Possible scam?? Keep your "ears" open

[DisneyDebRob]

Hi everyone!

I was just talking with a good friend of mine who also is a DVC owner and he was telling me about a phone call he got yesterday.The person claimed they were from DVC and was wondering if he could help out with a survey.He also said if he helped out with the first part of the survey,he would recieve $150.00.The next part I believe he said would get him $175.00.Anyway,my friend said he wasn't interested but could he call back later because his wife might be.He hung up and called his guide which informed him that NEVER would DVC call and offer money for a survey and that was not them.Since they never called back he had no idea what they may have asked him,like possible account info etc.Thought I would post it here so everyone knows.

Anyone else get a call like this? I haven't but hope I do..I would love to have them hang up on me after I'm through with them.

 

[edk35]

WOW thanks for posting.

 

[magicaldisney]

Good to know. Thanks for sharing.

 

[notaclue]

I'd be curious as to how the caller got the name and number of the DVC owner. Hope Disney hasn't had a breach in computer security somewhere. Thanks for the warning.

 

[Greysword]

That is interesting, as last night I received a call from Lisa at DVC (at least she said she was), to let us know we were Unguided (not assigned to a guide). She said our guide likely moved on or something, and she wanted to help us get assigned to a new guide.

This seemed reasonable, and I'll go over the reasons as we progress. Our current guide, Rafael, has not made an effort to contact us since our initial purchase in 2005. I have no idea if the guy is even alive .

Anyway, mentioned that I would like the guy, who did our add-on last year during the presentation, but I couldn't remember his name. She was able to give me the name (accurately), without my help using their system. She said Chris was on vacation, and she had to get us together before he could officially take the account. Thus, she will call back next week when Chris is back in town.

I thought it was interesting, but probable our guide retired or something. I won't volunteer any details, but I will verify if they provide some (she did verify my address and email account accurately).

Not the same, but odd all the same.

- Chris

 

[Greysword]

I'd be curious as to how the caller got the name and number of the DVC owner. Hope Disney hasn't had a breach in computer security somewhere. Thanks for the warning.

Isn't this information on our deed (at least name and address, which can be linked to a phone number)? I know from our BLT watch group that our deeds are easily accessible.

 

[DisneyDebRob]

I'd be curious as to how the caller got the name and number of the DVC owner. Hope Disney hasn't had a breach in computer security somewhere. Thanks for the warning.

I was thinking the same thing.Maybe a call to my guide is in order.

 

[rocketriter]

You can talk to these callers all you want. But you must make sure the flow of information about yourself, your family and your contract is ABSOLUTELY ONE WAY, from them to you. Do not answer questions that ask for personal information, family names, employment, social security, contract number etc. etc.

 

[ChiSoxKeith]

Don't discount the fact that they could have just been phishing.

Before we bought DVC this spring, we would get two calls per day from people wanting to know if we needed help selling our timeshare. The deal is - until we bought DVC we didn't own a time share!

One time I did have fun with the guy calling...

Them: "Hello ChiSoxKeith, we're company XYZ, and we'ld like to help you sell your timeshare, it's value couldn't possibly be higher right now and you'll get top dollar".

Me: "Great, let's do that."

Them: "Great, so where's your time share?"

Me: "Well, you already know that - you just told me it's value couldn't be higher, so let's go let's sell this thing"

Them: "So where do you own your time share?"

Me: "How could you know it's value if you don't know where my time share is"

Them: "So where do you own your time share?"

Me: "You were cold calling, weren't you?"

Them: "Sir, do you want to sell your time share or not?"

Me: "If you weren't cold calling you would know the answer to that, wouldn't you?"

Them: "We're just trying to help, if you're going to be difficult then it won't be worth us helping you."

Me: "Ok, thanks for calling. Have a good night."

 

[drusba]

I'd be curious as to how the caller got the name and number of the DVC owner. Hope Disney hasn't had a breach in computer security somewhere. Thanks for the warning.

Your full name and ownership of Disney including a copy of your deed is matter of public record that anyone can easily find on the local government agency's on-line site. From that info it is not hard to find your phone number also through a phone book on-line. Companies actually compile and sell such info.

 

[jessicaerv]

Don't discount the fact that they could have just been phishing.

Before we bought DVC this spring, we would get two calls per day from people wanting to know if we needed help selling our timeshare. The deal is - until we bought DVC we didn't own a time share!

One time I did have fun with the guy calling...

Them: "Hello ChiSoxKeith, we're company XYZ, and we'ld like to help you sell your timeshare, it's value couldn't possibly be higher right now and you'll get top dollar".

Me: "Great, let's do that."

Them: "Great, so where's your time share?"

Me: "Well, you already know that - you just told me it's value couldn't be higher, so let's go let's sell this thing"

Them: "So where do you own your time share?"

Me: "How could you know it's value if you don't know where my time share is"

Them: "So where do you own your time share?"

Me: "You were cold calling, weren't you?"

Them: "Sir, do you want to sell your time share or not?"

Me: "If you weren't cold calling you would know the answer to that, wouldn't you?"

Them: "We're just trying to help, if you're going to be difficult then it won't be worth us helping you."

Me: "Ok, thanks for calling. Have a good night."

OMG, that whole transaction was FANTASTIC!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

That is interesting, as last night I received a call from Lisa at DVC (at least she said she was), to let us know we were Unguided (not assigned to a guide). She said our guide likely moved on or something, and she wanted to help us get assigned to a new guide.

This seemed reasonable, and I'll go over the reasons as we progress. Our current guide, Rafael, has not made an effort to contact us since our initial purchase in 2005. I have no idea if the guy is even alive .

Anyway, mentioned that I would like the guy, who did our add-on last year during the presentation, but I couldn't remember his name. She was able to give me the name (accurately), without my help using their system. She said Chris was on vacation, and she had to get us together before he could officially take the account. Thus, she will call back next week when Chris is back in town.

I thought it was interesting, but probable our guide retired or something. I won't volunteer any details, but I will verify if they provide some (she did verify my address and email account accurately).

Not the same, but odd all the same.

- Chris

Our guide, Chris M., did our add-on last week and he told us he was going on vacation this week. So that call sounds like it was legit to me!

We hardly ever answer our land line so if we have scammers calling they won't get very far.

We did get a pizza ad in our villa at AKL. I turned it in to the front desk because I already knew that was a scam.

 

[mckryan]

A couple of calls from Hilton at a 407 number have come to my house the last couple of days. I don't answer, and they don't leave a message. If I don't recognize a number, I don't answer.

 

[n2mm]

I saw something on the official DVC website warning us about these things lately. Yes, its on the DVC website under NEWS:

Fraudulent Letter/Phone Call Advisory


Disney Vacation Club Members who receive a suspicious phone call or letter from someone purporting to be from Disney Vacation Club or RCI should not give the person any information if they doubt that the person is an authorized Disney Cast Member or RCI employee. In addition, they should report the letter or phone call to their State Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission.

Members may confirm whether or not the call or letter is from a Disney Cast Member by calling Disney Vacation Club at 800-******** and verifying the information with a Cast Member. In addition, Members may confirm information with RCI by calling 877-968-7476.

Members are always welcome to contact Disney Vacation Club or RCI to verify the validity of a contest or offer.

(not sure why the disboards *** the DVC MS phone number -- I didn't think it was a secret, anyway you guys should know the number when you call to make a reservation.)

 

[KyCruisinSusan]

Gee, I'm so new at this DVC game I didn't even know I had a guide. DH just told me it was the guy that originally sold us the contract, I think his name was Doug.

 

[vicki_c]

(not sure why the disboards *** the DVC MS phone number -- I didn't think it was a secret, anyway you guys should know the number when you call to make a reservation.)

The DIS does not permit the 800 # for DVC to be posted because then non-members will use it and DVC will have to end up changing the phone #. Members already know it. That # is a members only number that goes to Member Services, there is a different number for non-members/general information.

 

[Greysword]

That is interesting, as last night I received a call from Lisa at DVC (at least she said she was), to let us know we were Unguided (not assigned to a guide)... Thus, she will call back next week when Chris is back in town.

Got a message from Chris yesterday, and his call back number went right to his desk, so it is all good on our end.

 

[3guysandagal]

Just a heads up here.
Although some info is available on-line as others have posted, there is also another aspect to this.
When we received our documents to sign back in Jan. 2009, there was a piece of paper in them that was supposed to have been sent back.
I have included scans of it that I took at the time.

The whole page

The details that may refer to why the calls come in...

If you did not send it in with the check mark in the upper right corner, then you are open to whatever Disney wishes to do with your info.
Check your contracts and see if the paper is still there, but the info may have already been shared and is out there circulating.

 

[mel&me]

I saw something on the official DVC website warning us about these things lately. Yes, its on the DVC website under NEWS:

Fraudulent Letter/Phone Call Advisory


Disney Vacation Club Members who receive a suspicious phone call or letter from someone purporting to be from Disney Vacation Club or RCI should not give the person any information if they doubt that the person is an authorized Disney Cast Member or RCI employee. In addition, they should report the letter or phone call to their State Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission.

Members may confirm whether or not the call or letter is from a Disney Cast Member by calling Disney Vacation Club at 800-******** and verifying the information with a Cast Member. In addition, Members may confirm information with RCI by calling 877-968-7476.

Members are always welcome to contact Disney Vacation Club or RCI to verify the validity of a contest or offer.

(not sure why the disboards *** the DVC MS phone number -- I didn't think it was a secret, anyway you guys should know the number when you call to make a reservation.)

I saw the same thing on their website a few weeks ago, it's been up there for awhile.