My Mother today received a phone call from ' a power company' asking her to read her own electric meter.I did'nt know electric companies did this, especially since she has a prepayment card.Is this acynical ploy to find out her when she is going to be in or out, or to try and get financial details from her?
2007-05-21 07:20:14 · 19 answers · asked by andrew j 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Senior Citizens
Call BT, or her telephone service provider, and explain the situation to them. They will give you 2 numbers to call, and register, to stop unwanted calls like this. Once you have set it up, it takes a few weeks to come into force, but after that time, if you get anymore calls, you have a number to call, and they track the unwanted callers and deal with it accordingly.
I did this about 2 years ago, and have very few unsolicited calls now.
2007-05-21 07:27:46 · answer #1 · answered by wonkyfella 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is the era of cell phones. Drill it into your mother that she does not leave the house to do anything asked on a phone by a stranger. The call may come from right in front of the house and the minute she's out the door there is trouble you don't want.
Tell her to ask for a number and she will see that their call is returned. Then she should call you with the number and any names she got. The rest will be up to you.
I'll repeat it...She does not leave the house. She should also make sure the doors are locked after she calls you.
2007-05-22 18:50:41 · answer #2 · answered by Terry 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
One solution is an ISDN phone which displays the caller's number. If you don't recognise the number, hang up.
Failing this, say you're busy, ask for the number and tell them you'll call back. Which of course you don't.
I have always hated nuisance calls and that includes telephone marketing, I simply say, 'not interested' and hang up.
I think your mother should call the company and ask if this is standard practice.
I get annoyed at people who protest about disturbing items on TV. Every TV has an off switch and the same goes for the telephone. Cut the call or put the handset down.
2007-05-22 21:03:21 · answer #3 · answered by cymry3jones 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitely not on the up and up. Obviously, call the power company first and report it. Then try the state attorney general and see if anything similar has been happening in the area.
2007-05-21 16:53:55 · answer #4 · answered by J S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If i was you i would phone up and check if this is company policy as it sound strange to me especially as she has a prepayment card, there are to many people out there ready to rip the older folks off.
2007-05-24 20:06:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like it's either a prank phone call or someone's trying to get something out of her. All utility companies read their own meters. If we read the meters for them, we'd have bills that were $5.00 per month, if you know what I mean.
2007-05-21 12:16:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Terry just gave an excellent piece of advice only before calling you she should call the police and report the call. After she calls you then you should also call the police to report it. Both of you should provide the number she obtains to them.
I concur... DO NOT LEAVE THE HOUSE!!!!!
2007-05-22 20:15:00 · answer #7 · answered by Chaplain John 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know...but I wouldn't trust the power company. Her best bet would be to tell them that she would call them back on their public number....But all in all I would tend to ignore the call and not give out any information.
2007-05-21 07:24:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like a con to me! Take the advice everyone has offered and report it.
There are some real scum bags out there! Hate stuff like this!
2007-05-21 07:29:32 · answer #9 · answered by Your Nuts! 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I suggest you contact her power company,as an unscrupulous sales person, from another company, could be about to change your Mums supplier.
2007-05-21 07:34:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋