The FCC telephone complaint form will not activate until all required fields are completed. The impression is given that the FCC expects you to actually pick up the phone and listen to the gabble from the caller, and describe exactly what you heard in what you were being told -- or you won't be able to post a complaint! So, in Caller ID, if you see a bogus name and/or number, and you simply choose not to pick up the call, the FCC does not want to hear from you!
>> if you see a bogus name and/or number, and you simply choose not to pick up the call, the FCC does not want to hear from you! <<
That is probably true.
Since the Do Not Call provisions are specifically for violating TELEMARKETERS, how can one tell if the call was or was not from a telemarketer if they do not hear at least part of the spiel?
Also remember, the DNC list is effective only for registered telemarketers. Lying, cheating, subhuman, criminal scammers and spammers ignore the DNC list, and cannot easily be found by the FTC, unless the called persons provide a lot of factual information that can be linked to the scammer. Factual information that intelligent called people MIGHT be able to obtain.
In other words, if one constantly gets unwanted calls, a call blocker is the best defense.
+6
Roe
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While I understand they probably want more detailed information in order to seek out these criminals, it is still frustrating to know that one has to deal with these scammers who refuse to take no for an answer, will not remove from their calling list but continue to call, getting vulgar and nasty and will probably pass on the numbers of those who do not wish to speak with them to the next set of scammers and generally do what they want knowing the majority of the time they will not be caught or prosecuted.
I still file complaints with donotcall in the hope (one can dream, right?) that someday our technology will be even better than the technology used by these despicable scammers and if it is on record, maybe something may eventually be done to combat the increasing number of scammers.
It amazes me when I am on 800notes and the complaints seem to coming in every few seconds. Is there not any compassion any longer? Never mind, I think I just answered my own question.
Not good, still waiting to close on my New York house, and if I don't close by July 31 in North Carolina I could lose everything. The New York banks are horrendous up here, what they put my buyers through is inexcusable and me also. I may have to do a workaround and just hope for the best and just put my faith in it. Thanks for thinking of me though , I really appreciate it. Everyone keeps telling me it'll work out. I am determined, come hell or high water, to get the house in North Carolina. I probably won't get a landline at the beginning unless I need it for the security system and video cameras I want to install, well actually just for the security system. I'll probably Skype or face time but good grief it is not the most flattering LOL!! Will definitely keep you posted and again thank you .
I have ADT and they have a cellular system for the alarm that allows you to control everything in the house, even the door locks. Check it out. I don't have that system, but I was very happy with the installation, the prices they gave me, and the monitoring fees. I have the alarm, fire (smoke detectors) and a CO in the basement. At least I know that the animals will have a chance if I am not home.
Thank you, I currently have an alarm system and video cameras in my current house and I'm so used to it now it will be strange to move in eventually to a house without them. Considering I'm going to a bigger house on a bigger lot and not know anyone in NC! Most people downsize, but I'm not most people LOL . Seriously I will check it out! I just have right now the battery-operated talking CO/fire detector alarms, one in my basement, three on the main floor, I currently have a wide line ranch and one in the garage. And that is really great that your animals heaven forbid anything happens , will have a chance!!
I would agree that complaints should have both detail and relevance. I can well imagine why the FCC would try to quality control its online portal. It's been said in several times and places that the Consumer Sentinel Network is clogged with false positives. (... or would that be "negatives"?) The misled among us whine and moan about the DNCR exemptions and events which may be annoying to a call recipient but have not violated any law.
In Summer 2012 the debt collection lobby mag InsideARM began investigating complaints to the FTC and found the agency was likely inflating the volume of complaints against the industry, due to not filtering out irrelevant and duplicate complaints. They went as far as a FOIA request of complaint data on a quest to prove that debt collectors get a bad rap. They had more or less locked away their results by next year, as perhaps the truth as usual is not so simple, but they did raise a valid point regarding complaint purity.
They are equally bad down here. Lenders nowadays have a bug up their rear ends the size of a volleyball. They are also giving my son a hard time, who has just sold a house and is in the market to buy another one. Even though he is debt-free (with the exception of two cars), they are being unreasonable, wanting him to "wait". On what? The rental he and his wife and my grandchildren are living in is falling apart (the water heater went out the day they moved in), and in an unsafe area (someone was mugged right across the street just last night) and they are expecting another baby in a few months. They need to get out---NOW.
Sure, we are supposed to trust the interpretation of the debt collection industry lobby ?
Their problem is a lot of the complaints are about outright scammers - of course, that data does not apply to the "legitimate debt collectors" the lobby represents.
Does the FCC / FTC complaint forms allow the attachment of audio files that are recordings that people make of the out-of-control "legitimate debt collectors"
And does the lobby promote "self-regulation" in an attempt to evade government oversight?
Ever since the crash back in 2008 where NY banks were giving out mortgages like Santa gives out candy canes at Christmas, it has made it worse for the consumers now. They scrutinize everything, sit on paperwork, it expires, then they need updated paperwork. Last I heard the buyers of my home had turned in the necessary conditional paperwork, their credit is excellent, income excellent, just waiting for underwriting to get off their butts and set a clear to close date. I have no mortgage on my house so the proceeds are going to pay the NC house in full. I decided to move around monies (it will be replaced) and pay off the house in NC. Hated to do it but the alternatives were worse. I am constantly on the phone to everyone I can think of to call, my NY realtor said he has five other deals, in addition to mine, still waiting. The banks do not care that real people are involved and need to get on with their lives.
I hope your son and his family can find a lender and soon who will be more conducive to their needs and wants. They do not need to live in fear and in an unsafe environment. Sometimes they just have to be way more aggressive than they normally may be, I am usually pretty easy going but get the NY Italian up in me and look out!!! Congratulations on the newest upcoming addition to the family.
William are you telling us that there are "legitimate" debt collectors? Ones that follow the law? Which ones would those be? I think I could find a legitimate bank robber, murderer, or drug dealer first.
What blows my mind is that even though he paid his mortgage on time for over a decade and sold his house, the credit bureaus dropped his score by 30 points because the sale essentially wiped out his credit history. It is as if he never existed.
Another example of no good deed goes unpunished in this "Pay yous billz" society.
That makes me so angry, hard working people pay their bills on time, work hard to achieve their goals and then get shot down because of it. No reason for it, we are told to keep our credit score good and then it's destroyed as they see fit.
When I owned a small business in NYC, I used a business to help collect outstanding invoices. Not sure they were exactly a debt collector as we have come to know them on 800notes. They only worked on Business-to-Business invoices, no personal stuff. If I had not been running a C-Corp, they would not have worked with my company. I had to provide copies of purchase orders, my invoices and even my price lists to verify validity. They did not "buy" debts, they took a flat percentage. I would say they were on the level. Not like they were going to call an accounts payable manager at home, and there is no percentage to harassing some accounting department employees. This is going back some years, but as far as I know, there is some need for this sort of service. There are some well known companies that would gladly give a small business the run around just to save some bucks. //
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