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Dear Annie: At least once a week, I get an unsolicited phone call from “Rachel from Cardholder Services.” This seems to be an obvious scam to get me to switch to another credit card or maybe just to get personal information. I have received these calls both in Connecticut and Florida. When I ask, “Who do you represent?” they hang up.
I am now getting calls from some individual telling me his organization detected a problem with my computer the last time I was on the Internet. That one is more worrisome because they are searching for access to my computer, and again, I assume it’s an illegal call.
What agency do I contact to get help shutting down these scam artists? — B.
Dear B.: The Federal Trade Commission has already gone after “Rachel from Cardholder Services,” along with her robocall buddies. Yes, such calls are illegal, but it can be difficult to trace the callers before they have done a good deal of damage to consumers. Most of these scammers require a fee upfront, and then they take your money and disappear.
Here’s our advice: If you receive an automated call from someone you don’t know offering to save you money, HANG UP. If you are the target of a telemarketing scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
Dear Annie: I could have written the letter from “Need My Sanity,” who said her husband complains about the lack of intimacy even though he helps around the house. But he works a high-stress job and brings it home with him. After listening to him vent and complain, she wants a break.
I love my husband of 25 years. He is hardworking and loyal and has a good heart. But he is also hypercritical, moody and quick to become annoyed. In public, he is outgoing and funny, but at home, he creates tension and stress. I am not intimidated by his behavior, but neither am I sexually attracted to him anymore.
I try to help him see how counterproductive his behavior is, but it doesn’t do any good. He wants more sex because it gives him the fix he needs to be content for a day or so. But after a couple of decades of being his “medication,” the thrill is gone for me. He seldom shows warmth, just physical desire.
I have two jobs and four kids, and I’m exhausted. Add to that the burden of being the emotional balance for our family, and there’s nothing left for me to give him as a sexual partner. He refuses to be screened for depression and won’t go for counseling with or without me. But I’m still in it for the long haul, hoping he might eventually mellow. — Keeping Calm and Clothed
Dear Keeping Calm: He might mellow when he retires, but the question then becomes whether you are willing to tolerate him for the duration. While you seem to understand the situation and your part in it, a little short-term counseling for you might allow you to develop a more effective strategy.