Who Called Us

See MMM's comment 2-26-2011

Caller ID said "Phone Scam"... I wasn't about to pick up!!

LMBO it actually said phone scam on caller ID...like I was going to pick up!

This is a repost of a comment from 2-26-2011.


Folks, I'll take the time and explain this one more time. These Card Scams originate in Hong Kong. A company located there buys huge blocks of phone numbers from your local phone company; they then package these numbers in lots of 1,000, and resell them in the U.S., where the scammer starts calling you with his scam offers. In this example, I'll use the telephone number that called me, 567-248-4400. After two weeks, that number will be changed, so that your Caller ID will now show 567-248-4401, and two weeks later it will be changed to 4402, or 4439, ot any of the 1,000 numbers that the scammer bought.
The Attorney General can't do anything in 2 short weeks, because the owner is in Hong Kong, so how is he supposed to prosecute?
The phone company can't do anything to do the scammer, because they are only concerned with making money, and selling a huge 1,000 or 3,000 or 10,000 block of numbers is hugely profitable. They can legally only give the original phone number out to law enforcement, and guess what, that number is not being used, because the scammer went to the next number on his list.
Here is what you do, write this down and put it by your phone:
1) Do not answer the phone, IF YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER.
2) IF YOU EVER ANSWER THE PHONE FROM A NUMBER YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE, and there's no one on the other end, that means that a computer is logging exactly what time a human being answered, and they on the other end have no one available. THEY WILL CALL BACK, the next day, or two days later, or next week.
3) WHEN THEY FINALLY HAVE A RECORD OF EXACTLY WHAT TIME A HUMAN BEING ANSWERED, then according to the laws of averages, they will be 95% certain that on a typical weekday, at 2:30 PM, a human being at such and such address, will answer the phone. What to do??
45) IF YOU PICK UP THE PHONE FROM A NUMBER YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE, D O N O T S A Y HELLO!, Instead, repeatedly hit the pound key, hit it 10 times if you like. This send a signal to the robo-dialer that there is a bad connection, and the robo-dialer will NO LONGER CALL YOUR NUMBER. It's that simple.
I have done this for 15 years, and have never gotten back another call from 4400, 4401, 4402 etc.
I still get those infrequent Credit Card Scams, becuase the phone company is stelling those blocks of 1,000, 0r 3,000 numbers to NEW SCAMMERS! The people in hong kong only need one out of a hundred to accept, and they've had a good day. Period.

D O N O T A N S W E R your phone, if you don't recognize the number.

Your welcome.

Have been getting occassional calls from this number for months. Have only answered it once. It was a credit card phishing scam. I just think it's hilarious that "Phone Scam" is what came up on the caller ID this time!

With a Called ID of PHONE SCAM, did they really think anybody was going to answer? When the ringing stopped, I put them on the BLOCKED list.

I did not answer the call.

This is a repost of a comment from 2-26-2011.


Folks, I'll take the time and explain this one more time. These Card Scams originate in Hong Kong. A company located there buys huge blocks of phone numbers from your local phone company; they then package these numbers in lots of 1,000, and resell them in the U.S., where the scammer starts calling you with his scam offers. In this example, I'll use the telephone number that called me, 567-248-4400. After two weeks, that number will be changed, so that your Caller ID will now show 567-248-4401, and two weeks later it will be changed to 4402, or 4439, ot any of the 1,000 numbers that the scammer bought.
The Attorney General can't do anything in 2 short weeks, because the owner is in Hong Kong, so how is he supposed to prosecute?
The phone company can't do anything to do the scammer, because they are only concerned with making money, and selling a huge 1,000 or 3,000 or 10,000 block of numbers is hugely profitable. They can legally only give the original phone number out to law enforcement, and guess what, that number is not being used, because the scammer went to the next number on his list.
Here is what you do, write this down and put it by your phone:
1) Do not answer the phone, IF YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER.
2) IF YOU EVER ANSWER THE PHONE FROM A NUMBER YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE, and there's no one on the other end, that means that a computer is logging exactly what time a human being answered, and they on the other end have no one available. THEY WILL CALL BACK, the next day, or two days later, or next week.
3) WHEN THEY FINALLY HAVE A RECORD OF EXACTLY WHAT TIME A HUMAN BEING ANSWERED, then according to the laws of averages, they will be 95% certain that on a typical weekday, at 2:30 PM, a human being at such and such address, will answer the phone. What to do??
45) IF YOU PICK UP THE PHONE FROM A NUMBER YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE, D O N O T S A Y HELLO!, Instead, repeatedly hit the pound key, hit it 10 times if you like. This send a signal to the robo-dialer that there is a bad connection, and the robo-dialer will NO LONGER CALL YOUR NUMBER. It's that simple.
I have done this for 15 years, and have never gotten back another call from 4400, 4401, 4402 etc.
I still get those infrequent Credit Card Scams, becuase the phone company is stelling those blocks of 1,000, 0r 3,000 numbers to NEW SCAMMERS! The people in hong kong only need one out of a hundred to accept, and they've had a good day. Period.

D O N O T A N S W E R your phone, if you don't recognize the number.

Your welcome.

perhaps I wouldn't mind telemarketers so much if they'd all be this honest - "phone scam" - LOL, of course I don't answer numbers I don't recognize anyhow but at least this one provided a laugh!

Caller ID says "phone scam". Caller did not leave a message.

The caller ID says "Phone Scam"!!! At least they are honest scammers. LOL!

I received a call this morning at 9:38 a.m. It stated a phone scam from number 567-248-4400. I do not answer any calls from anybody I do not know. The phone rang just three times.

Move down toward the bottom of this page to read the comments by "timbo". This is EXCELLENT advice. As more comments are added, his gets pushed further down the page, and will eventually disappear.
PLEASE! If you see that it is only 2 or 3 comments from the bottom, please copy and paste his comments into your comments box. That will preserve it for the next 100 or so people who get this call. If we keep doing this, we can save A LOT of people from getting scammed.
Thanks!
pw

I didn't answer and they didn't leave a message.

Called. CallerID stated Phone Scam. Answered and was recording calling about my credit card. I hung up.

Found this number on my phone at home after work - no message left, but it's the second one in a couple of weeks. The explanation by "Timbo" below makes a ton of sense; I think it should be sent to every major news outlet and around the internet so everyone knows what's up with these scam artists and how to fight them without having to contact law enforcement, etc.

This scammer calls with a warning message that you need to talk to them about the status of your credit cards. They want to sell you a consolidation loan, but refuse to provide any information other than the "fact" that their company name is Visa Card Services. They hang up if you ask for their phone number.

I let the machine pick up the call - the caller did not leave any message

Caller ID said phone scam. I don't answer any phone call when I don't recognize the number!!

Phone Scam

This call came to me at 2:06 PM on 11-14 and the phone said it was from "PHONE SCAM" . I did not answer. Scrolled down through your email reports to timbo who is the 39th name down not counting my soon to be listed comment. He tells it like it is. Scroll down and get your answer about this particular caller and their number(s). Thanks, timbo, I needed that and appreciate your information!

This could be a type of bullying called mobbing and gangstalking.

Robo call, saying it can lower my credit card rates.

The standard recorded "there is no problem with your account at this time, but it is urgent that you contact us about lowering your interest rate!" bullshit.

The awesome thing is that Caller ID actually said "Phone Scam."

It showed up as Phone Scam on my Caller ID too. Truth in advertising, maybe?

Rec'd this call from 567-248-4400 with Caller ID data showing Phone Scam. I did answer and a recording started. "This is Rachel with credit card services yada yada yada"

No need to get excited people. I think it is just common sense that any and all unsolictited calls from people other than your family or friends can be regarded as scams. Either don't answer or do answer and have fun with it.

"phone scam" - that's hilarious. Someone scamming the scammers?

Called my phone. Listed as phone scam. I did not answer.

Gotta love the honesty of putting "phone scam" on the caller ID, but I wasn't tempted to answer the phone. It rolled over to the answering machine; no message left.

Caller Id came up as "PHONE SCAM". Took it just as that. But why do we have to put up with this?!?

the caller ID says Phone Scam, lol. That's a first.

They called with an automated recording and no operator on the line. The recording said they would lower my credit card interest rates. I had to press 9 to get to an operator. Diego, the operator, did give me an address of 3710 Hillcross St, Orlando, FL 37136. However, this is still clearly a scam as they did not have any information or even know what my credit card balances were when calling. Do not give these people any information.

who in their right mind is going to answer a call that is id as phone scam?

Say they will lower your interest rates on credit cards

Phone Scam on the ID is how they registered it. They are foreign to our country. They see almost all capitalism as a scam, they think it's a legitimate way to earn money. They are third world people, just like us, they need incomes to survive in the modern world, but they wanna do like the big dogs, just without providing any goods or service.

Just got a call from them. Caller ID said "Phone Scam". Didn't answer (duh!); they didn't leave a message. Consumerist web site says it's a credit card scam. Caller ID part is pretty funny.

Just got a call from this number and it actually said "phone scam" on the caller id! Unbelievable! How brazen can you be?!! Don't know why I bothered with the National Do Not Call List. Apparently, it is a complete waste of time.

Caller ID said "Phone scam" ... does this mean the powers that be are finally doing something to help out the public? Changing the caller ID to tag them as phony? Nice!

Leaves no message just keeps calling. Could someone tell me why I signed up the "NATIONAL DO NOT CALL LIST"??????????

Seriously, Like I'm going to answer the phone when it says "Phone Scam" on my Caller ID. I mean that kinda tells me everything I needed to know.

caller id said scam call

Caller ID is appropriate. This is a scam. Recorded message saying "this is your last chance to get a lower credit card interest rate."

Caller ID is Phone Scam. Wanted money for Obama.

This agency is constantly calling out cell phones. It is very annoying and they call themselves a credit card company "although there are no problems with you credit card currently."

I contacted Congressman Kenny Marchant's office 972.556.0162. The aid knew nothing of this scam. I asked him to look at this website and view the info. He has now sent this to be investigated. I told him the greedy phone companies could stop this if they cared about the honest citizens of the United States. Please call your congessmen from the areas you live and let them know what is going on. I know the state of OHIO cares nothing about the crime from my personal experience. They should not have someone answering the phone that cannot even look up an area code. Please take time to complain about these criminals.

I am SO SICK of these jerks who continue to call after they have been told that I am on the STATE and US NO CALL LIST. They get ONE warning -- this one has repeatedly violated and is RUDE when I tell them they are going to be reported and hopefully fined! If this continues I may hunt them down and shove their phones up their . . . .

Personally, I think aliens from the planet Mugorp 6 are trying to destroy our country from the inside out. Sure. Sure. They sound like credit card lowering companies of the wiz. But hold on! The reality is they are are using temporal brain -bone thumping- to gain access to your thoughts and credit cards to over-throw the world! That's right. Ever heard of it? It's true. Beware! Beware! Thump...Thump...Thump...See...it's already started. I feel a compulsive urge -uggghhh- to call this number. Must control thoughts!!!! Whe...made it through that. Don't give these aliens national secrets! God Bless America.

Several credit reprice scammers were in fact dismantled by the FTC in 2010. A mass of complaints with the FTC and attorneys general made that happen. It's not going to be a quick or personal solution, as ''Goddess'' has noted, but making some noise every single time these fiends disturb your peace will in time help everyone.

Why can't these scamming Muslin rat-bastards be stopped?????????

These people called with a recorded message and nobody on the line (this is illegal), claiming that they would lower my credit card interest rates. I pressed "9" as instructed, and eventually "Mike" came on the line. He refused to provide a company name other than "Card Services" and hung up when I asked a second time. This is definitely a scam. Absolutely no legitimate business would hang up when you asked them to clarify the company name - in fact, they are required to provide the company name, street address (not a P.O. box) and a non-toll-free phone number when asked.

I am so sick of these credit card interest rate phishing schemes. They call all the time (even though I am on the Do Not Call list) from all different numbers. Requests to take my name off their list are routinely ignored. They claim to be calling on behalf of one of my credit card issuers but when questioned which bank or card they are referring to they often get nervous and/or snippy and then ask me to tell THEM which card I want to lower interest rates on. BEWARE! SCAM! DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY PERSONAL INFO!

Phishing for credit card numbers. Rude and insulting when you ask to be removed from the calling list.

These SOBs have been calling me for months and months. I keep reporting to the AG's office but it still continues. I've decided to press 9 and speak to an operator. I got one woman that gave me the company information. The company's name is "Member Services" and they are out of Tampa, FL. She gave me the address. Now folks, I have a bridge to sell you! I didn't believe one word from her. I then started screaming at her and told her to stop harassing me. She said to stop answering the phone and find God. I told her I'd help her find God. They keep calling & I keep pressing 9...they are hanging up on me now. As for the person that said keep pressing #...it doesn't work!

No message left - reporting as DNCL violation

I have this number on my blocklist from 6 months ago. It called back this week and got sit tones. I've gotten scam callers occasionally from different numbers; no doubt their rolling through banks of numbers. I've gotten a bunch of block list hits lately actually, and the calls are fewer these last few months.

calls but will not leave message I do not answer unknown numbers

A question for Timbo,
How can the phone company legally sell our number to these guys when we have been, continuously and without exception, on both the state and national No-Call lists?

i want to know what this is and what to do about it

This number called me on three phone lines at once, so I answered none. The spoofed called ID happens because the entire phone network is a free for all lacking any accountability for calls placed across it.

Folks, I'll take the time and explain this one more time. These Card Scams originate in Hong Kong. A company located there buys huge blocks of phone numbers from your local phone company; they then package these numbers in lots of 1,000, and resell them in the U.S., where the scammer starts calling you with his scam offers. In this example, I'll use the telephone number that called me, 567-248-4400. After two weeks, that number will be changed, so that your Caller ID will now show 567-248-4401, and two weeks later it will be changed to 4402, or 4439, ot any of the 1,000 numbers that the scammer bought.
The Attorney General can't do anything in 2 short weeks, because the owner is in Hong Kong, so how is he supposed to prosecute?
The phone company can't do anything to do the scammer, because they are only concerned with making money, and selling a huge 1,000 or 3,000 or 10,000 block of numbers is hugely profitable. They can legally only give the original phone number out to law enforcement, and guess what, that number is not being used, because the scammer went to the next number on his list.
Here is what you do, write this down and put it by your phone:
1) Do not answer the phone, IF YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER.
2) IF YOU EVER ANSWER THE PHONE FROM A NUMBER YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE, and there's no one on the other end, that means that a computer is logging exactly what time a human being answered, and they on the other end have no one available. THEY WILL CALL BACK, the next day, or two days later, or next week.
3) WHEN THEY FINALLY HAVE A RECORD OF EXACTLY WHAT TIME A HUMAN BEING ANSWERED, then according to the laws of averages, they will be 95% certain that on a typical weekday, at 2:30 PM, a human being at such and such address, will answer the phone. What to do??
45) IF YOU PICK UP THE PHONE FROM A NUMBER YOU DO NOT RECOGNIZE, D O N O T S A Y HELLO!, Instead, repeatedly hit the pound key, hit it 10 times if you like. This send a signal to the robo-dialer that there is a bad connection, and the robo-dialer will NO LONGER CALL YOUR NUMBER. It's that simple.
I have done this for 15 years, and have never gotten back another call from 4400, 4401, 4402 etc.
I still get those infrequent Credit Card Scams, becuase the phone company is stelling those blocks of 1,000, 0r 3,000 numbers to NEW SCAMMERS! The people in hong kong only need one out of a hundred to accept, and they've had a good day. Period.

D O N O T A N S W E R your phone, if you don't recognize the number.

Your welcome.

did not leave message

this number keeps on calling telling me i have a credit card do not have any credit cards

Card holder services. Same scam that's been running for over 3 years now. WTF are the law enforcement agencies doing? How fucking long do these guys get to operate? I've been filling out phone numbers from these guys on whocalled.us for a long time and everyone and their cousin have submitted them to the usual suspects (FTC, do not call, Attorney Generals, etc). Yet, the calls still continue....

These people are ID Frauders!!!! DO NOT PICK UP THE PHONE..If you do they will bother you using thousands of other block phone numbers..When you answer they "CLAIM" they have your personal info..ANYTIME ANYONE CALLS AND TELLS YOU THIS ..Tell them you have NO bills and never have had bills.. then they leave you alone.. Again the best thing is to never pick up the phone on ANY phone number you do not recognize.

What kills me is that the names "Heather" and "Rachel" and other girlfriends have been used in this scam for at least two years. Evidently the issue needs more bathing in sunlight. This year the FTC has choked off several of these reprice scammers. Pour on the complaints and more will topple. A pity that Kat666 found such static when complaining at the state level.

See discussions for these numbers: 7142445025, 4029820479

Heavy India speaking caller offering 6.9% intrest on credit card transfers...Says he has access to your card info. & works for all banks to lower % rates. After questions I asked, caller became deceptive in answers not knowing what cards or balances I had. Told him I was on Oklahoma no call list and he responded by saying he would give me $690. if I would take him off no call list. Warned him that any more calls would be concidered harassment. They have called 2 more times. Company calls themself Credit Card Services

These scammers are now using 568-248-4400 as well, which immediately reveals their dishonesty; area code 568 has not been assigned! Caller ID says Attica OH, but they could be anywhere in the U.S. or even in another country. They have used a software program to fake a number to show up on your caller ID. They try to get you to give them your credit card numbers in order to lower your interest rates, which is something they could not do even if they were legitimate. They want to do one of several things with your information: get cash advances, charge products they can resell, or sell your information to others who will do one of the above. Reporting them to government agencies does no good because the telephone numbers they display are not legitimate. I choose to pray for them. I want them to become Christ followers, confessing their sins, and making restitution for the evils they have done. One participant who becomes a Christian could turn in the whole operation and bring it down for the glory of God.

I called the Ohio Attny. General Office 800.282.0515. Heather informed me 567 was not an Ohio area code. After I informed her it was she put me on hold. She told me to call the Texas Attny. General Office. I informed her they would not do anything because it was an Ohio number. She the told me I would have to know the physical address. Seems as if the Ohio people want to help the crooks.

Rat bastards hung up when I answered. I am on both no-call lists and am bombarded by 406.224.9004, 858.703.4209, and 567.248.4400. Calling everyday.

Keeps calling and hanging up. Will report them again!

Offering to lower interest rates on credit card recording. Hung up. According to Internet they are scammers. Id Theft

If you answer, a recording says if you hury you can lower your credit card rate.

This was a recorded message from "credit services" saying I should press "9" to lower my credit card interest rates. I pressed "9" and it connected to a live person. I asked to be removed from their list. Woman who answered said I had to give them my number for them to remove me. I told them I suspected they were scammers and she acted angry and actually said "why would you say that?". I hung up.

My number is on the DNC list. However, this phone number calls repeatedly and hangs up. Caller id only shows the identity as "Caller".

Those people call me at least once a month, but I always hang up when I realize it is them.

No message left

This is a Credit Card Scam, trying to get your Credit Card Number. In 2007 someone else wrote their story here, about Card Holder Service associatedcontent.com


Below, is what I have found, thus far:

I got an automated message about lowering my interest rate on my credit card; it said to press 9 if I wanted to speak to a live operator. I pressed 9...thinking it was a scam but wanted to check it out. Rachel From Card Services / card holder services, Hispanic woman with a thick accent claimed to be with my credit card company and said she had all of my information but needed me to give her my credit card number just for verification purposes. She said that she already had all of the information in front of her but she needed me to verify the number. I refused...she kept pressin me saying that I was totally protected if my number was used. I told her I would NOT give my number over the phone; if she wanted it she'd have to tell me what it was and I would confirm. She said "OK, it starts with 4266"....um, WRONG! I then told her that I was not interested and to have a nice day. She continued to try to talk to me. I hung up. I immediately called my credit card company and told them what had happened. She said this is a major scam that's been going around and they are stealing information. DO NOT TALK TO THESE PEOPLE!!
800notes.com

They've been calling me often. They claim the call is placed by Experian, the credit reporting company. Here's how to opt out:
experian.com

Better yet, opt-out online here:
optoutprescreen.com

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - report these pigs to the Ohio Attorney General at: ohioattorneygeneral.gov
Ohio Attorney General's Office 800-282-0515

Recording said it was urgent that I lock in the current low rate on my credit card, and to press 9 to speak to an operator. I don't have any credit cards.

Called me this afternoon in NH. I don't know a soul in Ohio so I did not answer. This is the season for a lot of political survey calls, so that would be my guess but it is a still only a guess.

This caller called while I was out. Did not leave msg.

No one there when phone is answered. Called them back and got a recording "sorry your call can't be completed", a male voice (not your typical "operator" voice)