[Guest]

I believe 99% that someone just called and stole my number or is routing things to it or using it for collect or whatever calls.

I had a call from "A Z Industrial" 631-967-7006 (this is a number from Suffolk County New York).

The asked "is this Kristie" - like an idiot I said "yes" (something you should NEVER do, btw, if you didn't know...)

He said "I'm calling to ask if you had any questions about the kennel sealer we sent you"

I said "I think you have the wrong kennel"

He hung up...

I thought... That was really odd. So I called him back...

The first thing I asked was "who is this" (because he answered "hello"). He said Fred, which was what he also said the first time.

Then I said "you just called me and I wanted to find out why you were calling"...

Long story short, he was a jerk, said he had a reply card from me (NO WAY unless someone else had sent it in). I asked him what his sealer is made out of, he answered pretty quickly. He was getting irritated when i asked his company name and where it's located...

I called back several times just to see what he would say...

I got the phone number A Z Industrial 631-967-7006

It's located in Suffolk County NEW YORK - which as far as I know is a hub of phone slamming and stealing activity...

I tried to look up the number and company on google... Nothing.

So I called into Bellsouth and put my account on lockdown.

So just a heads up. It may be absolutely NOTHING, but it was really really really fishy, the whole thing.

We'll see what happens...

-Kristie

 

[brian breuer]

Ok, I'm a simple guy, maybe even a rube. Why shouldn't I say yes if someone asks "Are you Brian?"

What should I say?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Ok, I'm a simple guy, maybe even a rube. Why shouldn't I say yes if someone asks "Are you Brian?"

What should I say?

Thanks

Because they record you saying "yes" and can plug it into other conversations... Or record it and say you said you'd buy something or authorized a charge to your phone bill, etc. (3rd party billing companies that sell stuff like ring tones or phone sex).

I normally say something like "correct" or "that's my name" or whatever.

The key is that most of the time you know who you're talking to, but if a scammer calls you, you need to try to keep on your toes.

I learned about this when we were "slammed" (a term used for when someone changes your long distance company without your authorization). I started getting MCI bills in the mail. At first, I thought they were junk mail, so I didn't look. But after I had gotten a couple, I opened them and saw I had a bill. Thankfully, they had at least set me up on a plan that had two months free service. The balance the third month was $25. And they cancelled it. The calls were to foreign countries (islands) and new york...

-K

 

[RailRoadRetrievers]

Reply, "Depends, who is this" or "Who wants to know" or "No, he is away, is there something I can help you with".

If you don't know who they are, they don't need to know who you are. It's just like answering unknown calls or numbers I do not recongnize, I let them roll to voice mail, if they want to talk to me or have something of importance, they will leave a message, I always call back.

 

[brian breuer]

Good to know. Now I just need to get my mind to engage before my mouth does.

Of course, I've been struggling with that since I could talk.

 

[Guest]

Reply, "Depends, who is this" or "Who wants to know" or "No, he is away, is there something I can help you with".

If you don't know who they are, they don't need to know who you are. It's just like answering unknown calls or numbers I do not recongnize, I let them roll to voice mail, if they want to talk to me or have something of importance, they will leave a message, I always call back.

My problem was that it looked like a harmless number on caller id, so the first thing he asked was "is this kristie" and I should have said like you said above...

That's a better answer....

When it said "AZ industrial" my first thought was that it was either my clients in arizona or someone referred by them, which is why I answered...

-K

 

[DuckTruk]

I own a commercial construction company.....

We had a guy call the office and ask the receptionist for the address of one of our projects (this is a pretty common question, suppliers and / or subcontractors will call and ask). She gave him the address and the superintendents name to which he replied. Paul (superintendents name) ordered some sweeping compound but he didn't give me the address. No big deal...........Until

A week later a truck pulls up and unloads (5) 55 gal drums of sweeping compound. This is enough sweeping compound to last us 10 years. The driver says "Heres your order, Sign here". Paul signs it thinking that we ordered it and sent it to him from the office.

Another week goes by and we get an invoice for $ 2,500 for sweeping compound. When we started investigating, we found the scam. I told the company if they wanted their money, they could come to Chattanooga and get it. Strangley enough, they were also from New York.

We told them to come get the compound and that we had no intentions of paying the bill. They never came and got it and we never paid the bill.


SO.......does anyone need some sweeping compound??

 

[Guest]

I own a commercial construction company.....

We had a guy call the office and ask the receptionist for the address of one of our projects (this is a pretty common question, suppliers and / or subcontractors will call and ask). She gave him the address and the superintendents name to which he replied. Paul (superintendents name) ordered some sweeping compound but he didn't give me the address. No big deal...........Until

A week later a truck pulls up and unloads (5) 55 gal drums of sweeping compound. This is enough sweeping compound to last us 10 years. The driver says "Heres your order, Sign here". Paul signs it thinking that we ordered it and sent it to him from the office.

Another week goes by and we get an invoice for $ 2,500 for sweeping compound. When we started investigating, we found the scam. I told the company if they wanted their money, they could come to Chattanooga and get it. Strangley enough, they were also from New York.

We told them to come get the compound and that we had no intentions of paying the bill. They never came and got it and we never paid the bill.


SO.......does anyone need some sweeping compound??

If anyone wants from free kennel sealer, I'll have some shortly.

I bet they get it because some companies just process it and it goes completely unnoticed as a typical business expense...

-K

 

[pistol]

i get calls alot wanting to know my printer model number, questions about my credit card swipe terminal, light bulbs that will last forever etc. my favorite was a guy telling me he was with the service dept. and wanted to update some info on my copier. he couldn't tell me which brand i owned!
________
HOTELS IN MEXICO CITY

 

[Guest]

i get calls alot wanting to know my printer model number, questions about my credit card swipe terminal, light bulbs that will last forever etc. my favorite was a guy telling me he was with the service dept. and wanted to update some info on my copier. he couldn't tell me which brand i owned!

My phone is on the do not call list, so I don't get many which is another reason I wasn't prepared...

-K

 

[K G]

I'm on the do not call list as well, but I don't answer numbers I don't recognize. I let the answering machine pick it up; 99.9% of the time the illegitimates hang up.

kg

 

[ErinsEdge]

I'm on the do not call list also and there has been an increase in calls to businesses from people who obviously ignore the list. When in doubt I don't answer. I figure anyone who wants me knows dog people are usually out with dogs and they leave a message. If they don't, oh well. I would rather call back.
I had no idea they can send you stuff for just saying your name. Why would anyone pay them if they deliver something and they don't have a credit card number? I understand the phone service but goods?

 

[The Wojo's]

Kristie, we had those exact people call us too. They sent the product COD through UPS so I just rejected it and UPS had to send it back. It was a fairly small box and they wanted $200 for it. Then we got more phone calls from them and they kept trying to convince us that it was our idea to buy the product like we were the ones requesting it. Just like you said they became rude as soon as they figured out their scam was going nowhere. No more calls after that.

Michele

 

[Julie R.]

I just had a new and updated version of the puppy scam, only via a phone call. Someone called on a rental listing I have and said he'd take it sight unseen (for this rental the owner wants to meet and have final approval of any tenant) so I tried to pin the guy down as to when he could come see it. He didn't seem particularly interested in the details of the rental but he wanted to send a cashier's check for the deposit, first month rent and some overage that I was to wire to him YEAH RIGHT.... :evil:

 

[Guest]

Kristie, we had those exact people call us too. They sent the product COD through UPS so I just rejected it and UPS had to send it back. It was a fairly small box and they wanted $200 for it. Then we got more phone calls from them and they kept trying to convince us that it was our idea to buy the product like we were the ones requesting it. Just like you said they became rude as soon as they figured out their scam was going nowhere. No more calls after that.

Michele

WOW -- GREAT! It's SUPER to have my suspicion's confirmed!! THANKS!!! I KNEW something was wrong!!!

That's pretty bad when they have to go to a niche like kennels -- but I guess it's smart because it's so specialized that we'd be surprised, like I was, to get a fraud call. Not like someone trying to sell you MLM or long distance or something...

Wait, I have to quote myself...

"Witness the power of RTF" (Kristie, 2007)

-K

 

[WRL]

A better reply would be "Who's calling" when asked if this is so and so.

Then you can say, they're out can I take a message or this is so and so or whatever.

But I just keep in mind, THEY CALLED ME.....therefore, they better know they have called Wind River or Lee Salmon. If not, then they can call back or leave a message.

A few years ago, much to my son's chagrin, his voice sounded like mine. So if someone called me and asked was I the mom or could they talk to my mom, I'd reply I am the mom and then hang up.

WRL

 

[RailRoadRetrievers]

Because they record you saying "yes" and can plug it into other conversations

In New York, you can record conversations without the other party's consent. Meaning, you can record a phone conversation and the people you are talking to don't even know.

 

[Brian Moyse]

I had the same company call me last year. They said they were calling because I had sent in an informational card request. Since we had just finished our kennel building I could not remember if I had requested the info or not. About 2 minutes into the conversation I was getting ticked off at the slickster. He was pushing me really hard to get an order. With guys like this I tell them could you hold for a minute, then I put down the telephone for about 5 minutes. When I come back if they are still on the line I tell them to hold for just another minute. They are not usually on the line when I come back 10 minutes later..... Waste my time, I will waste yours.

I am also on the do not call registry, I think that is why they tell you they are calling because of an information request.

Brian

 

[Guest]

I had the same company call me last year. They said they were calling because I had sent in an informational card request. Since we had just finished our kennel building I could not remember if I had requested the info or not. About 2 minutes into the conversation I was getting ticked off at the slickster. He was pushing me really hard to get an order. With guys like this I tell them could you hold for a minute, then I put down the telephone for about 5 minutes. When I come back if they are still on the line I tell them to hold for just another minute. They are not usually on the line when I come back 10 minutes later..... Waste my time, I will waste yours.

I am also on the do not call registry, I think that is why they tell you they are calling because of an information request.

Brian

I've done that before, too. Or I just put the phone down when they're in mid-stream and come back later and hang up.

 

[Julie R.]

I recently took a class that included a section on the do not call registry as part of required continuing education for my real estate license. I wish I remembered more about it, but I did remember and have used this little gem on unsolicited callers. If you're caught calling someone who's on the registry the first offense fine is $11,000. If they ask for you by name you can answer, "Are you aware this number is on the do not call registry and that you may be liable for an $11,000 fine for this call?" Gets rid of them in a hurry! Reputable businesses are well familiar with the laws; scam artists are not.