Thursday, November 6, 2008

Phone Call Scams


I have fallen prey to one of these companies during my first couple years of running my business. They call and ask you how your credit card machine is working and if you have any questions just call the number on that machine and they sound very nice and courteous. Soon after they tell you that they have credit card receipt rolls and ribbons ready to be shipped out next week making you think that somebody had ordered those and once you say ok they send it and charge you about 3 or 4 times what you would normally pay through a legit supplier.

Fortunately for me this company got caught by the attorney general and I got my money back and I got to keep the supplies. Unfortunately that didn't deter these crooks from doing it again and I'm sure there are more than a few companies out there that are preying on small businesses that are not very well managed.

If this little post could help just one person or business out there, then it is well worth my time to share this information with you. I had just received another call from one of these companies about 5 minutes ago as well as yesterday. Yesterday I simply told them not to call me which was being way too nice of me because I knew they would call back. Sure enough I get another call today. Here's what I did and what you should do as well.

Caller: Hi this is Retail Supply Services can I speak with the manager?
Me: This is him

Caller: Oh hello sir how's your credit card terminal is everything working ok?
Me: Yeah everything is working fine, who did you say you were?

Caller: Like I said my name is "Ray" (he never mentioned it)
Me: Who are you with?

Caller: Retail Supply Services and we just wanted to tell you we have your next shipment ready to ship out to you.
Me: Oh yeah?(sarcastically) What's your phone number there?

Caller: Excuse me?
Me: What's your phone number there?
CLICK!!

He hangs up and probably won't call back for a while.

Now some of you are asking what if you already got shipment from these guys and they won't take it back? Call your state attorney general, they'll be more than happy to assist you. Hope this was helpful.

Telemarketing fraud: Putting phone scams on hold : hearing before the Committee on Small Business, House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congress, ... session, Washington, DC, September 28, 1994

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I encountered this scam a couple of times...what i usually do is i act dumb and speak in my own language (Filipino, Bisaya to be exact) and the caller would just hang up,lol.