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
The computer recording was that they could lower my Visa and Mastercard rates....just press 6. I pressed 6. Girl answered and I asked who she worked for. She said "Credit card services". I then asked her how she knew I may or may not have credit cards and if she had my credit card information. There was an immediate click and I was transferred to a ringing phone. An elderly woman answered and I apologized for wrong number. Then another click and a ringing phone. I hung up at that point.
I have been reading posts and blogs and I don't know how they can do it, but they can use your number to call other people.
Crap, my dad just called. He's in my caller id...he got a call. Unknown number. Probably too late to delete all that.
We need to take this company down. There is a good thread at City-Data with info and e-mail addresses.
This seems to be the company shut down by court orders and an FTC backed injunction a few weeks ago, that had pitched fake extended auto warranties and other services. I pretensed fake info as a desirable customer, and in an 18 minute call before they hung up was told by a supervisor that their headquarters is at 877-354-5485. That's a real number, to a Texas company that says it is working with a Florida telemarketer.
www.pdmi.us
PDMInt'l - Priority Direct
2132 Don Dodson Suite 100
Bedford, TX 76021
Telephone: (877) 354-5485
Gary Lehmbert - supervisor
They want targets with more than $4,000 credit card debt at over 6.9% interest, and with several hundred dollars below credit limits, and not delinquent (they want to charge you $590 or $890, but say fees are paid by lenders). If one has time, pretense being a good customer and consume some of their time, while trying to link them to their related companies. Complaints can then be better documented to the FTC here:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
Called them and the rep very politely apologized and said that VISA is investigating this scam and they can't track down who is making these calls but they are upset by it too. I asked if I could help in ANY way and she told me to gather whatever information I can from them and email it to askvisa@visa.com I plan on doing this.
I also did a reverse search on the "card services" number that showed and it came up a residential - which after calling found out is disconnected. The number was 717-339-0000.
VERY frustrating but I will probably keep connecting and trying to gather info and waste THEIR time too, that is of course when I'm not busy with my kids!
The last time they called me, I was able to keep them on the phone for 18 minutes and it only too 2 minutes of my time. I could have kept them on longer, but I got bored. If everyone does that, imagine how their profits will drop.
First play along. At some point they'll ask if you can find a recent credit card statement. Pretend you're looking, that might take 5 minutes. Tell them you can't find it. Then they'll ask for numbers off of your card. The key is to be able to feed them fake info that looks legitimate. Use a credit card number generator like one of these (http://www.cis.nctu.edu.tw/~is86007/magicshop/creditnumber/). Make up a 3 digit security code (4 digit for AMEX) and use a fake name and zip code. (Write down the numbers, they'll ask you to repeat them a lot to make sure you're not faking). They'll also ask you for the name of the bank on your card and the 800 number. Do a quick search like "BOFA 800 Number" and you'll be able to give them a real one.
When the fake credit card number doesn't "match their records", say "huh, that's funny, can I try a different card". If they think you're really as clueless as the prey they're looking for, you can keep them on the line for a long time.
If they call me one more time, I think I'll write down all the bogus info above and keep it handy so I don't have to look it all up while I'm talking with them. But, I suspect that they'll take me off of their call list since I cost them more than I make them.
The callers can't be simple stool pigeons, they must be aware that they are engaged in a criminal operations. Overt fraud is the only reason why the call would end so abruptly.
It clearly is not a legitimate business.
I'm going to try Loeb's suggestion from 29 Jul 2009
Has anyone been defrauded? Have you spent your money for a service from PDMI, and not received it?
All this other conversation appears to be a disgruntled person venting...13+ posts about a phone number that's now disconnected and a woman cursing at adults and children continually. Not withholding businesses of this type monitor their employee calls for cost effectiveness if nothing else. They want to make sure their employees are working. And this previous post on how to cost the company money; now who is the scandalous one?
If you've been defrauded, I would like to hear about it. If not, save that yada yada. that's all that it is!
They ask for your credit card number... do you know they can make a fake card with your number and use it @ a gas station in another state? I didn't give them my credit card number, but we've had ours stolen by a server at a restaurant and used similarly.
They waste our time and we're trying to do whatever we can to make them STOP! That is all we want... if they stop, then we won't waste their time either. Got any ideas to make it STOP?! You aren't helping anyone.
You obviously do not get the intent of the previous posts. Yes, people are venting about a troublesome company. I have been recieving several calls a week from "Credit Card Services" (sometimes multiple calls in one day) for several years now. I have tried many different approaches to make these calls stop including: using the companies opt-out, reporting to National do-not-call registry, reporting to local and Florida AG and BBB offices, reporting to FTC. None has brought results. I look into the problem on occassion to see if anyone has found a solution but have not found one that works yet.
You claim that nobody has been defrauded - but I disagree. There are many definitions of "Fraud" depending on the source, and the legal definition varies by jurisdiction. However, one definition from Websters dictionary is:
FRAUD :: something intended to deceive; deliberate trickery intended to gain an advantage
Credit Card services uses both many different deceptive scripts and "spoofing" the caller ID of their calls to get people to spend their time if not their money. Also, if you've done any research into the companie(s) (they are run through several shells that keep changing) you can find that they have been charged in Florida in several Fraud cases brought by the state for taking peoples money for no return.
The company obviously does not follow acceptable and legal business practices since they do not abide by the National Do-Not-Call directory, and since "spoofing" (reporting incorrect, incomplete, or someone elses numer as your own) as oppossed to blocking (Private caller) is illegal in many jurisdictions. The telemarketers that answer the phone also refuse to provide the companies real name, address or phone number when requested. I base that statement on the 20+ times I have requested that information and been refused or lied to. That is too many negatives without any positives to indicate anything other than a company policy.
If you are unable or unwilling to see the "fraud" in this companies practices you may be blinded by yor experiences. Maybe you worked as a telemarketer (or for PDMI itself) which has jaded your viewpoint.
Now, for not causing any harm, I'm middle aged, but disabled. I've had multiple surgeries/balance problems/ walking issues. I only have one phone which is located where there is no electric plug (therefor I can't have a cordless phone). I'm in bed most of the time & take many naps. When the phone rings, I have to wake up if asleep, but even if awake, it takes time for me to get out of bed, get my walker or cane and then try to get to the phone. I don't have the finances to change this arrangement. I try to get to the phone to answer as obviously I also do not have an answering machine (needs electricity), most people hang up after 5-6 rings, so I'm trying to rush without falling, as that would be a BIG problem. I finally get there & it's "this is card services calling......" I can't just not answer the phone as I do have family, both young & old and it could be family or medical related locations trying to reach me. I've gotten to the point for safety reasons, if I was asleep I don't even bother to try to answer the phone anymore. Of course, then when I talk to family I get, I tried to call you .....you didn't answer, so I've been really worried something was wrong or you were in the hospital. Therefore, I DO feel these "repeated calls" posts are not just whiners. This has started taking over our lives & how we function. I might feel different if they only called twice a year, but these have become harassment, which IS illegal, so people ARE being harmed.
You also must be thinking only of yourself not all the elderly out their either, who have problems getting to the phone or are more likely to give out information being from a generation where you could trust a person's word or make a contract with a hand shake. I'm glad for you it worked out, but the way you were handled on the phone sounds like poss. a different company.
Any "wasting of your time" by the public doesn't begin to commensurate the public for your collective wasting of our time.
Just so you know, I'm a lawyer and you are in my sights. I will be pursuing you doggedly until your company is shut down and you are in jail. I hope you read this Larry, and thank you for validating that you (PDMI) is indeed responsible for these criminal acts. Your post was forwarded to the agent in charge of your case at the DOJ. So yes, Larry, we've all been defrauded and our government is coming to tell you all about it.