phone scam
Complaint
Judy
Country: United States
I found this complaint on-line and my scenario was exactly the same.
I received a call with a recorded voice saying the call was from "Card Services" telling me that I needed to "act now to save money on my credit cards or the offer would expire." Then I was given an option to press a number to be connected with a live operator and the option to press another number to stop receiving any more "notifications". I pressed to speak to the "operator" to ask why they're calling me since I am on the Do Not Call list. She hung up on me immediately. I tried to call the number back, but the number I tried was disconnected.
I received a call with a recorded voice saying the call was from "Card Services" telling me that I needed to "act now to save money on my credit cards or the offer would expire." Then I was given an option to press a number to be connected with a live operator and the option to press another number to stop receiving any more "notifications". I pressed to speak to the "operator" to ask why they're calling me since I am on the Do Not Call list. She hung up on me immediately. I tried to call the number back, but the number I tried was disconnected.
Comments
I then reported the call to the Chatham, Illinois police department for fraud
phone they usually use different number with the last 4 digits 1380. I have been getting these calls for years and
never talk to them. Today they used 800-945-2000 first time for this number for me. I never use a credit card anymore since I had my number stolen 3 times once when I called ahead to make a hotel reservation, once ordering something on the computer and using it at a restaurant. I don't answer the phone and if someone wants me I will call them back. I do nothing on the computer or any place giving an information about anything.
INSTEAD - Keep them on the line as long as possible. If we all did that it would no longer be cost effective for them to continue the scam. My favorite is to let them go through the spiel, then when they ask for the personal/credit card info then tell the to hold on while you "look" for your credit card. Then make them wait 5 minutes and then give them made up information. When they tell you it's not going through tell them "sorry I need to find my glasses" make them wait another 5 minutes and then keep reading back the made up credit card with one digit changed each time and then say whoops I have the wrong card this one's expired hold on and let me find the right card - got the idea?. Try it! It's fun and perfectly legal - particularly when they start salivating thinking oh boy! I'm gonna eat today! My record is keeping the scammer on the line for 20 minutes. Do the math. If we all kept them on the line for 20 minutes they could only make three calls an hour and since maybe one in a thousand people are actually stupid enough to fall for this it would take them weeks to score.