Credit Card Fraud

OK, Now I have a headache that only the gov. could give me. Recently I spoke to several PAPr's about the phone calls I've been getting. A recorded message saying I have "qualified" for a reduced rate on my credit card (which one?) and press 1 be connected to an operator. It seems that several others were getting it too.



Here's the thing- I get it at least 2 times a week for several months. So today I get upset and take action. I *69 and get the number. The I do a reverse lookup. The number is unlisted and registered to a RESIDENCE in Varina, VA.



SMACKS FRAUD RIGHT? I do some research and find that the FBI is the place to report wire (telephone solicitation is considered wire) fraud. So I call and talk to someone. It is only fraud if I was stupid enought to give them my credit card numbers and they used it for something.



So beware, they can bug you all they want and attempt to steal your life but it isn't fraud till you fall for it.



Heidi

Tell them to remove your name from their calling list. It works sometimes.
--
June Douglas
Special Tees & More

I got some messages about it being a work-from-home business. Check out http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-804-234-9010

It is so not a valid business. It is a multidialer spam system out to get you to offer a credit card number. Complaints from Canada also.



A check of the number and location show a small town less than 9000 people and most if not all numbers 804-234-9XXX are unlisted.

Seems soomeone in Varina, VA has a large chache of unlisted numbers and is using them.



Heidi

I have gotten these calls off and on for months and months, I also get them advising that my car's warranty is about to or has expired and a number of other 'official' sounding alerts and solicitations. If I answer and hear a recording announcing some opportunity or how to avoid a pending crisis, I simply hang up. Don't press 1 or whatever, spend as little time as possible listening - then hang up. After some time the calls will slow down, although they have not stopped altogether. I think it is like SPAM Emails, if you ever reply or click the link to be removed from their list it simply confirms that your Email account is valid and you will get more SPAM than ever.

Also, interestingly my home phone number is close to my office number, only the last 2 digits are different, and I will often get one of these calls on my home number first, then my office number 5 minutes later - or vice versa. This seems to confirm that these are calls are from someone using an auto dialer which dials consecutive numbers, just looking for someone to scam.



Ed Frisa

I used to get those same phone calls all the time. I finally pressed “1” to talk to a real person, and found out it wasn’t from my own credit card company AT ALL. So, I told them that I wasn’t interested, and I could do everything they were offering to do for me for myself if I so chose, and to not call me again. The calls stopped. But, I had to press “1” to get to a real person for that to happen.



On a similar note, I kept getting a phone call from a recorded message stating that “I had been referred by a friend or a family member, and please call xxxx phone number at my earliest convenience.” I got the phone calls consistently every Sunday (on my business line, which my friends and family members don’t necessarily HAVE), and the office hours the recorded message provided were Monday through Friday. I finally called the number, and got another recorded message, but, at least it gave me an opportunity to leave a message. I told them not to call me again.



So, those calls have now stopped as well. But FRUSTRATING! So, Heidi, I understand. I’m rather curious as to how they’re finding the numbers in the first place. I haven’t been in business long enough for my business line to appear in phone books, although, it is plastered over everything I hand out, and on my website, etc.!



Hope this helps others!





Sue Turner

Impact Promotionals, LLC

Castle Rock, CO