Relay Service Hangups

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Lee H.

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I know it was a big issue several years ago in which frauds were committed by scammers using relay service to obtain credit card and other private info.

My question today is this. Are we still geting hangups? I know I am and it's maddening! I told my daughter a while ago and she told me that her boss used to do that until she corrected him. The boss said seomthing about some ass....... stole 800 dollars from him and he had to go to court to fix it.

Last Friday, I called one business and got hung up three times! It was really important that I get through so after the 3rd hangup, I emailed the business and told them that I am real and so as relay service and I really need to make the call. I called again for 4th time and the person answered. This person kept saying,, let just use email, it easier.. but if we do it this way, it would take HOURS and it was near closing time, so I told her no, I need to complete the purpose of this call.

The next day, I met with the owner for an appointment and he apolized for the hangups. Turned out, he was cheated of almost 2,000 dollars a while ago and never trusted relay calls again.

Is this assumptions or fears ever going to be over?
 
I know I do get hangups with people who never dealt with real deaf for business. Only way I can prevent hangup the first time is to use VCO. I know, I know- many of us can't use VCO option- I wish we all could but its fact of life.

One time when I was away and my wife needed to make a relay call and they would hang up on her, I had her to repeatedly call them back all day till they finally get pissed off and stay on the line long enough so she can explain who she was and why she was calling. They usually become humbled but irritated.:giggle: problem is many of us don't have the time to play this game to win and for many of us its a issue when we need/want something out of the phone call.

usually after the first hangup, a request to tell terp not to announce themselves sometimes helps.
 
This is terrible! How often does this happen? I'm not hoh so I've never used relay services myself, but this still makes me upset.
 
simple tell relay opr NOT to announce the call as relay call
when person answer start talking right away
work for me
 
ToddNemura said:
This is terrible! How often does this happen? I'm not hoh so I've never used relay services myself, but this still makes me upset.
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it happens more often then you think.

qwerty123 said:
simple tell relay opr NOT to announce the call as relay call
when person answer start talking right away
work for me
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Only way to do this is the first time when they first hangup. sometimes people who have callerID and see same number calling again within a few moments will just hangup and this strategy doesn't work as simple as you might think. How many of you ALWAYS ask not to annouce when making relay calls to first time callee regardless if you think they handled relay before or not? For example, calling for pizza, I called before and never had a problem till they put a new person on phone and next thing you know they fake taking order and when I show up its not ready!! they thought it was a prank call! :mad: you can't tell if you had same person before or not till you show up to get it.
 
qwerty123 said:
simple tell relay opr NOT to announce the call as relay call
when person answer start talking right away
work for me
Click to expand...

I tried that on 2nd and 3rd call (with differnt operators),, they figured it out and hung up... as I said eariler, this business lost almost 2,000 dollars, so they don't trust relay at all.

I wonder if it's local problem for I find it hard to believe (but it did happened) that two local businesses got robbed through relay that I know of.

I noticed that many people hang up cuz they think it's too slow. Yes, I agree with them but still I should be able to make calls. Someone suggest that I use VRS, I would but my internet speed isn't fast enough.

I would use VCO, but again, need fast internet to make it work,,so I am stuck with good ole keyboard. Captel is an option but I hate it,, those operators are sooooooooooo slow in getting back to me!

I just hope and pray that someday, those scammers would just BACK OFF and leave the technology alone for whom it was intended for --- us!
 
radioman said:
For example, calling for pizza, I called before and never had a problem till they put a new person on phone and next thing you know they fake taking order and when I show up its not ready!! they thought it was a prank call! .
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EXACTLY,, especially if caller ID doesn't match local numbers! Often relay calls comes from out of states.
 
radioman said:
it happens more often then you think.

My first thought was that it would never happen. I guess I'm naive and too trusting of people's intentions. I still believe that people are mostly good with good intentions. I guess if I had a business that got defrauded from a relay call I'd be hesitant as well. How does the business know that it's really a relay call and not a relay operator calling directly *claiming* its a relay call and using a previous relay user's credit card to order something?

This isn't the first type of fraud I've heard about by relay operators. Apparently some have been caught having their friends call in, then they set the phone down and take a nice long break. This doesn't affect businesses directly, but tax payers still have to foot the bill for the relay call. I hope that never changes because of these types of issues. Sure, one can conduct a lot of business on line, but there are still times when a phone call is required.

Thanks for the info. Anyone else want to offer a % of calls that are hang-ups?
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My first thought was that it would never happen. I guess I'm naive and too trusting of people's intentions. I still believe that people are mostly good with good intentions. I guess if I had a business that got defrauded from a relay call I'd be hesitant as well. How does the business know that it's really a relay call and not a relay operator calling directly *claiming* its a relay call and using a previous relay user's credit card to order something?
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all relay calls are supposed to be confidential.Relay do not write down the card numbers, exp date and security code when asked. I am willing to bet thier brain is too fried to put card numbers in thier long term memory when thier short term memory is being used constantly. If you recognize the relay and feel call is too sensitive, you have right to request another relay.

This isn't the first type of fraud I've heard about by relay operators. Apparently some have been caught having their friends call in, then they set the phone down and take a nice long break. This doesn't affect businesses directly, but tax payers still have to foot the bill for the relay call. I hope that never changes because of these types of issues. Sure, one can conduct a lot of business on line, but there are still times when a phone call is required.
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look- perhaps I am naive and too trusting too, I heard of this happening esp. with smaller time VRS's companies but I don't think this practice still being used. Not esp. after the huge fraud crackdowns some time ago.

Thanks for the info. Anyone else want to offer a % of calls that are hang-ups?
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As for % for me and my wife with NO VCO I'd say out of the last 8 years of VRS calls alone its more of 2-10%. It can be really maddening feeling when they do hangups on calls that is important to us. With text relay in last 8 yrs its much higher closer to 20%. I usually retort to a later call with VRS instead. sorry...:aw:
 
I get man bill collectors so am used to answering phone and hearing a delay before there is a voice or hearing a computerized voice. In those cases I am in the habit to just hang up and not listen to them drone on about how much money I owe. Last month I did just that, and the phone rang again and I answered it and it was someone calling through relay- I felt SOOOOO bad!
 
Also as sad as it is its true that many people just dont want to take the time. My ex and I have realized that its just quicker if I, as a hearing person, call about jobs and apartments and whatnot for her rather than her getting continuously hung up on :-/
 
They should create a secure Instant Messenger Program which DHH people can register for and utilize eliminating the need for a third-party relay operator. Businesses can then be assured that it is not a scam and the DHH person can feel secure that their private information such as credit card numbers are not shared with a third party.
 
In australia we have the National Relay Service (free to use for all Deaf/HOH payed for by the gov). I tend to use it for important calls where i need to understand the whole conversation. Iv never had any problems with them, in fact they came in handy when the person i was speaking too didnt know what hearing impaired was.
 
Ausrider said:
In australia we have the National Relay Service (free to use for all Deaf/HOH payed for by the gov). I tend to use it for important calls where i need to understand the whole conversation. Iv never had any problems with them, in fact they came in handy when the person i was speaking too didnt know what hearing impaired was.
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G'Day Ausrider! Yes, I have used the National Relay Service whenever I am at home in Australia, and yes, they are very good. You can use them via MSN too. However, can't use that service from Thailand and there are no international relay services that I am aware of. Anyone know of any? I have asked around about a TTY or Relay service locally here in Thailand but no one seems to comprehend what I am asking about.
 
I work at a bank, and while we don't automatically hangup, unfortunately right now we are not assisting any relay callers with anything other than general info. So no checking balances, initiating wires or phone transfers etc. They must come into a branch to be identified. (Well I know of one Deaf customer that had us place a note on his account that he would be using a relay service for phone calls, so I would think we could still help him.)

This is due to a rash of fraudulent telephone calls that we have had recently on numerous accounts via relay.

It really, really sucks when scammers, criminals etc. ruin things for the rest of us.
 
frostywolf said:
I work at a bank, and while we don't automatically hangup, unfortunately right now we are not assisting any relay callers with anything other than general info. So no checking balances, initiating wires or phone transfers etc. They must come into a branch to be identified. (Well I know of one Deaf customer that had us place a note on his account that he would be using a relay service for phone calls, so I would think we could still help him.)

This is due to a rash of fraudulent telephone calls that we have had recently on numerous accounts via relay.

It really, really sucks when scammers, criminals etc. ruin things for the rest of us.
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That isn't equal access.

I hope your bank can find a better way than to deny relay callers information that others can obtain without coming in the branch.
 
We can turn anyone down over the phone for any reason and require they come into the branch. We have done it for other reasons (non-relay calls) where the person taking the call was uncomfortable as well. Protecting our customers' accounts and identification is our #1 priority.

Deaf customers that legitimately call on relay can also access their online banking or use the ATM for these transactions. We can also add passwords and notifications to accounts so they can use relay, although they have to come into a branch and be positively identified to do so.

Once fraud enters the picture, the bank's first priority is to protect our customers and also the bank's assets as well (as the bank has to take the hit if a fraud goes through).

In these instances, though, the callers always had incomplete information and could not be fully identified anyway.
 
Lee H. said:
EXACTLY,, especially if caller ID doesn't match local numbers! Often relay calls comes from out of states.
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Yep. Over the years, I have had my son call me on relay from the same TTY but the caller I.D. number would show up as areas I had no idea of.
 
frostywolf said:
We can turn anyone down over the phone for any reason and require they come into the branch. We have done it for other reasons (non-relay calls) where the person taking the call was uncomfortable as well. Protecting our customers' accounts and identification is our #1 priority.

Deaf customers that legitimately call on relay can also access their online banking or use the ATM for these transactions. We can also add passwords and notifications to accounts so they can use relay, although they have to come into a branch and be positively identified to do so.

Once fraud enters the picture, the bank's first priority is to protect our customers and also the bank's assets as well (as the bank has to take the hit if a fraud goes through).

In these instances, though, the callers always had incomplete information and could not be fully identified anyway.
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:hmm: Sounds like an ADA suit waiting to happen.
 
Ausrider said:
In australia we have the National Relay Service (free to use for all Deaf/HOH payed for by the gov). I tend to use it for important calls where i need to understand the whole conversation. Iv never had any problems with them, in fact they came in handy when the person i was speaking too didnt know what hearing impaired was.
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I should move to your country. I dread having to make phone calls via relay when I need to have my car towed. 23 out of 24 towing services will hang up on me once they find out i'm using relay services.
 
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