

Ask HN: How do you handle credit card robocalls from Karen, Gretchen, Rachel? - heckubadu


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bediger4000
I have come to believe that wasting the robocaller's resources are the most
valuable option. To that goal, I keep the phone listening to the entire
recorded spiel. This is worthwhile sometimes. At least twice, I've gotten a
call from "Barbara" in a distinctly male voice. Hilarity abounds! If you don't
at least listen to the recording, you're pawning the problem off on someone
else. After that, I always press 1 or 9 or whatever to get to a human
operator. I try to consume as much of the human operator's time as possible. I
ask them to repeat things, I hem and haw while answering. I actually have an
expired gift Visa card in my wallet to give out as a "valid" credit card
number. I will also note that you can transpose any two odd-position or even-
position digits except the last digit (which is a checksum) and the first 6
(Issuing Institution Number). That should yield a wrong credit card number
that passes the checksum and IIN lookups.

I have had a full bladder when I've received a call from "Rachel" or "Ann" a
couple of times. I've taken this as a sign to let the human operator listen to
the cheerful tinkle of urination, and the gloomy finality of a flush.

I believe that the robocallers and the human operators are from different
organizations/crime families. If you listen to the robocall all the way
through, you've consumed resources of one pack of assholes. I imagine the
robocallers get paid on the handoff to the boiler room full of dickweed
"operators"/fraudsters. So you should probably try to get through to a human,
and then waste their time, as that is time they're not spending defrauding
someone a bit simpler or more trusting.

In conclusion: Cardholder Services delenda est!

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bediger4000
Why the downvotes? Are you voting against my idea (we all cooperate to consume
the robocalling organization's resources) or my style, or the fact that I have
treated the human operators very cruelly, or are the downvoters employed by or
own Cardholder Services? Be honest. I can change my mind even if you can't.
Leave a comment when you downvote.

