topic Re: SCAM Alert!!! in Community Chat

SCAM Alert!!!

spent2much — Fri, 12 May 2017 20:55:43 GMT

Ever heard of the website gethuman.com? They used to give you the numbers that reach a company rep quickly... instead of going through all the menus and hold times. I used it last night. Their service has changed *slightly*. I had already waited and waited on hold for a Bank of America rep. Finally I went to gethuman.com and looked up the fastest way to get a rep at B of A. Gethuman said THEY would call B of A and let ME know when they got a rep. I had to enter my phone number. The website said I would have to wait approx. 18 min. So, I waited. About 18 min. later, "B of A" called me, but my caller ID said the call was from "FreeSwitch" and indicated their phone # was 0 (zero). I didn't trust the call was from B of A so I hung up... or tried to. They wouldn't let me hang up. I waited quite a while and every time I picked up the phone, they were still on the line. FINALLY I got a dial tone. I called B of A myself and had to wait quite a while (going through menus, etc.). When I got a B of A rep, FreeSwitch kept trying to call me. When I got off the phone with B of A, FreeSwitch continued to call me. I left it go to the answering machine. This morning, they called again (I was asleep; hubby took the call). He said he, also, couldnl't hang up. He finally reached our cable company and got the call blocked.

I'm not exactly sure what their scam is, but I will not use their service again. If I had answered security questions from FreeSwitch's (B of A) call, I have NO idea what they would have done with this information, but it was some kind of scam, I'm sure.

This may be confusing to read, as it was confusing to experience this, never mind trying to explain it. A word to the wise: Don't use gethuman.com for ANY type of "service."

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

Kachina624 — Fri, 12 May 2017 20:58:59 GMT

What if you'd had an emergency and needed to call 911 while they were tying up your phone?

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

bonnielu — Fri, 12 May 2017 21:07:36 GMT

At this point I have no trust left. I block phone number on both my cell phone and my Comcast house phone. I guess you would say 5 or 6 times a day. I used to engage the caller and have some fun... but not anymore.

For me to find a human directly I google the name of the company plus the phrase phone contact. I usually get right in. Get human used to be very reliable... I will never try it again.. thanks.

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

chrystaltree — Fri, 12 May 2017 21:10:01 GMT

I wouldn't have used a service like that in the first place...lol I don't even understand it. Who is so busy that they can't sit on hold for 10 or 12 minutes to take care of some business?

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

cotton4me — Fri, 12 May 2017 21:15:48 GMT

Thanks for the head's up. That sounds scary - that they kept the phone tied up. Telephone scams have really gotten out of hand.

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

chickenbutt — Fri, 12 May 2017 21:16:37 GMT

Years ago I remember finding gethuman and it was a good thing. I think I have it saved in several computers. But I haven't been there for a long time.

I need to try and read the OP again. It was all bunched up in one paragraph so my eyes started to cross before I could finish.

The gist I got is that they now engage themselves in the call? That doesn't seem right at all. Back then all that happened was that you went down the list (on the website) of company names to see what numbers to punch, to best get you through.

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

stevieb — Fri, 12 May 2017 21:17:28 GMT

I wouldn't use it but a service like that is tempting... In some way, we're paying for these entities that have us on hold, sometimes indefintely, at the same time they're telling us how important our call is to them... Fine, if my call is so important to you then answer the freakin' phone...

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

FranandZoe — Fri, 12 May 2017 21:29:15 GMT

Thanks for the heads up.

Just FYI - to get a human in any particular company just google it - for any specific company.

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

dooBdoo — Fri, 12 May 2017 23:04:43 GMT

I've only used and recommended "gethuman" to get more info about all the different ways to contact a business. Never tried their option for a call-back -- I only do that when I directly call a company, and they offer to phone me instead of keeping me on hold.

"Gethuman" has been around a long time and always had a very good reputation, and I've used them as a resource for years with no problems. So, rather than condemn them at once I have to wonder if this was an anomaly, a one-time aberration, rather than a "scam"? It sounds more like an unsavory FreeSWITCH software bug.

@spent2much, You might want to contact them and report your unpleasant experience so they can investigate it. I'm sorry that happened to you... I wasn't aware a caller could grab a phone connection and not allow us to disconnect.

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

Mz iMac — Fri, 12 May 2017 23:20:31 GMT

@FranandZoe wrote:
Thanks for the heads up.

Just FYI - to get a human in any particular company just google it - for any specific company.

Other options to avoid using the promps:

1 - Hang on the line like you have a rotary phone. A "human" will pick up.

2-Keep punching 0 (zero).

3-Keep repeating the word "Agent" or "Representative."

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

Spurt — Sat, 13 May 2017 01:59:25 GMT

@chrystaltree wrote:
I wouldn't have used a service like that in the first place...lol I don't even understand it. Who is so busy that they can't sit on hold for 10 or 12 minutes to take care of some business?

@chrystaltree

Sometimes its more than 10 or 12 minutes.....I wouldnt use any service, I use my landline, put it on speaker phone , and do things around the house until I hear the party on the other line.... I never use my smart phone when I have to contact businesses....even when they answer it seems that they always put you on hold to check on something.......

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

chrystaltree — Sat, 13 May 2017 04:37:27 GMT

@Spurt wrote:
@chrystaltree wrote:
I wouldn't have used a service like that in the first place...lol I don't even understand it. Who is so busy that they can't sit on hold for 10 or 12 minutes to take care of some business?
@chrystaltree

Sometimes its more than 10 or 12 minutes.....I wouldnt use any service, I use my landline, put it on speaker phone , and do things around the house until I hear the party on the other line.... I never use my smart phone when I have to contact businesses....even when they answer it seems that they always put you on hold to check on something.......

You're right, it can indeed take a lot longer. I never use my landline, that's just for my printer/fax. We don't even have a phone for it. When I'm on hold, I put my cell on speaker and wait it out while I do other things. I think I'm so busy and everything is rush rush rush with me that I the downtime gives me a nice little break.

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

spent2much — Sat, 13 May 2017 16:50:36 GMT

@dooBdooI went to their website the day after this occurred and tried to report it. I couldn't find any direct contact info. but I entered my complaint on one area of their website... "complaints" about OTHER companies. Hopefully, they saw it.

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

spent2much — Sat, 13 May 2017 16:51:53 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:

@FranandZoe wrote:
Thanks for the heads up.

Just FYI - to get a human in any particular company just google it - for any specific company.
Other options to avoid using the promps:
1 - Hang on the line like you have a rotary phone. A "human" will pick up.
2-Keep punching 0 (zero).
3-Keep repeating the word "Agent" or "Representative."

@Mz iMacYes, I have tried these methods, also. They don't *always* work. Thanks, though.

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

nomless — Sat, 13 May 2017 17:16:03 GMT

@spent2much wrote:
@dooBdooI went to their website the day after this occurred and tried to report it. I couldn't find any direct contact info. but I entered my complaint on one area of their website... "complaints" about OTHER companies. Hopefully, they saw it.

Never heard of this site.

It amuses me that on GetHuman there is no way contact a human!

Re: SCAM Alert!!!

stevieb — Sat, 13 May 2017 17:17:29 GMT

@spent2much wrote:
@Mz iMac wrote:

@FranandZoe wrote:
Thanks for the heads up.

Just FYI - to get a human in any particular company just google it - for any specific company.
Other options to avoid using the promps:
1 - Hang on the line like you have a rotary phone. A "human" will pick up.
2-Keep punching 0 (zero).
3-Keep repeating the word "Agent" or "Representative."

@Mz iMacYes, I have tried these methods, also. They don't *always* work. Thanks, though.

Call Centers have gotten very good at dodging customer calls when they want to. Some of these suggestions work but with certain companies, they don't. I've even had several that simply disconnect the call if you don't adhere to their menu. With others, the road to a live body is so circuitous as to be ridiculous. I'm sure they're hoping the caller will simply hang up. It's annoying and, as far as I'm concerned, it's inappropriate for a customer not to be able to reach a live body with minimal effort... and no, I don't find the downtime useful. I'm calling for a reason and want to wrap it up and move on... I do appreciate the call back option when it's offered but would prefer to simply have someone answer the darn phone... As for being understanding, only to a point... Try being late to pay a bill and see how understanding they are...