Rachel calling.  Spouse hung up on her. Caller ID said Lower Interest.  Imagine Pacific Telecom Services Group being a conduit for Rachel of Card Services, of which she was the topic at the Robocall Summit last Thursday.  Will the FCC and FTC please shut this company down.  Isn't 250,000 plus complaints in three months enough proof of criminality?

Got a call, no message left, didn't pick up.  Don't know anybody in Washington.

There are at least two options for those bothered by people originating these offensive calls:
1. Go to www.fcc.com and click on the electronic complaint form, filling out each of the entries (takes about two minutes), identifying the date and time of the unwanted call(s), any identifying information from Caller ID ("Unavailable" is a valid entry), your number where the call was received and your name, street and email addresses. The FCC will immediately respond with an email to you, identifying the file number assigned to your complaint. If everyone filed these complaints to the FCC, that deluge will prompt an investigation and likely a fine on the calling party.
2. I followed a recommendation from a comment listed elsewhere on 800Notes, where that person was extremely frustrated over calls from a number different than 360-474-3901 (as the above folks obviously are) and purchased a DIGITONE Call Blocker from www.digitone.com Three features attracted my interest: a) I now can block up to 80 specific telephone numbers, b) This device has "First Ring Supression." meaning that you will not even hear the first ring!!, c) you can block entire area codes, a feature that can be used to block all 800, 866, 877, etc. numbers or those from specific (not toll-free) numbers. There may be other devices available, too. I saw immediate success with the one I purchased.
Silence can be Golden!!
Even so, I regularly report annoying/illegal/robo calls, etc. to the FCC. Now that I also use the DIGITONE device these annoying calls have been greatly reduced in number.

I am so tired of getting these calls.  Starting pushing the button to talk to a representative and then blowing a whistle in their ear.  If the calls do not stop, I am getting an air horn.

called re: credit cards lower interest rates etc. we do not own credit cards for years now,just a way to get info not sure why

I get these calls from various phone numbers almost daily.  Always the same, lower my credit card interest.  I have tried to get my number removed, as I do not have any credit cards.  They continue anyway.  I will just continue to let them waste their dime and I will ignore them!!!!

Recorded call to number on donotcall list. claims to be cc company offering cheaper interest rate.

Recorded message saying there are no problems with my current credit card and this is final notice for lower interest rate offer from card company.  Didn't identify the card company.  Problem is, I have no active credit cards, so I assume it's a scam.  Options: press 3 to cancel the offer, press 1 to speak to a representative.  I pressed 3, and the call immediately disconnected.

I keep getting phone calls from 360-474-3901 saying it is Cardholders Services...sometimes the recording says it's Cardmember Services.  Where it shows the number of who is calling on my caller ID, there is this V09141732390048 and below it is the phone number 360-474-3901.  The voice or recording then says it's Rachel from Cardholders Services and then I always hang up.  I'm on a no call list.  Don't know how these morons are getting my phone number.  I would like it to stop.  Sick of them.

By the way I have been on the Federal Do-Not-Call List since before it's inception (I have had the same number since 1993). There is no way that ANY telemarketer can tell me that I must be new to the list!!!!

I got a call about an hour and a half ago from this number. They usually leave one of their robo-messages on my answering machine - but not this time. I have received many call from this same company ( and many, many others) over the last couple of years and am completely fed up!!!!! I googled "DNCL Violators" and found that you can sue these people in small claims court and get between $500 and $1500 per violation that goes in your own pocket!!!!!!!! This would be above and beyond the FCC's fine of $16,000 per violation!!!!! I've been unemployed since 2008, so maybe it's time to make me alittle mulla!!!!! Either that or I will simply extort money from these violators by having them send me a check for half of the FCC fine in exchange for not reporting them in the first place!!!!! IT IS TIME TO TURN THE TABLES ON THESE CROOKS!!!!!!!!!

Got 3 calls today from this number.. First I asked them nicely to stop calling me and remove my number.. the operator remained silent but you can hear she was there.. so after 30 second I blew a whistle into the phone and hung up.... I am sure her ear is still ringing...

Now each time the phone rings from Lower Interes

Didn't pick up. No message. I'm on DNC list. So many solicitations lately (4 or 5 a day) I no longer pick anything up.

just received a call at 11:48 am today 9/14/12.  caller id says Lower Interest....i answered, computer says there is no problem with your credit card.....and i hung up

If they only want to lower your interest rate why wouldn't they remove your number when requested and when their number is blocked, why would they call you from another number? There can't be a company so stupid as to think that you can harrass someone into taking their product. And why would they bother to call someone who doesn't use/have any credit cards over and over again? Who are thses asshats really?

they are a pain in the a** - they call upto 4 times a day recorded message no live person.

Called my personal, private cell # 9/12/2012 at 6:57pm PST.  I picked up; a recorded female voice came on saying, "This is Rachel with Cardholder Services..."  At that point I simply hung up.

Same as above.  Numerous calls from these morons - always reported to the Do Not Call list, but obviously DOESN'T WORK!

THANK YOU for your serious and in-depth post about these and similar scam calls.  You have confirmed many suppositions I have made and illustrated with useful references and suggestions.  I know it must have required a lot of research and time on your part.  It is appreciated!

How can they get through the NO CALL list??  EASY!!  The No Call list is just a list (if it even exists), there is NO ENFORCEMENT. In effect, it's nothing more than a voluntary list that COULD be used by some business if it wanted to avoid calling people who don't want to be annoyed by solicitations...but what business would adhere to that?  THEY JUST DON'T CARE! It's as simple as that.

This is a robo call so that I guess they get away with it.  Even when you opt out by pressing 3 over and over and over again they still call claiming that you didn't push 3.  The last two times I have called I have pressed 1 and told them I do not want them calling this house ever again and get hung up on.  I think that the law that covers the no call list should even cover the people that you do business with because I hear that all of the time.  We can call if we already have a business relationship with you.  If I wanted you to call, I don't care whether you are a charity, a political party, a person takng a survey or whatever else you can come up with to telemarket my house I would not have my name and number on the NO CALL LIST.  It's like they are stalking you.  You can tell an indiviual not to call your house and if they do they can get into legal trouble but you can't tell your credit cards, Timewarner Cable, someone that you bought a piece of software from that they cannot call to try to sell you something.  I pay for this phone line and should be able to enjoy it in peace without having to get caller ID to keep telemarketers from calling me because that costs me not them.

How it works:
http://blog.usa.gov/post/30393077932/answering-your-questions-about-robocalls
http://onthespotblog.com/on-the-spot-blog-stirs-up-rachel-at-cardholder-services/
http://onthespotblog.com/tag/cardholder-services/

People should continually file complaints with their Attorney Generals office and also file with:
http://www.fcc.gov/complaints
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
If enough people keep complaining then maybe something will get done.

The calls are being made from outside the US however most of the call centers (where you actually talk to someone after pressing 1) are in the US and the companies making the money from the scam are owned by people in the US. They will charge thousands of dollars on your credit card without performing any services.

Many of these calls are coming from Costa Rica and India and they are using spoofed (false) numbers, which in itself is illegal. They do cold calling for or sell the leads to numerous companies in this country and they know that what they are doing is illegal. Tomorrow this same number may be selling Cruises, Timeshares or Security Systems but if you follow the money it usually ends up in the hands of an American LLC. Keep complaining to the FTC and FCC, and start bugging our politicians to pass laws to make it punishable in criminal court instead of handing out fines that they don't pay. Another course of action is to contact phone companies to find out why they won't block spoofed numbers. With today's technology that should be an easy thing to do, unless they are somehow profiting from the use of their systems.

The criminals behind this operation aren't going to pay attention to you asking to be removed from their list. Their calls cost them nothing and they can make a million of them a day so they have no intention of ever removing someone. When you press a key to talk to them all that is accomplished is to verify that they have a working number.
Unfortunately blowing an air horn or whistle doesn't work either. Their headset have noise dampeners plus they are expecting it. However with that said if it makes you feel better then by all means give it a shot.

For anyone thinking of using Special Information Tones (or as they're called in the industry SIT tones) to fake a non working phone number, they won't work. Since around 2001-2002, the costs of "digital" business lines have dropped dramatically, along with Voice over IP (Internet) telephone service. Neither of these use the SIT tones as the call information is carried separate from the audio.
This separate call information tells the calling party digitally if the call was answered, busy, voice mail, forwarded, rejected, etc. This renders SIT tones useless. Also the "TeleZapper" products that used to be on the market used this method as well, and were rendered ineffective for the same reasons.
It is also through this separate call information message that the spoofed caller ID information is transmitted.

Robocalls are illegal unless you have given them prior permission in writing (not worded into some small print contract from a 3rd party) and are absolutely illegal to a cell phone.  The Telephone Consumer Protection Act permits individuals who have received certain unlawful telemarketing, such as junk faxes or telemarketing calls, to sue the violator in state courts where they may be awarded up to $1500 for each violation.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/robocalls/  
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/07/robocall.shtm
http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/policy/TCPA-Rules.pdf

Check here first to see if it is one of their phone numbers:
http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com
Pacific Telecom Communications Group
Follow JD's recommendations in the blog and stop them at the source.

Many of the disposable numbers come from Pacific Telecom Communications Group and they are currently under investigation and in the midst of various lawsuits. (The principles involved have been part of actions by the FCC under other business names).These businesses have ripped people off for millions of dollars, yet have paid only a couple of thousand dollars in fines. The only way to stop them is to throw them in prison for a few years to make this criminal activity less attractive.

The Oregon Public Utilities Commission has revoked Pacific Telecom's certificate to provide telecom services in Oregon.

The Indiana Attorney General?s Office filed lawsuits against:
Consumer Credit Group and Proactive Planning Solutions of Arizona for violating Indiana?s Do Not Call Law and Auto-Dialer Act known as the robo-call law. Both companies violated the Credit Service Organization Act and Deceptive Consumer Sales Act by not obtaining $25,000 surety bonds with the state and collecting money upfront without performing any services.
Debt Zero of California for collecting money up front, failing to provide services or a refund and operating without a $25,000 surety bond.
Clear One Advantage of Maryland and Credit Arbitrators of Texas for violating the Credit Service Organization Act and the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act by not obtaining the required surety bonds.
http://www.in.gov/activecalendar/EventList.as ... ation_id=107077

Arkansas sues robocallers:
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2012/aug/0 ... arketing-firms/
Missouri sues robocallers:
http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/236974-kost ... nies-over-calls

Proof that current laws mean nothing to these scum suckers, these same people under different companies have been sued in the past and have only paid a minimal fine. Here are just a few:
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/12/roycox.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/06/asiapacific.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/03/asiapacific.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0923193/111219roycoxcmpt.pdf
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/donotcall/mediacenter.html
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/02/afl_financial.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/02/voiceblaze.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/03/voicetouch.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/05/robocalls.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/12/robocall.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/09/twi.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/02/robocall.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/05/robocalls2.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/12/jpm.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/08/voicetouch.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/11/sonkei.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/05/ams.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2011/01/khalilian.shtm

Write your Congressmen and Senators. We need CRIMINAL penalties against the companies that are profiting from these calls. Follow the money, slap them in prison, no one left to outsource to overseas boiler rooms, problem solved. Since they are operating across borders it should become a federal felony and should be handled by the FBI under the RICO Act.

I got a call from this number and since I didn't recognige the number I let it ring, and it rang for 5 minutes. I don't have credit card to lower my interest rate anyways and I sure wouldn't give just anyone my information.

LOWER INTEREST 360-474-3901
Have asked repeatedly to have my phone number deleted from their calling list.  This company should be fined in the billions for the aggravation and in some cases, danger it causes to those called.

# on my caller ID, but no msg.  I knew immediately it was a call I didn't want.  JUST STOP IT!!!

After getting a live person, then leading them on, and acting a little confused...not completely stupid,
I have to, of course, put them on hold while I 'go get my card".....I come back and can't find my current
interest rate on my statement......they are salivating by this time, I then read them a "bogus' number
beginning with 5 for Visa.  When they punch in that number (as quick as lightening) and then their
"tone" changes because it didn't work...."oh really?"  did I give you the right number....?  totally wasting
their time!!! "Let m re-read that, my eyes aren't so good since my cataracts are bad.  I wait for them and
stop talking.  When they start swearing at me and calling me names I tell that the FBI has a tracer on my
phone and they have been traced!!!! OMG!   Hilarious.....as I start laughing uncontrollably and hang up on
them!  Reporting them to the FTC DOES help.  Remember though, these asswholes could be reading this just as well as you and me.....;)  Hope this helps.

I agree Eric 100%
Yesterday I got the call and it was 619-315-7406 Do these b*****ds never give up?
I am on the do not call list. I also reprot it each time they call. It looks to me like that sometime the do not call list would get the hint.

Same old computer-generated message with a female voice. It used to say her name was "Amy" but now doesn't give a name. "SHE" (wink) calls from many different numbers, with a great vairance in that many area codes are spoofed to make it hard for them to be found and punished. Sometimes they want to lower your mortgage rates (My mortgage is completely paid off) other times they want to lower your credit card interest rates. They always say there are no problems with your current accounts (that's to keep you from calling your credit card company-they want to keep them ignorant of the fact that they are trying to spoof your account). I have now blocked this number as well-but know that in a week or two I will get this same call from a different area code and number.

Got the same call from a different number yesterday.  Dutifully pressed 3 to keep from getting more calls.  Same call today from 360.474.3901.  No whistle available but pressed 1 to speak to a live operator.  Made sure she could hear then screamed DON'T CALL HERE AGAIN as loud as possible. Felt a little bad at first but then remembered "We all make choices".  She made her's, I made mine.

I'm sure more of these calls are just around the corner but feel a little better.

Card Member Services has been calling me for year and Rachel must have been there her whole life.  I gave up on them years ago and just screen my calls and let them call all day long.  There should be some way of stopping these calls but I guess that would be asking way too much.  I have been on the Do Not Call list since the very beginning and I get more calls now than I ever did before it was started.