'Rachel from Cardholder Services'

[Aletheia*]

Has anyone else had any problems with a business called 'Cardholder Services'. My family and I have gotten frequent calls from this company, even though we are on the national Do-Not-Call list. The calls are quite annoying. You answer, and it's an automated recording saying something like "This is Rachel from Cardholder Services. Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with your current credit card, but you have to act fast to lower your interest rates".

Well, of course, no one in my family has a credit card. We all payed them off, and cut them up and threw them out. Credit cards are too much of a hassle. They say you can press 1 to talk to a representative or press 3 for no more calls. When you press 3, nothing happens and the phone calls continue. If you press 1, and try to explain that you don't have a credit card, they rep will very rudely hang up on you. You can't call the number back since they change the phone number quite frequently, and there is no way to figure out exactly where they are located.

Has anyone else or anyone else's parents been having any problem with these phone calls? I have to say, this is getting ridiculous, and I don't know what to do about having them not call me anymore considering I get hung up on. I've tried contacting the Better Business Bureau in Florida, which is the most recent number I was called from, but this is annoying.

Thoughts? Opinions?

[dr2005]

We get a lot of calls like this in the UK as well unfortunately - it's done via an automated system and it literally goes through the phone book dialling whatever numbers come up. This has meant in the past it has dialled our fax machine at work which caused a bit of amusement. This one sounds very similar to an article which came up on the FTC's website, so it may be worth reporting this to them in case it's the same people. Link is here. If nothing else, it may lead to them reopening the file and tracking the telemarketers responsible down.

[Aletheia*]

But, the thing is, our phone number isn't listed in the phone book so how did they come across our number? It just doesn't make any sense. I've found numerous articles on this place but nothing I could do to report anything! It's quite annoying that I continue to receive these calls, even after calling to make sure we are, in fact, on the do not call list.

[Anthropomorphic]

Originally Posted by ShannonPants

But, the thing is, our phone number isn't listed in the phone book so how did they come across our number? It just doesn't make any sense. I've found numerous articles on this place but nothing I could do to report anything! It's quite annoying that I continue to receive these calls, even after calling to make sure we are, in fact, on the do not call list.

Unlisted numbers can still be called by automated dialers. I used to work as a telemarketer (but no longer, thank god) and we couldn't control who we called.

However, if you ever receive one of these calls after 9 p.m. or before 8 a.m., they are breaking the law (in addition to any no-call-list violations) and if somewhere were to be able to trace this company, they'd be fined heavily, if not shutdown altogether.

I get these calls about once every six weeks and I just ignore them. They're annoying but it's not like they're really hurting me or anything either.

[Aletheia*]

I also worked as a telemarketer for like 9 months, but we did all the dialing ourselves, so I don't really know or understand how an automatic dialer works. I've never received any calls before 8AM or after 9PM, but like I mentioned before, we are on the do-no-call list, so they are definitely breaking the law there.

I've tried numerous times to find out where the company is located, but I think they change their number a lot because I can never trace the number back to one specific place which is really frustrating.

[how.we.operate.]

It is annoying, I know. Unfortunately, there may not be a lot to do. There are a few things that you can try-such as dialing 1 then speaking in a foreign language, telling the rep you are on the Do No Call List, or even just hanging up each time.
Might as well have fun with it

[L'espoir]

Originally Posted by ShannonPants

I also worked as a telemarketer for like 9 months, but we did all the dialing ourselves, so I don't really know or understand how an automatic dialer works. I've never received any calls before 8AM or after 9PM, but like I mentioned before, we are on the do-no-call list, so they are definitely breaking the law there.

I've tried numerous times to find out where the company is located, but I think they change their number a lot because I can never trace the number back to one specific place which is really frustrating.

With the automated dialing it is just a computer system with lots of phone numbers and so it just rings a number for the telemarketer basically so they arent dialling the number or anything like that, it is just coming up automatically. Have you tried to report them at all?

[Aletheia*]

Yes, I have. In above posts, I explained why I couldn't, but I'll go ahead and explain again to both above posters.

@how.we.operate: I can't explain to them that I'm on the do-no-call list or to tell them not to call me again. When I get a hold of the rep after pressing one, I get someone on the line and when I try to kindly explain to them the situation, I get very rudely hung up on. When I try to call them back, it says the number isn't in service anymore, so there is no point in even answering the phone anymore or trying to get in touch with a rep since you just get hung up on.

@Serendipity: As mentioned above, I can't report them. I've tried on numerous occasions to figure out where exactly Cardholder Services is located, but all that comes up on Google and any other search engine is the scam that they are apart of. It doesn't give me their location, and they change their phone number too often to try to find out exactly where they are located. I can't report them to any of the Better Business Bureau's since they'd need their location and phone number to put in a report and since I don't know either, trying to file a report against them is virtually impossible.

I understand the concept of an automated dialer. It doesn't need to be explained. But, what they're doing is against the law, and I was just wondering if anyone had any troubles with them in the past.

[L'espoir]

Originally Posted by ShannonPants

I understand the concept of an automated dialer. It doesn't need to be explained. But, what they're doing is against the law, and I was just wondering if anyone had any troubles with them in the past.

Okay, calm down, I only explained because you said "I dont really know or understand how an automated dialer works". From what you said the only solution I can see is changing your phone number.

[how.we.operate.]

I've read more into the situation. It is just a scam that if you keep picking up and pressing the number to take you off the list, it is apparently "like clicking the link on spam mail". There have been reports that talking to a rep and simply saying "Take me off your list" as soon as you press the number to talk to the rep (do not say anything else), the person will say "ok" and hang up, and the people have not gotten a call back since.
Here is another suggestion that someone has said "I read another article and the person got taken "off the list" finally when she blew a coaches whistle into the phone when the operator picked up."
I've seen a lot of people say just do things like blow an air horn into the phone, blast music, or just say you don't have a credit card when the rep is on the line.
That or just hang up once you get the call.

Well the only reason I had suggested what I did was because they get paid to call and BS their way around things. Why not have fun with it or just be flat out--they don't care about individual stories if they are calling for a cardholder service that is meant to spam people.

[Aletheia*]

The thing is I have tried to tell them that we don't have any credit cards, and that we are on the do not call list, but before the words are even out of my mouth, I get hung up on. I think I will try the suggestions though, about blasting music or something. Seems like a good idea.

I know they have a thing that says if you press 3, you don't get anymore calls, but when you hit 3, nothing happens and we still receive the calls. I hit 3 a bunch of times, yet, the calls keep coming. In my experience with these 'people', they are very rude, and hang up on me when I try to explain to them that I wish to not be called anymore.

I'm just tired of these phone calls, but I'm going to try to do what you said.