We get lots of automated telemarketer calls, usually from "Heather" about improving our credit score. We don't need any help on that; at the Chevrolet/Cadillac dealer, the finance guy told our salesperson we could have whatever we wanted: top 1/3 of 1% of applicants. And most of these credit improvement schemes are really fraud; they take $1000 and you get nothing.
Most recently, we are getting automated calls that are smarter. They listen for gaps and certain words. It can at first seem like a real human being. One of them was soliciting funds for the United Breast Cancer Foundation. My wife was emphatic: No. So a week or two later arrives a $30 pledge card. I looked them up: they made the 50 worst charities list.
If only Don't Call Lists worked.
Why even bother answering them? I assume you have caller I'd. I ignore calls from numbers I don't recognize. If it's important enough, they'll leave a message.
ReplyDeleteStill, I agree they are a bother. Especially the VOIP calls that make it seem like my next door neighbor is calling me.
Always spoofed VoIP that looks like our area code. My ScopeRoller cellphone might get calls from anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI have been getting a lot of spoofed calls that appear to be from the same phone exchange (first six digits match my #).
ReplyDeleteI started answering them. If it's Heather, I just press 1 to speak to a person and put the phone down. You waste my time, I'll waste yours. Only it's costing the person on the other end more than me, because it's keeping him from moving on to the next call.
" I ignore calls from numbers I don't recognize. If it's important enough, they'll leave a message."
ReplyDeleteI do that, but unfortunately the spoofers still leave voicemails that I have to listen to to find out it's not important. Voicemail transcription has helped a bit with that part, but the phone still rings, I have to look at it and make a decision not ot answer -- and there are so many that most of the calls I receive are spoofed telemarketing.
GRRRR.
I am ready to suspend basic Constitutional rights, especially the "cruel and unusual punishment" prohibition, to hunt down and punish phone marketers.
My wife got calls from a 'Medical Services Group' all week before last, eight times in one day. From eight different numbers, all with our local area code. All blocked now.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me there must be something the government or service providers could legitimately do about these scams (if they cared to).