"The Loan Department"

[pecunium]

In the past week I've gotten a couple of calls from, "the loan department" informing me that I was eligible for a 1 percent, no money down, re-finance on my home.

It almost goes without saying I didn't believe them. Not only is the offer ridiculous, on its face, but I don't own a home.

What really irked me is that it was on my cell-phone, and from blocked numbers. When they called the house yesterday (on the land-line) I waited through the pitch (because "Dorothy" was a recording, since it wasn't using my minutes to hear the pitch, and told the person who picked up to never call us again.

Today my cell went off again, so I waited, and when the guy said, "the loan dept," I asked him what company this was the loan department of, and he said that was the company, and asked why I wanted to know.

When I said it was because I wanted to know why they were spamming my cell phone, he hung up.

So my best guess is that it's The Loan Department.com, but I don't know.

What I do know is there must be someone I can complain to, and I am sure one of you can probably tell me. Because I know they are counting on people just ignoring it, and hanging up in annoyance, but I get work related calls from unavailable numbers, so I have to answer them.

And it pisses me off to have someone call me with a recording.

Comments

[ourika.livejournal.com]

I was told earlier in the week that it's been cleared for cell phones to make annoying sales calls, but I have no idea as to the validity of that statement.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I hate the recordings because they leave frigging voice mail, so my phone rings, I ignore it because I don't know the number, then I get a beep for voice mail, then I have to go *remove* it. Why should I have to pick up their trash?

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

If that's true there must be a no-call list, and I want to be on it.

It ought to be opt-in, since it's not free to the users.

Maybe I can make a claim of "taking" in that a thing of value to me (monetary, my time is something no one, save me, puts any real value on), since I have a minute limit per month.

It was amusing, in a way, that he just hung up... I asked the question, and he didn't connect me to someone else, or use some bit of spiel, he just cut me off.

TK

[skeetermonkey.livejournal.com]

First, call your cell provider and report both calls. Tell them the calls were blocked, but illegal and you'd like to open a complaint against them. Also, your provider may have information about this on their website.

Then, this:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/04/dnc.htm

The truth about the "do not call list." From the FTC, so you know they're lying (it's the government!).

Next time, keep them on the line, encourage them to tell you more about their company, pretend you're interested, get the information to bust them. Have them call your landline, ask permission to record the call. "I'd like to record this call for training and archival purposes, do I have your permission to record? If you say no, I'll have to hang up." If they say yes, record the call, or pretend to with an annoying beeping noise once every ten seconds. (This is far better if you make the noise yourself. Beeep!)
Make death threats to fictional characters: "I'm going to kill Oliver Twist!" Transcribe the recorded conversation and put it here on your live journal.

Seriously, though, report it to the provider and the FTC.

[shekkara.livejournal.com]

Nope. Just one of those urban myths.

I always check snopes.com for rumors: http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp

[ourika.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info :-) I always check snopes for email forwards and such. I never thought to check for random "he said she said" gossip.

[shekkara.livejournal.com]

That gossip probably came from someone reading an email anyway. :-)

For people who use their cell phones as primary numbers I wouldn't be surprised if they end up on marketing call lists.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

My guess, from the pattern, is they are using automated dialing, and just grinding through the exchanges.

It just happens sprint owns some numbers in Pasadena.

TK

There's always this

[dragonet2.livejournal.com]

http://www.xs4all.nl/~egbg/counterscript.html

If it's on a phone where your minutes aren't counted. FTC and your cell provider need to be contacted if it isn't. There was a new rant on an old thread in ML about this... ANd there was a story on NPR about it, there is a guy who's suing the companies who are calling him and winning (he's a computer programmer/consultant). Small claims court.

[shekkara.livejournal.com]

It takes some nerve for a marketer to demand why you want to know who is calling them. (Screams "scam" to me. You'd think that legitimate business would want you to know who they are.)

The calls I hate are the ones where there's that long moment of silence between the auto dialer calling me and a human phone operator noticing that a call has been picked up. I like to hang up just as I hear the person come on the line.

[doryllis.livejournal.com]

The annoying one is the "Please hold while we connect you to an operator" I mean really. I suspect that the timing on the autodialers is set up to *guesstimate* when someone will be available and dial for that time, it may not even be the underpaid schmuck on the other end of the line who is responsible for the delay it could just be programmed in to not waste their "agents time."

[doryllis.livejournal.com]

I put my Cell on the Do Not Call list about 2 and a half years ago when it "Wasn't for cell phones" but it was my ONLY phone line so I had to put my number down for any form that I was filling and I was getting calls. Within 31 days of putting my number on the list, I stopped getting 99% of the calls on that phone. I will still get an occassional call but they are usually directly associated with companies that don't want to piss me off so it hasn't been a problem.

[urox.livejournal.com]

http://wirelesslanai.blogspot.com/2006/10/dorothy-matter.html

My spouse was hit on zir cell as well.

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

Grrrr. Totally obnoxious!

I've been getting lots of calls to my cell phone (my only phone) in the last 4-6 weeks where the display says "unknown." I simply don't answer those calls. I figure if the call is legit and they really need to talk to me, they'll leave a message. They never do...surprise, surprise. It annoys the crap out of me, though. Bloody spammers.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

The problem is, for work related reasons, I can't really do that. It takes more hassle, or costs me more in minutes, to retrieve my mail, and I can't wait more than three hours to collect my messages; in case I have to report for duty.

TK

[tenderberry.livejournal.com]

I loathe automated calls - and I am probably one of - the few people left in the world who does not have a cell phone - but for friends who do have cells am taking note of the suggestions here -

[martyn44.livejournal.com]

I place these people on a par with spammers and, as I have commented elsewhere (charlie's place amongst others) beelzebub definitely has a devil put aside for them. I mean, what makes them think they have the right to violate my privacy so they can try and sell me something they have no idea whether I want or can afford?

That said, my work has me making calls that come up anonymous (its the system, I don't pretend to understand since I have my own direct number) In which case I call through the company operator (oh much more personal...) Which can be awkward when the operators leave at 5 and I work until 8.

[feonixrift.livejournal.com]

Off topic: What Aikido dojos would you recommend in this area?

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I'm a member of Aikido Ai, and I commend it.

I joined them because they are affiliate with Frank Doran, who has been the sensei at the top of my food chain.

It's a good dojo, in an absolute sense, because the support is strong, and there are lots of basic classes, and no real segregation.

Officially one has to earn the first promotion to do weapons, but right now that's not being enforced.

It's a moderately martial style, but aikido isn't an agressive art.

Classes are Mon, Weds, (7-9 p.m) Sat., and Sun. (10-12 a.m.)

The dojo also teaches Tai-chi (chu'an) Qi-gong and Zen.

Pasadena has a dojo, but it only has two classes in a week.

There are other dojos, listed, but they never answered the phone when I was trying to find out about them.

I'll ask, tomorrow, if anyone knows of any your way.

TK

[feonixrift.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I asked around, and Musubi Dojo in Claremont is highly recommended.

Intro Classes
Musubi Dojo has started beginners to Aikido in many different ways over the years from the tradition “just jump in and do it” approach to the current offering of a mandatory class for beginners.

Our intro class is for adults (13+) and lasts for two months. An 8 week curriculum has been established for this course which is taught by three of Musubi Dojo’s blackbelts. The classtimes are M/W/F 5:45-6:45pm and each lesson is repeated throughout one week. So, in a week’s time three instructors teach the lesson for that week so that there is offered a repetition with a variety of persepective.

Each class begins by a little misogi practice, a bow in and then some stretching to soften the body and prepare it for activity. Each week the classes will focus on an Aikido concept (like musubi, misogi, Mushin, Zanshin, Aiki and so forth) and a classical technique which students will practice together. So we offer an appropriate workout with an introduction to the art’s underlying principles. Ukemi skills are introduced in this introductory course. We view our introductory students as aiki ambassadors and our number one concern is with safety at all times.

Note: See our home page for the list of Intro dates for the year. If these times do not work out, with permission from the instructor, students may begin their aikido training in the morning or noon classes where the student population is smaller.

TK

I know I'm a little late on this, but...

[texaslawchick.livejournal.com]

Sue them in small claims court. The guy in this story sounded pretty cool. He said it's time consuming and the idiot telemarketers tried to argue that he was a money grubber. They declined to be interviewed for the story.