Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A Scam?

My phone rang, and a polite woman asked to speak to "the owner". I said that was me. She said she called from some company name I don't recall. And then she said she was calling "regarding the bill I'd received in April, from the council". I said "I'm not sure what you're talking about". And she hung up, not a word of explanation or even goodbye.
That has to have been some kind of scam.

6 comments:

Cristina Rodguez said...

Did she mention the owner to what? Could be the power went down and she lost connection, or she realised she had made a mistake (some people are rude enough to just hang up). Maybe she just dropped dead (that's only the hysterical in me).

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

The English are too big on formalities to just hang up. (They also always say "sorry" if another person is clumsy and bumps into them in the street.)
It did sound like a hanging up.

Ray said...

Here in Canada, one of the scams is
from someone pretending to be from your credit card company, wanting to
discuss lowering your interest rate if you'll just press the correct buttons on your phone. Obviously, they are fishing for your account number, and we know how that story would end.

Kent McManigal said...

She probably calls dozens (or more) people a day, hoping to catch one who says "Oh, yeah. Did I forget to pay you?"

The Dissonance said...

Yup, you didn't say the key words or phrases that would indicate you were the perfect patsy. With so many 'perfect patsy' types out there, why waste time on someone with a functioning brain.

But then that could just be the cynic in me. Don't get me talking about the average joe... again.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

Naaah! Eo, you're being overly suspicious of your fellow (wo)man, as usual.

"Maybe she just dropped dead (that's only the hysterical in me)."
Quite true: that WAS a hysterical line! :-)

..."and we know how that story would end."
No, I don't. Haven't heard it. Tell me.
What's that? First email you my card number and code? Well, okay, sure. But I still don't see the relevance of it all...

hoping to catch one who says "Oh, yeah. Did I forget to pay you?"
There's one of them forgetful characters born every minute. ;-p

The Dissonance realized...
"But then that could just be the cynic in me."

Don't worry, I have a course just for helping you get over that weakness. Only one blank check per trimester... I mean session.
For your added convenience, you may even pay in advance. Don't thank me. Thank my... "academic partner".