Hi, Three days ago I started getting hourly calls from Providian trying to sell me something. On Tuesday there must have been 15 attempted calls automatically dialed to my telephone number. At about 6:30 just as I was going out I made the mistake an answered the telephone; what a mistake. I find these tele-marketers to be on par with used-car salesmen! I told the guy I was going out and could not talk to him. On Wednesday, the very next day, there were 12 calls. The same thing happened about two months ago. One day I got I think it was 30 calls. When a Providian sales-rep finally got a hold of me, I demanded to speak to a supervisor; who probably was just another sales-rep. I let this "supervisor" have it. This is abusive on Prividian's part. How desperate are they to get additional business. I demanded to be removed from their calling list. In the last six months I have been charging between $ 500 and $ 1100 on my credit card, and I pay it off each month. They make two per cent on this (I think it is two per cent) from the merchants so I know they are making money--more than what they are allowed to charge me in interest in Massachusetts (where I live). Who in their right mind would want to deal with this company if that had a choice? Its time to move up to a more respectable credit card company--if such a company out there exists. I am still annoyed about getting all of these calls from these clowns! Thanks, I just had to sound off! bkonner
Bkonner,I know what you are saying about people calling and trying to sell you something your not interested in,but what your getting is telemarketing calls,not calls from sales-reps.Jeese didn't you see the movie,Tommy Boy?Now those were sales-reps LOL's.
You can opt out here. If you do it online there is a $5.00 charge. If you do it by smail mail, it's free. http://navigation.helper.realnames....dma.org&frameid=1&providerid=262&uid=30114789 In the meantime, if you get any calls, answer right away and interrupt the caller politley, and say, "Thank you for calling, but I would appreciate it if you would take my name off your calling list." They will. If you are rude, they will often schedule a callback just for spite. breeze
Re: oops wrong link When you tell a telemarketer to put you on their "do not call" list and they continue to call, aren't they in violation of some FTC law? Also, there is a guy locally that formed an organization some time back targeting telemarketers. If I remember correctly he ended up getting the name of the company and the name of the telemarketer, the time and date of the call and he would invoice the company for his time spent listening to these harassing calls. Some times he would actually get a check, other times he would not. He figured his time is important to him and if someone was going to infringe on his time, that they should be charged for doing so. Maybe the next time Providian calls, they should be advised that Providian will be invoiced for the call, if they continue to speak, make sure you get all the information mentioned above and attempt to invoice them. Maybe they will get the message and maybe you might get a check.
Re: oops wrong link Yes, they are. All you have to do, if you would rather do this than fill out the "opt out" form and mail it in, is ask the name of the company the telemarketer works for (it will not be the name of your card company, these are separate companies), let him/her go through their spiel, get the name of the company whose product they are selling (it will be somewhere in the sales pitch) and the name of the credit card company who sold them your name, write down all of this along with the date and time of the call. At the end of the pitch, decline the offer, and request that your name be removed from the calling list. They are not suppose to rebut after you say that, they have to agree to do it. Then, if that company calls you again, about the same product, for the same card company, document it again. It is an automatic "win" in small claims court, if you want to go to all that trouble. It's really easier to fill out the little form, mail it off, and wait.... The automatic penalty is factored into the cost of doing business, believe me, and it will not get your name off any other lists. But, if you just want to bash telemarketers, go ahead, LOL. I won't say anything else. Many times you are talking to a high school or college student who doesn't give a hoot about the FTC and the TCPA, they just need money, and this is a flexible, short term job. If you are rude, they will do something back. If you are nice, they will do what you ask them to. If it is a "professional" telemarketer, all the screaming, obscenities and threats in the world won't bother them, and the lawsuits don't affect them. They just go right on with even giving it a thought. breeze
I work rotating shifts including 2 graveyard shifts every week. I always politely explain this fact and that I usually am sleeping during the day so to please remove me from their list. I have been informed several times that they will remove me but it takes 6-8 weeks. In the mean time then barrage me with calls. One time I had requested to be removed and was told I would be. I received 3 more calls that day from this same company. Each time I explained I was a day sleeper and to please remove me. Each time I was assured I would be. Finally, the last call (at about 8:00 that night) I got ticked off and said this was the 4th call I had received today and each time I asked to be taken off the list. She apologized profusely and said the only thing it said on the computer was a note saying I was a day sleeper and to call in the evening!!!! She assured me she would remove me immediately and apparently did.
My bank has an 800 number for automated calls that charges me for each call I make to it: Why not set up the same system at home -then when a telemarketer calls you they get billed for the call?
