PPI Reclaim - 1st Call Connect

Grumpz

They're still cold calling...

Yes, I had a call from Lancis from First Call. Wasn't very impressed that he got my name and number from "a databank" (and was unable to specify the exact source), I've been on the TPS since before I moved and am very careful with whoom I give out the number to. So it looks like they're blatantly flouting the TPS. As suggested Miriamm, complaint sent to TPS, but perhaps it's more the remit of the information commissioner / FSA / fraud squad?

Funny how he "knew" I'd been missold PPI yet didn't know who I banked with! Needless to say, he ended up none the wiser, apart from annoying me and wasting my time. Lancis sounded South Asian, and I thought he said he was in South Africa, but then might have misheard "South Wales"!!! 1471 didn't register the number though.

diygardener

Just had a phone call from a woman called Rochelle (I think) from First Call, Mount Edgcombe, Durban, South Africa trying to sell me some PPI misselling claims service.

She said they get their information from "various databanks". That whenever you apply for a credit card or other financial service your name goes onto these "databanks". I asked her to be more specific, and although she kept on saying "various databanks", she also said the names of the databanks were Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds TSB, Santander etc. I asked what information they have about me, and she said it was just my phone number, post code and last name. After a lot of repetitive to-ing and fro-ing trying to get more detailed information about these "databanks", I finished the call by asking her who in their right mind would give any details of their finances to some total stranger cold calling them from Durban South Africa. She had no answer to that!

Info gleaned from whocallsme.com :

FIRST CALL CENTRE SOLUTIONS
Enterprise Number: 2009/124060/23
220 Flanders Drive
4300 Mt. Edgecombe
Durban
South Africa

Switchboard +27 31 000 000 5
Complaints: +27 722 794 893
Fax2Email: +27 86 692 791 8
Email: [EMAIL="Info@firstcallgroup.co.za"]Info@firstcallgroup.co.za[/EMAIL]
www: www.firstcallgroup.co.za

At least by engaging this person in profitless conversation for 7 minutes, I have saved a couple of other people the annoyance of their calls!

What a shame TPS cannot stop these international cold calls.

SoapboxGill

I just had a cold call from this "First Call" shower - spoke to an Indian-sounding lady whose very strong accent made it quite hard to make out what she was saying. She worded it cleverly but was basically wanting me to think that I was being offered a refund on PPI missold to me on credit cards and mortgages. Apparently the bank has passed on my details because they want to refund me (yeah, right - as if!!)

Anyway she rattled on and wanted me to confirm my postcode and address, which she said (I think) had been provided to her by the banks. She did know my postcode and address, which unnerved me a bit as I am not publicly listed on the electoral register or phonebook etc so I don't know how she got that.

She was pleasant but persistent and tried to make fun of me when I said I wasn't interested in pursuing a refund - "You don't WANT a REFUND?" ho ho ho. (Of course, what she didn't know was that I've never purchased PPI on anything, so I guess I had the upper hand even though I was put on the spot!) Finally got rid of her by telling her that I really, really wasn't interested in a refund and had no intention of confirming anything to someone who called me out of the blue.

The number she called from was 02070603887 and I've reported the call to the TPS. I just can't STAND gits like this who seek to dupe ordinary people out of money or personal details or whatever it is that they want from us. :mad:

[Deleted User]

I had a call from First Call this morning - started off by saying he wasn't trying to sell me anything, and then went on about my being missold PPI and how they could help me get it back. I told him that (a) I don't have PPI, and (b) that I'm on the telephone preference service, so he shouldn't be cold calling me.

He completely ignored me and went on about my having a mortgage and that my name had "come up" because of that, and then launched into how much I might get back ...

I told him to leave me alone and don't call back, and put the phone down. Have left a complaint with TPS about them.

He called from the number: 02070603887.

And it's a load of rubbish about it not being a sales call: they're clearly trying to SELL THEIR SERVICE to reclaim PPI so what else is it ???

harassedconsumer

We too got a call from someone at 1st call trying to help me with a PPI reclaim (though I'd never taken out a PPI in my life) this evening, and their employee Shay was rather rude and pushy...
Eventually she did give me the company's address details and revealed the company's South Africa location, the same KwaZulu Natal address as gleaned by diygardener above.
It is a shame that TPS doesn't seem to have any power to stop these scams, but hopefully the info on this forum will allow 'victims' to bite back.

And here is a recent job ad from 1st call for your amusement
(the R3500 salary for 2 deal/day amounts to GBP270):

Call-Centre Agents Wanted
Listed: Monday, May 09, 2011 04:53 PM SAST

Call-Centre Agents Wanted Mt Edgecombe dialling UK Campaigns Basic R3500+com with Target 2 deals/day
E-mail us: firstcallgroup2011 at gmail.com or Pranesh 0722 794 893 Join us at 220 Flanders Dr, Mt Edgecombe 4302, Durban, South Africa for open day/interview from 10am-4pm Tuesday - Friday

Notes: follow Flanders drive past Virgin active, past Daly around the bend. Cross the freeway and over the bridge. At the end of the road you will see a grey building on your right.

Contact Name: Deon Vismer Contact Phone: 0722794893
Company Name: First Call Centre Solutions Website:
City: Durban Address: 220 Flanders Drive
Experience: 1-2

Gazzer_strikes_back

Got call tonite from First Call Connect.Heavy Indian type accent.I had apparently had finance in the last ten years,then changed to three years so I asked her what the details were.I was quite calm at first but a little short and annoyed and later shouted a bit.She put the phone down on me and then unbelievably a lady I assume was her manager phoned me back complaining ! Similar accent. She got as far as 'you have no right' before I hit the roof big style telling her in no certain terms not to tell me what my rights were when they had phone in my own home. Guess what next ? Third call from a male who wanted to know what my problem was ? Told him prats like him phoning me all the time and do not ring this number again. Two more calls followed which I chose not to answer in the interests of my blood pressure. Seems like I upset some people at First Call connect.That's one back for the Consumer then !!!!!

David_Parker_2

Jut had a call from them claiming I had been misold ppi on my credit cards. The agent would not be persuaded otherwise and absolutely would not answer ask my question about the origins of the information they claimed to have beyong a vague reference to databases. At the beginning when I told him he should not be cold calling my telephone number he said he was not selling anything. It later transpired that there would be a charghe of 9% for recovering my allegedly missold policy.

janemurray

I too have had an international call from these folk. As my phone said it was "international" I always answer cautiously - but I have a son living abroad so it may be him.... Just getting interested in what this Indian voice might have to say and he said he just needed to check that I was the right person...... and I seemed to be cut off!!!

Thanks to all the postings I know not to be drawn in..... and I've never been sold PPI anyway.
More worrying is where do they get my number but was told recently that details from Electoral Rolls are readily available.

FJSRiDER

Ha! Just had a call from these folk - the number was displayed though - 02070603877 - and the caller spelt out the name of the company 'F-I-R-S-T C-A-L-L' which I thought was a bit odd.

As soon as she mentioned 'PPI' I said 'No thanks, not interested' I heard a huge sigh as I was cutting the call off!

mr.brightside87

I'm getting calls from this number.

I have them blocked through netqin on my phone but I want to know how they got my mobile number as I only give it to customers, friends and family. I think I might unblock it and have some fun. It's been a while since I ripped into some cold callers.