Phone Calls for "The Person Who Pays The Washington Gas Bills" (foreclosure, house)

[persnicketygal]

I wonder if this is the caller I hung up on one day this week.
The guy did not ID himself as being from any company.
But he asked for me by name (pronounced miserably), and after I said "she" was not in (cuts the amount of time I have to listen to these telemarketers), this guy had the nerve to ask "May I speak with her husband?" !!
I slammed that phone down.
So it sounded as if it was a search for the "head of the household" -- ie, the bill payer.

Caladium: Next time they call, just be forceful with the person: "I am expecting emergency phone calls. I pay the bills but I'm sorry -- I am not interested in what you're offering at this time, so please don't call this number again or I will call the phone company to put a trace on your number."

Maybe that'll work. (Altho if they have the nerve to be nasty to you when they're trying to get your business, maybe not. It's worth a try.)

[themommy]

A little chat with Mr. Google led me here:

http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-362-7122 (broken link)

This kinda sounds like what you're describing, and if it is, then it looks like it's a scam. Hope you can get them to leave you alone. And I hope your emergency situation works out positively for all involved!

[ersatz]

Always listen to mommy, mommy knows best.

Though it's not a scam exactly, it's a slam.

These used to be prevalent in the telephone industry, now they are moving into the energy business. They normally go door-to-door but also use telemarketing.

17 things energy retailers door-to-door sale agents doesn't want you to know | KeyFrame5


I used to have a problem with similar calls but found one trick that works:

Once you realize who they are just say "Oh, I NEVER do business with telemarketers" and then abruptly hang up whether they are trying to get a word in or not. Do this each and every time. They quit calling after a while.

If genuinely bothered by them, take the extra step of filing a complain with the Virginia Corporation Commission Division of Energy. (http://www.scc.virginia.gov/pue/complaint.aspx - broken link)

Sorry for your family issues, we are all hoping for the best for you.

[ICS67]

Good detective work by themommy. If the calls continue, I think I would notify both the Federal Trade Commission, which has an on-line form to report unwanted telemarketers, the state utlity commission, and your natural gas and/or electric company (so that perhaps they will put a warning notice to their customers in their next bill).

I always like to play with telemarketers' minds. How about the next time they call, you tell them you're completely off the grid thanks to the small nuclear reactor that's in your basement and that you built yourself?

[Caladium]

Thanks everyone. Family drama got solved yesterday (yay!) and after that I called Washington Gas and reported it. They said they couldn't do anything about it, but confirmed that it's a telephone sales operation and definitely not something I'm interested in. I probably just overreacted yesterday because we needed to keep the phone line free. However, it does seem like one more reason to get rid of the landline, I guess.

[ersatz]

Caladium - One more note. Check out http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-401-8552/2 (broken link)

It seems that Washington Gas does share your data with some of the shadier telemarketing firms representing gas suppliers but contrary to what the customer service rep told you, yes, you can opt out. Dig down into the link to find out how.

[South Jersey Styx]

I hate Washington Gas. We had service with them in DC and NOVA (for over 20 yrs) and things were fine and now out here (Shenandoah Division) it is a nightmare. They outsource their customer svc and bill paying sections somewhere out in Asia and even if the reps speak English, they have a hard time comprehending and communicating in English (hence the misuse of "he" and "she" from a previous poster).

Soliciting or passing along our tele #s wouldn't surprise me one bit. Just one more fu*k-up IMO from these clowns. . . .

Verizon did the same thing and we now boycott them.

[Jim H.]

Originally Posted by Caladium

We've been out of town quite a bit in the last month, so I'm guessing that something took place with Washington Gas that I don't know about. Can somebody briefly explain?

All I know is, since we've gotten back we have been getting 2-3 calls a day, every single day, all of them asking to speak to "the person who pays the Washington Gas Bill." They call in the morning, they call in the afternoon, the call at 9 p.m.

I can't make heads or tails out of what they're trying to tell me or exactly what it is they want me to sign up for but every time I get one of these calls red flags go up in my brain. Is this some sort of scam? It just doesn't feel right.

I've asked to be sent something in writing--they get nasty and claim they have. My husband recalls seeing something about an automatic bill paying program that we weren't interested in signing up for. Is this what they're talking about? The phone solicitors are hard to understand and I can't quite grasp what they're trying to tell me but it seems to be about letting some other company handle the billing "if we qualify" (and then they want us to answer questions to qualify).

How do we convince them that we are not interested and do NOT want any more calls?

I mean it's getting ridiculous. Normally I just wouldn't answer the phone but we're going through a family emergency right now and need to answer every phone call (and also keep the lines clear).

Is anyone else having this problem?

Yes, we have been getting the same calls from three different numbers. I have told them tonight if they call again I will report them to the phone company. They don't take NO for an answer!

[Flamingo13]

Simple answer: don't answer if you don't recognize the number.... if they start leaving a message and it happens to be someone you WANT to speak to... then pick up. The Do Not Call Registry is a joke.

[ACWhite]

Sorry about your family emergency. Can you go to the Wash. Gas website and send them a message from there? I often prefer to email so I will have a record, and this may work in your situation (to keep your phone line clear) too.