been formed? |
Dave Ross
Citizen
Username: Dave
Post Number: 6026
Registered: 4-1998
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 12:53 pm: | |
I received two calls this morning saying I requested information, as well. Let's hope there can be a means of stopping it or the new law is basically meaningless. |
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1571
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 12:54 pm: | |
Clearly it is the kind of thing we can expect.
Maybe they made a convenient mistake about who made the request for information. Hey, everyone's human, right? You'd have to show a pattern of mistakes in a class action lawsuit to get them to stop.
There's just no winning against these folks. They're professional telemarketers, and we're just amateur defenders.
Tom Reingold
There is nothing
|
notehead
Citizen
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 811
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 1:22 pm: | |
I think this is a tactic that spilled over from spam... It blows my mind that companies actually get enough positive response to this kind of crap to continue doing it. |
greenetree
Citizen
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1913
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 1:37 pm: | |
I think that next time I get one of these calls, I will ask them to fax me a copy of the request form I filled out. If they can't produce it, I will file a complaint. Where do you do that, anyway? |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 813
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 1:45 pm: | |
This is the one month of the year when I actually pour over my cc statements and to my astonishment I found a charge for 129.95 from something called MWI Connections. I immediately called them and after waiting for almost an hour spoke to a human being. When he explained what they did I assured him that in no way would I have signed up for that kind of service. He explained that it had been authorized through a magazine subscription and when I asked him to explain or provide the magazine that had authorized the charge he could not and he said that the charge would be removed. How is it possible that a magazine could authorize some sort of charge to my card? I don't remember receiving any phone calls or letters in the mail. Its amazing how they get away with things like this. |
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1577
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 1:49 pm: | |
NY Times David Pogue, who writes the Circuits column, wrote TWO columns on customer (dis)service. They do seem to be banking on things that look like errors and the customers not noticing.
What really galls me is that giant companies like Verizon are doing this. I'm sure a class action suit will eventually catch them and penalize them. Maybe their risk assessment people (who clearly have no morals) have calculated that the fine will be less than their gain.
Tom Reingold
There is nothing
|
ReallyTrying
Citizen
Username: Reallytrying
Post Number: 228
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 1:56 pm: | |
Info about the d-not-call registry is at ftp.fcc.gov/cgb/donotcall/; info about filing a complaint is toward the bottom. |
gozerbrown
Real Name
Username: Gozerbrown
Post Number: 280
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 4:22 pm: | |
We have caller ID and telemarketers usually come up "Out of Area" and we usually don't answer the phone when we see that come up. But since this Do Not Call list, some telemarketers come up on the Caller ID with an actual name and phone number. It happens occasionally, but if it continues, it may be worth pursuing. |
gemini
Real Name
Username: Gemini
Post Number: 237
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 5:01 pm: | |
Guys, you need call intercept. "out of area" or "unknown" just don't ring, unless they go thru a recording on my side saying "state your name if you wish to continue...." I haven't had one in months |
greenetree
Citizen
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 1914
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 - 9:13 pm: | |
Gemini-
We have caller ID, call intercept and call block. I'm just tired of paying an additional $30/month for a little peace of mind. I am going to drop those services.
A bit of thread drift: we're also getting rid of digital cable. Our bill is $100/month and there is never anything on the premium channels. We find ourselves going back to the basic cable channels. The only thing I will miss is the on-screen search & info service. But it ain't worth what we're paying. I've been home since 12/23 & have not sound one movie on a premium channel that I've wanted to watch. Our new cable bill will be $65/month for basic & HBO. Our friends in Union, who also have Comcast, have basic & HBO. Their bill is $50. |
Brett
Citizen
Username: Bmalibashksa
Post Number: 547
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 8:45 am: | |
Greentree: $30!! I only pay $4. Caller Id is free and $4 for call intercept |
gemini
Real Name
Username: Gemini
Post Number: 241
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 7:29 pm: | |
Greentree,
Verizon has a new deal, $59 for all local and long distance, with call id, block and intercept. I was paying like 40 for local and 60 for long distance. I hate Verizon but this is a great deal...This includes EVERYTHING! Call your Long distance provider and ask for an average of last 3 months or so... |
argon_smythe
Citizen
Username: Argon_smythe
Post Number: 97
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 10:40 am: | |
If "Do Not Call" was a well-written law created by competent individuals with an understanding of the problem to be solved, perhaps it would have stood a ghost of a chance. Unfortunately, it, like all legislation these days, was a nice piece of political posturing with some juicy pork thrown in for good measure. Just wait till they get their hands on the spam problem.
|
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page