Annoying Calls

[Duchie]

I'm sure we're not the only one being flooded with calls about the "local member meeting" for our DVC. We are getting multiple calls every day wanting to make sure we know when and where the meetings are. We know they're not legit and keep asking them to take our name/number off of their list, but that doesn't work - they just keep calling. So what's their angle? What's the point of these meetings?

We got rid of our home phone a few years ago. The only landline in the house now is DH's work phone, which is the one that Disney has. So these calls are coming in the middle of his work day. Has anyone been successful in getting them to stop calling?

 

[GoingSince1990]

They are unscrupulous companies attempting to induce timeshare owners to pay large upfront fees in exchange for helping them sell their timeshare. Here is one example:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2014/05/callers-target-timeshare-owners-second-scamWhat these callers don't seem to understand, and one major reason I chose to buy DVC but would never have considered a "traditional" timeshare, is that there is an active, liquid market in DVC resales with a huge choice of reputable brokers who work for small, fair commissions. And unfortunately only reputable companies, which these are not, respect the Federal Do Not Call list.

 

[drusba]

Frequently get those calls, as well as many other junk phone calls. Putting your number on the federal no call list apparently means nothing anymore because the callers know they cannot be identified because they are either blocking your phone from seeing their number or now even using or somehow showing as the caller phone numbers from your local area of persons or entities that are not the callers. I actually got one of those calls on my home phone which somehow listed my own home phone number as the caller.

 

[CarolMN]

Calls like these are why I do not answer my phone unless I recognize the number calling. People I care about leave a message. Scammers do not. Best defense is to just hang up. If I do pick up, I usually wait a second or two before saying hello. You can usually tell if it's a call center. If so, I just hang up without speaking. Eventually, they get tired of calling.

Unfortunately, there are more and more of these scam calls on just about every subject you can think of. Hope someday there will be federal legislation that allows (requires) the service providers to stop them. They already have the technology to do so

 

[Deb & Bill]

And even if you do recognize the phone number, it might be spoofed. We've even gotten calls from other people asking us why we called and we never called them. Our number was spoofed by one of these unscrupulous callers.

 

[suebeelin]

Ask politely to be on their do not call list. Or you can mess with them so as to waste their time... if you have the time

 

[Chuck S]

Unless I am expecting a call from an unknown number, like for appliance delivery or something, I just don't answer them...and they rarely leave a message. Most messages that get left are from house flippers offering to buy my rental properties for cash. But those guys probably got my number from rental owners conventions.

 

[Duchie]

Eventually, they get tired of calling.

I wish! They just keep calling... and calling... and calling....

Unless I am expecting a call from an unknown number, like for appliance delivery or something, I just don't answer them...and they rarely leave a message.

Since the line is technically my husband's work phone, he usually has to answer it. But nights/weekends we just ignore it completely when it rings.

 

[CraigInPA]

I've kept some of these people on the line as long as 30 minutes, just by asking them for more detailed information, or going into a story about something related to the call. If I have the time, I'll waste their time mercilessly to prevent them from calling other people.

In one case, I preempted a scammer who called trying to get me to install their virus to "fix the problems in the computer" into attempting to help me fix my DEC PDP-11 that crashed when I recently installed a new "daisywheel printer". I even made the noises the machine makes when it boots properly, and then some made up noises of what it was doing now. I was passed from technician to technician until I got one who recognized that a PDP-11 was over 40 years old and didn't run Windows.

In another case, I requested repair coverage for a 1936 Plymouth. That guy was NOT polite when he realized I was wasting his time.

My favorite was the one from the "IRS" who demanded that I send them money via Western Union. I pretended to keep forgetting the amount, increasing it or decreasing it by some really odd amount ($432.34 to $467.86, for example), and then asked them to look up for me the closest place to do the transfer, then repeating the address mixing up the money with the street number (467.86 Main Street for 72 dollars?). I even told him he had to hold for a few minutes (which he did) while I "attended to some personal needs in the bathroom" that he "shouldn't have to listen to". Then, when he thought he was finally done and was going to get the money, I asked him "Who was it you called for today?" and when he replied, I told him "That was my room mate. He's dead. If you want money out of him, you're too late". The guy paused about 15 seconds, screamed an obscenity, and hung up.

 

[Madame]

I've kept some of these people on the line as long as 30 minutes, just by asking them for more detailed information, or going into a story about something related to the call. If I have the time, I'll waste their time mercilessly to prevent them from calling other people.

In one case, I preempted a scammer who called trying to get me to install their virus to "fix the problems in the computer" into attempting to help me fix my DEC PDP-11 that crashed when I recently installed a new "daisywheel printer". I even made the noises the machine makes when it boots properly, and then some made up noises of what it was doing now. I was passed from technician to technician until I got one who recognized that a PDP-11 was over 40 years old and didn't run Windows.

In another case, I requested repair coverage for a 1936 Plymouth. That guy was NOT polite when he realized I was wasting his time.

My favorite was the one from the "IRS" who demanded that I send them money via Western Union. I pretended to keep forgetting the amount, increasing it or decreasing it by some really odd amount ($432.34 to $467.86, for example), and then asked them to look up for me the closest place to do the transfer, then repeating the address mixing up the money with the street number (467.86 Main Street for 72 dollars?). I even told him he had to hold for a few minutes (which he did) while I "attended to some personal needs in the bathroom" that he "shouldn't have to listen to". Then, when he thought he was finally done and was going to get the money, I asked him "Who was it you called for today?" and when he replied, I told him "That was my room mate. He's dead. If you want money out of him, you're too late". The guy paused about 15 seconds, screamed an obscenity, and hung up.

My DH does that too! Once after about 20 mins of instructions for PC he asked them if it made a difference if he had a Mac

 

[Splashboat]

Yep, get them all the time. Nothing stops them.

 

[gharter]

They are unscrupulous companies attempting to induce timeshare owners to pay large upfront fees in exchange for helping them sell their timeshare. Here is one example:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2014/05/callers-target-timeshare-owners-second-scamWhat these callers don't seem to understand, and one major reason I chose to buy DVC but would never have considered a "traditional" timeshare, is that there is an active, liquid market in DVC resales with a huge choice of reputable brokers who work for small, fair commissions. And unfortunately only reputable companies, which these are not, respect the Federal Do Not Call list.

This.
I received a similar call about a month ago. The whole call seemed weird and i really doubted it had anything to do with Disney but couldn't get any real information from them about the meeting except it was to decrease your maintenance fees.
I hung up and didn't attend.

 

[rocketriter]

Remember that if a call from an unknown caller starts by asking "Is this..." followed by your name, don't say "Yes." That one word, recorded, can be spliced into a fake call subscribing you to something very expensive. Instead say something like "Why do you ask?" and still be very wary. Today most calls from strangers are crooked. And if you don't like where the call is going, just hang up without giving them an explanation (and a chance to record more words in your voice).

 

[bluecruiser]

Remember that if a call from an unknown caller starts by asking "Is this..." followed by your name, don't say "Yes." That one word, recorded, can be spliced into a fake call subscribing you to something very expensive. Instead say something like "Why do you ask?" and still be very wary. Today most calls from strangers are crooked. And if you don't like where the call is going, just hang up without giving them an explanation (and a chance to record more words in your voice).

Although this has been widely reported, according to fact-checking site Snopes.com, this so-called scam is unproven. Below is an excerpt from their article here.

"At first glance, the warning sounded reasonably valid: major news outlets covered it, and a Better Business Bureau satellite office reported the scam as well. But a closer examination revealed some questionable elements.

Primarily, we haven’t yet been able to identify any scenario under which a scammer could authorize charges in another person’s name simply by possessing a voice recording of that person saying “yes,” without also already possessing a good deal of personal and account information for that person, and without being able to reproduce any other form of verbal response from that person.

Moreover, even if such a scenario existed, it’s hard to imagine why scammers would need to utilize an actual audio recording of the victim’s repeating the word “yes” rather than simply providing that response themselves. As far as we know, phone companies, utilities, and credit card issuers don’t maintain databases of voice recordings of their customers and use them to perform real-time audio matching to verify identities during customer service calls.

In all the news reports we found, interviewees merely reported having been asked the common question (“Can you hear me?”) but did not aver that they themselves had fallen prey to scammers."

 

[Chuck S]

Rather Than say yes, I just say, "Speaking." if it is an unknown caller. I confirms my identity without giving a positive response. 99% it is someone either offering to buy one of my rental properties for cash or "You qualify for 0% interest" scams.

 

[Best Aunt]

I answer the phone if it rings (somebody could be calling about elderly relatives). But I have been known to put the phone up to the TV to let them listen for awhile.

If I get the "Is this..." followed by my name, I say, "Who's calling?"

 

[Mazz519]

When I get these calls if I have time I will let them talk then tell them I love my timeshare and not looking to sell

 

[rocketriter]

Although this has been widely reported, according to fact-checking site Snopes.com, this so-called scam is unproven. Below is an excerpt from their article here.

"At first glance, the warning sounded reasonably valid: major news outlets covered it, and a Better Business Bureau satellite office reported the scam as well. But a closer examination revealed some questionable elements.

Bluecruiser, thanks for the update. I'm fine with the idea that there's one less scam in the world.

 

[CarolMN]

Perhaps we will get some relief in our lifetimes:

"On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission passed a ruling that allows and encourages phone companies to block robocalls by default. "

NPR Article on FCC 6/6/19 Robo Call Ruling

 

[Duchie]

Perhaps we will get some relief in our lifetimes:

"On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission passed a ruling that allows and encourages phone companies to block robocalls by default. "

NPR Article on FCC 6/6/19 Robo Call Ruling

I sure hope so. I think they have the technology to do it, but just aren't.