Possible Scam? I got a call from an Obama Bill Collector

On Saturday, I received a call from an Obama bill collector. They told me that
I owed them $210 that I pledged to the campaign. I told that I had donated a lesser amount, months ago on a credit card - but no pledge at any time. They did not believe me and wanted to know when they could expect payment. I finally just hung up.

Perhaps it was just an over zealous volunteer? Or the campaign is taking fund raising to
a totally new place.

Make sure you log the exact time, date and duration of the call.

Seems like I remember Repubs calling people pretending they were Dems trying to piss people off.

This sounds like a scam or a Rove trick to alienate democrats from Obama. Please contact the campaign though Barack's site. This needs to be nipped in the bud and word needs to get out pronto.

just said - ok - bill this credit card. The first thing I thought was - what an
odd amount - 210.

This would be a prime idea for a scam - knowing he's raising millions - to get
donations over the phone.

It almost sounds like a balance. And then it got you irritated enough to come and call them an "Obama Bill Collector".

Thanks for the heads up, Laura. Btw, did you happen to notice the area code if you have caller ID? Even when the whole number doesn't show, I can still see the area code on my telephone. Just wondering so I can be prepared. those scammers deserve a counter offensive. :D

I donated to Obama before that and probably will again, but, just saying.....wtf?

They often run out (especially of certain sizes) and there is a wait as more are made. If it's any consolation the shirt you are waiting for is made in America. (I hope all campaigns do that though)

You did the right thing by hanging up. Please inform the campaign.
I wonder how many feel forced to send the money which doesn't even reach the campaign.
I'm surprised anyways that I haven't heard about people receiving spam mails that imitate Dem or Repub e-mails asking for contributions.

the forum can get a heads up that there's a probable scam going on? It would be more helpful and accurate than your current subject line, imho.

Just a thought. And I'm glad you didn't give your credit card information out to whoever was calling.

sw

the most you would ever receive from a legitimate, ethical volunteer is a gentle reminder

This phone solicitation is suspect and does not sound legit

:rofl:

(seriously, there are a lot of scams like this out there)

you did pledge. I think it's a scam. One way to find out is to contact the Obama people and tell them about this. They should be able to let you know if this is legit or not because if it isn't, they should know what is being done in their name.

that I don't accept phone solicitations, and that I already donate to the campaign. He insisted that I should do a pledge of $150, and that he'd be glad to take the information over the phone. Finally he asked if he could send me a pledge card in the mail, and I said no thanks. There was a lot of background noise (like a call center), so I assumed it was legit. I got some very strange calls in '04 as well.

Huffington Post lists all donations, down to the zip code. Need to see who on your block donated? On the downside scumbags use that info to scam people. Name, address, amount donated and to who.
Prepare for worse before it gets better.

http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/index.php

this will give you a donor list, names, occupations, address and home address. You can even filter by regions, jobs, etc.

cross reference this info with:
www.anywho.com

so now any middle school kid with a laptop can collect a couple hundred credit cards per day from unsuspecting seniors or the less informed. It could be months before anyone is the wiser. And god help us if some thugs set up a team and really run a "Nigerian inheritance" type scam. They could send out tens of thousands of mailers, collect the numbers and be gone.

Or this info could be used for dirty ops to drive voters away, if one were so inclined.

As you can tell, I have a love/hate relationship with technology and open public records.
;)

If they can get an actor. What can they do to me little person. On a plus side I found someone who shares my extremely rare last name, on the other side of this nation, give to Obama. It just might be in the blood. :D

If this was a thread, I'd :kick:

that we're talking about a donation. That really doesn't commit you in any legal sense to give. Or not one that anyone serious about raising money would attempt to hold you to.

This was definitely a scam.

I donate frequently and told the person who called me but he wouldn't get off the phone. He did send out a mailing which seemed a waste of resources so it seemed he was on some sort of bonus?

as a sort of "soft pledge" (no amount given, but will give).

And I don't know that they'd get any credit for that - though if you did decide to give, they might have wanted to be sure they were credited then...

...that's public and it's not kept to Obama.

For Obama to change Washingtons source of money he has to control the list of donors.

...for that reason.

So that I can look up my name to make sure the donation went through.

:evilgrin:

I would try to report it to the Obama campaign in order to alert them to this fraudulent activity -- it sounds like either a criminal attempting to collect people's credit card numbers or a Rovian activity to besmirch Obama's name, which I guess would also count as criminal.

I don't believe for a minute that an "overzealous volunteer" did this -- unless it was a volunteer for McCain.

Hekate