Have an old laptop w/ WindowsXP. PhoneTray free runs very well on it. Have it & the phone into the hiro modem & the phone ringers turn off. I do enjoy the quiet.It is surprising when you block these calls how quickly they slow down. Went from 10 a day to (maybe) 1 a day.

Get Phone Tray. I did and it stopped all this nonsense.Someone on another thread recommended it and he/she was right.

They were fined thousands of dollars recently by the FCC but since they use so many different phone numbers from throw-away cell phones it is hard to find them.

The criminals behind this operation do not come to this site and even if they did they would have no intention of truthfully answering questions or removing someone that posts here.
I use this site to pass on information that I have gathered and hopefully it will give some insight into these criminal operations. I'm just a poor ignorant uneducated country boy from backwoods Wisconsin who has received more than 350 calls from these scum sucking criminals.

The FTC is having Robocall Summit on October 18th.  For more info go to:
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/10/robocalls.shtm
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/robocalls

What To Do When You Get an Illegal Robocall; http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/robocalls
1.    Hang Up. Do not press 1 or any other numbers to get off the list.
2.    Consider blocking the number
3.    Report it at http://www.fcc.gov/complaints
4.    Report it at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
Register your phone numbers online at http://www.donotcall.gov or call (888) 382-1222 (must call from # you want removed).

Who the suspects are:
http://complaintwire.org/complaint/ipzhHRymJA ... gon-robo-dialer
http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/fred-accuardi-and-illegal-telemarketing
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011 ... -companies.html
http://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-revi ... ter-fl-90107305
http://investing.businessweek.com/research/st ... vcapId=23957705
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/cox-353170-agency-companies.html
http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0923193/index.shtm
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/29/business/la-fi-lazarus-20111129
http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=22278
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/debt/client_services_inc.html
http://onthespotblog.com/the-hunt-for-rachel-at-cardholder-services
http://www.scamchecker.com/content/cardmember-services-another-scam
http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag/latest_n ... fundraiser.html

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.
These scum are making money by sending their bogus Caller ID information to your phone company. Telephone numbers are Calling Name (CNAM) provisioned and stored in a special database accessible to other telecom utilities.  This means that for any outbound call that transmits a special  code corresponding to one of their phone numbers, these criminals collect a fee for transmitting the caller ID information to the Local Exchange Carrier receiving the call.  When you see a  phone number in your caller ID (along with some name like Card Services), your phone company has to reimburse the caller for downloading that info from the database where it?s stored.
These fees are typically fractions of a cent per call however when these fees are aggregated across tens of millions of outbound calls per week, it amounts to significant money.  Huge volumes of unsolicited telemarketing calls can drive significant revenue into the pockets of these scum sucking criminals. In return your phone company charges you a fee (it may be hidden or $5 to $15 on your phone bill).  Since they only pay out a small portion of this fee you can see why your phone company allows this to continue.
Many of the inbound robo call numbers are spoofed, as most of the bolierhouses, both off and on shore, are using Voip SIP Trunks services. Throwaway DID numbers are also used. Some of the robocalling is operated by the end use scammers directly. Others are contract services who earn a referral fee once you are transferred to the scammers.
If someone makes the mistake of answering the phone and falling for their con then it is just icing on the cake for them. These people are the lowest form of filth on this planet.


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/
http://complaintwire.org/complaint/ipzhHRymJA ... gon-robo-dialer
http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/fred-accuardi-and-illegal-telemarketing

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 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.

The banking system is also at fault here, without merchant accounts and ACH processing these criminals could not collect the scammed funds. Though the criminals use obfuscation, layered corporations, multiple bank accounts and offshore stashing, patterns of obvious fraudulent activity become apparent after a short time.

If you are interested in obtaining useful tracking information on the callers, I suggest that you act very interested in the rate reduction scam, as you have multiple high interest cards with large balances. Tell them that you don?t give out card numbers in response to unsolicited calls. However, tell them that if they provide you with a verifiable number that you will then call them back and provide the info. Since many of the operatives work on commission they will provide direct contact numbers if they believe you are serious about completing the deal. Verified return phone numbers are an excellent tool in tracking the people behind the operations.

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
You can also try suing them in small claims court. This site has some information on how to proceed.  http://www.killthecalls.com

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).
http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com

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 ... marketing-firms
Missouri sues robocallers:
http://www.legalnewsline.com/news/236974-kost ... nies-over-calls
Mississippi sues robocallers:
http://msbusiness.com/tag/telemarketing

FTC is sending refund checks to 4,468 consumers ?who allegedly were defrauded by a telemarketer who used robocalls (prerecorded voice messages) to pitch worthless credit card rate reduction programs for an up-front fee.?
http://bbbconsumereducation.com/the-checks-in-the-mail-this-time-its-true

Proof that current laws mean nothing to these scum suckers. Civil action by the FTC against such criminals is totally ineffective. These criminals need to be charged with Federal Felonies and subjected to significant jail time. All of those involved know that they are violating FTC regulations. The FTC levies huge fines, then rescinds them based on inability to pay. The FTC settles for the minimal cash on hand, and enjoins them from future telemarketing. The criminals sign off, then go right back to business as usual. 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
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/09/nelsongamble.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.

I have a new idea!  I am keeping a listing of dates/times/numbers they use.  Violating do not call list charges are federal $16,000 per call, Texas state $2,500 per call.  I am going to send them a bill, then turn it over for collection.  I have 3 on my list, 09/24, 09/20, 09/14.  Will wait and get a couple of others, then send the bill, then look for a collection agency.  Sound like fun? Am reporting to other entities, as well, since I have phone numbers and specific dates/times for them.  They cannot do anything with just a statement that someone called me - they need specifics, so that is what they are getting.  Maybe more could keep a list and use that approach, too.  All ideas appreciated.

CALLER ID SAID "LOWER INTEREST"
LEFT A MSG TO REDUCE OUR CREDIT CARD INSTEREST RATES.
DID NOT CALL THEM BACK!

If you want these callse to stop,
1) Do not pick up the receiver. Once you do, their mission is accomplished. It doesn't matter what you do or say afterwards, they know you have a working number. They, and all their little  friends will now have you on their list.

2) Get a Panasonic Phone or get Phone Tray (FANTASTIC!!) or Google Voice Free.
Phone tray was free but now you have to buy it, but whatever it costs it is worth it.  You type in the numbers you don't want calls from and it will zap the call with a message of your choice, like :"You have reached a number that is no longer in service," or "The number you have called has  been disconnected", or "this number does not accept telemarketing calls." You can even blolck entire area codes...like 360 or 253 - a source of many of these awful calls.

3) Again, DO NOT ANSWER THESE CALLS! Let your voice mail pick it up. Friends and family will leave messges or call back.

Received another call from this # this afternoon.  Did not answer.  No message left.  Am on the DNC list.  These calls are getting very annoying!

Spoofed telephone number... the "Rachael" scam.  This is the "Russian Mafia".... it's an international scam run by an international crime ring. The calls go to an off-shore boiler room, where they try to get your bank and credit card information.  US government can't do much to stop them since the people behind the scam are not in United States (maybe they could send Seal Team 6 in and blow the f*ckers away... they're just as much terrorists as Osama).

Just to be clear, the a***oles that answer the phone know full well that what they are doing is illegal - so don't hesitate to rip them.  Have fun with these a***oles... call them rude, disgusting, and insulting names (they'll come right back at you with insults, but at least you're tying up their scam time and costing them some telephone expenses); blast them with an air horn; pretend you're an interested "customer" and give them phony credit card and personal info to waste their time.  

Nothing much else you can do, except to be sure to file a complaint with FTC (Do Not Call registry)... in comment area, be sure to write "Rachael interest rate scam".

Nuisance call. It hung up before I picked up but this old body had to
get up go across the room and find no one there.

When we get recorded calls, we usually hit the # key several times in rapid succession.  It is supposed to go back to the call board and get your number off the system somehow.  The only one we have had a problem with is this number for recorded interest rates and it is now becoming harassment.  I still file a complaint with the DNC list and will keep doing it.  Send enough of these for this number and hope someone there will wake up and do something for their paycheck.

I am going with DNCListisaJoke on this!

Hang up after 2 rings

Does not leave a message, this is that lower your interest rate robo call, file the complaint on one number & they just use a different number, press a number to have yours removed but that never works.

why doesn't our government do SOMETHING to STOP these scammers!??????

Same message...same complaint.

The national pandemic of telephone terrorism perpetrated by desperate criminal collection agencies and scam artists of every despicable sort is because they are trying to terrorize people who are naive enough to answer and submit to unsolicited telephone calls or written "collection" letters that have no legitimate legal debt associated with them or any of the companies, universities, or whomever else they claim to represent. Because most "little guys" were bankrupted by the criminal Wall St / Congress / Big Oil / Big Bankers / Big Business / Military / Robber Barons, so the desperate collection agencies are attempting to collect unpaid debts from innocent people by terrorizing them into submission. News reports claim that some of these nefarious rogue calls are originating from overseas, where the caller claims to be a relative down on his or her luck who needs hundreds or thousands of dollars to get out of trouble, a policeman or government agent threatening their unwitting victims with lawsuits, fines, garnishments, seizures of property and imprisonment, and any other unconscionable tactic they can use to terrify and swindle the unwary out of their life savings.

Word of advice. NEVER answer any calls you don't recognize or are not expecting. Use selective call rejection service if available, or switch to an Internet-based telephone service which provides comprehensive call rejection options. If rogue calls become chronic, turn off all the ringers on all of your phones except one, and set its volume to the minimum setting. If you don't answer the call and the caller is legitimate, they will usually leave a voicemail after the first or second try. Rogue callers almost never leave voicemail messages because that could be used as evidence against them if it came to a lawsuit. If you receive a rogue letter in the mail warning you of some "collection" action against you, if you don't actually owe it, reply with a short letter stating that you don't owe it. Or if you do owe all or part of it, reply with something like "You claim I owe you a debt. Under §809 FDCPA, I request validation of this debt."

Only give them your name as THEY have written it to you (e.g. ?John Doe? not ?Jonathon Q. Doe? or however you normally sign your own name), address, and the account number they report. But if you do not owe the debt (zombie debt, aged debt, mistaken or stolen identity, forgery, etc.) state that you have never done any business with them or with the (alleged) original creditor of any kind and you expect the collection agency to close the matter, stop harassing you and take any bad credit marks they've caused off of your credit rating, and furthermore, that any further contact from them must be in writing on their official business correspondence letterhead. Send your letter to them a.s.a.p., always within thirty days, first class certified mail return receipt requested. If they refuse it and you get the letter back unopened, leave it unopened and save it in your files as evidence against them should they pursue legal action against you. If they did receive it and continue to pursue action against you, let them. The judge will throw it out of court. If the rogue collection agency sells your account to another rogue collection agency just tell them the claim has been proven invalid and offer to send them a copy of your letter to the previous rogue collection agency.

Warn all your friends about this rash of desperate collection agency terrorism, and how to combat it. Knowledge is power. The more you learn how to combat rogue collection agencies, back-taxes scammers, phishing scammers, "faith and family" scammers, political action committees and other low-life flimflammers, the more you will learn how easy it is to do.

Above all, keep a record of everything, of every rogue call w/ caller ID information displayed including time and date of each call. Maintain a complete file on any snail-mailed intimidation from rogue collection agencies, including copies of all correspondences and postal receipts. Reporting rogue calls on sites like 800notes.com, whocallsme.com, phoneowner.info is a great idea too, because many people find these sites by googling for the rogue number(s) after receiving calls from them.

--

Start Here:
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs3-hrs2.htm
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=%C2%A7809+FDCPA
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=zombie-debt
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=slander-of-credit
http://www.google.com/search?num=50&q=limited-liability-company+collection-agency
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs27-debtcoll.htm
http://www.ehow.com/way_5849463_do-up-certified-dispute-letter.html
http://www.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Defeat-a-Collection-Agency
http://www.hubpages.com/hub/Battling-Consumer-Debt-Collectors-Part-2-I-Do-Not-Owe-This-Debt
http://www.hubpages.com/hub/Sample-letters-for-disputes-to-creditors--collectors-and-credit-bureaus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FDCPA
http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/Disputing ... ute-letter.html
(most say the above sample letter is too long and should be much shorter)
http://www.fair-debt-collection.com/statue-limitations.html
http://www.spooftel.com/

Credit Report:
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

USPS:
https://www.usps.com/send/insurance-and-extra-services.htm

Other links:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/02/29 ... tors/index.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Defeat-a-Collection-Agency
http://clarkhoward.com/shownotes/category/12/103/358/
http://clarkhoward.com/topics/drop_dead_letter.html
--
Information for filing complaints against rogue telephone calls, telephone harassment, false "bill collector" harassment, etc., in the United States and Canada (pursue legal action only as a last resort):

UNITED STATES

US National Do Not Call Registry, file complaint: https://www.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx

Federal Trade Commission
http://www.ftc.gov 1-877-382-4357
File complaint online: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
that is at www.ftc.gov

Federal Communications Commission
Telephone toll free:  1-888-225-5322
http://www.fcc.gov/contacts.html
File complaint online: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumers.html
http://esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

FCC Abandoned Calls Complaint form:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/1088D-R.pdf
email:  fccinfo@fcc.gov

Better Business Bureau, Check out a Business, find owner, contact info; file a Complaint:
http://www.bbb.org/us/


INTERNET CRIME:
File report for Internet Crime at:
Internet Crime Complaint Centre
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx


CANADA

RCMP Phone busters
Telephone toll free: 1-888-495-8501
Mon-Fri 8:30-5:20 pm (Eastern Time)
E-mail: info@phonebusters.com
RCMP Website is at: http://www.phonebusters.com  
File complaint online:  https://www.recol.ca/intro.aspx?lang=en
(Register with a password and then can continually file complaints)

Canada National Do Not Call Registry:
Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
Telephone toll free to File A Complaint: 1-866-580-3625
(to withdraw a complaint is 877-249-2782)
CRTC online complaints form: https://www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca/pfplin-fccoin-eng
that is at  www.crtc.gc.ca

Better Business Bureau, Check out a Business, find owner, contact info; file a Complaint:
http://www.bbb.org/canada/

----

They call, don't leave message and then call again repeatedly

Posting here doesn't help. You need to complain to the FCC.gov website to make a proper complaint that can actually be investigated. Sorry you are having so much trouble. I am in the same boat. Yesterday it was my cell phone from a different number. :(

This is ANOTHER robo telemarketing call from "Racheal" about lowering interest rates. I am sick to death of these people!  This number came up on my telephone nuber ID as 119712201779 My guess is that they have moved their operation overseas since it seems to be dialed as a 1+ number. Not sure how they are doing this but someone needs to stop them. I have asked to be added to the do not call list less than a year ago but we still get these on both our house phone and our cell phones. The ones to the cell phones come from a different number and I have reported it to the FCC (for all the good that seems to do). Hope someone can stop these idiots as it is more than a little annoying.

I called the number back and got a recording to enter the number to be added to their 'do not call' list. All they will do I am betting is to shift it to a different call center.

Added to my list of don't know numbers.  They don't give up do they.  The DNC list is of no use ... they keep on calling and calling.  Don't know number so don't answer phone.

I would like the " BI***" calling from this number to STOP calling, if she can't leave a message.I'm know it telemarketing? It's a waste of time filing complaint and NO action taken. I'm on the DON"T CALL LIST as well.They need to find a job that pays for actuall work, NOT harrassing people by phone.Apparently, these women callers arn't getting satisfied at home, so they get off calling other people.
Try to have "RESECT" for others and STOP calling and get LAID !!!!

The CallerID shows "Lower Interest", they don't leave messages.If picked up, they ask for Charlene Page. I tell them I'm not her, offer Office Manager's phone number to verify that. They aren't interested, say they will remove number so they don't call me anymore. The next day I get 2 to 3 calls from them. Call Block says it is a Private Number which means its not added to my don't Call List to Block them. Geesh, retiring years should not be aggravated by these senseless calls every day.

Got another spam call from 971-220-1779 today. The DoNotCall List is a travesty it seems. Just hang up. That does not change the fact that such calls are invasive and a pesky disturbance when one is at home working. They are dangerous as well: if we don't answer it, are they collecting information on who is at home or not? Better to answer in that case. Altogether frustrating, disgusting, and frightening.

Received another unwanted call from this number stating that I could lower my interest rate.  Have not requested nor do I want these calls.  Will not answer the phone for this number, will let my answering machine do it.  Wish someone would stop these unwanted calls.

Its just PacificTel Communications, wanting to sell you a way to lower your intrest rates.  Reporting these pests to FTC!

This is an scam to get your personal information so that they can sell it on line. It also has a digital spider attached to the phone call to try to gain access to any computer attached to the phone line that is left open. it is a very dangerious call to unprotected household computer systems.

971-220-1779

971-220-1779 Rachel starts talking as soon as my answering machine picks up.  I have no credit cards and haven't for years.  Credit Card Services is a scam.  I hold down the #3 button and the recording finally hangs up.  Get a call about once a week.  Do not call list does not work.

Im gettin tired of these (971) 220-1779 calls dont they have anything better to do with there time