I’ve been contacted
by a telemarketing company claiming to represent
the
TeleZapper. The caller was very persistent and
even asked for my bank account information.
Are
you aware of this?
We have recently become aware
of a telemarketing phone scam that is using
the
TeleZapper and Privacy Technologies Inc. names
to try to cheat consumers out of money. Please
be assured that Privacy Technologies Inc.,
owner of the TeleZapper brand name and technology,
is not affiliated with these callers in any
way. Please read further for more information
on how to protect yourself from the perpetrators
of this scam.
This Is How The Scam Works
- You receive a telephone call
from someone claiming to represent TeleZapper
or Privacy Technologies. The caller
asks if you want to buy a service that will
stop telemarketing calls to your home.
- The caller uses high-pressure
selling tactics to get you to buy a “service”.
They may call you several times over a course
of a few days trying to get you to purchase.
- Eventually, the caller asks
for personal information and your check
routing
number. They may even provide you with
a phone confirmation number for your order.
- Armed with your personal information,
the perpetrator will charge a large sum
of money
to your checking or credit card account
What You Should Know
Never give your personal information
over the phone to anyone that you are not familiar
with.
If you are contacted by one of these scammers,
it is recommended that you do the following: - Obtain
the name of the company and phone number
of the caller trying to sell
you something. Log the date and time of the
call, and take notes for each call, if
they call you more than once.
- Contact your local Better Business
Bureau. To locate one in your area click here
http://www.bbb.org/bbblookup/
- Contact your state attorney
general’s office at http://www.naag.org/
- Notify Privacy Technologies
at 1-800-373-6290 or by email at webmaster@royalappliance.com. We
have already notified the Federal Trade Commission
in an attempt to protect consumers and stop this
scam.
More information about how to handle
identity theft can be found at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
How do telemarketing calls
work?
There are several hundred telemarketing
call centers in the U.S., with the majority of
telemarketing calls being dialed by a computer
known as an auto dialer or predictive dialer.
Predictive dialers can dial 3-5 numbers simultaneously
and can make as many as 500,000 calls between
8 a.m. and 9 p.m. When you answer your phone,
the computer connects you to a live telemarketer
who tries to sell you something. If you are
not home or if the computer gets your answering machine,
your number will be put back into the database
to be called again later.
Back to top...
How does my number get on telemarketing
lists?
You can get on telemarketing lists
in many ways:
By having a listed telephone number
Through a reverse phone book organized by neighborhood
When you dial an 800 number that uses an Automatic
Number Identification system (ANI) to record your
number
Via credit information services, such as Equifax,
etc.
By ordering products or services from direct marketers
or catalogs, whether you order through the mail,
from web sites, or via 800 numbers
By printing or including your telephone number
on your personal checks
Even by simply paying your monthly bills
These lists of telephone numbers are then often
sold, bartered, rented, shared and copied from
one telemarketer to another. As your number constantly
finds its way onto new call lists, the TeleZapper
will continue to do its job over time to help
you protect your privacy.
Back to top...
How does the TeleZapper "zap"
telemarketers?
The TeleZapper uses the technology
of telemarketers' automatic dialing equipment
against them. When you or your answering machine
picks up a call, the TeleZapper emits a special
tone that "fools" the computer into
thinking your number is disconnected. Instead
of connecting you to a salesperson, the computer
drops the call and stores your number as disconnected
in its database.
Over time, as your number is removed from more
and more databases, you'll see a dramatic decrease
in the number of annoying telemarketing calls
you receive.
Back to top...
Will the TeleZapper "zap" calls
from anyone other than telemarketers?
The TeleZapper is designed to
"zap" calls made by predictive dialer
computers by doing two things: first, by disconnecting
predictive-dialed calls before you can be connected
to a live telemarketer and second, by deleting
your phone number from telemarketing computer
lists. Whether the TeleZapper will affect computer-dialed
calls from other sources depends on the type
of computer equipment being used and how that
equipment is programmed. Therefore, it may also "zap" calls
from other organizations that use predictive
dialer
computers, such as charitable organizations,
blood banks, public safety and service organizations,
market researchers, opinion and political pollsters,
and academic institutions.
Many organizations and communities
do not rely entirely on computerized calling
systems
to reach you. Most have secondary means in place
to contact or notify people with important
information.
Furthermore, these organizations can always contact
you by simply dialing your phone number manually.
Manually dialed calls will not be zapped. As
such,
you can contact organizations to determine if
they use predictive dialers and, if so, to
ask
that
your phone number be manually dialed or that
alternate
means be used in order to contact you.
Finally, during times of severe
weather or at any time that important public emergency
notifications might be received, you can quickly
and easily disconnect your TeleZapper to allow
all calls, including those placed by computerized
dialers, to be successfully completed.
Back to top...
How do I know when I've "zapped"
someone?
If you answer your telephone and
there's no one there, the odds are that you just
"zapped" a telemarketer. After a few
weeks, you'll notice that you are receiving fewer
and fewer of these calls.
Back to top...
Why buy a TeleZapper instead of letting
my answering machine or caller ID screen telemarketing
calls?
The TeleZapper is the only product
that emits a signal that "tells" predictive
dialer computers your number is disconnected.
Unlike answering machines or caller ID, once the
TeleZapper's tone is emitted, your number is removed
from the computer's call list. So, as time passes,
you'll receive fewer and fewer annoying telemarketing
calls. If the computer gets your answering machine,
your number is put back into the database to be
called again and again … and again. Most
telemarketing calls show up on Caller ID as "out
of area" or "private". But since
many callers are identified in these ways, it's
difficult to know who's calling and whether or
not you want to pick up the phone. The TeleZapper
really is a better solution to keep telemarketers
out!
Back to top...
How do I install the TeleZapper?
The TeleZapper is easy to install.
Simply plug it into any
phone jack to cover all extensions and answering
machines connected to that line. (Please note:
Model TZ800 must also be plugged into an electrical
outlet.) Plus, you
have
flexibility to place the TeleZapper anywhere
in your home since you can plug the phone cord
into
a phone, into an answering machine, or directly
into a phone jack.
If you use an answering machine on your phone
line, it is important that you re-record your
message and delay speaking for a few seconds
to allow time for the TeleZapper tone prior to
the start of your recorded message. Please be
aware that all answering machines are different.
If the delay until the recorded message is played
is too short, the special tone may not play which
will keep the TeleZapper from working.
Back to top...
Do I need a TeleZapper for each telephone
extension?
No. One TeleZapper covers all
telephones and answering machines connected to
the same line (telephone number). If you have
two lines, you will need an additional TeleZapper
for your other line.
Back to top...
Do I need to use a special phone with
the TeleZapper?
No. The TeleZapper works on any
home phone line and with most types of phones.
Back to top...
Will the TeleZapper interfere with my
answering machine?
No. The TeleZapper will not interfere
with your answering machine. In fact, the TeleZapper
works with most answering machines to "zap"
telemarketers when you are away or when you prefer
not to answer the phone. When your answering
machine
picks up a call for you, the TeleZapper emits
its special tone to "zap" the telemarketer.
Your name will have been deleted from another
telemarketing list and you won't have been bothered
at all. A caller who wishes to leave a message
on your answering machine will hear a short
tone followed by your recording. A caller who
wishes to leave a message on your answering
machine will
hear a short tone followed by your recording.
It is important that you re-record your answering
machine message and delay speaking for a few
seconds to allow time for the TeleZapper tone
prior to the start of your recorded message.
Also, please be aware that all answering machines
are different. If the delay until the recorded
message is played is too short, the special tone
may not play which will keep the TeleZapper from
working.
Back to top...
I have voicemail from the telephone company.
Will the TeleZapper work with this?
Yes and No. Your telephone must
go "off-hook" for the TeleZapper to
emit its tone. As long as you pick up a call,
the phone goes "off-hook" and the TeleZapper
emits its tone to "zap" telemarketers.
If, instead, the telephone company "answers"
your calls through voicemail, your phone does
not go "off-hook" and the TeleZapper
cannot emit its tone. The TeleZapper will not
interfere with the normal operation of your voicemail.
Back to top...
Will the TeleZapper interfere with my
computer or fax machine?
No. The TeleZapper does not interfere
with the operation of your computer, your fax
machine or other telecommunications or electronics
equipment.
Back to top...
Will the TeleZapper work on junk faxes?
Yes. If your fax number is dialed
by a computerized predictive dialing system that
is programmed to listen for disconnected numbers,
the TeleZapper will "zap" your fax number
from those calling lists.
Back to top...
What's to keep telemarketers from just
turning off the "disconnected" feature
on their computerized dialing equipment?
Plenty! There are millions of
non-working telephone numbers. Telemarketers
succeed
by efficiently connecting their operators to
PEOPLE and then selling them something. The
last thing
they want is to waste time being connected to
a non-working telephone number. Plus, when
you've
installed a TeleZapper, you're telling the telemarketer
you do not want to talk to them. There are
laws
that support your right to privacy and most telemarketers
really don't want to violate those laws --
they
just want to talk to someone who might buy something.
Back to top...
Does the TeleZapper block collectors'
computer-generated calls made to collect legitimate
debts?
By purchasing the TeleZapper from
Privacy Technologies, you are making a choice
to protect your privacy. Before the introduction
of the TeleZapper, you may have used other methods
to screen unwanted calls, such as Caller ID, Privacy
Manager, and answering machines. The TeleZapper
is simply another option for people who are concerned
about maintaining their privacy. That right is
a fundamental one and is, indeed, constitutionally
protected.
The majority of telemarketing
calls are computer dialed at random. The TeleZapper
is designed to "zap" your phone number
off telemarketers' computers. Whether the TeleZapper
will affect computer-dialed calls from other
sources, such as collection agencies, depends
on the type of computer equipment being used
and how that equipment is programmed.
Therefore, the TeleZapper
may also "zap" calls from organizations,
other than telemarketers, that also use predictive
dialer computers.
The TeleZapper will not "zap"
bill collectors or other companies who dial a
telephone number manually rather than through
a predictive dialing computer.
Back to top...
Does the TeleZapper block incoming calling
card calls?
Privacy Technologies has learned
that some long distance calling card manufacturers
use a system similar to predictive dialing
systems.
Whether the TeleZapper will affect computer-dialed
calling card calls depends on the type of computer
equipment being used and how that equipment
is programmed. Since the TeleZapper is designed
to disconnect calls before a computerized predictive
dialer
can connect you to a live telemarketer/caller,
there is also a chance that predictive-dialed
calling card calls may not be completed.
Back to top...
Does the TeleZapper create a computer
virus for the caller?
The TeleZapper DOES NOT create
a computer virus for callers. The TeleZapper simply
emits a tone that most predictive dialer computers
recognize as a disconnected number.
Back to top... |
