Postcard company called me back right after I hung up on them

[JudyS]

I received a call from someone inviting me to "a presentation at a local hotel about my timeshare." I get these calls all the time and of course I know that the "presentation" will be full of scare tactics to try to get me to pay $3,000 to "get rid" of my timeshare.

I told the caller she was out of her mind if she thought I'd pay $3,000 to let someone take my timeshare away, and hung up. The caller immediately called me back and insisted it was not a scam. She continued to try to get me to attend "an informational presentation" about getting out of my timeshare.

I told her off, hung up, and reported the caller's number to the government website for Do Not Call violations.

This is the first time an unsolicited caller called me back immediately after I hung up on them. That is a new low! Anyone else run into this?

This was on my landline, where I don't have caller ID. (I used *69 to find out the caller's number.) I definitely need to make changes in how I handle phone calls. These marketing calls are really bugging me.

 

[vacationhopeful]

I learned that YEARS ago ... as I tended to be a bit more CRASS with them (and many other annoying fly-by-night "scam artist").

Some are desperate for the commission (a paycheck) ... which is what makes UP most of their paychecks and the right to their job. If they call back, I inform them, that EVEN if their "boss" told them, they are commission ONLY but they are required to WORK ... all the hours working (esp at their place of employment) must be paid AT LEAST MINUMUM WAGE minus any commissions they "earn". And if the employer is NOT doing that, report them to their STATE UNEMPLOYMENT AGENCY ... who will force them to pay you YOUR back pay, FINE THEM and continued spot check their records for a long time.

I usually ask them what types of CARS these slime are driving ... reminding them, that is WHY they can afford a $50,000+ car while your kids go hungry or you are begging for a ride to "work".

One must learn how to "annoy" the crap out of the operators.

 

[theo]

<snip> ...hung up, and reported the caller's number to the government website for Do Not Call violations. <snip> This was on my landline, where I don't have caller ID. (I used *69 to find out the caller's number.)

Unfortunately, a lot of these monkeys somehow "spoof" their phone number, thereby completely foiling the effectiveness of any violation reporting to the FTC.
Only if the caller i.d. (or using *69) accurately retrieves the actual originating phone number is reporting the caller even potentially worth the effort.

I don't know how that "spoofing" technology works or where it is obtained, but it is has been around for years now and is routinely practiced, rendering the "do not call" list impotent and nearly useless. I've actually gotten calls with my own phone number displayed on the caller i.d. screen as being the caller. In other instances, I've later called the number displayed on caller i.d. (blocking my own number, of course), only to promptly discover that it is not a valid number at all and is "not in service".

It's frustrating, but in the grand scheme of things the FTC obviously does not take the "do not call" list legislation all that seriously. Understandably, it's just not a particularly high priority in a society with many, many much bigger issues and problems. I've simply adopted the standard procedure that any and all incoming calls reflecting a number that I don't recognize can talk to my voice mail if they wish to do so, but they certainly won't ever be talking to me directly.

 

[pedro47]

I cut my paper shredded on and let them listen to it. I also blocked that telephone number.

 

[ronparise]

Not only has this happened to me (a salesman calls back after I hung up on them) Ive done it myself

I so believed in the product that I was selling that I would call someone back immediately after every no, I couldnt believe someone would hang up or say no if they heard my whole pitch. so Id call back and say something like "Im so sorry, I forgot to mention something.

When I get these calls, I let the folks calling know that I actually like my timeshares, and use them. and that Im not trying to get rid of them. And then I turn the tables on them and ask what happens to the timeshares they take back> I usually get some bs about corporations or travel clubs. And I suggest that I would like to be one of those companies and ask to speak to the person in their company that can make that happen.

No one ever calls me back ... except that one time


By the way, my cell phone is the only phone I have now, and it has a really neat feature. I If I choose not to answer, I can send a call directly to voice mail. and I can choose to call back, or not on my own time.

 

[VacationForever]

I had a caller asked me if I wanted to get rid of my timeshare in Scottsdale. I told him no and he then immediately asked me if I would want to buy another one. I said no and hang up. It was interesting how a PCC, presumably it was a PCC, could achieve 2 goals in one call, if he had found someone who would stay long enough to hear him out. If you don't want to get rid of yours maybe you would like to buy another one.

 

[buzglyd]

I kept one lady on the phone for about 25 minutes one evening.

I explained how what she was doing was immoral and how these companies were killing HOAs rather than harming some big bucks developer.

She kept trying to argue and I kept lighting her hair on fire.

My wife just laughs at me but I know way more about the timeshare biz than any of these idiots calling on the phone.

 

[WinniWoman]

I received a call from someone inviting me to "a presentation at a local hotel about my timeshare." I get these calls all the time and of course I know that the "presentation" will be full of scare tactics to try to get me to pay $3,000 to "get rid" of my timeshare.

I told the caller she was out of her mind if she thought I'd pay $3,000 to let someone take my timeshare away, and hung up. The caller immediately called me back and insisted it was not a scam. She continued to try to get me to attend "an informational presentation" about getting out of my timeshare.

I told her off, hung up, and reported the caller's number to the government website for Do Not Call violations.

This is the first time an unsolicited caller called me back immediately after I hung up on them. That is a new low! Anyone else run into this?

This was on my landline, where I don't have caller ID. (I used *69 to find out the caller's number.) I definitely need to make changes in how I handle phone calls. These marketing calls are really bugging me.

Get an unlisted number. Ours has been unlisted for years and we never get sales calls.

 

[raygo123]

Get an unlisted number. Ours has been unlisted for years and we never get sales calls.

Best thing I did was buy direct TV. The numbers show on the screen bad thing is I gained 10 lbs by not having to answer the phone

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[MuranoJo]

Several years back, before I ignored all unknown callers, I simply told someone, "No thank you" and hung up. They immediately called me back and started harassing me, mimicking the "No thank you" over and over again in a syrupy voice.

 

[linpat]

It is funny to hear the pause when you answer No to whether I want to get rid of my timeshare, and Yes, to the question if I am satisfied with it.

Thanks to TUG I know more than they do!

 

[LannyPC]

This is the first time an unsolicited caller called me back immediately after I hung up on them. That is a new low! Anyone else run into this?

Yes, this has happened to me with a resale scam. I gave him a minute to explain what he was doing. He gave me the usual Oh, we have buyers on the line wanting to buy your timeshare for a wild amount of money. Then I said to him "You are an upfront fee scammer. Good bye."

He called me back some 30 seconds later saying "We seemed to have got cut off there..."

 

[theo]

Get an unlisted number. Ours has been unlisted for years and we never get sales calls.

You're lucky. Unlisted / unpublished number matters not one bit. I've never had anything but an unlisted, unpublished number -- but I still got those calls.

Those monkeys are not getting numbers from the phone book or from "directory information". They are somehow acquiring owner info from "leaks" somewhere --- either the exchange companies (RCI is my prime suspect, frankly) or from resort and / or management company databases.

 

[WinniWoman]

You're lucky. Unlisted / unpublished number matters not one bit. I've never had anything but an unlisted, unpublished number -- but I still got those calls.

Those monkeys are not getting numbers from the phone book or from "directory information". They are somehow acquiring owner info from "leaks" somewhere --- either the exchange companies (RCI is my prime suspect, frankly) or from resort and / or management company databases.

Wow. I am very surprised! Our phone is always dead quiet!

 

[DianneL]

Timeshare calls

I get them also. Most recent one quickly asked what I disliked most about my timeshare, maintenance fees or difficult to use.
I quickly told her we loved our timeshares, always use them and feel maintenance fees are reasonable taking into consideration the quality of our vacations. Then hung up.

 

[JudyS]

Thanks for all the input!

Next question -- what sort of phone service gets the fewest robocalls and marketing calls? Cell phone? VOIP?

 

[WinniWoman]

I get very few, if any, on my cell phone either. I put all my phone #'s on the Do Not Call List.

 

[csxjohn]

... I definitely need to make changes in how I handle phone calls. These marketing calls are really bugging me.

I use a simple answering machine on my land line and only pick up or call back who I want to.

 

[SmithOp]

Thanks for all the input!



Next question -- what sort of phone service gets the fewest robocalls and marketing calls? Cell phone? VOIP?

In my experience its not the type of phone, its if you give it out. I have cell, voip with my cable tv service, and a google voice number. I give out my cell and GV number as home numbers, do not have a phone connected to the voip. I get calls on my cell for a few months after staying at timeshares, DRI and Vegas VIP seem to be the most persistent callers. I just add the number to my contact list as TS Sales and let it go to voicemail when they call.


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