Friday, September 02, 2005

Sept 2, 6:46pm: Consumer Reward Network: "Fiona Andrews" and "Jennifer White"

I had received a call from this outfit or some similar outfit before. I managed to get the telemarketer upset by tying her up for 25 minutes and ultimately declining to take them up on their offer. I never said anything impolite or angry or abusive, so I'm glad.

"Fiona Andrews", who spoke quickly with a thick accent, said that my household was selected to receive a FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR SHOPPING SPREE. I took advantage of her thick accent to ask her to repeat herself and to ask her to speak more slowly. As it turns out, to get the FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR SHOPPING SPREE, they need a check for $4.95. Due to my questioning, she transferred me to "Jennifer White", who also spoke quickly with a thicker accent.

Well, they didn't physically need the check, just a verbal authorization, and the routing numbers on the check. And they refused to take cash or money order, not that I would have ultimately taken them up on it if they had accepted cash. They also wouldn't make it a four hundred ninety-five dollar shopping spree, or even a four hundred ninety dollar shopping spree, in place of the $4.95 check.

So, I played along with "Jennifer White" up to the point of giving the routing numbers. When she offered to hold while I got my checks, I took it. I honestly did go and get my checks, and took less than a minute, though it was tempting to delay more. When it came time to give the routing numbers, I declined, and she went off on some long spiel about why it's safe to give those numbers to them, and even that it's safer than giving credit card numbers. I think she repeated it several times, but I couldn't understand half of what she said. Jackpot.

I then said I wasn't interested in the FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR SHOPPING SPREE. She assumed it was because I was concerned about the routing numbers and went off on the spiel about how it's safe again.

I think the FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR SHOPPING SPREE was for receiving a questionaire or survey about "Health Network Unlimited", without an obligation to return it.

Information about "Consumer Reward Network" provided during the course of the call: PO Box 801 Canoga Park California 91383, 1-800-357-7518.

"Jennifer White" was a little upset that I took up so much time without giving them their $4.95. She said I should have said I wasn't interested much sooner so that she could call other people. I called her a telemarketer. She said some more stuff about routing numbers being safe. When she was done, I thanked her for her time in pleasant tones.


Evidently "Consumer Reward Network" is a scam, so if they call me again, I'll have no qualms about being rude. Especially if they say the check routing numbers are safer than credit card numbers, which I'll now recognize as a sign of a scam, as it is significantly easier to stop fraudulent credit card charges.

http://www.badbusinessbureau.com/reports/ripoff153707.htm

http://www.wroctv.com/features/story.asp?id=563&f=8_On_Your_Side

http://www.sentinelnews.com/articles/2005/08/08/news/news03.txt

http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/articles/2005/08/16/turret/around_the_force/force04.prt

http://www.enewsbuilder.net/betterbusinessky/e_article000438576.cfm?x=b11,0,w

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