Have You Gotten LOTS Of Credit Card Offers With Bad Credit Lately?

[MarianJack]

I've been getting calls about 3-5 times every week for about the past month telling me that they are going to give me a credit/debit card to help me fix my credit. WOW, they are SOOOO altruistic!

I was un/underemployed for 2+ years and, as a result, our credit took a bath. We just got turned down for a car loan from a freaking predatory lender.

Of course, some time in the course of the pitch I'm told that all I have to do is get my checkbook and give them all of the pretty numbers from the bottom for the "1 time only" fee, usually about $400.

I know that this is a MAJOR SCAM. My question is this.

How in the hell did they get my cell phone number? We don't have a land line and have only cells. My # gets all of the calls. ChicaAzul hasn't gotten one.

BTW, they are REALLY taken aback when I ask them what point they are going to ask me to be stupid enough to give them my banking info. The guy today got an attitude and hung up. What a dip stick!

Has this happened to any of you?

[whistle]

1. tons, what's the gimmick

[AlienGirl]

5. Bankruptcy "reform"...you can't go bankrupt anymore

So the lenders now have debtors on the hook, big-time...

Tucker

[ovidsen]

7. You can still declare bankruptcy. But not for long.

The new, "improved" bankruptcy laws don't take effect until October. File now, if you think you're really in over your head.

[NMDemDist2]

2. they aren't supposed to call cel numbers (since YOU pay for the

time)

get on the no call list pronto

[Dem_Doin_Business]

3. What state do you live in?

[wli]

4. I've gotten a lot of credit card offers in the mail

I don't have bad credit that I know of, though.

I refuse most of them. I'm pretty suspicious about taking on debts these days. I'm also getting pretty suspicious about the US dollar.

[ovidsen]

6. Phone phishing.

That's all it is, and you obviously know it because you aren't giving these people your bank info.

BTW, even with bad credit, it's not hard to get a legitimate credit card. Heck, you can even get one if you've declared bankruptcy. The interest rate will be up the wazoo, but just don't run up the balance. It'll help you reestablish your credit score.

[tech3149]

8. anyone with caller ID will see the # of those they

are connected to (incoming or outgoing). If you answer a call from an unknown # your caller ID info is sent (unless you have told your carrier not to send callerID info). Once the # is sent they can distribute it at will. Since most people don't submit their wireless #'s for "do not call" list's they might get away with it by through that loophole.

Best course of action, don't answer calls from unknown or unidentified #'s. The marketers can block outgoing callerID from their telephone equipment or by their long distance carrier. You have to do it manually for outgoing calls, but have no options for incoming calls. to play the game smart, don't answer calls from unknown or unidentified phone #'s. The only way to block outgoing callerID for the average person is to *67 before placing the call to a # that you aren't familiar with.

I'm no know-it-all telephone guru, but I've worked with them over the last decade or so.

Smartest option, don't answer calls from #'s you don't know. Let them leave a message and return the call if warranted.