Surreal Phone Conversation

[lenora_rose]

(NB: Colin told me later that there are scams like this, where pressing 9 on a business phone system, would probably have let the company in to access the entire phone system and use it for their illegal purposes, but was probably harmless on a home phone.)

9:20 AM: I'm sound asleep. Phone rings. I stretch out, and the receiver is just in reach without discombobulating the cat.

Me: 'ello?
Automated Phone System: You have won an all expenses paid Caribbean Cruise. To claim your prize, press 9.

Now, We've had a phone call not long ago from some travel realted company at the Wedding Show I went to in February (yes, even though our wedding was months ago now), saying we'd won something in their draw, so, being half awake, I wondered if this wasn't them calling back. I was however, expecting some kind of an attempt to sell me a nonexistant time-share. I pushed 9 anyhow.

I was put on hold, of course, with bad steel-drum music; after about a minute, the system announced I was guaranteed not to be on hold more than a minute, and transferred me to a new system. I got a phone ringing noise, then a connection.

Voice1: Hi!

And back on hold, but now without music.

Another minute passes. I'm half asleep, and on the brink of dreaming.

Voice2: Hello, my name is John, what is your name?

Me (not thinking): Lenora - (About when I realise I don't put out my name to things like this until i know the deal.)

But I'm back on hold before I'm done answering.

Wait. Drift. Cat is warm....

Voice2: Hello, my name is John, what is your name?

Me: Can you explain what this is about first?

Voice2: Entirely incomprehensible mumble.

Me: Pardon?

But I'm back on hold before the word is out of my mouth. I reason that if it's like most automated phone solicitation systems of my experience, they'll call back if I hang up, and I want to sleep. So I figure I'll wait this nonsense out. But I'm not feeling at all friendly, and I'm more dubious with every bit mroe awake I am that this would result in any sort of prize whatsoever.

Voice3: Good morning, this is Rachel speaking.

Me: Hello. Can you explain what this is about?

Voice3: Congratulations. Your phone number has been randomly selected for an all expenses paid Caribbean Cruise. (And there's the confirmation. It's a sales call, and there's no Caribbean Cruise - probably not even a fake time-share.) First of all, could I have your name, please?

Me: Not until you explain what this is.

Voice3: Tammy, okay. And your last name?

Me: No, I said not until you explain this.

Voice3: Can you repeat that?

Me: (Silent)

Voice3: Mmm hmm, I think i've got the spelling. And do you ahve kids?

Me: No.

Voice3: One.

Me: No, I don't have any.

Voice3: Yes, and you're married?

Me: (Silent again. Remember, I'm half awake.)

Voice3: So you have one kid, and you're married, so you definitely qualify.

Me (Enunciating very clearly.): Who are you talking to? Because it certainly isn't me.

Voice3: Now, we need to know a few more things before you can claim your prize.

Me: *click*

Part of me thought at the time that she could hear me ion spite of all evidence to the contrary, but was going through a script because A) her manager was standing right behind her and she didn't want to answer me directly, or B) that was how they kept people on the line long enough for whatever they were doing, but also kept them from getting far enough to find out there was in fact no prize.

But by that time I was pretty sure I wouldn't get a call-back, and if I hung up I'd be able to sleep. And I was right. MM. Sleep.

Comments

[frisky-turtle.livejournal.com]

I got the same call a few weeks back. I usually hang up right away as soon as I hear the tell-tale "pause, click" of an automated voice system kicking in, but somehow missed it on this one, so the message got as far as "Congratulations! You've won an all expenses paid trip to the Carribean." before I hung up.

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Do you know, most of the time I hang up on automated systems right away too. That's the half asleep part.

The one exception was at work, when the same payday loan company used the same automated system to call for the same person who hadn't been employed with us for almost two years -- three times a day or more for over a week. I did finally go with the call and let it link me up, just because it was a real company name (Though I would argue that Payday Loans are nothing but quasi-legal loan sharks, they're not into that sort of illegal scam), so I could tell them the person was long gone and they would leave us alone.

[zandoria.livejournal.com]

This is a scam. Not only is it a scam, but apparently if you hit '9' like they ask, they people at the other end can use your phone line for long distance calling, even after you've hung *or* it may reverse long distance charges so you get charged for the call. Either way, I'd suggest that you check your next phone bill carefully, and if there are any charges, report them to MTS right away.

We've been warned at work that if we ever get calls like this, either at work or at home, to hang up immediately.

I got one this morning in fact, and hung up right away.

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Colin seemed pretty sure it only works on multi-line phone systems (I wonder if he thought the criteria is places where hitting 9 usually means a line out?), but yes, I'll be watching our phone bill closely. Or at least, I'll be reminding Colin to.

[jeffheikkinen.livejournal.com]

I'm almost willing to bet there was no person on the other end at all at the point where it called you "Tammy" and all that crap. There are voicemail systems and such that you can actually talk to rather than pushing buttons (AT&T has one, for example); some of them have gotten quite good, though this doesn't sound like it was one of them.

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

I'm not conveying it right, but she sounded surprisingly like a real person. There was some side chat and laughing on her side that I can't remember enough to record in the very tail end of the segment.

[eleanore-c.livejournal.com]

This is a scam. The Freep had a headline story the other day about someone who was more than half asleep when they called and gave them not only her name but a credit card number. She later the same day, after she woke up and thought about this being fishy, found over $500 charged on her card already. I hadn't heard about the long distance thing, though. I'll warn my mom.

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

NOBODY asking me for my credit card number over the phone will ever get it. Not even when I'm half asleep.

One other thing it did say right before it transferred me was that this call was on their bill. Probably more fo the BS line, but if false, it adds more actionable offenses to the scam already in place.

[eleanore-c.livejournal.com]

Further to Jeff's comment, Ticketmaster has an automated voice system - they call it Clair: I personally hate it and have never sucessfully ordered anything using it. We usually part ways after she asks for the location of the event and I say Winnipeg and she can't understand me!

[jeffheikkinen.livejournal.com]

AT&T Texas has a very good one. Every other one I've ever tried to use was about as cotton-eared as the one that called Lenora, so I'm not surprised at all by what you say about Ticketmaster's.

I suspect the date problem (from your post below) is a problem with your LiveJournal settings. It probably thinks you're in a different time zone. I'm seeing the correct times on all the posts, including the ones on this page.

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Livejournal does now ask what time zone you're in. Oddly, though, Winnipeg is under America, as it differentiates US states, but Canada and Mexico are lumped together.

Ticketmaster havign a godawful voice system doesn't surprise me. They also have a reputation as one of the worst offenders for online ordering - I've been told their time limit is so short for reserved seats that a slow typist can lose their selected seats four or five times before they type fast enough to get what they want.

Time

[eleanore-c.livejournal.com]

Sorry to post 3 comments in a row but I was about to email Jeff and ask him how he happened to have a post from tommorrow, when I noticed mine was dated Sept 1 also. Its actually 8:35 PM August 31 when I'm writing this.

Re: Time

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Oh, and your time stamp reads Aug 31, 8:36PM on my side.

Re: Time

[(Anonymous)]

Hello, I am from Canada, and have received the press 9 scam call. I hesitantly pressed 9, and the lady asked me for my claim code. I told her I didnt have one, and she hung up on me. Has this happened to anyone, and what were the ramifications? I am on Parental leave now, and am very scarce money wise...I hope I dont get charged for this, I have a hard enough time paying the bills as is.

Anyways, thank you for reading this, and responding. Have a great day.
Justin

Re: Time

[lenora-rose.livejournal.com]

Colin checked the scam on snopes, and according to them, he was right in the first place when he said it it only works with business style multi-line systems. (He's still keeping an eye on our bill, though. The August charges haven't all gone through.)

I'd still call your phone provider and let them know to watch for it. That should prevent any charges going through just when you don't need them.