Friday, November 7, 2008

Scammy Car Warranty Phone Call

I got a phone call from 978-409-5210 today. I usually let weird area code numbers go to voicemail, but I was in a curious mood, so I answered it.

Me:
Hello?
Recording:
This is your second notice [actually, this is the first I've heard from them] about the factory warranty expiring on your vehicle. It's not too late to renew! This is the final call you will receive. Press 2 to be removed from our list [didn't they just say this was the final call?], or press 1 to speak to a representative. [Sure, what the hell.]
Recording:
You are number 1 in line to speak to a representative.
Them:
Would you like to find out more about continuing your car warranty?
Me:
First, who are you?
Them:
[pause] Well, my name—
Me:
What company is this?
Them:
My name is is Aaron.
Me:
But what company do you work for?
Them:
<click>

I don't know why, but the <click> response to asking such a simple question really amuses me. Although I think the Spanish scam phone call was more fun. :)

A quick googling shows that someone else also had a run-in with our scamsters, although he had much more fun with the scammer. According to Google Phonebook, 978-409-5210 is a Massachusetts number belonging to Marilyn Freedman. I doubt that info is accurate, though.

Update, November 28: I just got a second call from these scammers! The new number they called from is 505-986-8074, which the Internets says is a Santa Fe number this time. I talked with "Fred" today. I immediately asked him what company he worked for. Rather than hang up like last time, he just stopped responding. I could hear his call-center scammer buddies in the background, but he wouldn't respond to anything I said. So this time, I hung up on them.

According to 16 Ways You Can Be Phone Scammed, this auto warranty call is #1. Says the site:

Typically the goal is to get you to reveal personal, bank account information, or to make you do something that will result in unwanted charges on your account. ...

Tracing the calls to the companies is difficult. The calls often come from telemarketing centers located overseas. Also, the companies often spoof their caller ID information to display someone’s else’s real number. When people receive these calls they dial the number they see on Caller ID and leave angry messages for an unsuspecting victim. Two-three days later the telemarketers change the Caller ID number and the scam continues.

Indeed, calling the number back results in that error tone and That Lady saying, "We're sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected."

Update, August 31, 2009: The FTC filed suit against these guys (or at least someone running the same scam) this May. The FTC complaint names Voice Touch Inc, James and Maureen Dunne, Voice Touch called Network Foundations LLC, Damian Kohlfeld, Transcontinental Warranty Inc, and Christopher D Cowart as defendants.

7 comments:

Kris Kowal said...

I've been frequently called by this scambot all year. The worst is that my car's factory warranty is expiring, so it has a grain of truth and I'm guessing that it has a pretty good chance of being true with about 10% of its victims. The tune varies; I've never received a "first" warning, but second and third are pretty common.

Anonymous said...

I get this call 2 or 3 times a week on both my work phone and my cell phone. The number keeps changing. Latest was 8432818793 (South Carolina).

If there any way to report them somewhere?

Arthaey Angosii said...

According to the FTC, you should report to the FTC directly, as well as to your state's Attorney General.

I did both, even though I have practically no useful information for the FTC to go on.

Anonymous said...

I had that same 8432818793 number call me today, told a representative to have them stop calling me and ended the call. Then an hour or so later, I received an "Unknown Caller" call from the same damn people. This time I asked the representative to tell me what the company was and they hung up.

Anonymous said...

I just got this same call, but it was the "third warning"! I only answer my phone for people in my contact list, so I let it go to voicemail. Here's what's terrible: I'm 16. I don't own a vehicle.

Anonymous said...

We have been getting these calls too and when asked what is the name of the company they won't tell you and when you ask what # you can call them back at they don't have one... I told them I was going to report them.. I wish there was a way to report them but I knew they were a scam. I've told everyone I know not to accept calls from these scammers.

Anonymous said...

I've had these people actually get rude with me if I talk to them. Isn't that harrassment? Unfortunately there isn't much I can do since all the calls come up "unknown".