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Private Caller

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scam

I work out of my home studio, and once every few days I will get a phone call with a number that does not show up on my caller ID. "Hi, would you like us to lower your interest rates?"

Most of the time I hang up right after the first few robotic words. Today I was felt like taking a bite out of someone, so I pushed "1".

"Hello, would you like to lower your credit card rates?"
"Ah sure. Are you with my credit card company?"
"No we are not affiliated with your credit card company."
"So how are you going to lower my rates?"
"We will negotiate with your creditors to lower your rates."
"But how do you make money?"
" We take a percentage of your savings from the renegotiations. We don't take a penny out of your pocket."
"Ummm, but you are since you are taking a percentage of my savings."
"No we aren't, we are taking nothing out of your pocket."
"Yes you are if you are taking a percentage."
Click.

After I was rudely hung up on, I did a google search for "card services", and came up with over 744,000 websites. The internet was mad. Everyone had a story. As I read the comments and blogs, I felt a kinship with everyone whomever picked up the phone and heard "Hi! Want to lower your bills?"

Back in the day of Frankenstein's Monster, where the villagers would band together and chase the monster out of town with pitchforks and scythes, it had to be a communal effort. They all banded together because as a mob they got the job done. Now with the internet we band together by writing blogs. Each keystroke is a digital pitchfork poking the Monster.
If we poke enough, it will go away or we can at least keep it at bay.

If you want to read what other people are saying here are two sites with pitchforks raised and ready:
Kirk's Card Services Scam

Stopping Heather

Image: Ophelia Chong / Why? (corner of 4th and Western)

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