Retailer alert: Beware of telemarketers

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Retailer alert: Beware of telemarketers
Written by Amanda Ryder

July 16, 2010 - Are you getting frequent calls from telemarketers requesting your credit card statements and monthly totals?

We received a call from a frustrated reader this morning who says she receives up to five calls a day. The callers (who she suspects are phoning from the U.S.) will ask her to send them her credit card statement — information you should never provide another company that you don't know or trust. Our reader has also received calls where the telemarketer has requested the total amount of credit card sales she does monthly at her shop. The telemarketer uses this total to determine what size of loan they can provide the retailer with. The money from the loan is then culled from the credit card transactions made each month — an illegal operation that no retailer should take part in.

At the end of March, the Retail Council of Canada released a merchant alert warning retailers about these companies — you can read the alert here.

Our reader alerted us to these practices so we could pass the information along to other florists. She is also looking for ways to end the calls. Unfortunately, the telemarketers do not provide a phone number or contact information so there's nothing she can report to authorities.

Are you receiving these calls at your shops? Do you have a similar warning to share with other florists? Or tips to help put a stop to these calls? Share your strategies by commenting below or emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

COMMENTS

Written by Guest on 2010-07-19 14:23:40

When they call and ask for the owner or person in charge of the cc's I just tell them he's not in but can be reached at #--- ---- (the # for our local Scotiabank) and tell them to ask for Mr. Scotia. The bank's phone is never answered by a real live person, and when they realize they are calling a bank they will hang up anyways as they are competition!

Written by Pat Brethauer on 2010-07-19 14:18:59

Yes I had been receiving these calls and up to 5 in a day. The last time was on Friday, I finally told the guy to stop calling or I was contacting the police.
I haven’t received another call since (let’s hope that put a stop to it).

Pat Brethauer
Sarniaweddings.com
Sarnia, Ontario

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Written by Guest on 2010-07-19 12:03:09

Oh how frustrating it is!!! I have a small floral shop in PEI and have been bombarded with phone calls. Sometimes about 3+ a day! On Friday past, I told the telemarketer that because of all the harassing call from him I have no time to do order for my business and therefore have taken my machine out of the store! And told him that I would proceed to call the RCMP if he called again. I said this because one day they kept calling and calling (about 8 times or more)and there would be no person speek on the other end of the line. I feel your frustration! Karen

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Written by Guest on 2010-07-17 22:28:26

I also am plagued by those calls. Last week, I asked to be taken off their calling list, was given a hard time, and then I asked to speak to their supervisor. Was reluctant to do so, but I very firmly interrupted her, and asked again. I got her on the phone and told her that I was not interested, wanted to be removed from their call list at which time she said she would do that and I would never hear from their company again. This works for webdesign companies also. Hope this helps. When you ask, they must take you off their list.

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