Beware the cold call

[MyronL]

In sales, the cold call is known as a technique used by salesmen who have no hard leads. They get lists of potential customers who might have an interest in what is the pitch. Never been in sales but that’s my understanding of what salesmen do when they are told by their bosses to dig for leads.

Been called frequently by these annoying people and regardless of my indignant responses nothing has deterred them from handing off my name and number to another salesman who calls me back. It never ends. Usually it seems to be guys offering me better Medicare insurance, or refinancing a mortgage I don’t have, or contributing to some first responders’ fund. Blocking their number just makes them switch to using a different one, and its most often not from Nigeria, but my own area code.

I got a call once with a sob story by a guy claiming to be my young nephew and needing two thousand dollars for bail money because he was unfairly arrested someplace upstate. To scammers us seniors are clearly the most vulnerable. Many alone or lonely, or simply off guard, naïve. When I can think of it, I have fun with them. “OH, him? He died a month ago.”

Yesterday, though, was a new one. A guy called and told me he was told that I have a travel trailer I was looking to sell. He wanted to make me an offer. Wh-a-a-a-t? Jeepers creepers, I thought. How did he get my name and number, how did he even know I had a trailer? Was this guy prowling my neighborhood?

Watch out, gang, because they are out there.

[Iowa Dave]

Guy was hitchhiking along the highway. I stopped to give him a ride. He got in, settled in and after a few minutes said thanks for the ride. He said hitchhiking is tough these days with all the crazies out there. He said how do you know I’m not some kind of a serial killer. I looked at him and said “what’s the chance of there being two serial killers in one car?” Guy jumped out of my moving car. Cold callers are like gnats, just irritating.
That’s it for today.
Iowa Dave

[YakRV]

If we don’t recognize the number on caller ID we don’t answer. Figure if it’s legitimate they’ll leave a message. They almost never do.

[HABBERDABBER]

With these computers and cell phones, tracking and cookies, forget about being anomalous. They got us "dialed in". Best technique is not to respond in any manner. That said, I've been sending back, with the prepaid postal solicitations that I receive for myself and a deceased relative, to stop. So far, not so good.

They'll hound us 'til were gone.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

That said, I've been sending back, with the prepaid postal solicitations that I receive for myself and a deceased relative, to stop.

This one works. I had to do it for both of my parents after their deaths: https://www.ims-dm.com/cgi/ddnc.php


The USPS has the link to the DMAChoice on their page here: https://www.usps.com/manage/mail-for-deceased.htm

[splitting_lanes]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

Guy was hitchhiking along the highway. I stopped to give him a ride. He got in, settled in and after a few minutes said thanks for the ride. He said hitchhiking is tough these days with all the crazies out there. He said how do you know I’m not some kind of a serial killer. I looked at him and said “what’s the chance of there being two serial killers in one car?” Guy jumped out of my moving car.

That’s a good one Dave!

[HABBERDABBER]

Thanks, Donna
I'll give that option a try. Got to be better than what I've tried so far.

What is discouraging is to give a donation to an outfit, and then be hounded, for years afterward, for more. Politicans, National Park groups, whoever. They don't cease and desist.

[SteveSgt]

I always have this ready to read:

Persuant to Title 15, Chapter 87A, paragraphs 6151-6155 of the U.S. code, you can be liable for fines up to $25,000 per call for violations of the federal do not call registry. A complaint will be filed against your company's name.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Thanks, Donna
I'll give that option a try. Got to be better than what I've tried so far.

It will take a couple of months for it to be successful, be patient. I've spent a lot of time looking for organizations to help me stop all insurance and credit card offers, etc. I want to travel and am trying to get as much snail mail stopped from delivery. USPS will only stop mail for a month and right now I'm not interested in a third-party mail service like Escapees. You'd be surprised how much mail you can opt out of.

[stratos175]

I don't usually answer a call I don't recognize the number but you really want to make the person on the other end feel weird? Answer : 'Grandma's Sex Toys new and used, we buy and sell this is Matt how can I help you.' The couple of times I have tried this they hung up on me.

Enjoy the road and smooth travels.

Steve

[WillyB]

Remember in the world of GOOGLE, AMAZON, FACEBOOK, TWITTER etc YOU are the product.

These businesses are built on collecting every ounce of your data to sell it to others who want to sell you products and services. It is also used by criminals to steal your data. Without collecting and selling your data they would soon be out of business.

If you want to rid yourself of those annoying "sales people" ,either on the phone/email/popups, quit using the internet. The internet is Free for a reason.

[MrLynn]

A friend has an app on his cell phone that answers a spam call with a heavily-Russian accented guy saying things like, "I didn't get that; please repeat it"; "Oh my god, see what's happening! Turn on your TV"; etc. Eventually the (human) spammers give up.

[Mike G]

There's a big difference between cold callers and scammers. You're being victimized by scam callers, not salesmen. They don't want to sell you, they want to cheat you.


Like others have said: if you don't recognize the number, simply don't pick up. If it's genuine and important, they will leave a voice mail and you can call them back.

[Ooshkaboo]

Pretty much not a day goes by without me getting a call wanting to purchase a property. I’m on all the no call registry’s, they couldn’t care less. There are times I’m expecting calls and playing leave a message tag isn’t an option as they are new phone numbers to me. They’ve got it down, usually getting calls with my local area code from someone who is sitting in a foreign country.

Our information is stored with the county government, a trailer call is a new one I’ve never had.
There are services available the scammers pay for the information so they themselves don’t have to search the county database for it. Mostly it’s local realtors who use the service then outsource the cold calls. It’s really nasty when you think about what they’re really looking for, they find victims or they wouldn’t keep doing it.

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Mike G

There's a big difference between cold callers and scammers. You're being victimized by scam callers, not salesmen. They don't want to sell you, they want to cheat you.


Like others have said: if you don't recognize the number, simply don't pick up. If it's genuine and important, they will leave a voice mail and you can call them back.

Yes, but a "cold caller" who violates both state and federal law by calling someone on the do not call lists is still breaking the law.

[MVA]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

This one works. I had to do it for both of my parents after their deaths: https://www.ims-dm.com/cgi/ddnc.php


The USPS has the link to the DMAChoice on their page here: https://www.usps.com/manage/mail-for-deceased.htm

Donna, Thank you for the link. I have been dealing with this for a few months. It is so frustrating. Sometimes 4 or 5 donation requests a day. I have gotten to the point of calling the organization and saying "They will not be giving you money. They are dead."

Originally Posted by Donna D.

It will take a couple of months for it to be successful, be patient. I've spent a lot of time looking for organizations to help me stop all insurance and credit card offers, etc. I want to travel and am trying to get as much snail mail stopped from delivery. USPS will only stop mail for a month and right now I'm not interested in a third-party mail service like Escapees. You'd be surprised how much mail you can opt out of.

Freezing your credit (it is free) will help eliminate some credit card offers. Most credit cards will hit your credit report prior to sending an offer, the freeze will prevent the hit so it minimizes the offers.

https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-e...a-credit-lock/

We have also been very diligent about taking each piece of junk mail and calling the organization to get get off their mailing list. This has taken some time, but it has been successful. We actually go days now without getting any mail.

We use USPS Informed Delivery to monitor the our (and parents) mail delivery, so we know what is being delivered and also have an idea when the mail box is getting full. Then we have a trusted individual pick up our mail every three to four weeks or sooner if there seems to be something important. Picking up your mail more often than every 30 days should stop the Post Office from returning your mail to sender with a message that you are no longer at that address. We had this happen to someone we know.

Kathy

[Bobbie54]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

This one works. I had to do it for both of my parents after their deaths: https://www.ims-dm.com/cgi/ddnc.php


The USPS has the link to the DMAChoice on their page here: https://www.usps.com/manage/mail-for-deceased.htm

Didn't work at all for my first aunt- still getting solicitations for her in year 4. I'll try it for the one who just passed away.

[Oldtimer]

It took 4 yrs before these jerks stop sending stuff to my wife after she passed away from cancer. I gave up after 6 months of telling them all to stop due to her being deceased but it’s had to win when your dealing with a computer

[Bobbie54]

The other thing I really, really detest is companies that get someone to sign up for a subscription for things like dog toys, dog food, food prep, etc, without them being aware they will be billed over and over and it may be hard to get them to stop. This really preys on anyone who isn't as sharp as they once were and might not notice the fine print. One company (that sends dog toys) insisted my Mom had signed up on the computer and kept claiming to send a password reset, none of which ever came to her email address (which they confirmed they had accurately). I think we finally got rid of that one by canceling the credit card. It's great for people who want a recurring item but it needs to be 100% clear without reading fine print that it is not a one-time purchase.

Or better yet, make it illegal to sell a subscription item unless the person confirms they understand it is a recurring purchase AND they have bought the item at least once to confirm they want it. Trials should be just that- one and done, then if you like it, you can sign up.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by YakRV

If we don’t recognize the number on caller ID we don’t answer. Figure if it’s legitimate they’ll leave a message. They almost never do.

My habit, too.

When I read forum threads on the topic of nuisance voice calls, texts, and emails I'm more often than not amazed at what many folks seem to be dealing with.

Not sure why, maybe related to my total abstinence from any "social media" site (?), and I am on the old school 'do not call registry', but I can go weeks without getting nuisance calls / texts and get maybe 2-5 junk emails per week, invariably automatically routed to my Gmail spam folder.

I can live with that, certainly not complaining, but yeah, the traffic, especially text, does pick up a bit during election cycles. And yeah, I admit I see occasional mentions of stuff on FB groups that I'd like to know more about, but not enough to sign-up to FB (yet).

Maybe I just don't know the 'fun' I'm missing!