Community Chat

[spent2much]

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."

[Kachina624]

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

[bonnielu]

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.

[chrystaltree]

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? 

[cotton4me]

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

[chickenbutt]

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.

[stevieb]

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...

[FranandZoe]

Thanks for the heads up.

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

[dooBdoo]

          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.

[Mz iMac]

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@FranandZoe wrote:

Thanks for the heads up.

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

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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."