Tech
Your Factory Warranty is About to Expire
No, my car warranty is NOT about to expire. It expired 200,000km ago.
I've had my cell phone for about 4 years, and not once have I received an unsolicited phone call from a telemarketer (other than my bank and my cell phone service provider)... until recently, that is.
It started a few weeks ago. In the middle of the day, I got a call from an area code I didn't recognize. Thinking it might be important personal call (my secret twin who was separated at birth?) or business contact (I do work internationally), I answered. After a short pause, a recorded message played, warning me that my car warranty was close to expiry and that if I didn't act... blah blah blah. I hung up before listening any further, recognizing that it was a bullshit spam or bullshit scam call.
But it didn't end there.
This has gone on, once every few days, for weeks. My phone rings, and I'm greeted by a recorded message:
"Your factory warranty is about to expire. You are still eligible to reactivate warranty coverage. This is the final call before we close the file. Press 1 to speak to a representative about your vehicle. Press 2 to be taken off the follow-up list."
I don't want to press either.
And now the calls are coming from what looks like a spoofed 416 (local) number. It also seems like no one is immune... likely because the calls are coming from an automated dialer of some sort, that is calling random numbers.
Posing the question to the blogTO Twitter feed, I was surprised to find that many people are experiencing the same problem. Twitter user jchristidis pointed me to this very informative report in the Toronto Star (from a couple of weeks ago, in the Wheels section, which I never read).
It turns out there this kind of pressure tactic has been going on for years in the US. But how the hell can a Missouri-based company get away with spam calling Canadians, and not be stopped? In Saskatchewan and BC, the provincial governments have issued cease-and-desist orders. Is Ontario following suit? I certainly hope so.
I want these spammers to stop calling me, and I most certainly don't want other telemarketers to start employing the same privacy-invading, rhino-style techniques. Circumventing our national Do Not Call List by calling from abroad, spoofing phone numbers, and interrupting our day to try to sell us shit shouldn't be allowed.
Photo by Photosapience.
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I can't imagine how low the expectations of Telemarketers must be these days... it would be a helluva lot more effective if the message simply shouted out a website address and hung up.
Has anyone actually bought something over the phone as a result of a cold call? Because I'd like to hear from you... so you can hear me laugh.
It's essentially a scam. I saw a report on CBC a while ago about this, which I can't find online now. Basically they just want your credit card number.
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/01/13/consumer-warranty.html
The TV report I saw was much better, but this will do.
"The Manitoba Motor Dealers Association has called some direct-sale warranty offers a "scam" because sellers imply they are calling consumers on behalf of the carmaker or local dealership.
While the firms can legally sell extended service contracts, the consumers groups and dealers associations are objecting to the high-pressure sales tactics they use, and any implication that the companies are calling on behalf of a dealership."
Grrr.
http://www.gemmacom.com/
Toronto Location
700 Lawrence Avenue West
Suite #375
Toronto, Ontario
M6A 3B4
416-256-1800
Yeah right.
Gotta love their motto:
"Gemma's goal is to create an environment of sustained, controllable growth all the while focusing on our people, clients and ethical reputation."
I spoke to someone else and asked for their name, and their supervisors name and then told them I would report them to the police... At this point the woman I was speaking to told me not to give her so much attitude and I told her I was tired of being harassed. She said she'd put me on the do not call list - and they haven't called me since. *fingers crossed it doesn't start again*
I was going to do a noteTOself about it this week, but wasn't sure if it was a Toronto thing and if a lot of people were getting those calls
After failing to provide deatils: why do you keep calling, how did you get an unlsited number, etc when asked ina completely professional manner, the rude woman ont eh phone hung up on me in teh middle of a sentence sayign that I didn't "deserve" to win the free cruise since I was so difficult.
At least since then, the calls have stopped.
1) By pressing 1 and/or 2 you are confirming that your numbers is a valid number that rings to a real person. This now allows the company calling you to turn around and sell your number to another company willing to pay for confirmed numbers.
2) Do not call legislation does not reach across borders. The Canadian government has not recourse against this company as long as none of the officers set foot in Canada.
A bit annoying for friends who have their outgoing number blocked to not ring through to you, but you can check their message and respond.
I have yet to register nor will I, and haven't got a single unsolicited phone call.
Working in any sort of telemarketing position is the absolute worst. It's also one of the few jobs open to people with little education, or few job prospects. They often come with health and dental coverage. So quit yelling and cursing at the goddam people on the other end of the line. It's not their fault, as much as you may like it to be.
Here is their contact info e-mail from their form page:
travis.summers@ndwwarranty.com
Also, when you work for a telemarketing agency, you come to expect these hard refusals and if you have thin skin you won't last long. His reacdtion probably provided a funny story for that woman's coworkers during lunch hour.
Personally, I just pick up the phone and say "NO!" before they can say anything, then I hang up. That also qualifies as a hard refusal.