October 16, 2007
Assholes Want to Clean Your Carpet
Update: Oh damn! The video's not working. It's a compilation of all the various calls we've gotten. We'll try re-uploading it when we get home from work.
If you're like everyone else on the planet, you've been getting endless recorded calls about carpet cleaning. "Hi, this is Allison, blah blah blah, press 8 to schedule a carpet cleaning," the recording goes, or it's "Dave" with the same spiel. Sometimes it's "account services" calling about credit cards, occasionally they claim to be Earthlink or Comcast. We get them about once a week, always on our Do-Not-Call-Listed cellphone, or on our answering machine at home.
So, who's really calling? It's unclear. Weeks ago, the messages would have a callback number, but no longer. (The callback number was 800-376-1983 which now redirects to a $5/minute pay line at 10-15-15-800, run by a phone-scam company called TelSeven). Our best guess is that they're trying to steal credit card info.
Twice, we've tried pressing 8, and both times got an operator. "I'd love to make an appointment," we said, "what did you say the name of your company was?" The first time it was "Dave's Carpet Cleaning" in South San Francisco; the second it was "Beth's Carpet Cleaning." They may also by "Best Carpet Cleaning,", or "Allison's Carpet" in Palo Alto, or "24/7 Carpet Cleaning" in Suprise, Arizona, or "Fast Carpets" or "Stripe Carpet Cleaning." Obviously, the whole operation is fake.
The first time, we asked "how did you get my number?" And they hung up. The second time, we asked, "is there a number where I can call you back?" (Caller ID says 000-000-0000.) The operator started, "888-229-97" -- and then someone in the background yelled "don't!" and they hung up.
A little Googling turns up this litany of complaints. Like all scammers, they have lots of names and phone numbers, but their main number seems to be 888-229-9795. Calling that got us a surly operator who answered simply "hello?" He tried to get us to make an appointment, but he wouldn't reveal the company's actual location.
What does this add up to? Ugh, who knows. What they're doing is against the law, but it's been going on for so many months that they're obviously not getting into any trouble. Are they identity thieves? Or just jerks? Will reporting them on the FTC's website -- which itself looks like an amateurish fake -- do any good? We'll give the FTC a shot and let you know what happens; and we encourage you to send us your experiences, too.
After the jump: transcripts of the calls, in case you care.
I'm calling today on behalf of earthlink. Our telemarketing number is 1-866-276-7787. Please hold for the next available agent.Hello?
Hello?
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Hi, this is Allison, calling to let you know that we're now offering a carpet cleaning special in your neighborhood. That's right -- we'll steam clean your neighborhood and hallway for only 42 dollars. We're a local carpet cleaning specialist with an excellent reputation for quality and service. We also clean upholstery, area rugs, and tile floors. Please call us at 1-800-376-1983. That's 1-800-376-1983. Thank you.
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It's cardholder services calling in reference to your current credit card accounts. As a preferred customer, you're now elligible for interest rates as low as 6.9 percent on all of your credit card accounts. It is urgent that you contact us today, since your elligibility expires shortly. Please consider this your final notice. Please press 9 on your phone now to speak to a live operator and lower your interest rates. Or press 8 to discontinue further notices.
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Hi, this is Dave calling, to see if you need your carpet professionally steam cleaned at a great price. Right now I'll steam-clean 2 rooms of carpeting for just 49 dollars. Our cleaning process is fast-drying and 100% safe for kids and animals. We also clean upholstery, area rugs, drapery, and tile floors. And because you've been so kind to listen to my message, I'll clean the hallway at no extra charge. I just want a chance to add you to a growing list of satisfied customers who appreciate good service at a great price. Please press one to make an appointment.
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This will be fun. I just called and got the whole "Do you want to make an appointment?" by some dodgey little creep. I went into my What neighborhoods do you service and then 20 million questions. Feel free to call. Operators are standing by!
The FTC would be appropriate if this was a complaint about an unfair business practice of a legitimate business - however, these guys are engaging in a crime - wire fraud, at minimum.
You should report them to the police AND to the FBI. IMMEDIATELY, before they move shop and set up elsewhere.
These fuckers woke me from a sound sleep last weekend. I'm also on the do-not-call list, isn't there some legal penalty for violating that?
I haven't gotten these guys but the toner phoners used to call my old work all the time. Also 'Hi! This is Dorothy!' with some mortgage scam.
Grr.
i thought it was stanley steamer calling. why aren't they being prosecuted for violating the do not call list?
was that just a big waste of time
call the 888 number from pay phones
The video is not working. Can you find another one to post?
1. It's illegal to call a mobile phone for business solicitations. You don't even have to add your # to the "DNC" list- it's automatic.
2.There are computer programs that allow fake caller ID numbers to display e.g. all zeros
3. They are probably trying to get addresses to farm for robberies. Call SFPD fraud unit 415-553-1521 to report this.
4. The NSA is probably listening to all of our calls. Maybe they'll send a Ninja team to perform an extraordinary rendition on the guilty telemarketers/crooks. Off to Egypt they'll go for torture.
these are the exact type of people that should be tortured in a secret prison every day. anyone that spams us, solicits us, robs us, you name it. let's round em up!
Who needs carpet cleaning? Go rent one of those Rug Doctors at the Safeway. It'll be cheaper.
I've been crank-calling 888-229-9795 for the past 15 minutes now and it's great fun. It feels like I'm replenishing my karmic debit card. The young woman answering the phone is getting so pissed.
And here I though Tuesday was going to suck.
http://whocalled.us/lookup/8003761983
http://whocalled.us/lookup/8882299795
SO funny. As I was reading this, I got a call on my office phone. "Hello? Hello!" Then an automated voice: "This is Dave (something) calling about your mortgage!"
I don't have a mortgage. My dad owns the house.
At least they're calling me at work, not disturbing me at home.
Another reason why we have an unlisted number that I rarely give out.
I love that whocalled.us site. I have been reporting the bogus calls that I receive on my cell... I FEEL better but I doubt that it is actually zinging the callers as much as I'd like. What other recourse do we have? It pisses me off something fierce!
After dozens of cold-calls from a company offering ‘carpet cleaning’ over the past year, I became frustrated, and invited the company to come out. My goal to find out who the company really is. They had been using false telephone numbers, refused requests to take me off their list, and several reports to the do not call list had been ineffective. They've called me on my cellphone as well as home phone number, and several friends have also reported similar calls. Reading this blog, we are clearly not alone.
Well, after a week of eager anticipation, they turned up to clean my carpets. Dodgy looking guy with a strong accent driving a white unlabeled van. I act confused at first and ask, 'which company is he from. Does he have a business card? He pulls out a receipt with a similar 888 number to the one reported above. - The name across the top of the receipt is now "Daniel Carpet Cleaning" - No address.
I explain to him that I am annoyed at the cold-calling and he has clearly seen this before. He turns away to walk back into the car.
As he is doing this, I start noting down license plate number, and he turns to confront me. He asks me what I am doing. He gets angry, says this is his personal vehicle, says I should take it up with the company. He then threatens me that he knows where I live.
I calm him down and ask if he's worried about his immigration status. I say I have nothing against him personally, but I want to know who he works for. He says he's not worried about his immigration status. He pulls out an Israeli passport and shows me his visa. I note the name on it.
He says he is just doing the rounds. His boss is in Los Angeles and calls him with addresses. He has my address written on a yellow legal pad with a handful of others.
I say, 'look, if you don't want me to report you, give me the number of your boss'. He refuses, threatens me again, that I can report him, but if I do, 'remember that I am not an american, I am some crazy Israeli. I know where you live'. He gets in the van and leaves.
I file a report with the police, and they know have a case open. - Clearly these guys aren't in it for the carpet cleaning. There's more going on. Scoping out the house for a robbery? Credit Card Fraud? I'm not sure what.
This morning, BOTH of my Verizon Wireless phones, different numbers, not a family sharing plan, received a telemarketing phone call from 'Diane', at I think Best Carpet Care. I was half asleep. I not so patiently waited, then pressed the '1' for an appointment. The same voice on the recording is the voice that answered. I started to let her have it, and they hung up before I got very far.
I am wondering if anyone else has become a 'Nielson' family for cell phone usage. I wonder because I receive very few telemarketing calls on my cell, and those are always Hawaiian Vacation crap.
I am going to research this now and then make the appropriate calls. I did call back, and the number showed 'disconnected'. I think that the phone company should have some responsibility for allowing harassment through our phone lines by making these number come up in such a way where WE can be reached out and touched, but we can not reach out and BREAK THEIR F*&^%$ING NECKS.
This is stealing, in my opinion. I pay for a certain set amount of cell phone minutes, and when some unwanted company calls me, they are stealing my minutes. All added up I bet we, as consumers, are owed a bunch of money.