domain registry scam phone calls

OMG I’m SO SICK OF THESE PHONECALLS! For those of you with registered domains, you might know what I’m talking about – but doing a quick search I found there are several other people who have received these irritating phone calls, too.

The first time they called I immediately knew it was a tele-marketing call. The entire call center is obviously based out of India, so I have to hear them stumble through my name every time. I’m sure they don’t run across the name “Willo” very often! They basically ask me if I own domain xyz and then say they have important information they need to give me, so they need my FAX number. MY FAX NUMBER!? Give me a break! If you’re so damn official, send me an email – send me something through the mail. If this information is so urgent, tell me right now!

So the first time I asked them nicely to take me off their lists, that I have everything taken care of through my current providers & I do NOT want them calling me. They insist to the point I finally restate my request & hang up. I’ve received maybe 2 or 3 more since then, each time getting a little more firm with my request. Today: I lost my shit.

It was the 2nd call TODAY and right off the bat I knew it was them again. So he barely gets through his shpeal when I ask to speak with his Manager (this takes about 6 tries repeating myself till he gets what I’m saying). Some other guy gets on & after I sternly request that I don’t care who they think they are that I want OFF their call list, he tries to give me the same “this is so important, this isn’t a sales call” shpeal… and I came unglued. “Why don’t you mail me an official letter if it’s SO important!? Or if you have my domain, why don’t you just email me, *especially* if I’ve asked REPEATEDLY to get OFF your phone list!?!?!?” And you know what he says? “Our networks are down right now.” HAHHAHHAAA uuuunnnggglluuuuuiiiinnnggg!

I never do this, but I all out yelled at the guy SO loud and so PISSED that I hung up the phone shaking with adrenaline. They better not fucking call me again.

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8 Responses to domain registry scam phone calls

  1. kristin says:

    It sure is a good thing that they are in India… otherwise…
    Zow! Pop!

    But seriously, I am soooo sorry.
    Coming off an adrenaline peak like that sucks!

    Next time (’cause you know there will be one) you should just tell them that you are dead and start crying. If nothing else they will hang up on you.

    Reply
  2. Joe McInnes says:

    Blah!! I keep getting these, also! A dreamhost thing, maybe? They always call around 2 my time, so my cell phone is usually off and they’ll leave me a message. A couple weeks ago they called me at 4AM on a Monday morning. Let me tell you, I get extremely pissed when people wake me up – be it for any reason. Needless to say, they haven’t called back since.

    Reply
  3. willo says:

    No, it’s not a DH thing… unless you have purchased a WhoIs block/privacy thing with your domain name, your info is out there for any telemarketing asshole. On one of the sites I linked to, it suggested taking that extra precaution to ward off crap like this. Basically this is my heads up to all of you – don’t try to reason with them, just hang up.

    Reply
  5. willo says:

    I could have sworn I was already signed up on that – however, something tells me this call center doesn’t really care if you’re on the do not call list – but I registered again, just in case.

    Reply
  6. James Munroe says:

    One trick you can pull, that telemarketers are terrified everyone will catch onto doing (because it would put them out of business!) — when they ask for you, just say, “Can you hang on a second?” and put the phone down, leaving the line open, while you go away and do your other shit and promptly forget about their existence. I once did that to a telemarketing company calling on behalf of my bank (who actually had no business calling me, and had started to try to sell me “account protection”) — I walked away, left the line open for half an hour, and when I picked up the line without saying anything and verified they were still there? I hung up. That hits them where they live!

    Reply
  7. HR says:

    I use fake names and a eFax number as my phone number when I register domains, I definitely don’t want anyone knowing my domain to know my real name, or pay extra just to have privacy. If they want to contact me, then can use the email or efax.

    Reply

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