Anyone received a call like this lately?
“Hello, this is Michelle with cardholder services, calling in reference to your current credit card accounts. As a preferred customer, you are now eligible for interest rates as low as 6.9 percent on all of your credit card accounts. It is urgent that you contact us today, since your eligibility expires shortly. Please consider this your final notice. Please press 9 on your phone now to speak to a live operator and lower your interest rate, or press 8 to discontinue further notices. “
The vague references to my “credit card accounts” tipped me off that this was probably a scam, just like the crap notices I get in the mail all the time pretending to be some official correspondence regarding my mortgage (the terms of which, unfortunately, are apparently public information).
A few times, I’ve pressed 9 to talk to someone. The first time, I asked to be put on their do-not-call list and was promptly hung up on. I redialed the # on the caller ID; the phone was answered by a bewildered Spanish-speaking person. Ah….called-id spoofing. A classy operation.
The second time, I tried to string them along a little bit. When “Greg” answered the phone, I asked him what company he represented, to which he replied, “Card Services.” I then asked, “well, I have several accounts via different banks or other entities. Which entity are you affiliated with?,” to which he answered, “oh, we can service any credit card.” You can see where this is going. I should have strung him along for longer, but as soon as I said, “how come I’ve received four of these same calls that say it’s my “final notice.” Greggy-boy got a little agitated, and said, “do you want on the do not call list? OK, here it goes…” and then hung up. Ass.
I found another blog entry that even has an audio transcript of the call. Apparently, people that have fallen for this can get screwed over pretty badly.
So what can be done? Until the feds bust them and shut them down, hit them where it hurts! Remember, time = money. When you get these calls, press “1″ so you can talk to a live operator. String them along for awhile (without giving them any personal info, of course!), and keep them on the line as long as possible. Ask inane questions, go on tangents, whatever. If I’m in a bad mood, getting one of these calls is a good way to vent (though you get hung up on pretty quickly). I don’t normally do that to telemarketers (I just give them the “put me on your do not call list line”) but this outfit is a reprehensible scam; no sympathy.