Consumerist
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call centers
10 Confessions Of A Telemarketing Insider
Out of the shadows steps a dark figure, sporting wrinkled khakis, a retractable namebadge, and a headset dangling from his ear. It's the telermarketing insider, and he's going to confess to you how his industry really works and how you can resist and even fight back: More » -
in your wallet
Capital One Calls To Dun For Payment Before It's Even Due
Cory says Capital One's Collection Department called his mother-in-law the other day in an attempt to reach him, which was weird because his account is in good standing. Their reason? They just wanted to remind him that his credit card payment was due soon. Oh, and to try to upsell him. More » -
who could it be
Ring Ring Hello, I'm Not A Debt Collector!
Nothing says "wow I can't wait to see who is on the other end of the line" like a company that programmed their number to show up on caller ID as "NOT A COLLECTER." More » -
advice
Don't Threaten To Kill Telemarketers
We know how you feel; telemarketers suck. But no matter how much they're in the wrong, please don't threaten to burn down their place of business and then kill them and their families—even if they call you a jackass—because they may report you to the police. Then, if your police are anything like the ones in St. Louis, Missouri, you'll likely be arrested and charged for making terrorist threats, like poor Charles Papenfus. More » -
finally
Federal Judge Shuts Down Car Warranty Robocallers
"Oh hell no!" Federal District Judge John F. Grady told a marauding group of car warranty robocallers who managed to annoy pretty much everyone over the past few months. The judge slapped two Florida companies with an immediate restraining order and froze their assets, which should be enough to finally end those maddening robocalls. More » -
about to expire
FTC To Investigate Car Warranty Robocallers
You knew it was imminent: after the "your car warranty is about to expire" robocallers pissed off the internet and the government within a matter of days, it was just a question of who would take them down first. Surprisingly, it looks like it's going to be the government. More » -
annoy the powerful
Car Warranty Robot Calls Senator During Meeting On Capitol Hill
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. More » -
justice
Auto Warranty Robocallers Call Indiana Attorney General At Home
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. More » -
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us fidelis
Car Warranty Racket Exposed On Today Show
The Today show recently aired a terrifically entertaining exposé of US Fidelis, one of the biggest companies behind the auto warranty racket that you've probably encountered via junk mail, telemarketing, or even on TV. They start by looking at an individual who spent $3,180 on one of their auto warranties only to be left stranded when her car overheated and they refused to pay. More » -
car warranties
Here Are Some Of The Companies Behind The Car Warranty Robocalls
Verizon continues its recent campaign of turning robocallers into charitable contributions, this time by settling a lawsuit against two of the companies behind those awful car warranty calls. Last time it was for $25,000; this time it's for $50,000, all of which is being donated to the Joyful Heart Foundation, which Wireless Week describes as "a nonprofit devoted to empowering survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse." More » -
complaints
EECB Frees Reader From Ashely Furniture's Zombie-Call Clutches
You know what they need to make? A zombie film starring reanimated furniture. The whole walking corpse thing is just so done. But an undead end table stalking you through your house and hacking through the closet door to reveal your pathetic hiding spot and devour your flesh? Now that's something I'd pay to see, even if it wasn't in 3- as, apparently, all movies will be in the future. Until that cinematic masterpiece hits the silver screen, I guess Steve's story of how Ashley Furniture wouldn't stop calling him until he sent their headquarters an Executive Email Carpet Bomb will have to suffice... More » -
scams
You Won A Free Cruise! Now, What's Your Credit Card Number?
Allison filled out one of those "win a free cruise" forms at a local cask ale festival and almost got dunked in a barrel o' scam fun for her troubles. Here's her story: More » -
shamwow
ShamWow Guy Arrested For Beating Up Prostitute
Slap chop to the face! Vince Shlomi, aka the ShamWow Guy, aka You're Gonna Love My Nuts, was "arrested last month on a felony battery charge following a violent confrontation with a prostitute in his South Beach hotel room," reports the Smoking Gun. More » -
settlements
"Velveteen Rabbit" Robocallers Pay $25,000 To Settle Lawsuit
Verizon Wireless has settled its lawsuit against those telemarketers who were phonespamming thousands of people back in February to promote a kids' movie. Feature Films For Families has agreed to pay $25,000 to Verizon, which will be donated to the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH). More » -
robocalls
Give Robocallers A Silent Ringtone And A Funny Name
You know those car warranty robocallers calling your cellphone? Of course you do, you hate them. This how reader Eyebrow McGee deals with them, and gets to have a little laugh at the same time: More » -
comcatastrophe
I Canceled Comcast Now The Phone Won't Stop Ringing
Reader Evan canceled Comcast — which seems to have lead to a barrage of annoying phone calls that simply will not stop. A little Googling turned up others with the same problem... More » -
robocalls
Who The Hell Are These People Calling My Cellphone About A Car Warranty?
We've been getting a lot of emails from people saying that a company is using a robocaller to call their cellphones and pretend that their car warranty is expiring. Too bad that some of these readers don't even have a car. Has happened to you? Do you know who is behind it? More » -
telemarketers
Smart Television Alliance Asks "Feature Films For Families" To Stop Using Its Name
Feature Films For Families—the company that's been phone-spamming random people over the past few weeks—follows no man's law! The nonprofit Smart Television Alliance, which works to educate parents on how to improve the television experience for kids*, discovered that the company was using its name without permission. More »
telemarketing
New York, 2:32 PM
Sun Nov 22
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