# I pit robocall credit card scam artists **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 24, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273 "2013-02-24T18:28:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/1 "2013-02-24T18:28:04Z")
There is a poll on the IMHO board asking who has received calls from Rachael at Card Holder Services, or similar calls. > **[Are you still getting any calls from Rachel at "Cardholder Services"](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=671633)** > > FTC Hangs Up On “Rachel From Cardholder Services” We’ll see how effective this bust is. Post here if you get any more calls of this type. It seems the FTC tried a crack down last November. Well, it hasn’t stopped the criminals. These folks are overdue for a pitting. > **[Calling Out the Robocaller (Published 2013)](https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/your-money/telemarketers-tactics-and-regulators-response-elicit-complaints.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0)** > > Account Management Assistance offers to reduce credit card interest rates, but satisfied customers are scarce. NY Times column - “The Haggler” - Seems like a consumer advocate / ombudsman type of thing. I’ll forgive the columnist, David Segal, for referring to himself in the third person. > [@](#): > > LAST month, the Haggler was sitting at home when the phone rang. > > “This is your second and final notice,” intoned the stern voice of a robocaller. This vaguely threatening opener segued quickly into a lilting spiel about credit cards and consolidation. Something about an offer to lower rates? It was hard to tell, but when the Haggler heard he could press 1 for more information, naturally, he pressed 1. > > After a pause, a man introduced himself as Robert, and offered the services of Account Management Assistance. It was hard to tell exactly what A.M.A. was selling, but the Haggler was assured it would cost him nothing and reduce his credit card interest payments. > > “Sure, I’m interested,” quoth the Haggler, hoping to draw out some information. But Robert was soon spooked by this softball question: “Where are you guys located?” > > Click. He tried chasing down the criminals. As best he could tell they were: Brenda and Tony Helfenstine of Florida. After describing his investigative steps, Segal gives the Florida agencies that didn’t seem to care enough to shut these folks down: > [@](#): > > So, dear readers, the Haggler cordially invites you to contact Adam Putnam, commissioner of Florida’s consumer services department, on Twitter at @adamputnam, and Pam Bondi, Florida’s attorney general, at @AGPamBondi. Tell them you care. And stay tuned. I haven’t heard from “Rachael” in a while, maybe she has gone the way of the dodo bird. Perhaps if I bother to stay on the line and press 1 and then ask where they are, I’ll get that click and be (finally!!) taken off their list. (Of course, there may be many of these scammers and they may be sharing calling lists and even robocall recordings so Rachael may not be permanently dead and I might always be bothered.) The FTC might have done some good. I used to get five or six calls a week, mainly at dinner time, now it’s one or two. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/2 "2013-02-24T18:40:13Z")
Missed the edit window. Here’s a link to that 800Notes site. > **[Who calls from 855-462-3833? (3)](https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-855-462-3833/3)** And a quote: > [@](#): > > JoAnn > 21 Feb 2013 > I received a call this morning not from the above numbersss, but same compaany. The call came from 417/800-2363. Just like most of the complaints, I spoke with one person who asked some questions, and when she was comfortable that I was interested (which I was not but wanted to see how far this would go) she connected with someone who claimed to be a supervisor. When I started asking her questions about her company she became quite annoyed. I let her know that I do Credit Counseling and fully understand what they were trying to offer. At some pointt I realized I was talking to myself as she hung up on me. I’m sure this is a scam if ever there was one. > _Caller: Account Management Assistance_ ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/3 "2013-02-24T22:06:40Z")
Yep, they sure suck. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/4 "2013-02-24T22:55:45Z")
Might as well pit Beelzebub himself. Man, there’s some things I’d like to do to ol’ Rachel. Strip her naked… Tie her down to a bed… Pull all the shades… Turn the lights down low… no, wait, turn 'em up to runway brightness. And put on a recording of me assuring her that this is just a courtesy call and there’s no problem with her current situation, to repeat until the last nuclear plant runs out of fuel. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/5 "2013-02-24T23:12:26Z")
Given the inaction on the part of the state agencies, perhaps [Anonymous](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_%28group%29) can do something about these people? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/6 "2013-02-25T02:24:38Z")
I pit the US Congress for not hiring an army of lawyers and diplomats to deal with these crooks. Ditto for the spammers, email scammers and bona fide identity nabbers. We need the stimulus anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/7 "2013-02-25T06:49:51Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > I pit the US Congress for not hiring an army of lawyers and diplomats to deal with these crooks. Ditto for the spammers, email scammers and bona fide identity nabbers. We need the stimulus anyway. Meh. We have a phone number. Use a reverse directory lookup and you can get a street address. Given that, you can go there and subject them to any sort of “punishment” you like. Waterboard 'em! Burn 'em at the stake! Rape Rachel! Your choice. Have a party! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/8 "2013-02-25T17:46:46Z")
[Moderating] I’ve edited the OP to remove the address and phone numbers of the scammers in question. **BigAppleBucky** , please don’t post people’s real life contact information on the boards. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/9 "2013-02-26T21:37:38Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [Moderating] > I’ve edited the OP to remove the address and phone numbers of the scammers in question. **BigAppleBucky** , please don’t post people’s real life contact information on the boards. > [/Moderating] OK, but I was thinking their criminal behavior combined with the fact that the link had the names/numbers would have made preserving their privacy here a non-issue. Just got another call this afternoon from the 410 area code, but caller ID had it as “credit card services”. Didn’t pick up and they, of course, left no message. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/10 "2013-02-26T21:42:22Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > [Moderating] > I’ve edited the OP to remove the address and phone numbers of the scammers in question. **BigAppleBucky** , please don’t post people’s real life contact information on the boards. > [/Moderating] Wait, wasn’t this information published in the [_Sunday New York Times_](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/your-money/telemarketers-tactics-and-regulators-response-elicit-complaints.html)? ---
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/11 "2013-02-26T21:44:42Z")
Lately, I haven’t gotten as many calls from Rachel as those goatfuckers from Home Protection Services. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/12 "2013-02-28T17:24:14Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Meh. We have a phone number. Use a reverse directory lookup and you can get a street address. Given that, you can go there and subject them to any sort of “punishment” you like. Waterboard 'em! Burn 'em at the stake! Rape Rachel! Your choice. Have a party! You have a phone number? And you’re sure it’s not spoofed? Every time I’ve gotten a call from Rachael, Heather, or one of the other stableful, the number from Caller ID is spoofed. I’ve tried calling them back once or twice and it’s always a disconnected number. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/13 "2013-02-28T18:25:14Z")
> [@Baracus](#): > > Lately, I haven’t gotten as many calls from Rachel as those goatfuckers from Home Protection Services. Jeez. You protect _one_ home… ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/14 "2013-02-28T21:17:01Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Jeez. You protect _one_ home… like. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/15 "2013-03-04T21:54:35Z")
Horny goats were ruining my garden. But with one call to Home Protection Services, my problems are solved! ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/16 "2015-05-21T15:25:33Z")
Sorry to bring back a zombie thread, but here is a link to a site that claims to be gathering petitions to phone companies to stop this nonsense. > **[Tech & Privacy - CR Advocacy](https://advocacy.consumerreports.org/issue/tech-privacy/)** > > Tech, and The Right to Privacy and Protection of Your Data Consumers Union. My current phone provider, Optimum, allows me to block 32 spoofed phone numbers. After that I’m on my own. Reading their competitor’s (Verizon) website I see they allow 5 free blocked numbers. Not sure how much it costs to block the 6th through 999th number and whether it’s actually possible to block that many. Aside from the credit card scam I’ve been getting a scam call from “The National Center for Aging” offering all sorts of goodies if I sign up. Optimum was unhelpful about expanding the 32 limitation on blocked numbers. Their only suggestion was for me to run away and change my phone number. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/17 "2015-05-21T17:39:19Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Meh. We have a phone number. Use a reverse directory lookup and you can get a street address. Given that, you can go there and subject them to any sort of “punishment” you like. Waterboard 'em! Burn 'em at the stake! Rape Rachel! Your choice. Have a party! I’ll get right on it after I get back from that Carribean cruise I just won. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/18 "2015-05-21T17:56:53Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Optimum was unhelpful about expanding the 32 limitation on blocked numbers. Their only suggestion was for me to run away and change my phone number. Many of those numbers were probably used only once. If there was any way you could access a tally of each, and delete the least used ones, that would make space. Or you could just wipe them all out and start fresh. BTW, Rachel is now Carmen, of Cardholder Services. Just for shits & giggles, I have been trying to see how long I can keep them on the line by pretending to be a potential victim, but the following lines all have resulted in an instant hangup: “Where is your office?” “Can I speak to Rachel? She’s an old friend.” “How does the ‘reduce my interest rate’ thing work?” “Would you like my Visa card number?” (I guess that sounds too easy.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/19 "2015-05-21T23:03:44Z")
You should try “What are you wearing?” next time. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273/20 "2015-05-21T23:51:37Z")
I usually pretend to be a somewhat senile old coot – that provides the best combination of excuses to waste time and incentive for the scammer to keep trying. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-robocall-credit-card-scam-artists/651273.md?page=2)