Joe Levi:
a cross-discipline, multi-dimensional problem solver who thinks outside the box – but within reality™

Harassing Phone Calls from (801) 663-7181

Have you gotten a phone call from this number?

  • (801) 663-7181
  • 1 (801) 663-7181
  • +1 (801) 663-7181
  • 801-663-7181
  • 8016637181

I have. I’ve been getting phone calls from them for the last week or more. They never leave a message, and when I call them back I’m met with a recorded voice that says:

Thank you for calling Discover Card. We recently tried to contact you in regard to a product or service we were offering.

If you’d like to speak with an Account Manager regarding that product or service, please press 1 now.

Otherwise, we appreciate your business and hope that you will continue to use your Discover Card for all of your everyday purchases.

The times when I’ve answered the call I’ve listened to their offer and politely declined it. Each time they’ve persisted, maybe I didn’t hear them right, and I’d be a fool to pass it up. Each time I say no, and ask that they not call me again.

Some days I’ve gotten 6-8 calls from this number.

My number is on the “do-not-call” registry. People who signed up originally are starting to get calls because their request is only good for a specific number of years. My request is up-to-date.

But that doesn’t help, not if I do business with the company in question, or — and here’s the rub — if I do business with the company that has “partnered” with a third-party. Another way to look at a “third party partner” is someone to whom Discover has sold my information.

I called Discover today and spoke with Deb in Arizona. She apologized and told me if it was from Discover, the phone calls would stop immediately. However, if it’s a “partner” calling me, my request could take two weeks or more. Two weeks of 6-8 calls a day? Not good enough. I told Deb as much, but she said it was outside of her power to do any better. No problemo, Deb, let me talk with someone that has the power.

Enter Joyce, Deb’s manager in Arizona. Joyce can’t help either, but was quick to point out that I had agreed to have “partners” call me because I didn’t opt-out when Discover sent out their revised Privacy Policy recently. Except that I did.

In any event, she can’t do anything to help either.

Hey, you know what, I’m a credentialed journalist, I wonder what their Discover’s Public Relations department has to say about this. I was referred to Leslie and Laura who, based on their area code, are out of Illinois.

Unfortunately — or conveniently? — neither is currently available… but I left a message, and may get a call back.

Before I go into what I can do to combat the calls, I’ll give Discover Media Relations a chance to chime in… but if I don’t hear back, I’ll go ahead and let you in on some sneaky and clever ways to keep from being harassed yourself…

Stay tuned!

Share

You may also like...

1 Response

  1. BenJoe says:

    However,

    If you sign up for any form (Internet, Paper, etc) and put your phone number down as the way to contact you, they can bypass the Do Not Call List. Even if it wasn’t for what you signed up for originally. So watch out for anything you sign up for or put your # on, because they can get you.

    Brother works in Telemarketing and he tells me 100s of ways to get around the “Do Not Call List”

Leave a Reply