Harrassing phone calls over auto warranty

[virginia]

I got an extended warranty on my Honda when I bought it in 2000 (first mistake). I've started getting several calls a day from someone wanting me to do something and extend the warranty further. They started out in California, and are now calling from numerous states like Nevada, Mississippi, Colorado. I finally answered today and it was a prerecorded message, when I got to the customer service guy, the first thing he said (no hello) was "make and model of vehicle". The first thing I said was "I want to be taken off of this calling list", and I heard somebody in the background say "You're not being taken off sh*t" - and then they hung up on me. WTH? I immediately went and had my cell put on the do not call list, but I'm afraid that's not going to work. They've been calling me 5 times a day for about 2 weeks now. What gives? Do I have to change my number? I never gave them this number - heck I do not even know who these people are.....

 

[mickeyd]

It sounds as if your name has been sold to a phone list outfit who has resold it to numerous outbound call centers. This must really suck. Just another reason to stay away from any extended warranty program.

How about writing an "irate customer" letter to the original dealer that sold you the car/warranty. It will probably not get you any response, but you may reap a huge benefit from venting in the letter.

 

[virginia]

I typed in some of the numbers on google. Some of the posters in a forum said that they didn't even have an extended warranty on their vehicle and had just signed up with a major cable provider - I recently signed up with that cable provider too. I'm going to call and have a talk with them, as I think that may be where all this is coming from.
I'm pretty sure it's illegal to continue to get calls from these guys after telling them to take you off, but without them even identifying themselves and calling from multiple numbers, that will be hard to do.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

air horn

 

[bbbamI]

air horn

 

[mickeyd]

Air Horn = Can-o-noise

 

[hankster]

Our car developed an internal coolant leak that led to failure of some major components when the car was only about 2,000 miles from being past the extended warranty. The warranty company ate a $2,600 bill to replace the engine. Prior to that incident, the fuel pump failed to the tune of about $600 to the warranty company. We never get calls from them. I think they had enough of that car. Hee hee!

 

[RunningBum]

air horn

I've thought about using an air horn on such calls, but I worry that they have my number, and I don't have theirs. Even with caller ID, some of these scammers, such as "credit card services", have spoofed phone numbers. So I'm not so sure I'm not going to get air horned back, or worse. Mostly I'm working on not getting upset about it since there's not much I can do. It's tough to do because it really annoys me, and I'd lose it if I heard what the OP did.

The car warranty crap, I had two cars just go out of warranty in the last year or two, and I got an amazing amount of mail notices about it. I think someone found how to get into CarFax to see car mileage, and map that to owner records somehow to get addresses and phone numbers.

I'll never get another extended warranty. Shops don't like them, because they don't pay full price, for example they'll pay for cut rate parts only. So then they have to explain to the customer why repairs aren't fully covered. I'm not even sure all shops will accept it. I just remember it being a real pain to get work done under it, and I'll never do it again. Last time I bought a car they put on the pitch, and I told them how much I hated it and wouldn't consider it, and if they didn't want the whole deal to fall through they wouldn't mention it again.

 

[eridanus]

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to continue to get calls from these guys after telling them to take you off, but without them even identifying themselves and calling from multiple numbers, that will be hard to do.

Federal Trade Commission - The Do Not Call Registry

You can submit a complaint with just the numbers and your research.

 

[FinallyRetired]

I had/have exactly the same problem. Bought an extended warranty, and within a few months began getting nightly automated calls telling me my warranty on another car was expiring and I needed to extend it.

Most of the time I let it go to my voice mail and their computer would hang up when I didn't answer it. But the ringing phone got annoying, and I began to pick it up and wait until I could push #1 to speak with someone. I told them to stop calling or I would report them, and they would. But within a month another company would start the same thing.

I thought I had stopped this until a few months ago when DW and I went to our winter place, and would check our home phone remotely. Every night we would have to erase car warranty calls from our phone recorder. As soon as we got back I answered and once more told threatened to report them, and once again it has stopped. I really don't know what else to do.

BTW, I'm on the "do not call" registry, a lot of good that does.

 

[hankster]

Unfortunately, people you have recently done business with can get around the "do not call" restrictions.

 

[dex]

Would this work:
When they call tell them that you would like to talk with them about it but this is not a good time and I will have a new phone number tomorrow. So could you call me tomorrow at 7pm on ..... a fake telephone number - and please change it in your system.

 

[FinallyRetired]

Actually, I was thinking of trying this:
Bob & Tom Show - recorded call - Telemarketer stumbles on murder scene - on Bore Me

 

[Rambler]

air horn

Gotta get me one of these!!!

In the meantime, just let it go to voicemail, only pickup those you want to...that has been what we have had to do, at least at dinnertime, just to keep our sanity.

R

 

[mickeyd]

After reading a number of posts on this thread it just hit me now~ even those who do not sign up for extended warranties still get harassed, though more gently by these [-]trolls[/-] kind folks.

I have never purchased an extended warranty for any product that I have ever purchased. However, after about a year or two after I have made a purchase of a major item (car, TV, washer/dryer, dish washer etc) I get numerous extended warranty offers for the same product over and over again. I just throw the out unless they have a prepaid envelope and I return that with a "no thanks note". It occurs to me now that the only reason that I get mailers is the fact that I have not enrolled in their [-]slimy, twisted, demented, swindle[/-] sales offer and given them my #.

 

[kumquat]

I never give a real phone number to a business. I just tell them to use the phone book, if they insist I invent one.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

I've thought about using an air horn on such calls, but I worry that they have my number, and I don't have theirs. Even with caller ID, some of these scammers, such as "credit card services", have spoofed phone numbers. So I'm not so sure I'm not going to get air horned back, or worse.

ya, i was just kidding. sure is tempting tho.

I never give a real phone number to a business. I just tell them to use the phone book, if they insist I invent one.

i used to give my number when i had a listed land line but then i switched to just a cell phone and no one gets that number but family & friends.

 

[jazz4cash]

I did not see it posted, but it appears that these are the extended warranties offered by independent companies, not the mfr? I think that makes a big difference as the mfr is less likely to harass you for fear of losing future business and would never insist you use aftermarket repair parts or facilities.

 

[Goonie]

I never answer the phone at home! That's why God created answering machines! We've let the machine take all the calls for the last 10 years......most all of the tele-racketeers have given up all hope of ever hearing a live human on our end, and they quit calling us loooong ago....even before I put our numbers on the DNL. I also put our names and address on the "Opt-out Prescreen" list.

Heck, nobody ever calls us anymore, and we never get all of that marvelous junk mail anymore either!!! It's almost like we no longer exist.....what a wonderful feeling!!!

I never give a real phone number to a business........ if they insist I invent one.

Been there, done that! If some business requests my phone number, I either tell them that I no longer own a phone, or else I tell them it's an unlisted number, and I don't give it out to anyone except immediate family members and then it's for emergencies only.

If they just won't give it a rest, I give them one of the dozen or so phone numbers of my former employer (municipality)......I've even "accidentally" given them the number for the local police station......I'll bet they won't call there more than once!

BTW, my former employer has a privacy policy that mandates absolutely no personal info can be given to anyone, for any reason, without the express permission of that individual. If they received a call from someone, and it was deemed important (not likely), they would call me and ask if I wanted my contact info passed on.

.......i switched to just a cell phone and no one gets that number but family & friends.

Same here....only family and a very few friends.

 

[73ss454]

What happens here is that even if you buy an extended warranty at the time of car purchase the people who sell aftermarket warranties don't know you have it. What they do is buy what's called Polk lists or car registration lists. They know what type of car you bought and know when the original warranty is going to end. That's when they start with the phone calls not knowing you already have the ext. warranty.

If your going to buy a warranty whether from the dealer or over the phone don't buy one unless it's from the manufacturer of the car you bought. Just because you bought the warranty at the dealer doesn't mean it's any good. Many of the dealers are self insuring the warranties or selling aftermarket stuff that you don't want. If you have a problem with your car after the original warranty is over the dealer or the ins. co. will do just about anything not to have to pay. The manufacturers warranty is the only one to buy.

 

[virginia]

Dex - I don't think that would work because they're calling from several different numbers. I don't know if somehow they work out of one place with multiple numbers or are actually located in several states.
What really bothered me, besides the incessant calling, is the way they talked to me. You don't know who you're dealing with out there. I have given my number to FEW people. The folks that I bought my extended warranty from didn't even have the number. I have a feeling that they don't even know if I have an extended warranty - I think they got the number from my cell or internet provider and started making calls.

 

[chinaco]

If they persist, you can report them. I would... it is probably one of your few ways to get even.

 

[OAG]

After reading a number of posts on this thread it just hit me now~ even those who do not sign up for extended warranties still get harassed, though more gently by these [-]trolls[/-] kind folks.

I have never purchased an extended warranty for any product that I have ever purchased. However, after about a year or two after I have made a purchase of a major item (car, TV, washer/dryer, dish washer etc) I get numerous extended warranty offers for the same product over and over again. I just throw the out unless they have a prepaid envelope and I return that with a "no thanks note". It occurs to me now that the only reason that I get mailers is the fact that I have not enrolled in their [-]slimy, twisted, demented, swindle[/-] sales offer and given them my #.

The same thing happens, via mail, when you get a HELOC. At least it happened to us. Got a $100K HELOC just for a backup source for emergency funds and have never withdrawn anything from it. The mail for insurance to cover $100K is still coming, although it has leveled off at about one a week, after about 7 months. At the start we were getting them at the rate of about 10 or 15 a week. They apparently get the information off of the County Filings of the mortgage on the property.

BTW I would never reply to these types of mailings and let them know you received it. That just verifies you are there and names and address is good then they sell that fact to others (their so called affiliates) and it will start all over.

 

[Gsquared]

Whether from extended warranty services or elsewhere, these calls are extremely annoying. Being on the Do Not Call list has helped a lot, but is not a complete solution.

They are required to take you off of their list if you request it, but unless you can clearly define who is calling you don't have a lot of recourse. If I get a call from someone that seems somewhat reputable, I ask that my name and number be removed from thier list. You can usually tell by their response whether you were accurate in your estimate of their reputation. For the others, if I have the time and I'm in the mood, I make some fun out of it. Try answering every question they ask with a question of your own, and see where it takes you! It can be quite amusing.

 

[W2R]

I have been receiving recorded phone messages concerning my car warranty on my home phone, which is on the "Do Not Call" list. I never purchased an additional warranty for my 2000 Toyota.

I would say I receive several such calls per week. I get a lot more calls related to the elections, polls, and my "Mastercard or Visa" (I have neither). Every day I receive from 1-10 such calls on my home phone, mostly recorded. I get none on my cell phone.

I am thinking of dropping my land line after ER.