Ah, the cherished dinner hour. Peace, quiet and if that stupid telemarketer doesn’t stop calling I am seriously going to throw my fork really violently at something. If that sounds like you, you aren’t alone. Even with the “Do Not Call” registry, there’s been a spike in complaints against telemarketers, especially those pre-recorded phone calls that always seem to come when you don’t want them to. Although, does anyone ever really welcome a telemarketer’s call? Doubt it. [More]
Does Uptick In Telemarketing Complaints Mean "Do-Not-Call" Registry Isn't Really Working?
By September 17, 2012
Debt Collectors Real & Fake Top List Of Most-Blocked Phone Numbers
By August 6, 2012
According to a new list of most-blocked telephone numbers, the only people more tenacious than debt collectors about making non-stop calls to consumers are bogus debt collectors possibly looking to steal your information or trick you into making a payment. [More]
Robocaller Tricks My Caller ID Into Thinking It's My Wife
By December 9, 2010
John picked up a phone call that seemed to be from his wife, but discovered it was someone even more adept at nagging and less affected by indifference — a robocaller. He says he was the victim of caller ID-manipulating trickery by credit card marketers. [More]
Keep Your Small Dog Info To Yourself; The Person Calling You Doesn't Need To Know
By September 13, 2010
Here’s a weird possible scam going around. Our reader Chris writes, “Every day for the past week, I’ve been getting an automated call that asks me, ‘This is Survey 2010. Do you have a small dog?’” [More]
When Telemarketing Fraudster Calls, You Might Want To Let It Go To Voice Mail
By June 11, 2010
Doug, who sent in this photo of what showed up on his caller ID when a roboscammer rang him up, possibly has the most effective phone screening system ever. Or maybe it’s just that the scamming company on the other line is at least honest about how it defrauds people. [More]
Ben Popken On WJLA Warning About Robocall Scammers
By June 10, 2010
UPDATE: Here’s the video. If you live in the DC area, tune into ABC 7 tonight at 5:45 pm to see a Consumer Alert I shot with local reporter Kris Van Cleave. Apparently, this morning like six of their reporters all got scam robocalls on their cellphones with a recording saying their ATM card had been deactivated and they needed to call the bank back. Hello, scam! [More]
FTC Shuts Down Bogus Credit Card Robocallers
By May 22, 2010
Three companies that made claims that they could help consumers reduce their credit card interest rates — and then charged fees of up to $1,590 — have been shut down by the Federal Trade Commission. “The last thing debt-ridden consumers need is to be deluged by illegal robocalls – especially when all the calls are offering is a scam,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. [More]
Weird Auto-Dialer Scam Curses At You If No Operators Are Available
By March 22, 2010
There’s a strange auto-dialer message going around right now that asks you to call back for important info. When you call back, you might end up being offered lower interest rates on your credit card… or you might get a voicemail inbox where a man yells at you, “You stupid f***ing b*tch!” [More]
Dell, I Do Not Appreciate Your 5 AM Wakeup Robocalls
By February 6, 2010
A few years ago, Kate made a horrible mistake. As the IT contact for her employer, she gave Dell her cell phone number. She tells Consumerist that apparently this gave the company license to give her status updates on the company’s Dell orders between 5 and 6 A.M. Pacific time. Even after she no longer worked in that position. Even after repeated phone calls and e-mails begging Dell to stop calling her. The worst part? Kate isn’t the only one. [More]
FTC Sues "Interest-Reduction" Robocallers
By December 9, 2009
So, all telemarketing robocalls magically vanished a few months ago when the FTC banned them, right? Um, not quite. There are still companies out there exploiting their metallic minions in the name of feeding deceptive information to consumers. This month, the FTC filed suit against three companies that were pumping out “hundreds of thousands or even millions” of calls offering questionable interest-rate reduction services. [More]
Robocalls Banned!
By August 28, 2009
Today the FTC banned pretty much all telemarketing-based robocalls starting Tuesday, September 1st, 2009. At that point, “violators will face penalties up to $16,000 per call,” notes the Los Angeles Times.
Robocallers Cannot Magically Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rate
By June 16, 2009
The Better Business Bureau and Senator Charles Schumer are warning the public to be skeptical of any calls promising to lower your credit card interest rate. While nowhere near at the public annoyance level of the recent car warranty robocaller scourge, they’re still out there, automatically dialing people and promising to lower your rate for a hefty up-front fee. The only problem is, they can’t do anything you can’t do on your own, and unless you’re crazy you’re probably not going to charge yourself a thousand bucks for the service.
Meet The People Behind The Car Warranty Robocallers
By June 15, 2009
We know how much you just loooove those car warranty robocallers, so we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to introduce you to the folks the FTC says is behind the robot army.
Watch Out For Health Insurance Robocallers
By May 29, 2009
Spammy “discount health care” pitches are hated by anyone who owns a fax machine, but now scammy health insurance vendors have taken to robocalling people, too. Reader Dustin was annoyed enough that he decided to track the calls to their source.
By May 26, 2009
The car warranty robocalls may have ground to a halt, but are you still besieged by credit card and home mortgage scam robocalls? Don’t worry. Ever-vigilant Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is on the case, asking the federal government to intervene.
Car Warranty Robot Calls Senator During Meeting On Capitol Hill
By May 11, 2009
First they pissed off Verizon, then they pissed off the internet, the attorney general of Indiana, and Congressmen Mike Doyle. Now the group of companies responsible for the car warranty robocalls have annoyed New York Senator Chuck Schumer by calling him during an important meeting about health care.
Auto Warranty Robocallers Call Indiana Attorney General At Home
By May 7, 2009
Protip for telemarkers: If you’re going to engage in random robodialing to unlisted cell phones, pray very very hard that you do not dial the attorney general of a state in which you plan to continue doing business.
Internet Prank Calls Car Warranty Robo Caller En Masse
By May 6, 2009
A Reddit user figured out the phone number for one of the car warranty robocallers and has decided the best revenge would be to post it online so the internet can annoy them just as much as they’ve been annoying us. Now that the story is on the front page of Reddit, that dream can come true. User personsaddress commented, “I called and asked the rep if she would like to buy a warranty on the computer she was currently using. She said she didn’t need one. So I told her that I don’t either, so quit freaking calling me.”
