The 'Westjet' Scam Phone Calls

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yeah....Westjet does absolutely ZERO marketing by phone. So there is no way they will ever call you unless you have something booked with them or some other interaction going on.

Same with the Hilton & Marriott ones. I get half a dozen of each some days at work.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I've also been getting these about once a day recently.

Given the anti-spam legislation that went into effect re: e-mail recently I honestly can't believe that this sort of thing is still allowed over the phone, which is far more obnoxious than an e-mail message. I can delete an e-mail message.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I've also been getting these about once a day recently.

Given the anti-spam legislation that went into effect re: e-mail recently I honestly can't believe that this sort of thing is still allowed over the phone, which is far more obnoxious than an e-mail message. I can delete an e-mail message.

I'm pretty sure these are coming from out-of-country over VOIP with some kind of dynamic DID, which means the feds really can't do ####. They are definitely spoofing like-numbers when they call, which I would assume aren't local.

[CroFlames]

Just a quick tip in case you didn't know this, although it is pretty straightforward.

I used to get called by folks saying they'll lower my interest rate on my credit card. If you get that call, simply ask "Which credit card". I've had them hang up on me when I asked that. Sometimes they would just say, oh you know, YOUR credit card.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

The number seemed legit, 403 area code and very close to my phone number, so I hung up and called it back. Some lady answered and had no idea what I was talking about with the whole Westjet thing and she said she never called me, which I tend to believe as she seemed genuine.

Why on earth would you call back a number from a telemarketer; especially an obvious scam? I get people calling me back sometimes because my number happened to be the one that was spoofed. It's annoying to have to explain to a person that no- I did not call them.

[InBurkeWeTrust]

I get free trips to the bahamas all the time.. same with my coworkers Not from WJ though

[Roof-Daddy]

I never answer if I don't know the number.

The other day I get a call from a normal AB number. I don't answer. Few minutes later that number texts me "?"

I text = "Who is this?"
Them = "The person you called"
I text = "I didn't call anyone"
Them = "This number was in my call log"

I stop texting back.

Anyone know what's up with that? Just a random phone glitch that makes it look like I called them on their phone and they called my on my phone? Or was it some sort of scam?

[I-Hate-Hulse]

IS it me - or is Mr Number pretty useless for these calls? I have it installed, looks to be configured right, but it's still activating the ringer.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

Anyone know what's up with that? Just a random phone glitch that makes it look like I called them on their phone and they called my on my phone? Or was it some sort of scam?

They're spoofing their caller ID to use people's numbers. It makes it harder to trace, harder to block, and it also makes you more likely to pickup because it looks more like a "normal" call.

I find that on my cell (iPhone), they often come up as a 10-digit number, but the brackets and sequence are muddled up. +40 (386) 378 XX is how they'll appear. My cell is a 403-863-XXXX number. They always appear to come from the "863" group of numbers. These are certainly numbers that belong to other people like me, but they are of course not making the calls themselves.

I usually only receive calls from people and places that I know, so I usually won't answer from a number that I don't recognize. Particularly when it shows up awkwardly like the example above. But this would be even more annoying if I had to answer calls from new numbers for business or something.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

I've actually stopped saying "hello" right away when I answer the phone. I now wait for a couple of seconds to see if it's a recording before doing so.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I've actually stopped saying "hello" right away when I answer the phone. I now wait for a couple of seconds to see if it's a recording before doing so.

lol, why? Wouldn't that just make it awkward for actually people that call you. And if it is a telemarketer, waiting to say hello doesn't change anything. You'll discover it's a telemarketer at the exact same millisecond either way.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

No one has given any indication that they've noticed - it's just a second or so, long enough that a recording would have started playing. But I consciously do it now.

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Wait till someone misses the phone call from the local number then calls you back and it's your number.

I've gotten a few texts now from people who ask why I called them. This is getting annoying. I really wish phone companies could find a better way to prevent the robo dialers these spammers are using.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

I've gotten a few texts now from people who ask why I called them. This is getting annoying. I really wish phone companies could find a better way to prevent the robo dialers these spammers are using.

Whichever Canadian telecom company figures this out will instantly get back some respectability they've lost over the years due to bad customer service, intolerable phone plans, and monopolizing the market.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Whichever Canadian telecom company figures this out will instantly get back some respectability they've lost over the years due to bad customer service, intolerable phone plans, and monopolizing the market, for a period of 6 months and then go back immediately to being hated.

fyp

[Buzzard]

I get them all the time too. Like others said, I usually just ignore any call that I don't recognize.

Sometimes just for kicks I'll answer and pretend I'm right gunned and they hang up on me. Doesn't stop them calling back two days later though.

[Igster]

Haven't had one of these in a while, but got one on the way home from work. Didn't really look and answered via bluetooth. I just want to punch someone in the face when I hear that message though.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

I've actually stopped saying "hello" right away when I answer the phone. I now wait for a couple of seconds to see if it's a recording before doing so.

You need to say hello right away and then listen for the connection to the telemarketer.

Real callers generally answer right away (since they are already there), telemarketers don't get connected to the call until the system detects an answer via "hello'. So you can feel the pause and often hear the "click" when they get connected. As soon as I hear the click or change in noise, I just hang up. I've given up on courtesy with telemarketers all together.

[bob-loblaw]

When we used to get telemarketers trying to sell magazines or the newspaper to me, I'd just tell them that it's super embarassing but that I actually can't read or write and to not call again. Believe it or not that actually worked - never heard from Rogers publications again.

Occasionally I'd see an unfamiliar number and I'd pretend to say 'Hi' somewhat muffled, then they'd start their pitch and I'd pretend I'm speaking a different language. Just don't try French because they have bilingual staff for surveys and such.

With the fake WestJet calls I started noticing the similar numbers and just don't pick them up anymore. The other day I had four calls in a row about three seconds apart after it went to my voice mail. Super annoying.

[Buff]

If it isn't WestJet, it's Marriott. Super annoying, and the number spoofing thing makes you want to not miss a call. Especially at work.