Thanks for doing this! Here’s my story:
It’s either “Heather at Account Services” or “Jonathan at Consumer Services” but the computer script is identical, about lowering CC rates. I have been receiving these identical calls at least once a month, but today received three in a row! I have kept a written account starting back in September, 2007. If you Press 1, you talk to an agent and I have done so on many occasions, asking and even begging them to remove me from their list. If you Press 2, it says they will remove you, but I’ve also tried that. At first, my caller ID said “not available” but since January, it says that they are coming from Florida (but I’ve been told that even the Caller ID can be spoofed … so why does the phone company charge me for it?). I am on the National Do-Not-Call list (which IMHO is a joke!) and have reported them on-line to both the FTC and the FCC (twice) but nothing happens. Today I called the FCC (888-225-5322 and spoke to Bob), the FTC (877-382-4357 and spoke to Chris), as well as the State of Illinois Office of the Attorney General (312-814-3000 and spoke to Janet). They were all polite, but I don’t get the feeling that any of them will really help. FCC Bob was the most helpful and admitted he’s heard of “Heather at Account Services” many times. He is also the one who gave me the other two telephone numbers and urged me to report them. I also just reported the call to the Ameritech (AT&T) “Annoyance Call Bureau” at 800-769-4099 … to a computer which promised that someone would get back to me within one business day. We’ll see!
Today’s Caller ID said 407-207-0820 from Orlando, FL
1/22/08 – 1/29/08 – 2/29/08 calls: 850-475-5122 from Pensacola, FL
Prior to January 2008 my Caller ID said “Unavailable”
Tom, I am having the same experiences. Today 4/8/08, at 11:40 am, I got the piped in Heather from Consumer Services. I pressed one to get a name and phone number and to tell them to put me on their do not call list (we are already on the National Registrey as well). I planned to pursue futher action. I got a guy by the name of Michael. When I told him to put us on the do not call list, he hung up in my face!!!!! They have called here at least 4 times in the last two months and I’ve tried pressing number 2 to get them to go away, and they keep on calling. The Jonathon guy you mentioned has been piping in calls to us for years (probably 6 years) under different company names and guises. You’re right, why hasn’t something been done about this unscrupulous company and who in the public is falling for their spiels only to get taken advantage of financially in some way? This is totally unacceptable!!
I called the numbers you have called to complain, but no warm body answers the phone so I filed a complaint on the DNCNR website.
I live in California, so apparently they are pestering everyone in the United States.
Why hasn’t something been done about it by the FCC?
When America becomes whole again (vote for Obama) and not a corporate dictatorship (CorpMERICA) when dictator George W HitlerBush is out of office then they will begin to care. CUSTOMER SERVICE IT IS ALL IN IRAQ!!!! IRAQ THE NEW VIETNAM!!!!
I keep getting these calls from Heather at Account Services and other calls similar to them. They will not stop until some AG office or FTC is motivated to act, and that usually doesn’t happen unless someone actually suffers a loss.
1. Hitting “1″ and screaming or abusing the telemarketer does not work, they simply hang up. Your number is in the computer and they will call again… and again..
2. Reporting to your AG (tracing phone) will not work. The AG in my state said the number they call from is through an internet phone… not traceable!
3. Filing a complaint on the Federal No Call list does not work, for the same reasons as #2 above. Our state recently started prosecuting no-call violators because the business-friendly federal government was so lax in enforcement. The telemarketers KNOW this and intentionally violate the No Call list knowing they won’t get prosecuted.
The only way I know of stopping them is to work with the AG office, create a honeypot bank account, then give the telemarketer that account number and catch them when they tap funds from the account. -OR- change your phone number.
March 12, 2008 at 2:25 pm |
Thanks for doing this! Here’s my story:
It’s either “Heather at Account Services” or “Jonathan at Consumer Services” but the computer script is identical, about lowering CC rates. I have been receiving these identical calls at least once a month, but today received three in a row! I have kept a written account starting back in September, 2007. If you Press 1, you talk to an agent and I have done so on many occasions, asking and even begging them to remove me from their list. If you Press 2, it says they will remove you, but I’ve also tried that. At first, my caller ID said “not available” but since January, it says that they are coming from Florida (but I’ve been told that even the Caller ID can be spoofed … so why does the phone company charge me for it?). I am on the National Do-Not-Call list (which IMHO is a joke!) and have reported them on-line to both the FTC and the FCC (twice) but nothing happens. Today I called the FCC (888-225-5322 and spoke to Bob), the FTC (877-382-4357 and spoke to Chris), as well as the State of Illinois Office of the Attorney General (312-814-3000 and spoke to Janet). They were all polite, but I don’t get the feeling that any of them will really help. FCC Bob was the most helpful and admitted he’s heard of “Heather at Account Services” many times. He is also the one who gave me the other two telephone numbers and urged me to report them. I also just reported the call to the Ameritech (AT&T) “Annoyance Call Bureau” at 800-769-4099 … to a computer which promised that someone would get back to me within one business day. We’ll see!
Today’s Caller ID said 407-207-0820 from Orlando, FL
1/22/08 – 1/29/08 – 2/29/08 calls: 850-475-5122 from Pensacola, FL
Prior to January 2008 my Caller ID said “Unavailable”
April 8, 2008 at 12:20 pm |
Tom, I am having the same experiences. Today 4/8/08, at 11:40 am, I got the piped in Heather from Consumer Services. I pressed one to get a name and phone number and to tell them to put me on their do not call list (we are already on the National Registrey as well). I planned to pursue futher action. I got a guy by the name of Michael. When I told him to put us on the do not call list, he hung up in my face!!!!! They have called here at least 4 times in the last two months and I’ve tried pressing number 2 to get them to go away, and they keep on calling. The Jonathon guy you mentioned has been piping in calls to us for years (probably 6 years) under different company names and guises. You’re right, why hasn’t something been done about this unscrupulous company and who in the public is falling for their spiels only to get taken advantage of financially in some way? This is totally unacceptable!!
I called the numbers you have called to complain, but no warm body answers the phone so I filed a complaint on the DNCNR website.
I live in California, so apparently they are pestering everyone in the United States.
Why hasn’t something been done about it by the FCC?
Please advise me of what else I can do?
Regards, Beth M.
June 2, 2008 at 12:29 pm |
When America becomes whole again (vote for Obama) and not a corporate dictatorship (CorpMERICA) when dictator George W HitlerBush is out of office then they will begin to care. CUSTOMER SERVICE IT IS ALL IN IRAQ!!!! IRAQ THE NEW VIETNAM!!!!
September 4, 2008 at 12:20 pm |
I keep getting these calls from Heather at Account Services and other calls similar to them. They will not stop until some AG office or FTC is motivated to act, and that usually doesn’t happen unless someone actually suffers a loss.
1. Hitting “1″ and screaming or abusing the telemarketer does not work, they simply hang up. Your number is in the computer and they will call again… and again..
2. Reporting to your AG (tracing phone) will not work. The AG in my state said the number they call from is through an internet phone… not traceable!
3. Filing a complaint on the Federal No Call list does not work, for the same reasons as #2 above. Our state recently started prosecuting no-call violators because the business-friendly federal government was so lax in enforcement. The telemarketers KNOW this and intentionally violate the No Call list knowing they won’t get prosecuted.
The only way I know of stopping them is to work with the AG office, create a honeypot bank account, then give the telemarketer that account number and catch them when they tap funds from the account. -OR- change your phone number.