Mr. Mercury could you send me that article







thanks

 

AX: I have two questions for you, if you don't mind. I have never been able to speak to a business owner to find out why. You can PM me if you don't want to say in public. I am really curious.

1. What is the scam exactly? Everyone says the same thing you are, but no one has ever told me what the scam is.

2. When you refuse a relay call, what exactly do you tell the operator? Believe me, he/she types every word you say. If you cough or sneeze...we know. If a child laughs in the background...we know. If a dog barks...we know. If whoever is on the phone is whispering to someone else...we know. You get the idea.

The reason I am asking the second one is that I have "heard" some business owners say some nasty words either directed toward me or the operator. I can't picture you (AX) ever acting that way, but a business needs to be careful what they say when you refuse to speak to someone. I bet in a lot of cases they are/would have been legitimte customers.

I know some businesses have lost a lot of customers over that type of thing. Not just me. In those few cases where someone acts that way, its vindictive of me (I know), but I do not want my friends and family dealing with businesses who allow that type of thing. I have been warned by other hearing impaired and deaf people as well. Word travels fast in smaller towns. Probably in bigger ones as too.

Usually smaller businesses just don't know what it is yet. Once they figure it out, it usually goes ok.

I don't understand why businesses will not take a relay call in the first place. Refusing to speak to someone without even knowing why someone is calling makes no sense at all to me. Its not that complicated. (I know....I live in AR...but still )

I don't have jewelry, so I don't have a clue what they may want to know when they call you (again, I do not know the scam).

Typically, I am trying to get information about a product or find out if they carry something I need. Sometimes I just need to know when they close. I think its horrible to refuse a call without even finding out why someone is calling. Yet, a few businesses have that as standard practice.

Most real businesses (wal-mart, O'reilly auto parts, banks, home depot, etc., etc.) do fine on the relay for those type of things. As I stated earlier, anything technical is out the door through. It just doesn't work.

Should I mention that I might be looking for a part for my 56 f-100 when I call? (keep me from getting in trouble with george).

This is a warning to anyone who ever used a relay service. Customer or business!

There is no way I would ever give out CC info that way. Not only is the operator listening, but sometimes their bosses and other trainees are. They can even record the conversation for "training purposes". They legally have to ask first, but if they are stealing CC info, would they actually ask? Don't do it!

I guess I am explaining our side of things. It is a handicap, just like being blind or in a wheel chair. How many businesses would deiliberately descriminate against someone with those handicaps?

I hope no one thinks I am attacking AX for any reason. I am asking him why a few (very, very few) businesses are they way they are. He just happens to be a business owner that admitted to it publicly who I can speak to.

 

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Brian,
Let me say first that I'm sorry that innocents like yourself are shunned or insulted because of a few bad apples. It has nothing to do with you or your physical challenges or the (I'm sure really helpful to you) technology.
I have received at least three of the scam calls myself, that's why I no longer take the calls, but even then I am polite about it. I am only blunt to sales pitch calls that won't take no for an answer, but even then I never use any language I wouldn't use in front of my grandmother. The scammers calls go thusly: First, the caller will never identify themselves or where they are calling from, second they always want to know if you carry some expensive fencable jewelry, usually large gold chains, then claim they want to purchase some, not by specific one, it's more like any will do as long as it's big ticket, and they want to buy it right then. Even if it was not a relay call the red flags would go up, and my next statement is sorry we don't do phone sales, but if the customer would like to come in I'd be glad to help them. In all three calls that got this far there was a long pregnant pause before the operator sheepishly says the caller has apparently hung up. Same thing the last time when I asked at the beginning where the call was coming from, instant hang up. I would handle a voice call of this type exactly the same way. The last call was one I refused saying: "I'm sorry operator but these calls are a scam so I am hanging up now, goodbye."
Our trade publications have issued warnings about these calls being scams, saying they are been used to hide the caller's (out of area) number from caller ID and some have been traced back to prisoners scamming out of their cells using stolen CC #s bought off the internet.
The only thing I could suggest to you when calling a business is to first identify yourself and where you are calling from and the purpose of the call before getting into specifics. I think that is good phone courtesy for everyone to use when calling a stranger.

 

Thank you for telling me what the scam is. I keep hearing people refer to it, but no one says what it is.

As far as your suggestion...I do...if given the chance. I worked in an office for a long time dealing with multi-million dollar customers as well as the largest steel suppliers in the world. I know how to present myself on a telephone. I am from AR, but not a hillbilly.

I have to be able to speak to someone before I can identify myself in the first place. The problem is when a business refuses to speak to us and calls us a thief. There is no way around that.

My phone number/name shows up on caller ID around here even though I am using a relay. The operator tells me that before they make the call. A business should know the number and who is calling before they answer the phone.

I find it really hard to believe that the trade tells its members to refuse all relay calls.

Ax...no need to say sorry to me. I am not one of your potential customers that you are making angry. A flat refusal to speak to a customer and calling them a thief is really bad business (IMHO).






Anyway, we are way off-topic. My apologies to everyone. If you own a business and want customers, answer you phone and E-mails. There is no reason to have either if you do not use them.

 

Brian, I will definitely check to see if it is a legitimate call next time, I had never received one that was or heard from anyone who used it for a legitimate need before. The trades don't tell us not to take the calls, just informs us that scammers had been using this ploy lately to take jewelers, along with the other security alerts they regularly publish. All the relay calls I received have indicated the operator was with Sprint, who is not our local phone service provider which also sent up a red flag to me, is Sprint the only company providing this service?
Sorry, but we have to be paranoid in this business, but I thank you for enlightening me, and I certainly will be more sensitive in the future.