Customer Appreciation Call Scam: How It Works
(with video below) Creating customer loyalty has always been one of the most important marketing tools for companies. Whether is about customized business gifts or appreciation for service, little gestures always lead to customer retention. But how about customer appreciation calls?
Let's say the phone rings and as soon as you answer you hear an automatic message: “Because you are a valuable [name of a popular company] customer, you have received an appreciation gift. Please press 1 now.” The scam has two variations:
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Scenario 1: Premium Line Call Trap
If you press 1 hoping to get your free prize, you could be kept on hold for several minutes, while your phone bill records “Premium” charging per minute; or be asked to call a toll-free number (a situation in which the same thing can happen).
Watch the video below to see in action how this sneaky premium line works.
How Premium Rate Numbers Work Video
Scenario 2: Small Fee Payment
You will be invited to talk to a representative of the company. After he has congratulated you and told you more about the “gift” you have won, he will ask for your bank account details or your credit card number, explaining that there is a minor tax to pay on the gift.
How To Avoid The Customer Appreciation Scam:
Winning things over the phone are never real, especially if they have the “valuable customer” approach.
How To Report The Customer Appreciation Scam:
Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
Report To The Federal Trade Commission Here
How To Protect Yourself More:
If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You'll receive periodical emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.
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David Kalu, Nigeria, Hon Grace Lebeau, Benin, Franklin Odim
They are scammer, they using ECOWAS buying leads.
https://www.pandorausecharms.com/
Can’t get anyone to respond. So I believe it is a fake scam website.
I placed an order on there and no update on status or shipping and sent 3 emails with no response
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You have won a 2nd prize winner 580,000.00 from KOPIKO MAgkapera4 pre-sim electronics raffle draw please text your complete name, age, address.
Please help me to check this matter.
U guys are trying pls enlighten me more plus the public
I received by mail a very impressive colour brochure together with 2scratchies from Miracle Time Tours. To my astonishment one of the scratches was worth $US220,000.Luckily I found this site advising people of the scam. Thank you
I received a lot of above.. same thing here with area regional code phone number than mine and I did also call the number back.. was a phone number of a lady in my hometown.. who had the similar phone call too. I receive lots a phone call anytime of day and it’s just to bad that the phone companies can’t put up anything to stop those scam.. it’s so frustrated..
I received 2 of these calls tonight. One at 10:30PM and another at 1:30AM! I answer. It’s a recorded message saying:
"This is an important message from the city of Des Plaines. Press one to hear this important message."
I’ve heard of this type of scam in the past, so of course I do not press one, and just hang up.
The name/number on caller ID:
Illinois call – 847-232-1531
A google phone # search leads to nowhere. Hopefully this message will be picked up by Google to warn others if they receive such a call from this number.
I have been getting one of these calls every day from a different phone number each time but all from my area code with a "303" prefix. My phone has a "303" prefix. I have dialed the number back with two results. (1) Spoke to the owner of the phone who was extremely surprised to hear of this call and (2) got what seemed like a personal voice mail box that was full. Is it possible that this scam involves hijacking cell phones to make these calls?