I received this recorded message from these scammers offering to lower my credit card debt. I played along and hit the 1 key on my phone to connect with one of their "customer service" representatives. I figured I would waste at least a half hour of their time and have some fun along the way. I provided the dirtbag a fictitious last for digits of a social security number, credit card number, and expiration date for sheer amusement. He then happily put me on hold to have his superior run and verify my account with my bank which I said was "Bank of America" even though I don't have an account with them. After a considerable wait, I can only assume the number was bouncing, he came back on the line and asked me to verify the number I provided to him. I then repeated the same number but changed one of the digits reading it back. He then saw my "error" and went to verify this second bogus credit card number. I had a further wait listening to the annoying hold music. He came back on the line and informed me that either I was over limit on the card, it had expired, or there was a hold on my account. I then dropped the ball and let him have it stating that I was just wasting his time and to take me off his F-ing call list. Hopefully wasting 30 minutes+ of his valuable call time saved the annoyance of others out there. From now on if they call and I have the time I'm playing this game of torturing the scamming credit card fraud dirtbags!
I was getting these calls every single day. Didn't matter if I was on the state and federal "Do Not Call" lists. Dozens upon dozens of complaints to the FTC, FCC, and Texas PUC got me nowhere. The PUC actually had the nerve to tell me that since this is a scam, not a real business, that they are not subject to the "Do Not Call" laws so NO agency will enforce it!
why of course, why didn't I think that CRIMINALS don't have to follow the law??? Talking to these boneheads didn't get me anywhere either. They cannot comprehend that I DO NOT use credit cards! I guess calling 400 times they think we will all break down and suddenly fall for their BS! I had finally turned OFF my answering machine. One day I got 8 calls in 10 minutes and begged Verizon and the local police to tap my UNLISTED phone to catch them! BUT NO! Finally, I discovered on youtube the telephone company recording stating the phone has been disconnected. This is now my answering machine message! I have cut these calls down to one or two a week in a very short time! I highly recommend it, but be sure to tell your friends and family!
I do pretty much the exact same thing. Since the National Do-Not-Call Registry has no teeth, and there is a remnant of scum that still doesn't adhere to its rules, it is up to US to fix the problem. After messing them around for as long as possible, I try to get a mention of the NDNCR in before they hang up. The real beauty of this method is that, at some point, they will become over-sensitive to being punked and will start hanging up on actual suckers.
A second tactic that is very effective on certain types of calls is to get as much info about the company (typically calling later in response to the illegal first phishing call) and file a BBB complaint against them ("Unethical Sales Practices" for buying sales leads from another company that is breaking the law by disregarding the NDNCR).
I LOVE DIY...
Just got a call from this number and answered. After listening to the recorded message about reducing my credit card interest rates I selected #1 to talk to a live rep. It's amazing that 12 calls ahead of me that it only took a second for a live person to come on the line.
I am at the point where I just screw with these people for as long as I can keep them on the line.
The rep only had my phone number and didn't have my name -- now that was a surprise!!!! I then told man that he needed to do better than that because they were the ones calling me. He stated that all they had was my phone number!
I did say this was a scam and he argued that it was not and they were helping people lower their credit card interest. Asked him was he needed from me and he wanted to transfer me to an 'account rep' and they would help me!
After I kept the conversation going for a little while I asked him the name of the company he worked for. He said Credit Assistance Program and I quickly responded that I just checked Google and the company didn't show up. I then asked for the address and he hung up on me.