Evil telemarketers take it to the next level

[midnight rambler]

Okay, I guess you know by now that a routine trick of the telemarketers is to spoof caller ID with local numbers using a prefix the same as yours so you think it's a local call. I've returned missed calls only to get a non-working number or some innocent 3rd party who says they didn't call. On the other hand I've had people call me saying, "I just missed a call from this number so I'm returning the call" at which point I advise them that telemarketers have spoofed my caller ID on their phone.

So here's the latest 'payback' of the evil telemarketers: over the past weekend and into Monday I got robocalls with spoofed caller ID for some duct cleaning surface with the robo recording saying "Press 0 to schedule an appointment"...so I press 0 and get a live POS telemarketer (this happened on two separate calls) and then proceed to rip into them as hard as possible. Of course they immediately hangup. The payback? Now at least four times a day I'm getting spoofed caller ID calls with my phone # prefix and these are calls that simply ring and disconnect upon answering or disconnect after 10-15 seconds.

Evil rat bastards. Must be entitled joos.

[BrewTech]

Yup... I believe it's called "neighbor spoofing". Was getting a shit ton of them for a while (4-5/day), and I've found it helps to not answer them. I had a lady call me (with a number similar to mine - thought it was a spoof but answered it anyway), thinking I had called her. I explained to her the whole concept of neighbor spoofing, and that the call wasn't from me... she was actually pretty happy to have had it explained to her, and thanked me for answering and taking the time to enlighten her...

MR - I would just consider every number that appears spoofed a "do not answer" call... they'll realize soon enough the effort ain't worth it.

[Cebu_4_2]

Even with running a business, I let all calls go to answer mode. My customers understand cause they deal with the same shyt.

[midnight rambler]

they'll realize soon enough the effort ain't worth it.

Betcha dollars to donuts it's automated like the rest of their operation.

[midnight rambler]

Even with running a business, I let all calls go to answer mode. My customers understand cause they deal with the same shyt.

If I don't pick up the call new clients get frustrated and will call someone else who DOES answer the phone.

[BrewTech]

Betcha dollars to donuts it's automated like the rest of their operation.

Agreed... I've always been under the impression that the automation tends to focus on called numbers that pick up... I could be wrong but there seems to be a correlation in my experience.

[BrewTech]

If I don't pick up the call new clients get frustrated and will call someone else who DOES answer the phone.

We get a lot of spam/marketing calls at work... I've learned to recognize the number patterns or originating location and I let those go to VM... if there is doubt I go ahead and answer. We're pretty busy but still don't want to lose a potential new customer.

[Neuro]

Even with running a business, I let all calls go to answer mode. My customers understand cause they deal with the same shyt.

What type of business are you running?

[Twisted Titan]

What type of business are you running?



He sells smoked bear meat from the adirondacks that he captures and kills with one hand.

The adrenaline from the beatdown becomes infused in the animal meat and is most sought after in the upper circles of society

[Cebu_4_2]

What type of business are you running?

What do you need?

[Neuro]

What do you need?

An outline of my options... ;D

[Cebu_4_2]

An outline of my options... ;D

Please press or say the number 2. Or you can leave a message after the beep.

[PatColo]

Did the "No Call List" from circa Y2K become obsolete? I recall joining that at the time, and it worked well.

[Cebu_4_2]

Did the "No Call List" from circa Y2K become obsolete? I recall joining that at the time, and it worked well.

It did but now these hacks spoof local area code numbers. If your business is local you'll get a few calls a day with no one there. After a couple days to a week they will double and after that you have to dedicate time to answer a nothing call or actual telemarketers. In my experience all the numbers are dead ends if you call back. And if you do that they confirm your number and you get more calls. I jacked my cell by calling the numbers I got at my business, that's how I know you shouldn't call them back. I have absolutely no local customers since I moved here a few years back so they all go to VM. They never leave a message but they sure do on my cell.

[PatColo]

^ U saying the "no call list" law is, or isn't still on the books? Coz if it is; IIRC there were stiff penalties for telemarketers who called u in spite of being on it. IIRC non-profit, political advocacy type groups were exempt; but they were only a marginal part of the menace circa Y2K.

If "no call list" is no longer in effect; WHY, pray tell? That's like redacting law(s) against stealing... (peoples' time, for a start).

Plus, these deceptive telemarketers are ultimately trying to hook u up with their client biz, who does have a name/address/number etc right? Makes sense to entertain their BS for just long enough to gather that info, then unload on that biz employing that telemarketer, right?

Who in their right mind would "reward" such deceptive "outreach" methods, with bringing them any business anyways?

[woodman]

^ U saying the "no call list" law is, or isn't still on the books? Coz if it is; IIRC there were stiff penalties for telemarketers who called u in spite of being on it. IIRC non-profit, political advocacy type groups were exempt; but they were only a marginal part of the menace circa Y2K.

If "no call list" is no longer in effect; WHY, pray tell? That's like redacting law(s) against stealing... (peoples' time, for a start).

Plus, these deceptive telemarketers are ultimately trying to hook u up with their client biz, who does have a name/address/number etc right? Makes sense to entertain their BS for just long enough to gather that info, then unload on that biz employing that telemarketer, right?

Who in their right mind would "reward" such deceptive "outreach" methods, with bringing them any business anyways?
The law may still be on the books, I don't know. I can tell you that calling it, has zero effect on sales calls coming in. They are pests and I am surprised they can possiblly get any business at all. Irritating losers.

[midnight rambler]

The law may still be on the books, I don't know. I can tell you that calling it, has zero effect on sales calls coming in. They are pests and I am surprised they can possiblly get any business at all. Irritating losers.

The odds are in their favor otherwise they wouldn't keep doing it.

For example, if there are 10,000 (per day, conservatively, who knows really?) outbound robo calls (backed up by a human at some point) and they're able to get .25 of one percent conversion rate then that would mean 25 sales to the rubes per day.

The pitch I've been getting is $65 for duct cleaning "by our highly trained professionals"...which I really don't see how that can be a profitable business model...unless the whole point of the exercise is to get inside someone's home to case it, or whatever. How many people are looking to have their ducts cleaned?? ??? (the $65 pitch includes cleaning the dryer vent)

[woodman]

The odds are in their favor otherwise they wouldn't keep doing it.

For example, if there are 10,000 (per day, conservatively, who knows really?) outbound robo calls (backed up by a human at some point) and they're able to get .25 of one percent conversion rate then that would mean 25 sales to the rubes per day.

The pitch I've been getting is $65 for duct cleaning "by our highly trained professionals"...which I really don't see how that can be a profitable business model...unless the whole point of he exercise is to get inside someone's home to case it, or whatever. How many people are looking to have their ducts cleaned?? ??? (the $65 pitch includes cleaning the dryer vent)
There are a lot of idiots out there.

[Neuro]

Please press or say the number 2. Or you can leave a message after the beep.

So you are doing telemarketing?

[Cebu_4_2]

So you are doing telemarketing?

For more info Please press or say the number 2.

[midnight rambler]

Now those assholes have called me NINE times in THREE minutes!

[Cebu_4_2]

Problem is you can't block all the numbers.

[midnight rambler]

Problem is you can't block all the numbers.

I don't want to block all the numbers, I only block those I can pin down as being fixed numbers for asshole telemarketers.

[midnight rambler]

Ended up getting 12 phone calls in 8 minutes...this time. Three of them were rapid fire, as I answered one another would come in.

[Neuro]

They must be reading this thread