Have been calling several times a day for over a month. They are trying to solicit payment history information for our customer to build their "payment history" database.
They make it seem like an urgent matter with a case number asking us to resolve this important matter for our customer. The number they leave to call back just rings with no answer. 866-658-3140
I called the 973-929-3290 number and told them what happened with the other number, that we do not give out that kind of information about our customers, and to please stop calling. They pretend not to know anything about it then transfer me back to the unanswered 866 number. I did get put through to someone's voice mail after calling the 973 number back after they put me through to the unanswered 866 number. I again asked them to stop calling, that we do not give out that information, and that we are seriously annoyed at the interruptions and wasted time and resources. They called again after that in the afternoon. Complaint filed with FTC and will never do business with D&B or its affiliates again.
I can verify that it is D&B. Last year I bought a few credit reports.
I’m guessing, given that my “available reports” (there were 5 to use) still had some left over, that they were
calling to get me to pony up again and add on to the remaining available slots I had, or lose them.
The reports were good for a year (I don’t recall that being the case when they were purchased - but I could be in error).
I’m sure that once you connect someone to a stake holder in the company, they will try to sell them the package that I sought them out for in the first place. Among other things available via the web, when I log in, is a chance to “create my own profile” - and while I’ve never clicked there, I’m going to guess it costs $$ to do that. If you want D&B to acknowledge you, it always costs. If they decide they want your information (because others are asking for it) then it is free!!
This is what it looks like - if you are curious. —> http://tinyurl.com/8adg6dn
Everything they do is 95% telemarketing, from getting you to buy credit reports to obtaining information about your company (so they can SELL it to other companies).
Not easy work, but there is no particular expertise required to do their work. They aren’t advisors or MBAs. Still - if they aren’t professional about it, I’m glad it is noted here. I received the calls along with some email - so I make the connection after I saw your comments. They did not leave a message on my phone either. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here trying to look it up. The email showed an 800# and a Cincinnati area number.
Any electronic phone system can enter their own choice of numbers to display when they call you.
So regardless of whether you think it should match the location that you know to be the business, or if it is different when they email you, etc., etc., makes no difference. Even if the call center is under contract and is located in India, they can display numbers that are here, at a location of a D&B office, despite that not actually being where they are.
Just for fun, I have changed the code for one line that is my roll-over line, and I rotate through various companies or “The White House” or “The United Nations” - and enter that information as the “who” and the “phone number” to be displayed when I make an outbound call on that line.
Any PBX or other professional phone system that has a computer interface can do that. No point in arguing about who they are — I included a link above so you could see the website from the inside, as proof. Just not worth (to me) renewing it, vs. my need last year - so I’m keeping my $1500.
It *IS* profoundly annoying, however, to get a phone call with no ID other than the number, and the people don’t bother to leave messages. I’m sure the statistics of their experience is that NOBODY calls them back when they leave messages, so they just keep trying to catch you live.
My guess, given that I know a little about call center operations, is that each person is held to a minimum calls to participate in making money above some hourly wage. Successful contacts are worth some points, and successful sales calls them become worth $$ - and it grows exponentially if you are determined.
MCI used to work that way - people working 20 hours a week were offered health insurance if they made the 90 day cut. Some were making $2500 every two weeks for working 5 days, 4.5 hours a evening (from 6 to 11pm… minus lunch break) and it required incredible staying power. The computer just keeps dialing the next call when you hang up, and you see who it is that you’re calling next.
D&B’s operation probably isn’t that much different. Such is the nature of telemarketing of this type.
It's Dunn and Bradstreet / Hoovers - I called the number back and received an automated message. They are looking to update their information regarding our company.
Same dodgy yet well-rehearsed phishing/datamining attempt as detailed above.
Read: "please add details to the data we've already scraped so we can sell higher quality lists"
The only difference in this case is we're in Australia. It seems rather odd behaviour for any reputable (competant?) business with a local presence to be calling internationally.
You are a professional business. Common courtesy would be to call at a more appropriate time. 6:23 am is not a professional time regardless if you are calling from the east coast or not. Everyone in the US knows that there are time zones. When I told the gal that it was 6:23 am, she was not apologetic at all. She just wanted to get her information. It seems to me that there are more professional ways to get the information that you want to confirm.