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Today I dealt with one of the most mind bogglingly stupid people that I have ever dealt with in my life. While the caller was rather sucky to her credit she was very civil and polite for a vast majority of the call. IMO she was either very tripped out or just incredibly dumb. On the other hand she very legitimately could have been in quite a bit of pain if she did in fact have a migraine headache. But why persist in something if you really can't think straight?
In grand total this call was 1 hour long so I will give highlights where I can.
For background I work in a prepaid cellular service call center.
Me: Hi there
SL: Stupid Lady
This call started out with this lady rambling on something about her credit card being crossed with her prepaid cards and her phone line being crossed with T-mobile and At&T somehow and she couldn't dial out and she paid $60 for a contract for unlimited talking and she traded in her old phone and paid $160 for a new phone and she didn't know why she did that because her old phone was $400 and on and on and on and on.
About 10 minutes into this rambling I managed to get her phone number out of her.
Me: Ma'am I understand that you seem to be having a very tough time with your service, but I need to get your phone number from you to help you out.
SL: (insert some rambling)
Me: Ma'am if I could just please have your phone number.
SL: Oh this is giving me a migraine (I swear this must be this lady's catch phrase you'll see why I say this in a bit) My number is (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
Me: Ok, give me a moment while I check this out.
She proceeds to continue with her rambling. I mostly tuned her out. I did catch bits about letting her daughter borrow the phone and something about a call from someone asking "who is this?"
So in looking up the account I found out she was on our unlimited calling plan which allows unlimited voice calls for a daily fee that is deducted from the prepaid balance each day. I also see a ream of data charges and several text messages. I was able to gather that she had paid enough prepaid time on 06/01/2009 to cover the daily fee until 07/01/2009. The problem was it was only enough for the daily fee and not the extras that had been used.
This bit of research and checking her rather long list of call records took me about 5 minutes to put together a picture of what the situation was.
In her rambling she kept saying contract so that's where I cut back into the conversation.
Me: Ok ma'am before I explain your call records I want to clarify that you don't have a contract with us. We are a prepaid service, you pay for your service ahead of time which is then provided to you.
SL: But I do have a contract I paid $60 for unlimited calling and $200 for a new phone and oh this is giving me a Migraine I don't want to deal with this right now.
Me: Well if you want to call back at a time that is more convenient for you until your migraine calms down Ma'am that's fine. I'm about to explain quite a bit of information to you and I know Migraines can make dealing with this sort of stuff difficult.
SL: No that's alright go ahead.
Me: Ok I can see that you had $62 on your account on June first and...
SL: Uh huh, like I said $60 contract for unlimited calling.
Me: Ma'am again, this is a prepay service. There is no contract. It is on our unlimited calling plan, so that part is correct. Now you get charged a daily fee. That accounts for $53 of charges for this month. The rest was used up by internet and text messaging charges. (insert break down of text messaging charges)
SL: But I didn't do no text messaging... I want you to change my number cause my line is crossed with T-mobile and AT&T and my credit card....
Me: (oh no not more rambling) Ok Ma'am. I can change the number with one condition though. We require a minimum balance to be on your account to process a number change. Since your account is at a balance of $0 you will need to add at least $10 to cover that minimum balance requirement.
SL: Oh no, you think after all the money I've spent I'm going to go put $10 on you have another thing coming I....
She proceeded to break into more rambling. Out of this she started mentioning about the call coming up on her caller ID where she didn't recognize the number and someone kept saying "Who is this who is this." I don't know who they are and that call is charging me money that I shouldn't be getting charged for so I need you to change my number.
Me: Ma'am your calls are unlimited per the terms of our unlimited calling plan. The only way you would be charged is for a roaming call and since the call was an incoming call it would never be billed for roaming. As I stated your balance was used by the daily fee for the unlimited plan and internet and text messaging charges.
SL: But I haven't used any of those services.
Me: Someone did. You mentioned you let your daughter borrow the phone, is it possible she used those services?
SL: No, she said she didn't use none of that.
Me: Ok. Well at this point charges aside we have a few options. Now if you insist on changing the number I can do that providing the minimum balance requirement is met. I can also disable the internet and text messaging services since you say you don't use them. That will prevent any future charges like these.
SL: Oh no, don't get me started on paying no $10 again. I already told you I ain't paying that after paying the man at the store over $400. (notice the total keeps changing) You need to do something to make this right. Oh this is giving me a migraine.
Me: Ok, Ma'am I've laid out your options, how do you want me to proceed?
SL: Well lets change the number, if you can do that now I can go down to the store next week and put some more money on there.
Me: Ma'am as I've said to change the number there is a minimum balance requirement. Bottom line on this is without $10 being paid I can't do a number change.
SL: Ok, well you can put it on my Visa then.
Me: Ok
I proceed to get the visa info, name billing address card number etc. The first card comes up invalid.
Me: Ok that came up as an invalid credit card number.
SL: What, that's not possible I just activated this card.
Me: Well Ma'am the only reason I would get this error is if the card is in fact not valid, or it is a new non-active credit card. When did you call to have it activated?
SL: Try running it again. The number is...
It comes up invalid again.
Me: It still says invalid. Like I said this most likely means it was not activated yet if it is a new card. You should call your credit card company to check on that.
SL: I just did that last week. I ain't talking to no thousand different people to get something done... oh this is giving me a migraine. Look I have a second card lets try it.
Me: Ok
I get the card number this one declines. I tell her.
SL: How do I know your not stealing my information. You have my name address and two credit card numbers now and your not doing anything for me. My daddy is a police officer and he always warned me not to give out this information without getting anything. (this is where she started to turn mega sucky)
Me: Ma'am as I explained the first card you gave me said it was invalid. By your own admission its a new card. Its possible its not ready to be used yet. The second card you gave me declined. Now just to be sure here is the information I have on the second card.
SL: Yes that information is correct. Why is it declining.
Me: Well if the card information is correct the only reason it should decline is if there aren't enough funds to cover the charge.
SL: You're a thief ain't ya. Think you can take advantage of me.
Me: Ma'am I object to being called a thief, if you persist in this then we are done. I have explained to you what happened. Now at this point unless you want me to do something else or have another form of payment I can't help you any further.
SL: What, after I done paid $600 for service you just gonna do me like that? I'm gonna sue you and the man at the store and your gonna be sorry, im gonna get $25,000 out you all.
Me: Ma'am as you are making this a legal action I'm going to have to terminate this call and refer you to our legal department.
SL: You do that and I'll be sure to name you in the suit John (not my name) and then we'll see how smug you are then.
EDITED to add:
I did deduce after the fact, or at least I think the call she kept rambling about coming up on her caller ID and saying "who is this" was most likely a text message the more I think about it.
In grand total this call was 1 hour long so I will give highlights where I can.
For background I work in a prepaid cellular service call center.
Me: Hi there
SL: Stupid Lady
This call started out with this lady rambling on something about her credit card being crossed with her prepaid cards and her phone line being crossed with T-mobile and At&T somehow and she couldn't dial out and she paid $60 for a contract for unlimited talking and she traded in her old phone and paid $160 for a new phone and she didn't know why she did that because her old phone was $400 and on and on and on and on.
About 10 minutes into this rambling I managed to get her phone number out of her.
Me: Ma'am I understand that you seem to be having a very tough time with your service, but I need to get your phone number from you to help you out.
SL: (insert some rambling)
Me: Ma'am if I could just please have your phone number.
SL: Oh this is giving me a migraine (I swear this must be this lady's catch phrase you'll see why I say this in a bit) My number is (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
Me: Ok, give me a moment while I check this out.
She proceeds to continue with her rambling. I mostly tuned her out. I did catch bits about letting her daughter borrow the phone and something about a call from someone asking "who is this?"
So in looking up the account I found out she was on our unlimited calling plan which allows unlimited voice calls for a daily fee that is deducted from the prepaid balance each day. I also see a ream of data charges and several text messages. I was able to gather that she had paid enough prepaid time on 06/01/2009 to cover the daily fee until 07/01/2009. The problem was it was only enough for the daily fee and not the extras that had been used.
This bit of research and checking her rather long list of call records took me about 5 minutes to put together a picture of what the situation was.
In her rambling she kept saying contract so that's where I cut back into the conversation.
Me: Ok ma'am before I explain your call records I want to clarify that you don't have a contract with us. We are a prepaid service, you pay for your service ahead of time which is then provided to you.
SL: But I do have a contract I paid $60 for unlimited calling and $200 for a new phone and oh this is giving me a Migraine I don't want to deal with this right now.
Me: Well if you want to call back at a time that is more convenient for you until your migraine calms down Ma'am that's fine. I'm about to explain quite a bit of information to you and I know Migraines can make dealing with this sort of stuff difficult.
SL: No that's alright go ahead.
Me: Ok I can see that you had $62 on your account on June first and...
SL: Uh huh, like I said $60 contract for unlimited calling.
Me: Ma'am again, this is a prepay service. There is no contract. It is on our unlimited calling plan, so that part is correct. Now you get charged a daily fee. That accounts for $53 of charges for this month. The rest was used up by internet and text messaging charges. (insert break down of text messaging charges)
SL: But I didn't do no text messaging... I want you to change my number cause my line is crossed with T-mobile and AT&T and my credit card....
Me: (oh no not more rambling) Ok Ma'am. I can change the number with one condition though. We require a minimum balance to be on your account to process a number change. Since your account is at a balance of $0 you will need to add at least $10 to cover that minimum balance requirement.
SL: Oh no, you think after all the money I've spent I'm going to go put $10 on you have another thing coming I....
She proceeded to break into more rambling. Out of this she started mentioning about the call coming up on her caller ID where she didn't recognize the number and someone kept saying "Who is this who is this." I don't know who they are and that call is charging me money that I shouldn't be getting charged for so I need you to change my number.
Me: Ma'am your calls are unlimited per the terms of our unlimited calling plan. The only way you would be charged is for a roaming call and since the call was an incoming call it would never be billed for roaming. As I stated your balance was used by the daily fee for the unlimited plan and internet and text messaging charges.
SL: But I haven't used any of those services.
Me: Someone did. You mentioned you let your daughter borrow the phone, is it possible she used those services?
SL: No, she said she didn't use none of that.
Me: Ok. Well at this point charges aside we have a few options. Now if you insist on changing the number I can do that providing the minimum balance requirement is met. I can also disable the internet and text messaging services since you say you don't use them. That will prevent any future charges like these.
SL: Oh no, don't get me started on paying no $10 again. I already told you I ain't paying that after paying the man at the store over $400. (notice the total keeps changing) You need to do something to make this right. Oh this is giving me a migraine.
Me: Ok, Ma'am I've laid out your options, how do you want me to proceed?
SL: Well lets change the number, if you can do that now I can go down to the store next week and put some more money on there.
Me: Ma'am as I've said to change the number there is a minimum balance requirement. Bottom line on this is without $10 being paid I can't do a number change.
SL: Ok, well you can put it on my Visa then.
Me: Ok
I proceed to get the visa info, name billing address card number etc. The first card comes up invalid.
Me: Ok that came up as an invalid credit card number.
SL: What, that's not possible I just activated this card.
Me: Well Ma'am the only reason I would get this error is if the card is in fact not valid, or it is a new non-active credit card. When did you call to have it activated?
SL: Try running it again. The number is...
It comes up invalid again.
Me: It still says invalid. Like I said this most likely means it was not activated yet if it is a new card. You should call your credit card company to check on that.
SL: I just did that last week. I ain't talking to no thousand different people to get something done... oh this is giving me a migraine. Look I have a second card lets try it.
Me: Ok
I get the card number this one declines. I tell her.
SL: How do I know your not stealing my information. You have my name address and two credit card numbers now and your not doing anything for me. My daddy is a police officer and he always warned me not to give out this information without getting anything. (this is where she started to turn mega sucky)
Me: Ma'am as I explained the first card you gave me said it was invalid. By your own admission its a new card. Its possible its not ready to be used yet. The second card you gave me declined. Now just to be sure here is the information I have on the second card.
SL: Yes that information is correct. Why is it declining.
Me: Well if the card information is correct the only reason it should decline is if there aren't enough funds to cover the charge.
SL: You're a thief ain't ya. Think you can take advantage of me.
Me: Ma'am I object to being called a thief, if you persist in this then we are done. I have explained to you what happened. Now at this point unless you want me to do something else or have another form of payment I can't help you any further.
SL: What, after I done paid $600 for service you just gonna do me like that? I'm gonna sue you and the man at the store and your gonna be sorry, im gonna get $25,000 out you all.
Me: Ma'am as you are making this a legal action I'm going to have to terminate this call and refer you to our legal department.
SL: You do that and I'll be sure to name you in the suit John (not my name) and then we'll see how smug you are then.
EDITED to add:
I did deduce after the fact, or at least I think the call she kept rambling about coming up on her caller ID and saying "who is this" was most likely a text message the more I think about it.
. The ones who really intended to sue no longer got to grace most employees with their presence in any way (YAY!). The people who were bluffing got to add another entry to the lists of businesses that will no longer put up with their bull crap (double YAY!). One can guess that this scammer doesn't have the means to obtain a lawyer and if she did she'd get laughed straight out of the office (after paying some sort of fee).
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