Just got this on my caller ID just now ... identified as "Alert". I didn't answer but pretty much guessed it was one of those 'senior alert' scams which are relentless!
Got robocall from 203-580-0829 caller ID said "ALERT" on Saturday 06-14-14 @ 922 AM.
The message started out -
"Seniors.....if you or a family member are under 65.........you qualify for
$3000 savings grocery coupons that you can use at 100's of stores........in addition
you will receive a FREE Medical Alert braclet or..........press1.......or press3 to be removed."
Pressed 1 and another message played -
"We are 'Senior Care USA' .........blah.......blah.....blah."
Then a female came on the line. "Hello this is xxx, who am I speaking with?"
Told her "Quit calling here b****, you expletive expletive, expletive. and a few more expletives"
I then blew the "SCAMMER HORN". Checked back and the female was long gone.
I find some of the remarks posted about these ‘faux telemarketer calls’ amusing. I put together a software program that has logged over 380 of these annoyance calls since 2012. Those of you that let the calls roll to your answering machine, voicemail or worse yet answered the call you have just ensured you will get another of these calls. Maybe not from the same number, but they’ve just identified your number as valid and passed it on. Most of the initial calls originate from software (aka; ‘robocalls’) – once your number is identified as active, then a person may be there on the follow up calls. If you have the capability to ‘block’ the number that called – that is the best action. If you don’t have a blocking option, keep a phone with caller ID close by and simply hit ‘talk’ and ‘off’ simultaneously. If you really want to block them – there is reasonably priced software that a layman can install. Of the 380 calls I’ve blocked, only 16 have been in the last 6 months. So the message is simple – blocking works….
These scammers target senior citizens... and most senior citizens cannot afford caller id, call blocking or other similar technologies. The scammers know this. The scammers rely on it.
FWIW, I get between 20-30 calls per week. THE CARRIERS KNOW HOW TO STOP THESE CALLS AND REFUSE BECAUSE THEY MAKE MONEY ON THE CALLS. I wish I could find a lawyer who would help me sue the carriers en masse for harassment and violations of the federal laws. But, alas, the lawyers are also too money hungry and don't want to take a case that they would have to work hard to win. They just want easy cases so they can earn their $400 per hour by writing a letter or two.
AMEN; Well Said. I agree that the CARRIERS should be held accountable but GREED is stopping that. Wish I could sue, too. Why isn't there a CLASS ACTION Suit on this yet?
We got this call LESS THAN 15 MINUTES after a call from 972-348-0245. Oh, and we have TWO Call Blockers working simultaneously, but the 'same' exact number rarely calls twice. If BLOCKING were the answer, we'd be down to zero by now.
Here's what I see is the problem: there are too many people in this country with ties to foreign countries (India, Pakistan, Philippines, Nigeria, etc.) who, as American customers of Corporations (Motel Chains, Phone Companies, etc.) we MUST give personal info to workers who then STEAL that info and turn it over to their friends and family in their homelands who then use that info for CRIMINAL enterprises. Our calls quadrupled after using CHOICE HOTELS for our last vacation, and most of the franchise owners/front desk personnel were foreign nationals who had access to our ADDRESS, HOME PHONE, DOB, and CC NUMBER. After battling these calls for the last 5 months, they were starting to fizzle down.
THEN, we lost our phone line in an electrical storm two weeks ago. I had to call VERIZON'S PHILIPPINE CALL CENTER, and now the 'fun' has started all over again. Back to 5-6 calls DAILY, including weekends, and sometimes in the middle of the night (3AM, 4AM) or before 8AM and after 9PM. And 'no one' can, will, or wants to do anything about it.
We are debt free and do not call 800 numbers from the TV. We are simply victims of having to work within 'the system' that is every day 'legitimate' life.