taalismn wrote:Alpha 11 wrote:[
Man if you get hit that many times, you aught to get some type of tracer device and backtrack to were the call is coming from then give it to the police. Though I wouldn't be surprised it such a device is illegal for you to own.
I threatened the meatpuppet on the other end with exactly that...that's where the 'Go ahead, I can't be beat' comes from; the little jerk(s) are usually calling from overseas, so backtracing is useless. The countries these scammers call from don't have strong anti-fraud laws and no real incentive to cooperate with the Americans in hunting down the only growth industries they have. The best you can hope for is to spot them on caller ID, and spread the word about them to anybody you think might be susceptible.
I'm surprised you haven't been hit at some time or other.
Other clues that you're being scammed?
-If you pick up the phone on the first or second ring and nobdy answers immediately. Maybe you get a hiss and a click as the automated message on the other end tries to reset, or the living operator takes too long to talk to you.. They're likely dialing several phones simultaneously to see if they can get a warm body on the other end on at least one of the,.
- The guy doesn't ask for anybody specific, nor does he ID himself personally.
-Listen for the sound of a crowded room in the background. Odds are it's a recording meant to give the impression of a busy professional office
-He'll stick to his script, no matter what you say that contradicts him.
I guess I'm lucky to live in North Dakota. Were Rhode Island, the smallest state in the union, has a bigger population then us by like double, I think. Or close, I think.
Little Snuzzles wrote:taalismn wrote:Other clues that you're being scammed?
-If you pick up the phone on the first or second ring and nobdy answers immediately. Maybe you get a hiss and a click as the automated message on the other end tries to reset, or the living operator takes too long to talk to you.. They're likely dialing several phones simultaneously to see if they can get a warm body on the other end on at least one of the,.
This happens all the time. I know at least 30 people (including myself) who've gotten hit with that crap multiple times. I tried to get the FCC & my phone company to track them down -- the calls were coming from Washington DC area -- and they finally determined that someone had:
A) Bought 500 disposable phones, each with a pre-paid 1 year contract.
B) Rigged them all up to auto-dialers, and systematically hit city after city.
There were already something like 5000 complaints on file with the FCC about the same issue. In the end, nothing could be done. Translation: this is such a low priority for us that we don't honestly give a crap; we've got bigger fish to fry, pal.
So when I start getting those (usually it's about once a year), I just mark the number as something insulting and set it not to ring when that # calls.
I'll tell you what else: During the last national election, I got calls from at least 20 different numbers, each representing a different political postion, including that of the office of the Big Cheese. But I've never made any calls to political organizations nor given my number to them, so I wonder how much they paid to buy my contract information from the carrier. It's this kind of abuse, for no other reason than advertising purposes, that is quite irritating, I must say. Ethics seems to be a thing of the distant past.
So sad all around.
taalismn wrote:Little Snuzzles wrote:[
I'll tell you what else: During the last national election, I got calls from at least 20 different numbers, each representing a different political postion, including that of the office of the Big Cheese. But I've never made any calls to political organizations nor given my number to them, so I wonder how much they paid to buy my contract information from the carrier. It's this kind of abuse, for no other reason than advertising purposes, that is quite irritating, I must say. Ethics seems to be a thing of the distant past.
You must be a political swing zone...we hardly got any political calls(mainly because I'm a registered Independent and therefore lumped with 'hippie political fringe freaks')). Legit PR firms still have to abide by the 'do not call' lists, but the loophole is robo-calling, since they can always claim their systems went errant*, and of course the scammers don't give a flaming huwaggi.
*I have nightmares about walking down the street, hearing an all-too-familiar voice behind me and automatically wreaking grievous bodily harm on the wretch who recorded a damn robo-call('phone rage' is not a permissible legal defense).
As for ethics in advertising? I'd make the claim that a careful study of history shows that from the age of snake oil onwards, there ain't EVER been an Ethical Age of Advertising. The communications boom just allows them to annoy people quicker and in more places.
Looks like its getting to be a sadder world out there all the time.
"Ah..pardon me..."
