# My 91 Yr Old Mom Got Crammed



## Ed of all trades (Jul 31, 2015)

Cramming is adding charges to your phone bill for services already paid for.  My mom has unlimited long distance and a company called her and got her all confused and she said yes and then I haven't understood from the beginning of the call so now she has been charged for each long distance call she makes, even though they are already paid for.  The guy from the FCC said it is call cramming and gave us the number for the Attorney General of Va .  We will be pushing this, even if it is only $20 this month.  Ed


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## ScrapMetal (Jul 31, 2015)

The guys that do this kind of thing are pure evil.  My MIL is constantly beset by bogus deal, fast talking (some times threatening), deceptive salesmen, and other general riff raff.  So far my wife has been able to head off any damage but it's a constant fight.

-Ron


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## savarin (Jul 31, 2015)

I probably field around two or three of these a day from all kinds of sales personnel.
The latest are phone service  sales similar to yours but the majority at the moment are for funeral insurance.
Although the following methods do not solve the problem it does make me feel better by wasting as much of their time as possible.
Let them think the hook is set then reel them in instead.
1, Hello? who? hang on I will go and get him. I place the phone down heavily and just leave it there.
One guy stayed on hold for nearly 5 mins before hanging up.
2, Hello? What? Funeral Insurance? No thanks I dont need it. Why? Well I plan on living forever.  its working so far, bye.
and my all time favourite was for a computer virus scammer.
I was at a loose end this day so decided to see how long I could string him along.
I pretended to be a little bit simple minded and kept making mistakes.
He wanted me to open the windows log file whereupon a huge list of error messages showed up of what didnt load at various times.
I pretended to be horror struck at this and what can I do etc etc.
Everything he wanted me to do I made mistakes typing it in very slowly asking him to repeat it etc etc.
The best part was I wasnt even on the computer but lazing on the couch.
Eventually he wanted me to allow him to access to my system to which I pretended to miss type the instructions everytime.
By this time I had had enough as 35 mins had passed so I asked in a simpering voice if I could ask a question.
He said yes. so in a very authoritative voice I said - 
Listen a***ho*e, do you believe I'm that stupid as to give you access to my system? Now effoff and dont bother me again. and I hung up.

I still use a similar method but havnt had the patience to make it last as long as that one.
Surprisingly I didnt get another call for over three weeks.


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## ogberi (Aug 1, 2015)

I can pull off a thoroughly convincing 'old man', and several other personal and imitations.  I've had years of experience at the hands of users who, quite frankly, amaze me with the fact that they can find their way home after work.  'Getting' ahead of those remote access scatters and deliberately opening the wrong things gets them frustrated too.  While it may be morally questionable, I have acted as a mentally handicapped person with those vultures, let them get to the point where they were ready to take a CC number, then dropped the charade and let them know that the call was recorded and would be sent to the local news station.  Never got another call from that particular group of thieves.


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## Ed of all trades (Aug 1, 2015)

Yes these guys are saying that they  cancled their "service" but time will tell.  Hopefully the attorney general will do something about this.


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## uncle harry (Aug 1, 2015)

Recently I received a call from a security telemarketer introducing his services.  My abrupt response was "Great, I feel very insecure lately...I think I'll call my Psychiatrist".   He simply replied "Thank you,...good by".


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## higgite (Aug 1, 2015)

The second time one of those self-proclaimed "Microsoft employees" called to tell me they had detected a Windows virus on my computer (which is a Mac, by the way) and needed access to it to clear it up for me, I told him that I didn't have a computer any more. I reminded him that he had called a few days ago and informed me of the virus, so I had thrown the computer away because I was afraid it might be contagious. He gasped and said "What?" I repeated it and that was the end of conversation and no more call backs.

Most of the time those type calls are a pita, but sometimes they can be entertaining if you're in the right mood.

Tom


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## Ulma Doctor (Aug 1, 2015)

i had a "Windows" employee call my cell phone. the number had waay too many digits to be local- i knew it wasn't someone i know.
I answered the call and a man with little english language training claimed to be from Windows IT sector.
He claimed that my computer is full of viruses and he needed my email and password immediately to keep the virus from spreading.
i asked him where was he located, he said "Silicone Valley",
i laughed to myself- the guy didn't know the difference between Silicon and Silicone, i knew he was a fraud
so i played with the guy for about 5 minutes asking stupid questions like, how the weather was in Silicone Valley (silicon valley is less than 40 miles from me)
he didn't have an intelligent answer to that or other simple questions.
then i asked him my name- he couldn't answer that either.
i then asked, if you don't know my name, how then, do you know if my computer has viruses?
he said there was a major security breach on windows and almost everybody was infected
then i made an untrue statement to him, stating that i have a Mac
he hung up...


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## jpfabricator (Aug 1, 2015)

I get a call every now and then telling me that my house has been selected for a free security system. I let them go through the whole sales pitch then ask" will this work on my apartment?" They then hang up.

Another caller told me of a miraculous new no surgery cure for all joint pains. I kept her on the line for about 3-4 minutes, then interupted her asking " Will I have to insert anything into my anus?" 
T-m " WHAT?"
Me ' This all sounds wonderful, but will I have to insert anything into my anus?"
T-M ............................................................................................................" Have a nice day."    "CLICK"

Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker


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## ogberi (Aug 1, 2015)

Never thought to say that.....i can only imagine how that line would stop other telemarketers in their tracks.  I'm gonna have to borrow that line, Jake.


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## outalive (Aug 1, 2015)

years ago had a TM call asking me to buy magazines, I pretended to be hard of hearing ( I actually am now !), anyhow after a few minutes of " I don't even know a Maggie and I don't care if she is mean or not, I finally understood " magazine" and "buy" and then ask him if they were in brail as I was blind ( I'm not) ..... he did a quick hang up and no more calls for magazines.


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## FOMOGO (Aug 2, 2015)

Of late my favorite line to unwanted calls is " I'd love to talk to you, but I'm not here " then I hang up. My wife finds it entertaining. Mike


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## GarageGuy (Aug 2, 2015)

Used to get dozens of telemarketers trying to sell us this or that electrical service.  I finally started telling them that we were off the grid.  They would say "what?", and I would tell them that we installed solar panels and a wind generator, and we're not connected to anyone's electrical service anymore.  The calls finally stopped.

GG


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## mikey (Aug 2, 2015)

This thread had me rolling! I now know I am a man of limited imagination so I will be printing this and leaving it next to the phone. Can't wait to try Jake's anus thing or UlmaDoc's Mac line with the next Windows IT guy! Hope I don't start cracking up while I'm on the line trying to pull this off ...


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## savarin (Aug 2, 2015)

Heres another I used with an aluminium cladding salesman.
him - Hello, do you know about aluminium cladding?
me - Yes.
Then came the sales pitch.
him - So are you interested?
me - yes, very much so.
him - Can we send a salesman round to measure up for a quote?
me - yes, not a problem. Any time is suitable.
Excellent, so do you think you will buy aluminium cladding?
me - Oh no, not a chance.
him - Why not?
me - I was so interested I had the house clad years ago so theres no need to do it again.


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## Terrywerm (Aug 2, 2015)

I did something similar to what savarin did when an aluminum siding salesman called.  Led him on and let him go with his sales pitch. When it came time to book an appointment, I responded as follows:
ME:  It sounds like you have an excellent product, but I do have a question.
T-M: I will be more than happy to answer your questions! What would you like to know?
ME: Is it difficult to install that siding over stucco??

End of conversation!


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## mikey (Aug 4, 2015)

Had some Indian guy from the "Windows IT" dept. call yesterday. I've been dying to have them call me for a change, just so I could try UlmaDoctor's tactic. I let him run on for awhile about how my specific computer was in danger and he said it absolutely was MY computer - they could tell that! I told him that was interesting because I have a Mac ... click!

I loved this! I haven't had this much fun with these bozos, ever. Thanks UlmaDoctor!


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## Wireaddict (Aug 5, 2015)

That "Windows IT" telemarketeer really gets around.  He's called me several times & even telling him that I I've used Linux for two years & not Windows doesn't deter him from his mission.  I played along with him for a few minutes the last time he called til he asked me to turn my computer on so he could "show me something".  Linux is more secure than Windows but I didn't want to risk it so I hung up.


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## mike837go (Aug 5, 2015)

Haven't you heard of the Do Not Call List?

It's great. You can register online now. You used to have to call to register your number...

When it stared in NY, we signed up. whenever a telemarketer called, we would say "We are on the Do Not Call List. Please remove us from your lists." and hang up. It took a few months, but after that, all phone calls were friends and family!

I had to register my cell phone in (2014?) when they removed the overall telemarketing ban from cell phones.

It's so wonderful to not have to worry about that kind of intrusion. And when they do call, to tell them not to bother you again!


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## Ed of all trades (Aug 5, 2015)

I did that the other day. I did not think of it before because I did not set up it phone for her.  I have been getting more calls lately so I re-put my cell on again.


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