Auto warranty 'robo-calls' spam senators, who demand action

[JonLP24]

Source: Baltimore Sun

By Marcy Gordon | The Associated Press
7:56 AM EDT, May 12, 2009

WASHINGTON - Federal regulators have been investigating and are close to filing lawsuits against companies believed to be behind a national wave of spam "robocalls" that warn people that their auto warranties are about to expire and they need to sign up for new service plans.

The Federal Trade Commission has inquiries underway into several companies involved in the deceptive calls, and "law enforcement action in this area can be expected imminently," FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said Monday in a letter to Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

The FTC also is providing an electronic link on its homepage for consumers to file complaints, Liebowitz said.

Schumer, who spoke Monday with Leibowitz, had asked for an investigation by the agency into what he calls a scam of "robo-dialer harassment." The computerized calls can eat up a consumer's cell phone minutes, possibly jacking up phone charges, he says.


Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-auto-warranty-calls-0512,0,4967148.story

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I've been recieving these exact calls weekly since last September and I don't even own a car. It wasn't until my dog destroyed my phone and I got a new one with a new number before the calls stopped coming in.

[msongs]

1. meanwhile we are involved in 2 wars w/a third on the way and congress does next to nothing nt

[Bigmack]

5. What you said... plus...

Who ever responds to a Robocall? That has got to be the biggest waste of phone time on earth.

[Soylent Brice]

6. agreed.

[karynnj]

13. Congress can not end the two wars - the President can

They have been doing their jobs on oversight.

As to the potential third war, you might want to view the Iran hearing the SFRC held last week. What is facinating is that Nikolas Burns, who had been the one I thought best in the Bush state department was optimistic that Obama can do what Bush couldn't in terms of the diplomacy needed to get Russia to work with us in avoiding a war. It was also significant that both spoke of regime change NOT being a goal. http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090506a.html

In addition to the meeting that the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan had with the President and the state department, Senator Kerry organized a lunch/meeting with them with all the leading Senators on SFRC, Intelligence, and Armed Services Committees. From the press conference, it was well received - http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/05/07/HP/A/18346/Senate+Foreign+Relations+Cmte+Press+Conference+on+Afghanistan+Pakistan+Trilateral+Discussions.aspx In addition, he had a hearing on Pakistan this morning that is not yet up on the website.

Senators need to address many things - that is why they have so many staffers. I would bet that Schumer did little other than approve these actions and statements.

[dotymed]

2. Scam Robo Calls

I thought I was the only one getting them. I get about 2 a
week, on my cell phone. Are these companies paid by the
wireless industry? I hope they catch them soon and really
investigate.

[Soylent Brice]

7. welcome to DU.

[napi21]

3. I'm GLAD the Sens finally are getting these calls!

I have a standard process of checking the # before I answer the phone, and if I don't recognize it or it says "unknown" I don't answer! But it's still a PIA!

[salguine]

8. Yeah...now if only each one of them would

get laid off, be a victim of gun violence, have bad asthma, and contract a life-threatening, financially ruinous illness we might get some action on job outsourcing, sensible gun control, climate change and pollution control, and single-payer health care, too.

[rateyes]

4. I was getting them on my cell, at work, and at home. I FINALLY found

the way to make them stop. I went through all the steps to talk to a live person, pretended I was very interested, got the whole spiel, made them think I was going to sign up, and then told them that with the monthly premium they were asking I could go a long way toward buying another vehicle with a warranty, and that I wouldn't be interested after all. By talking, I was able to find out the name of the company, the price they wanted, etc. to find out exactly where the headquarters were located, in case they called again. (I kept receiving calls even though I asked several times for them to quit calling.)

The salesperson became very agitated when he learned he had gone through the whole 15 minute phone call and wasn't going to get a dime.

I never heard from them again.

I'm glad they are going after these assholes. They take your premium, but always find loopholes in order to not pay claims.

[pipi_k]

9. I got rid of them too, so far

For the longest time I just wouldn't answer the phone when they called because I have caller ID and anyone whose number I don't know can just leave a message if they want to talk to me badly enough.

They kept calling.


One day I stayed on the phone and pushed the button to talk to a live person.

"Hello, My Name Is Carl" came on the phone

That's when I let him have it with my battery-powered farting anti-telemarketer machine. Pthhhhhhhhhh..........fooooo...........blaaaaaap.....riiiiiiip.....

Poor Carl.

I could hardly keep from shitting myself laughing.



although I wish I could have thought of a way to keep him occupied for a full 15 minutes.

[MurrayDelph]

10. "They take your premium, but always find loopholes in order to not pay claims."

How is that any different than "legitimate" insurance companies?

Seriously, I am guessing that the only reason the government is getting involved is that THEY got tired of the robo-calls.

I get those messages on my home phone, my personal cell, and my company-provided cell. And I doubt very seriously they would have an extended warranty for my seven-year/150K mile Prius.

[rateyes]

11. Oh, yes they would write a policy on your Prius. They were going

to write one on my 140,000 mile Ford Focus.

[One_Life_To_Give]

14. They stopped 24hrs after I filed formal complaint with FTC/FCC

Maybe it was just luck or coincidence. But after getting three calls in three days from the same number, same warranty crap. Filed an official complain affidavit with FTC/FCC. One more call less than 24hrs after complaint filed and the glorious silence.

[karynnj]

12. I get them all the time

I really don't see how people fall for them. They have no info - as your case clearly shows - on the car that you have. I have gotten fliers in the mail on them as well.