Had a weird phone call

[AR Cattails]

I answered the phone and it was a recorded message saying it was "so and so" credit service. I couldn't understand the name, it seemed to be mumbled over. The recording told me that not to worry that my credit line was fine and that they had a one time offer for me to get my interest rate lowered. It said if you want to proceed with this offer, press 1. If you don't want to ever hear from us again to press 2 and we want call you again. So I felt pressured to push 1 because I need all the help I can get.

So I pressed 1 and the phone rang twice and a woman answered. She started talking and I stopped her and asked her who was she with again. She seemed to mumble something and it seemed similar to a credit card company I owed money to and I was embarrassed to ask again because she seemed like she was in a hurry. She asked how much money I owed on this card. I told her it was about 9,000.00. She said "excuse me?". I told her again. She asked what was my credit limit. I didn't know right off hand so I told her to let me look it up. I asked her to give me her number and I would call her back. The phone clicked and I realized she hung up on me.

I sat there stunned at first and then realized that this was a scam. It then hit me that if she worked at the credit company, she should have already had all this information. I figured that she wanted to know the difference in what I owed and what was still available on my balance and would have eventually needed to "verify" my account number. I'm glad I needed to look up the information and call her back because I probably would have given her all the information she asked for, as trusting as I am.

I learned an important lesson today!

[Ardie/WI]

Never ever give any information to anyone on the phone unless you are positive who you're talking to.

[Chandler]

You should also never have to give your PIN number, account number, etc. any information to a bank or credit card company unless you are calling them with a problem. They should already have that information at their disposal.

We got a message from "Plaza Associates," a collections agency, on our machine a couple weeks ago asking us to call back about a file number. I knew we didn't have anything past due that would have gone to a collections agency but I called them back because our number is listed and we get a lot of wrong numbers. When I called back, a machine answered saying they were closed, though I was calling well within their operating hours ( ) I looked up the number on the net and found out they were calling lots of people and not saying what account they were calling about. When people were asking them which account, they would ask for a credit card number. I don't think so.

I filed a complaint with the FTC at donotcall.gov because we are on the Do Not Call list.

[doohap]

I hang up immediately on pre-recorded calls ... and NEVER give any information over the phone unless I have contacted THEM!

[MaineFarmMom]

I got the same call and hung up. It came from an unknown name and number on caller id. *69 didn't work.

[Becca65]

Wow, that could of been so bad!! glad you didn't give her any info..

[ninny]

If it's the same call that I got, it came from Florida, area code 561-204-5441.

It's a scam. If you do a google on that number, you'll see what it is..

Go to www.whocalled.us Put in the phone number and you'll see it's a scam. Just went there and there have been 94 reports on this number.

.

[AR Cattails]

Ninny, I checked out that phone number on the link you provided and read alot of the responses that people wrote and that seems to be exactly the experience I had. Especially this one person's response; except that I did press the button.

"Upset 71.79.80.205

same crap like what everyone's reported - get a call from a Michael saying there's nothing wrong with my credit card at this time but to press 1 to re-evaluate the account or press 2 to be removed. I didn't push any buttons or call back. I hate these freaking scams and I'm sick and tired of them!"

Thanks Ninny and everyone. I can't believe how close I came to disaster today. I learned that you can't be so desperate with your financial situation that you will so trustingly turn to what seems like "to good to be true" offers of help on the phone.

[teachable]

plaza associates is an actual collection agency in new york, someone might have been using that name b/c i personally know that company is legit... you would be surprised how many people call the bank asking us if we called them for an update and tried to verify their info. we constantly have to tell people, we will never ask you for your pin, account number, etc, IF WE ARE CALLING YOU. if you call us wanting info we need to ask for your soc/sec, birthday to verify you are who you say you are before we give out any requested info.

there are people out there that try to scam the bank too. i received a phone call about our copier/fax machines.. from customer service. ( we have a dept of our company that actually calls and uses that line so and so from customer service) asking for an update on our serial numbers.. i thought strange they would know that already, so i asked where is he from and he said customer service and i said yes, of what company. click.


everyone is out to make a buck, dishonestly.

[tinda]

I had a similar call. They wanted all my cc numbers and promised to get me a lower interest rate on all of them!!
I hung up and called the police. They gave me the number:

Phone Busters 1-888-495-8501
This works in Canada but I don't know about the States.but is worth a try.

tinda

[tallpines]

Hopefully when you pushed that #1, you didn't give them the okay to charge you $100.oo a minute for the long distant call.

[caroline00]

I call my credit card companies every year and ask for lower interest rates. I am no longer getting them but until I got my interest to 7.9% they lowered it a couple of % each year. One of them started at 14%. We have slowly paid off all but one now.

so if you want lower interest and you are on time with your payments, call and ask. It wont hurt any.

[FiddleKat]

Originally Posted by tallpines

Hopefully when you pushed that #1, you didn't give them the okay to charge you $100.oo a minute for the long distant call.

Ooh, good point. Scary as well. Keep your eye out on your next phone bill.

[james dilley]

I received A call last week from the bank I deal with, I knew the person on the other end As she is the customer service person. And knows me by name. If not for having knew who she was .I would have hung up..

[lpuckett400]

I did have these same people call me. I talked to the lady for awhile and asked some questions. Then when she said she needed to verify my info. I said, I do not have a credit card. She then became very upset and said, then why are you wasting my time. I am sure it was a scam. Just her reaction was enough to tell me that.

[sheepish]

As soon as I realize that a call is automated, I hang up without listening. So I have no idea if anyone has tried this scam on me.