Joe Levi

I've been getting phone calls from various phone numbers for some time now (ever since my wife and I purchased a new van from a local dealer). It's always a recording that calls and asks you to press some number to get to a warranty representative, and another number to be placed on their do-not-call list.

Every time I've picked the option to be placed their do-no-call list. I still get calls, sometimes 2-3 a day.

Recently I decided on another tactic: talk to a person and go through the whole "do not call" script. The first time I tried I was hung up on immediately.

So today I tried something different.

04/07/2008 in the morning I was called by 954-692-7602

"This is your last follow-up notice and you will not be called again. Press #1 to talk with a representative, press #2 to have your name permanently removed from our call-back list. "

I picked option 1 to talk with a human. Knowing that the last time I opened with "do you have a do-not call list" I was hung up on, I told them I had a 2008 Tesla Roadster. After about 10 seconds of holding why the looked that up, I was hung up on.

04/07/2008 in the afternoon I was called by 702-520-1276

This is a courtesy care notice that your warranty is about to expire, I spoke with "warranty specialist" Melissa Appley (spelled as it sounded to me on the phone)... she said it's a Prussian name. This time I claimed I had a 2004 Honda Insight with "just shy of 50K miles, no problems." I gave her a fictitious name "Joe Picklefudd" at PO Box 184...

She knew I was in "Clearfield" they offer two types of coverage, the main type is new car protection only while it's under the original mfg. warranty... since my (fictitious car) has around 50K miles on it she put me on hold while she got someone else on the line (Courtney). 36,000 miles. "Factory warranty has expired, is everything currently running okay?... two types, new and used, prefer the new cars"small favor on your part "accept or decline over the phone" then transferred me to a warranty specialist (John)

Margaret Escondido was the file that was sent over John said "You don't sound like a Margaret, so let me look up your file..." Apparently I wasn't in there, so I gave him the same information that I'd given Melissa Appley previously. He said "oh, how's Utah?" Good... Where are you guys at? "St. Louis, Missouri."

I was starting to narrow it down

After a bit more discourse it turns out that I'm qualified for an additional 4 years, or up to 100K total mileage (they say Ken "Graff" is my local qualified service center, but any will work as long as they are ASC certified), platinum bumper to bumper, $100 deductible, free towing, 24/hr roadside assistance and rental car, $775/year * 4 = $3,100 pay in full or "Interest free financing with ~$300 down, plus ~$200 monthly."

Can you send me this information so I can read through the fineprint before I agree to it? "We've found that people usually don't respond to those, and when they do it's usually after they need service, so we don't send stuff like that out anymore." Is there someplace I can get that information, like on the web or by fax, or I guess you could read it to me and I could record it..." Yeah, we have a website, it's over oneautowarranty.com..." Which has the following information on their Contact Us page:

Dealer Services
100 Mall Parkway
Wentzville, MO 63385
1-800-649-1856

So, after 20 minutes of being jostled around I asked some questions...

Do you have a do not call list? "I'm sure we do"
Do you have a written policy concerning this list? "I don't know."
Federal law requires that you have and maintain a do not call list and a written policy regarding that list, and that you provide me with a written copy of the policy upon request. Will you provide me with a written copy of this policy? "I'm not in the management side so I can't do that. I can transfer you to customer service and they can take care of that for you." (was transferred)

I asked "Christina" in Customer Service if they have written policy concerning their do-not-call list? "We have gotten that request before and we no not. We don't have a policy because it's in the computer."

Under Federal Law, any company making telephone solicitations must must have a written policy concerning their do-not-call list, and must provide (upon request) a copy of said policy. Are you telling me that you do not have such a policy and cannot or will not provide me with a copy of it? "Hold on while I check."

When Christina came back she asked for my name and mailing address so "that information can be sent" to me. I provided my first name and mailing address and asked when I should expect the letter. "It will be mailed out within 3-5 business days... but it takes 30 to 45 days to be taken off the list." I asked if the 30-45 day waiting period would be covered in the document that they'd send out. "Yes it will. Would you like me to add your name to the list?" I've already submitted my number to the computer. "The computer doesn't work all the time... It doesn't work as well ask a person anyway. It's not as fast." So I gave her the number at which I've been harassed for the last while so she can manually add it to the list.

Will you give me the name and physical mailing address of someone to contact if I don't get that letter in a reasonable amount of time? "No sir." Federal Law requires that you provide me the name and a physical address of that person should I need to contact your company. Are you refusing to give me the information? "No, I'm not refusing to give you anything." Okay, what's the name and address as required by Law? "Sir, I'm not authorized to give out anyone's information but my own. The name and address will be on the letter that you receive." So you're refusing to give me the information over the phone? "Yes, sir, I suppose I am."

She asked if there was anything else she could do for me, I answered that apparently she could not, and we hung up.

So, now I await the letter...

Update 04/09/2008

They called back today from 1-702-520-1208 at 9:32am. No letter yet.

Update 04/11/2008

They called back today from 1-603-214-3656 at 11:58am. This time it was "press 2 to close your file" so I did and got a busy signal. No letter yet.

 

Update 04/24/2008

 

They called back Thursday, April 24, 2008 9:19:13 PM from 760-224-2542.

Update 04/28/2008

I got the promised letter... it's an apology letter confirming that they got a request on 4/7 to remove my name and numbers from their call and/or mail list. Further, that it will take "7-10 business days for the removal process to take affect."

Funny, the request for for them to send me a copy of their written policy regarding the use of their do-no-call list, as required by Federal Law. I'll write back and let them know that their letter wasn't what it needed to be.

It was sent from Stacey R. Scales, Paralegal, Dealer Services, 100 Mall Parkway, Wentzville, Missouri 63385, phone: 1-800-649-1856, fax: 1-800-649-1719.

Update 04/29/2008

I got a postcard from Dealer Services about their services; it was labeled "Final Notice." If only that were true...

Update 04/30/2008 

They called back Wednesday, April 30, 2008 6:49:12 PM from 870-879-2373.

Update 05/02/2008

I wrote back to Stacey R. Scales quoting Federal Law and requesting, this time in writing, their official policy regarding the use of their do-not-call list.

 

If you liked this post, please be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feed.

I keep getting phone calls from 702-520-1355 and 954-692-7602. The first time I answered the female caller identified herself as calling from an "auto warranty center." I asked if she was making a telemarketing call to which she replied in the affirmative. I asked her to place my number on their do not call list, she said she would and thanked me for my time.

Almost every weekday since I've gotten another call from the same number; I let them all ring to voicemail -- no message is left.

When I return the call the number rings several times before a computer picks up and gives me options to have my number removed from their call list, which I've done, and it obviously doesn't work.

There are two "loopholes" that prevent me from taking them to court and claiming my damages:

1. My wife and I just bought a new (previously owned) van, I assume the company that we bought it from sold our information to this company, which might be construed as "doing business with" them (probably not, but it could be argued). If you do business with a company (i.e., your local telco) you cannot sue them under the telemarketing statues because they do business with you, even if the call is advertising a product or service that they offer.
2. They call me at work, on my work line (not at home, or on my personal cell line). I don't own this line, so it could be argued that I'm not the damaged party, and my employer would have to take action against them -- which I doubt they'd do.

So, I'll call the company that sold us the van and tell them to discontinue selling/trading/giving away our information, and to track down whomever they've sold/traded/given our information to and get them to stop. If they don't or are unwilling to do so I'll let all ya'll know who it is so you can have that information available before you do business with them.

I'll send them a copy of this before I "out them" so I can get their official comment as well... Stay tuned.

--- 

They called again, it's an auto-dialer, so I had to listen to their message and press "1" (I think) to get to a service representative, which took about a minute of being on hold. When I finally got through a female asked me if she could get the make, model, and year of my vehicle; I told her "no, but you can tell me how I can get off your call-list." I was stern, but polite and professional.

Without a word, she hung up.

---

Update:

I just got a call from 954-692-7602, same recording which says basically "Your automotive warranty has expired, it's not too late to extend coverage. This is your last followup notice and you will not be called again. Press #1 to talk with a representative, press #2 to have your name permanently removed from our call-back list."

This time (since I've already gone through the "take me off your list" option previously, I opted to talk with a rep again (last time I asked them to remove me from their list and she hung up), this time when asked (by a male) what the year make and model of my car were I responded that it's a 2008 Tesla Roadster. He said, "okay, let just a moment [clack clack clack -- busy signal]." They'd hung up yet again, apparently a 2008 is too new a vehicle to worry about (or they couldn't find the Tesla Roadster in their database). In any event, there's another call that I got and was hung up on. Total time wasted on the phone and to document it: 5 minutes.

--- 

On a related note, as a way to set up a legal defense (if need be), by way of public notice any person, entity, company, or dialer related to and/or affiliated with the aforementioned phone numbers and/or solicitations of automotive warranty products/services is hereby given notice to cease and desist any and all contact with me via any means or methods of contact (including, but not limited to) my work phone number.

---

 

If you liked this post, please be sure to subscribe to my RSS Feed.