Strange telephone call last night
Discussion
I got in from work at about 17:45 last night, and no sooner had I taken my shoes of the house phone rings. I pick up, and there's an Asian sounding chap on the other end of the line:
"Hello, is that Mr. Evans?"
"Speaking"
"Hello Mr. Evans, I'm calling from Sky customer services. I'm just ringing to check that everything is ok with your Sky box at the moment"
"As far as I know, but it's not turned on at the moment. Why?"
"We've been having some complaints recently of bad signal in that area so we're giving courtesy calls to all of our customers to check who is affected."
"Ok, well everything seems fine"
"That's great Mr. Evans, and have you received your new viewing card?"
"No, am I supposed to be getting one?"
"We've been sending them out over the past two weeks. You should receive yours next week then."
"Ok."
"And can we just ask, is it a Sky+ or a Sky+ HD box that you have Mr. Evans.?"
"It's a normal Sky+ box, but you should know...."
"Thank you for your help Mr. Evans. Good bye."
I was a little bit confused at first, as the call only lasted about 20 seconds, but then I started thinking. How did they even know I have Sky? That falls under my girlfriends remit - the account is in her name, and she pays the Direct Debits - there isn't any reference to me at all other than when they came to fit it. Also, why didn't they just send a test down the line to check for any problems? Wouldn't the signal strength vary depending on the location of the house and dish anyway? Then finally why do they need to ask what box I have, they should know that.
Leads me to believe that it probably wasn't Sky that were calling. 1471 came back with "We do not have the callers number" so I couldn't get any clues from there.
Has anybody any idea who it could have been? Initial thoughts by me are that it's probably a rival company doing a sneaky survey, but if it's something more sinister I'd like to be prepared!
"Hello, is that Mr. Evans?"
"Speaking"
"Hello Mr. Evans, I'm calling from Sky customer services. I'm just ringing to check that everything is ok with your Sky box at the moment"
"As far as I know, but it's not turned on at the moment. Why?"
"We've been having some complaints recently of bad signal in that area so we're giving courtesy calls to all of our customers to check who is affected."
"Ok, well everything seems fine"
"That's great Mr. Evans, and have you received your new viewing card?"
"No, am I supposed to be getting one?"
"We've been sending them out over the past two weeks. You should receive yours next week then."
"Ok."
"And can we just ask, is it a Sky+ or a Sky+ HD box that you have Mr. Evans.?"
"It's a normal Sky+ box, but you should know...."
"Thank you for your help Mr. Evans. Good bye."
I was a little bit confused at first, as the call only lasted about 20 seconds, but then I started thinking. How did they even know I have Sky? That falls under my girlfriends remit - the account is in her name, and she pays the Direct Debits - there isn't any reference to me at all other than when they came to fit it. Also, why didn't they just send a test down the line to check for any problems? Wouldn't the signal strength vary depending on the location of the house and dish anyway? Then finally why do they need to ask what box I have, they should know that.
Leads me to believe that it probably wasn't Sky that were calling. 1471 came back with "We do not have the callers number" so I couldn't get any clues from there.
Has anybody any idea who it could have been? Initial thoughts by me are that it's probably a rival company doing a sneaky survey, but if it's something more sinister I'd like to be prepared!
It wasn't sky.
It'll be one of the dodgy warranty companies aquiring a list of names/address/telephone numbers and simply trying their luck. You'll be getting a letter through the post in the next few weeks offering you a warranty on your existing sky equipment. Just bin it, Its a scam.
Sky will very rarely contact you by phone, If they do contact you by phone you will have to confirm account details before they can continue with the call. They will already know the equipment you use, and they would know that just because Billy-Boy next door is having problems with his sky, Doesn't mean you will be.
It'll be one of the dodgy warranty companies aquiring a list of names/address/telephone numbers and simply trying their luck. You'll be getting a letter through the post in the next few weeks offering you a warranty on your existing sky equipment. Just bin it, Its a scam.
Sky will very rarely contact you by phone, If they do contact you by phone you will have to confirm account details before they can continue with the call. They will already know the equipment you use, and they would know that just because Billy-Boy next door is having problems with his sky, Doesn't mean you will be.
DogChops1 said:
Had the same call last week, even though I cancelled my Sky subs back in March (still have the box though).
Him: Is your sky box working
Me : Yes thanks. (put down phone).
I think he tried to call back after a minute but I just couldn't be arsed.
+1Him: Is your sky box working
Me : Yes thanks. (put down phone).
I think he tried to call back after a minute but I just couldn't be arsed.
edit, and yes and did get another call about renewing the warranty a few days later. Said I bought the box off ebay so never had a warranty and I certainly dont want one now.
Edited by dogbucket on Thursday 29th April 09:58
Mr AJ said:
It'll be one of the dodgy warranty companies aquiring a list of names/address/telephone numbers and simply trying their luck. You'll be getting a letter through the post in the next few weeks offering you a warranty on your existing sky equipment. Just bin it, Its a scam.
Thanks for your help. As long as I'm not going to get home to find some chap sat on my sofa, drinking my beer and enjoying my Sky tv then I'm not so worried!I think if they do call back I'll employ one of my Grandpa's old tactics:
"Yes, I'll just go and check with my wife."
Leave the phone on the side to run up their bill, continue with whatever I'm doing and return 15 minutes later to hang up.
How you should have played it
Reload said:
"Hello, is that Mr. Evans?"
"Speaking"
"Hello Mr. Evans, I'm calling from Sky customer services. I'm just ringing to check that everything is ok with your Sky at the moment"
"Let me just have a look out the window, yes its a bit cloudy but it doesnt seem like rain"
"err what..."
"The sky its fine"
Click, BErrrrrrrr
"Speaking"
"Hello Mr. Evans, I'm calling from Sky customer services. I'm just ringing to check that everything is ok with your Sky at the moment"
"Let me just have a look out the window, yes its a bit cloudy but it doesnt seem like rain"
"err what..."
"The sky its fine"
Click, BErrrrrrrr
Had one of these calls a few weeks ago.
Didn't half fox him when I started talking about the damp patch on the front bay around where the cable comes through.
He finally gave up when I started asking his opinion on whether it's the Sky fitters fault, a faulty dampcourse or maybe I should be after the landscaper who raised the level of the front garden to within 3 inches of the airbricks.
Didn't half fox him when I started talking about the damp patch on the front bay around where the cable comes through.
He finally gave up when I started asking his opinion on whether it's the Sky fitters fault, a faulty dampcourse or maybe I should be after the landscaper who raised the level of the front garden to within 3 inches of the airbricks.
Reload said:
Mr AJ said:
It'll be one of the dodgy warranty companies aquiring a list of names/address/telephone numbers and simply trying their luck. You'll be getting a letter through the post in the next few weeks offering you a warranty on your existing sky equipment. Just bin it, Its a scam.
Thanks for your help. As long as I'm not going to get home to find some chap sat on my sofa, drinking my beer and enjoying my Sky tv then I'm not so worried!I think if they do call back I'll employ one of my Grandpa's old tactics:
"Yes, I'll just go and check with my wife."
Leave the phone on the side to run up their bill, continue with whatever I'm doing and return the next day to hang up.
worked for Sky bout a year ago for over a year. Under no circimstances will Skys Technical team call you, unless you require a call back. The only calls you should receive from the team are sales calls. At the start of these calls we ask you to confirm security details first and only talk to the account holder for these aswell...in your case OH. We can tell what box you have,what tv package you have,how you pay,what you generally pay per month,if you have multi-room,and if you've ordered any pay-per-view channels within the last 12months. Technical teams wont call you to see if you're having a problem as 'there is one in your area', they cant bring up to their computer who has a sky box in that area... thats up to you to phone them and complain.
This was definately a scam.
If your ever in doubt about anything, refuse to answer anymore questions, tell them you will call the company back yourself and hang up before they can start a debate about it.
This was definately a scam.
If your ever in doubt about anything, refuse to answer anymore questions, tell them you will call the company back yourself and hang up before they can start a debate about it.
Reload said:
"We've been having some complaints recently of bad signal in that area so we're giving courtesy calls to all of our customers to check who is affected."
How the hell can you have a 'bad signal in that area'? Its 25,000 miles UP and we are ALL pointing towards it. (Unless you are at the far ends of the footprint)Plus if you have various sky boxes Sky them selfs need to turn services on and off.
reload said:
How did they even know I have Sky?
Got you name out of a hat and as most people have Sky. Could just as easily been 'Do you have a Mobile'?Im afraid you are now on the list
and will get targeted mail.Edited by Morningside on Saturday 1st May 20:10
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