Who are these people? Has anyone else received this phone call?

[C.Ann]

I arrived here at the lake on April 20th this year.. I have a private, unlisted number - and I'm registered with the "Do Not Call" registry for telemarketers..

Having said that, I have received this same phone call at least once a month since I arrived here - usually between 9 to 9:30 at night.. Each time I have cut them short, told them (politely at first, now a bit more sternly) not to call here again, but still they continue to call at least once a month - sometimes twice..

This is how the conversation goes..

(Me) "Hello.."

(Them - all in one breath with no pause in between) "Hello? Hello? This not a telemarket call - do you have smoke alarm in house? What your name? Address?"

I can tell it's a call center - because you can hear others in the background - using the same broken English - asking the same questions..

Who the heck are these people and why are they calling me? Once or twice I have considered staying on the line long enough to find out who they are - and why they're calling - but them wanting my name and address in such a rush (and the time of the calls) sends up a red flag in my mind.. So - I just tell them "Don't call here again" and hang up..

Has anyone else - anywhere - received this strange call?

I've never ordered a smoke alarm (or anything evenly remotely close to one) anywhere, so it's not like they got my phone number off the internet or something.. And I know for a fact that it's not our teeny, tiny local fire department because I'm personal friends with several of the members and these calls are in no way associated with the fire department..

Anyone?

Any ideas of who it might be - and why?

I don't have caller ID - so no help there..

The whole thing is just weird..

 

[S. C.]

We keep getting calls telling us our SS# is attached to a claim and by federal and state law they have to contact us and blah blah blah. The first time I listened to the recording and took down the call back #. Upon googling the # I found out it is a scam that has been going around for a few yrs now.

 

[golfgal]

Do you have caller ID? If so, take down the phone number and call the State Attorney General's office. You are on the Do Not Call List and you have asked them not to call. The AG will want to know this.

 

[S. C.]

Ask for their call back # and watch how fast they hang up.

 

[georgina]

I have had people call me about smoke detectors. We are also on the do not call list, but don't have caller ID. I do have *69 and usually I get a message that the number cannot be determined by that method, so I'm guessing it wouldn't show up on caller ID either.

If I respond yes I have smoke detectors, then they start to talk about changing the battery, and I tell them they are hard wired into the alarm system and hang up.

 

[Traveliz]

Google and you will find out who they are and of others who are complaining - that is what I do when I am unsure of who is calling.

I googled the first line of their comments and came up with a page of hits.

Liz

 

[waltsgirl]

I just googled "phone calls asking about smoke detectors" and a thread came up with several comments of people getting calls from a number registered in Rhode Island asking this same thing. Most of the operators appear to have foreign accents and it is believed that the number in RI is being used to masked the true location. Most say the company is Total Solutions.

Doesn't help you to stop the calls but maybe you can search something else.

 

[C.Ann]

Google and you will find out who they are and of others who are complaining - that is what I do when I am unsure of who is calling.

I googled the first line of their comments and came up with a page of hits.

Liz

I just googled "phone calls asking about smoke detectors" and a thread came up with several comments of people getting calls from a number registered in Rhode Island asking this same thing. Most of the operators appear to have foreign accents and it is believed that the number in RI is being used to masked the true location. Most say the company is Total Solutions.

Doesn't help you to stop the calls but maybe you can search something else.

Thanks! Just googled it - and now have the phone number so I can report it.. I'll bet that's who all the "hang ups" are too - when I let my answering machine pick up..

And what those people were saying on the comments board is true - they are very, very rude and persistent.. Sheesh! These places always find some kind of loop hole, don't they?

At least I know I'm not the only one getting these calls now - and my intuition was correct in not staying on the phone with them to answer any questions..

This is one of the parts I love about the DIS - it's the "go to" place for fast answers..

 

[tvguy]

Unless they are asking for you by name, I don't think they have "your" phone number. They use computer dialers that dial sequentially. It's public record that for example, in the 212 area code that the 483 prefix is active.
The computer starts by calling 212-483-0000 and continues until it gets to 212-483-9999.
The do not call list is a big joke. The politicans exempted themselves from the law. Charities are exempt. And anyone you ever have done business with is exempt. So if you went into Jiffy Lube even just once, they now have a legal right to call you.

 

[C.Ann]

Unless they are asking for you by name, I don't think they have "your" phone number. They use computer dialers that dial sequentially. It's public record that for example, in the 212 area code that the 483 prefix is active.
The computer starts by calling 212-483-0000 and continues until it gets to 212-483-9999.
The do not call list is a big joke. The politicans exempted themselves from the law. Charities are exempt. And anyone you ever have done business with is exempt. So if you went into Jiffy Lube even just once, they now have a legal right to call you.

You're right - I understand the computer generated calls.. The only reason I mentioned having a private, unlisted number was to clarify that this was not a call from anyone I had given the number to - or had ever had any kind of business dealings with..

And I agree that the "Do Not Call" list is a joke.. There are 101 ways to get around it..

 

[BunsenH]

I have Comcast for phone service and am able to add #s to a Blocked list. If I take the time to record and investigate a frequent number, I will add it.