She recommended that people report the calls to the Federal Trade Commission.
Lawsuits target Missouri firm
Among the likely culprits are a group of auto-warranty service companies in Missouri, particularly National Auto Warranty Services, also known as Dealer Services, at 100 Mall Parkway in Wentzville, Mo., according to the Better Business Bureau.
The company was sued this year by Verizon Wireless for being behind an "an illegal telemarketing campaign," according to court documents. Florida-based Explicit Media Inc. was also named in the suit, filed July 14 in federal court in New Jersey.
Verizon said the companies are responsible for nearly 3 million unsolicited calls to Verizon subscribers throughout the country, made in violation of Federal Trade Commission telemarketing regulations as well as the Do Not Call registry law.
The companies used "spoofing," a method of masking information, to hide outgoing call numbers, a violation of the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, court documents said.
I answered and pressed 1 to speak with a "representative" and told him that I had asked to be removed from their list and he told me to hold on while he transferred me to his manager. The "manager" asked me if I was standing on one leg when I had pressed 2 before. Then said I should have been patting my head at the same time for it to work. They should grow up and get real jobs.