Posted by Mike Smith :: April 4, 2009 @ 6:22 amTelemarketing calls are nothing new, but receiving them on your cell phone seems to be a growing occurrence. Since most of these calls are illegitimate scams, placing your cell phone number on the Do Not Call registry will generally not stop them.
I’ve been receiving these types of calls more regularly in the past few weeks. The most common one claims that my car warranty is expiring soon and offers to sell me an extension. These offers are mass-marketed to consumers regardless of their actual warranty status. Stories of children and people who don’t own cars receiving these calls are widely discussed on the Internet.
Despite popular belief, telemarketers are not permitted to call your cell phone. The basic reason is that unsolicited calls cost most people money, since they have a limited number of incoming cell phone minutes each month. Forwarded emails warning of an impending deadline to add your cell phone to the Do Not Call registry before telemarketing calls begin have repeatedly been shown to be false. Still, adding your cell phone to the Do Not Call registry can’t hurt.
The nature of cell phone telemarketing calls and the reported variety of caller IDs used for similar advertisements makes two things clear: Numbers called are most likely chosen at random and those behind the calls are trying to hide their identity. Both of those facts should make you leery of any such call received.
If you do receive such a call, you can file a complaint with the FCC by completing a user-friendly form on the FCC website. You simply provide information like when the call was received, what someone was trying to sell you, and the reported caller ID. Since the caller ID numbers reported are often found to be fraudulent, the FCC may not be able to put a stop to these calls on the basis of a single complaint. But collective action by all consumers receiving these calls will make it much more likely that those responsible are held accountable for their actions.
Have you received one of these calls?
5 Comments
I have been getting those warranty calls for weeks now. I have asked to be removed from their list numerous times. Some operators have even HUNG UP on me before when I asked. I ask to speak with a supervisor, but of course they are always conveniently " in a meeting" . I don't even own a car, and have no clue how they got my number. It is incredibly frustrating.
Here in Hawaii; I've been receiving those calls and whenever I get a "live" person it seems there is no immediate supervisor and they can't give me the name of there corporate people or they state that there the only one working at the call center. The numbers when you try and call back do not work. 203-637-4783 or 256-659-6931 is posted on my caller id. I like to meet these "corporate" people about my "warranty" on my car and give them a piece of my mind!
I'm getting these calls everyday. Even some of the same caller ID numbers as Barney reported.
[...] is expiring. I covered this, and similar topics, in a recent post on the Lending Club blog: Cell Phone Telemarketing Scams. Today, the Federal Trade Commision announced that it had filed suit to stop these illegal [...]
I work for AT&T and I have cell phone service with them as well. One of my secondary cell phones just got two calls in a row that claimed we were past due on the bill (which isn't technically due for 4 more days and not past due for 10 days) that I paid in full two weeks ago.
Since I work for AT&T, I told them no, I wasn't past due, no I didn't owe them 75.00 (my bill is 220+ shoo I wish it was 75 bucks!) and that I was going to call customer service.
If you get one of these calls, DO NOT "PAY" YOUR "BILL" (I'm sure they ask for credit card info, I didn't get that far) Call 611 from your cell phone and talk to an authorized customer service representitive.
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