An open letter to Bank of America’s “Insurance Svc” at 1-888-665-9900: stop the phone scam
It’s my belief that Bank of America tried to scam me.
I get a call from 1-888-665-9900. The caller ID says “Insurance Svc”.
The person who greets me takes the time to verify who I am. Then she goes into a pre-written script that gives me no chance to respond for literally minutes. She’s wondering if I have thought about my insurance needs for life and medical insurance. She finishes, not allowing me to respond, except to answer the question, “Do you have a spouse?”
I ignore the question, and say, “I’m not interested in this program.”
She continues with another (thankfully shorter) script. This one doesn’t address my response, but instead is a continuation of what she already said. This one is sneakier, though, as it contains language that says if I give them my address, I’ve signed up for the program.
She asks me “to confirm” my address. Since I thankfully have an IQ higher than the average snail, I refuse, and again tell her I’m not interested. She ends the call.
When I call the number back, I hear “Thank you for calling the insurance service center”, which, if you don’t enter an employee extension, transfers you to another system that greets you with, “Welcome to Bank of America”.
Usually I just hang up on – or never pick up – telemarketing calls. I stayed for this one because:
1) Multiple people are sick in my family (including me), and when you’re stuck at home sick, you get bored.
2) I haven’t heard such an old-school classic phone scam in years – the kind where they literally trick you into signing up, and so found myself listening incredulously.
3) I wanted to get the full details so I could report it.
And I did report it – my number is already on the Do Not Call registry, and I reported this call to them.
I think they targeted me because my home mortgage was transferred to Bank of America (something I didn’t have control over). I don’t know if this was a legal call or not. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be surprised. If it was, I also wouldn’t be surprised: legal or not, I think this was nothing more than a verbal scam, trying to trick me into signing up for a product without my consent.
Bank of America, you made me angry because you wasted my time with what I think was a scam. If you made me angry, you’re probably doing the same to many others. Is this really what you want for your public image? I have no problem with people trying to sell me things. That’s capitalism. That’s life. But scammy tactics hurt business and alienate clients in the long term.
Your business deals exclusively with adults, yet it seems as if you’re being managed by children.
Bank of America, grow up.
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UPDATE:
I’m not the only one. This site and this site detail many others who have had this same problem with Bank of America (or one of their “authorized third parties”). Luckily, there also seems to be a fix:
To stop all third-party marketing calls from Bank of America, call this number:
1-800-448-2755
At the time of this writing, you have to press Option 2 to remove your number from BoA’s call list. Then you have to confirm your phone number. BoA then tells you they’ll stop all evil harassment within 30 days (my words, not theirs).
At the time of this writing, the number seems to work – my home number was successfully entered. Let’s see if it will accomplish anything.
DeAnna Rice:
Wow, that really bites. What are they thinking? When i finally find a job…B of A will not be getting my money.
Recently someone got the no and pin for my husbands card. They call and ask to talk to him, but he’s at work. But seeing how my name is on the card and if god forbid anything happens to him, i am the one responsible for all and any debt incurred, a naturally thought, well i can handle this now, no prob.
Wrong…prob…becos i am a “at home mom”…i have no status till it comes time for payment…and was told ‘no we can’t talk to you…we have to talk to your husband’.
If i am gonna be treated as a second class citizen becos i don’t get paid for the 24/7 18 year stint of employment i do…then B of A can go to hell.
18 August 2009, 2:21 pmRobert Arkow:
Please review Arkow V. Bank of America on my site. B of A does NOT have a valid written “Do Not Call” policy.
If you are interested in suing B of A in small claims court, please contact me….
Robert Arkow
15 November 2009, 6:58 amhttp://www.telemarketingwatch.org
bob@telemarketingwatch.org
Lisa J:
Thanks for the tip on getting on BOA’s don’t call list. My mortgage was also transferred to them. I am sick of the telemarketing calls! Won’t (willfully) do biz with them if all they are gonna do is take my info and try to sell me stuff.
15 January 2010, 6:19 pmSpencer W.:
Thanks so much for info. My mortgage originated with Countrywide, enough said. I have business with BoA due to the mortgage and I want no further business with them. They are absolutely horrible…a customer service nightmare, the sooner I pay my mortgage off the sooner I will be rid of them. The many and annoying solicitation calls for different products border on the ridiculous. I just entered my info be removed from their call list… again, thanks!
1 February 2010, 10:08 amNick:
I just received a call from this number, I wish I would have answered…I HATE BANK OF AMERICA! I have nearly perfect credit but since banks decided to take away credit, BOA reduced my purchasing power from nearly $25,000 to $500 (I’ve NEVER paid off a Credit Card late and have NEVER carried a balance). When I called them, they said I’m too risky to have credit with them…then when I purchased a home, my loan was sold to them! They go around buying loans from unknown sources that could potentially be risky borrowers, but refuse to extend credit to a proven good customer. Great business you’re running BOA, I can’t wait until all my taxes are paying for your business which you refuse to include me on! And what’s with them not taking Automatic Payments for for mortgage? Are they hoping I forget to make a payment? NOT GONNA HAPPEN!
1 March 2010, 4:46 pmshauna:
this number has called me EVERY morning for at least a month. i never pick up. ughh!
27 May 2010, 12:42 pmWEury:
My mother in law got this call as well…trying to reach us. Said they didnt have our correct number. Which they do. I contacted BofA and they say its a fake number and that i should report the number to the police.
4 June 2010, 9:45 ampatty:
Grow up is right! I see this number on my caller ID and find out its B of A. I quickly called them back because right now I’m going thru loan modification with them. Now I find out they wanted to SELL me something???? I can’t pay my mortgage and am looking for help and they want to sell me something? I bet they threw my loan modification papers in the trash!
1 July 2010, 8:07 pmEric:
I am hopeful that this link will be helpful to you.
Bank of America does allow you to opt out of all solicitation online through: https://www5.bankofamerica.com/privacy/Preferences.do
This will initiate a 4 step process to remove your name, home address, up to 3 phone numbers and up to 5 email addresses from third-party spam.
You may even print a confirmation page with date, time, and the personal information that you requested not be used by third-parties any more.
I just completed this tonight. I hope this helps.
2 August 2010, 7:11 pmJennifer Ray:
I have also been receiving telemarketing calls from this number. Since July 5, 2010, I receive multiple calls almost every day, although I’ve told them not to call and stated clearly I am on the Do Not Call Registry. I have since reported them to the DNC registry multiple times. And, because they have used my account at Bank of America as a loophole to harass me with these calls, I have now closed all accounts at Bank of America and will not return. I told the BoA agent that also, and she requested the number that has been calling me so she can escalate the complaint within BoA and hopefully stop the calls if they get enough negative feedback from account holders, or in my case, EX account holders.
12 August 2010, 11:55 am