For months, I have been receiving phone calls from 2 unidentifiable sources. The first, 702.607.5725, shows up as “unavailable” on the caller ID. The second, 866.375.0529, shows up as the Palazzo Resort. The Palazzo Resort calls didn’t concern me so much because I thought it was related to my timeshare in some way, figured it was a sales call and therefore paid it very little mind. I would, however, receive these calls at around the same time every day – 10am. There would be no corresponding voicemail. When I would try calling back the “unavailable” number, I would get an immediate busy signal.
At first, I wasn’t terribly concerned, especially since I wasn’t even home to receive the calls and it wasn’t important enough for them to leave a voicemail. I did however start to become concerned when I ended up being home for these phone calls. I was actually present to answer the phone, sometimes on the first ring, only to be disconnected, like someone answered and immediately hung up. As usual, I would try calling back the number from the caller ID but would receive an immediate busy signal.
At first, I wasn’t terribly concerned, especially since I wasn’t even home to receive the calls and it wasn’t important enough for them to leave a voicemail. I did however start to become concerned when I ended up being home for these phone calls. I was actually present to answer the phone, sometimes on the first ring, only to be disconnected, like someone answered and immediately hung up. As usual, I would try calling back the number from the caller ID but would receive an immediate busy signal.
One day, I happened to be home when I received the call from the "Palazzo Resorts". I answered it immediately because I was curious about what my timeshare might be trying to sell to me. When I answered the phone, the automated caller identified herself as “Rachel” which I found to be a clever but annoying sales tactic. My name is also Rachel so I figured that the automated voice would always just happen to have the same name as the person they were calling for. “Rachel” went on to “explain” that this call was not an attempt to collect any monies or sell any products. It was simply to advise me that I had the opportunity to lower my credit card rates. I hung up. NOW my scammy-sense was up because this really appeared deceptive since the caller ID indicated a resort.
I decided to Google the two phone numbers. I was at least relieved to find that I was not the only one who was receiving calls from these numbers and getting the responses – or lack there of – that I was getting. There are countless complaints about these, as well as other phone numbers. Some of the complainants who actually heard a voice on the other end of the “unavailable” calls report that they were calls fishing for credit card information – some under the guise of repairing credit.
I still don’t have any specific information about the “unavailable” number but I was still very curious about the Palazzo Resort calls. There is an actual Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas. It is an upscale, high-end resort and is definitely part of a large, successful casino organization. While I have been to many casinos and I KNOW they share their “customer” information with one another, for marketing purposes, I still could not figure out how they were involved with a company that could lower my credit card rates.
According to CallerComplaints.com, 702.607.5725 is a “spoofed number”. If consumers didn’t have enough to be concerned about with simple scamming, we now have to worry about our caller ID being manipulated against us? Wikipedia explains that “spoofed calls” are those in which a telephone network displays a number on the recipient’s caller ID that does not actually belong to the caller. How annoying is that?
There have been several attempts to create legislation to control the use of this type of technology. Until such legislation is passed, you do have some recourse. The first would be to register your phone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry. You can also file an official complaint with the National Do Not Call Registry as well as the Federal Trade Commission.
Identity theft is too damaging and too time consuming. Don't let it happen to you. Just remember, when you receive questionable calls, do not hesitate to hang up. You are not obligated to give anyone any information you don’t want them to have. Last but not least, don't hesitate to file formal complaints. The simple paperwork you do today to complain, could save you from the mountain of paperwork you will have to do tomorrow if you become the victim of identity theft.
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