Snappy Living DIY, Crafts, Food & Household Tips
I recently posted about an “account services” scam, which turned out to be more widespread than I realized. There are people all over the country getting these, and some people have fallen for it. Yet the authorities can’t seem to track the criminals down.
The service Verizon offered me – blocking any callers that have chosen to block their phone number from displaying on Caller ID (see above link) – has not stopped this. I got another call a few days after setting it up. When I called to ask why it hadn’t worked, Verizon admitted this service doesn’t work 100%. I got the service for free – I don’t recommend paying for it. And it’s wrong that they don’t tell you up front it doesn’t work on every cell phone company, phone company, etc.
I have a suggestion which I haven’t had a chance to try yet. Next time the criminal calls, I’m going to pick option #1 to speak to him, then tell him I’m legally obligated to inform him I’m recording the call, and yes I’d really like to take advantage of his offer, and which of my credit cards is he calling about? I expect he’ll hang up before I can get half those words out. And maybe just maybe he’ll leave me off his list.
This is an old trick from the 80′s, when people were getting obscene or threatening phone calls and the police couldn’t do anything because no crime had actually been committed. They said that since anyone who records calls is legally obligated to inform the other party before they start talking, that’s a good way to scare them off – whether you’re recording or not.
But with answering machines, recording calls is easy for a lot of us, so feel free to actually record the calls. It’s perfectly legal as long as you inform the other party. Who knows? It might help law enforcement at some point as more people report this scam. At the very least, maybe it will get you off their call list.
This company uses caller id spoofing which renders the call untraceable. Verizon can trace the call made at that time to its origin and not using caller id. You must call verizon and consider this a life threatening call in your opinion to do this. Hope this helps.
I know where their local office is……………any ideas on what to do?
Send the police over there!
Where is it?
Blow up there office
Is this for Verizon customers only? If not, what city is it located in? I received similar call but it was a live person in March. They called again today to see what I thought about their helping me with lowering my credit card rates. What do you think? Never a recording, always live.
They are calling me at least three times a week. I want this to stop. I am registered with the Do Not Call List, but it doesn’t work.
So where is their office? Can’t we start a class action harrassment suit?
I just got ANOTHER of these phone calls ,I used my caller ID to redial them I get a message saying this number is not in service ( these calls come from all over the country) it’s driving me crazy hope our gov does a better job tracking terrorists then they do on these scams cause we’d all be dead
i just received this call 5 minutes ago and pressed 1 to talk and when i asked him which credit card he was calling about, he said, any one over 10% interest. Then I said, well why didn’t you say so in the recorded message? I love this! This is incredible… by the way… I’m sure you know this by now, but I’m on the do not call list and what you’re doing is illegal. After he hung up on me, I came online to get the number to return the favor, but found this blog. I hate these people!!!!!
Love it!!!!! You go girl
I just received this call a moment ago…decided to play into them…telling them i was desperate and had all this debt and needed to get out of it. I kept asking questions as the call went on like where are you located and whats you phone#. When I asked for the number he gave me an 800# which I called while I was on the phone with him…..It was a phone sex number! THIS IS A TOTAL SCAM! Through AOL reverse service lookup it located ft. lauderdale FL and I also just subscribed to a service that will give the name of register and address for any phone number, listed/unlisted/cell ….in the country. Its time to go after these people. Then its a law suit!
I’m in the phone system industry, just so you know. Some systems I put in can spoof a number whenever the customer wants it. I have demonstrated this to them, while informing them I will not help them make calls with misleading CIDs, and I will turn them in to the authorities if I find they do.
Bottom line, there is no way to trace these guys UNLESS you sue your local carrier. Here’s why. All the privacy rules limit their ability to release information on calls unless there is a subpoena served on there CDR records. We all know they have records of every call, in and out, and they can trace each call down to the exact port and carrier. But they simply won’t unless there is a legal action against them. That protects them from liability for releasing information.
That’s it in a nutshell. We can try to get enough people together and make this a class-action, but you’d need deep pockets to go after the carriers, who will fight, even if they are not on the hook for anything. That’s just their way.
I just got this call from “account services,” and asked them who they were and what number to call back to. They wouldn’t give me a number. The guy on the phone said he was based in Atlanta, spoke with a middle eastern or hindu accent and sounded like he was working out of a boiler room with other operators in the back ground.
He said he got his information from Expedia and proceeded to ask a series of questions about my finances and family while I repeatedly requested his call back number or a specific address of his office in Atlanta.
I called ATT and they said there was no way to trace the call back.
Can’t we shut these people down.
You can have some fun with these people if you want. I will always push #1 if I am near my computer I will switch on the mac program “garage band” which has several sound effects. Once one of their “people” answer I put the phone by the computer speaker and they get blasted with several sound effects of farm animals.
I am also sick of getting these calls . . . If you don’t have the sound effects you can always give them a name such as Richard M. Nixon, Elmer Fudd, Bugs Bunny or anything like that you can think of .. . . gets them off the line quickly.
Hopefully nobody actually falls for their scam.
Does anyone know what the scam is?
I am having fun developing different responses to string them along as long as I can. I cannot figure out what they are trying to get. I haven’t actually gotten to the point that they ask for my account number. I usually ask them which account they are calling about. When they don’t have a specific account and I hedge, trying not to give them too much info they don’t already have, they usually hang up on me. I told him my $4000 balance is in a 0% promo (not true) and he said he would put me on the “do not call” list. By the time I said, “Please Do!”, he was gone.
I found your website after receiving yet another scammer call. My caller ID read: cell phone 506/226-4568. I pick up up the phone to hear a recorded message, offering me a “last chance on lowering your interest rate”, Press 1 for your account representative”. Of course, when I asked for their company name or their personal name, they hung up. I understand what’s going on, but worry about older folks (like my Mother) who might think this is a legit call from their credit card, bank, etc. At your suggestion, I contacted the FCC, who told me that they only deal with legit telemarketers calling DNC registered consumers; they don’t handle scammers calls and suggested I call the FTC (877/382-4357). The FTC took my info but really cannot do anything about these “fake phone numbers”…they simply put the information into a national database. FTC recommended I call my local Consumer Protection Services to report the phising calls. Bottom line, there’s nothing to stop these slimeballs, except to stay informed and to caution all your friends & family to be aware.
Got a good laugh, though, from Mike’s suggestion to blast them with farm animal sounds!
I get and hate these calls like everyone else. I do not have the energy or interest right now to pursue this but I suspect some of you out there do. How difficult really is it or should it be to file the paperwork and try to get a subpoena for a criminal or civil lawsuit? You get the info, let the lawsuit go to court whether or not you bother to even pay a lawyer if you can’t afford it and publish all of the info on these bastards so they will stop harassing people. As for recording them, how big of a crime is it really to record someone under these circumstances and what is the nothing that will ensure from it? Just record them and publish the call .mp3s and call logs. Create enough good information on one website to make a difference. Incidentally, I don’t like but do not object to actual humans putting the effort into a cold call which to residences is to most of us annoying but still a legitimate business. However in my opinion having robots randomly dialing everybody in a giant phishing scheme is not. Just my .50 cents.
We have received 10 phone calls today from this Account Services to my 87 year old mother in law. They had information on her accts. They wanted to charge her acct 799.00 and 190.00 processing fee. One ph no is 213-363-5107, and several from private caller. Finally one, 407-285-3377, with the name of a person, Wayne Brown. Googled the 407 #, in Florida. Happened upon this site. Also called phone co, nothing can be done with out a subpoena. Please beware!!!!
I got a call today from account services but was on my lunch break at work and really didn’t have time to talk to the guy (Thank the Good Lord). He asked me if I was in debt and how much in debt I was in and dummy me told him. I did not give hime any other information as my lunch hour was over and told him that he would have to call me back on Saturday and he said that he would. I can’t wait!!!!! I called the # that was on my phone when I got home and the # comes up as disconnected..So then I thought I would check them out on the internet and low and behold I found this website, needless to say if the idiot calls me back on Saturday I have a few choice words for him and he will be getting NO information from me, other than the threat of a lawsuit if he doesn’t answer my questions, such as where they are located, who he works for, and send me all the information via PO box because I don’t want these creeps to have my home address..Thank-You for enlightening me, I could have made the biggest mistake of my life..Not Now!!!
I got a call today from this same Account Services. Give them info that I should not because I really were getting letters from the Credit card companies saying to expect changes in my account. He said he is going to call back tomorrow because I could not locate the card (THANK GOD). So then I decided to check them out on the internet, only to realize I should have done That first. They did get the account number from my statement. However I called the company and promptly requested a card number change. BEWARE. I WOULD BE MORE CAUTIOUS NEXT TIME. I had previously gotten a lot of these calls and ignored them.
Bored
that first
I just got off the phone with “account services” as well. The number on the display was Illinois 773-000-0000. The guy said his name was David Garcia and his employee number 9908. Much good that does -when you call the number back it is disconnected and the number he gave me to call back with questions (I called it while on the phone with him) 1800 219-2536 keeps ringing. I think I got my clue from there and said they are not to touch ANY of my cards with ANY $ 799 fee!!!! Because I do not trust them, I called the cards and cancelled them (I only have two cards so it was quite easy). If it is too good to be true, it is too good to be true.
If there is a law suit here- count me in.
Thank you for posting this for all the folks out there.
Don’t count on law enforcement or lawsuit at all, even if you fully traced them, knew their number and their address. I had a case where somebody obtained the number of my credit card and made several fraudulent purchases. It was all fully traced – IP address, postal address (he specified shipping address on the orders) – still, according to the police, they are helpless to prosecute it’s not their jurisdiction, and technically, not anyone’s jurisdiction. Their advise was to lobby the Congress in order to create new law. Yes, I’m 100% serious, and this was said by noone else but the PD chief of Niles, IL police station. This is not 100% the same, no internet purchase, but I bet ten bucks the result would be the same.
It looks like police’s today functions are:
(1) catch the terrorists
(2) when someone steals something from you, give you report that you pass to the insurance co. (investigation is out of question)
(3) set up traps waiting for you to run stop sign.
Not much else.
Hey, if they’re from Pakistan, they must be financing Taliban!
I just received probably my 10th phone call from “Heather” and I have pushed the “1″ and spoken with the men and women on the other end of the phone. I asked to speak to a supervisor last time and she gave me a phony company name and web site. Today, I asked to speak to a manager and the woman said, “the manager cannot talk to you because he is doing naughty things to me!” then she hung up when I started to speak again. It is so intrusive and violating. I wish there was something I could do. They are calling on my cell. I just won’t pick up next time. Thanks for listening.
I saw a guy on youtube RickRoll a chick from “Accounts Services”.
I got a call from Daniel West from Card Services. I was busy so had him call me back today. As he’s giving me his pitch, I searched the web and found this information. He wouldn’t give me his phone number but transferred me to the financial legal dept. Alan from Financial Revolution came on the line in a few minutes. He was pushier than Daniel. He also wouldn’t give me his phone number. Then hung up on me. They were both from India. The noisy background was all people with an accent from India. They both kept saying “We haven’t asked you for your social security number, birthday or Mother’s maiden name so I should not worry”. The last guy finally hung up when he knew I realized this was a scam and wasn’t going to cooperate.
Judy
I just received a call from “account services” offering lower interest rate. When I asked what card they were calling about, I was told that they represent “all Visa cards” — The number on my called ID was a Georgia number, so I tried calling it after they hung up and I got a recording of a sleazy voice offering dating services!!
Just recieved the call from “Heather”. I pressed 2 to discontinue notices and an eastern voice came on the line, “You pressed 1 for further information…” To which I replied, “No! I pressed 2.” (I double checked my phone screen.) They hung up the phone immediately.
(Posted this somewhere else and putting it here to spread the word)
I think it’s coming from these people – please verify if “Account Services” is them (they getting really annoying):
Premiere Debt Solutions
4207 Vineland Rd., Suite M14 Orlando, FL 32811
Telephone: +1 866-387-4705
FAX: +1 407-219-5975
Email: info@premieredebtsolutions.com
Website: http://premieredebtsolutions.com/Default.aspx
My source: http://honeypot.net/scam-calls-card-services (within comments section)
There is sufficient testimony here to conclude that this entity calling itself “Account Services” is deploying a technology referred to as “caller id spoofing” to deliberately bypass blocking. After a second attempt, this time under a Democratic congress, a bill was passed and signed into law on Dec 11, 2010 that makes this a federal crime with penalties up to $10,000 per occurrence. It’s called the “Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009.” So the question now is who is supposed to be enforcing this law and why isn’t it being enforced?
Why? Because they are too busy campaigning and trying to get their hands in every last pocket we have. That’s why.
I have an old card from an account that was closed when the Bank that issued the card stole my ID and my money , so I will give the criminal that card number and let the thieves steel from the thieves . Just thought of this well done MbD !
Next call I get, I plan to take the call and then blast their ears so bad they will eventually take me off their list !
The call I just hot was exactly the same, except they’re calling themselves “Associated Accounting” The number it came from just keeps ringing when I call back. It’s 772-344-2556. Bastards! Sounds like that won’t be my last call from them from all the posts I’ve read….
Don’t confuse these callers with a legitimate business to business accounting firm in Seattle. This errant entity calls from another state.
J. R. Hudson, President of Account Services, Inc. http://accountservices.com See our telemarketing alert for more information : http://accountservices.com/alerts.aspx
I reported these folks a couple of years back. Nearly every day since then I have been receiving daily hang-up calls (sometimes twice daily) from “OUT OF AREA”. I can easily ignore these, but I must have really done them some damage for them to do this.
I played with them through three tiers of screening, pumping them for information at each level. I gave them a card number told them it had sufficient interest and sufficient owing to qualify for their scam. By the time I talked to someone at their FL office I had enough info to report them to the FTC (or possibly FCC at the time).
I have been talking with the authorities about this just recently. So many people are being annoyed by these calls. What is needed (either government or private) are simple sting operations. You need people to answer the phone who know just what to say, and have the right sort of high interest credit card handy. If you don’t glean enough from the call, you let them charge the card. Then you really have them identified.
Lately they have been leaving daily voice mail messages. I could not pull another sting at this number, they already know me. But they are literally daring me to kick their butts. I once spent $10,000 to get a $250,000 judgment against an email spammer. One of my hobbies is putting scammers like this out of business, especially when they are asking for it.
If I am successful watch for a press release.
Nigel Featherston
Redmond, WA
Nigel,
Just got a call from them today, had some luck, but didn’t keep going with them on the phone. Would love to shut them down.
I’ve been getting these calls on my cell, land line and work cell for over a year. I’ve asked to be taken off the list, I’ve asked for information, to speak to a manager, threatened that I was recording in cooperation with the FBI and they may be spared prosecution if they cooperated (the guy said “that’s a new one” before hanging up, lol), told them I’d filed a complaint with the FCC (true), yelled, cussed, researched each number that calls (always different) – nothing stops them and it appears no one in government is even addressing this. I too worry about those who may provide information, but what can we do? Well, if I can’t do something to stop it, I can only hope to deafen the b*tches. I’ve just purchased an airhorn just for their calls.
Got another call yesterday from “Debra” from Account Services. I get these calls at least once a week. She said their corporate office is in Texas, but she was not sure what city. Said Account Services has offices all over the USA. She told me that a new law requires credit card companies to provide Account Services with my telephone number so that my rate can be lowered. I then screamed at her that and old law prohibits unwanted solicitation calls and she hung up. It was a 407 area code number. This is really a problem for me because I do get calls from other states, and Account Services uses different numbers to call, so I can’t block its number. I think the best thing to do is press 1 to talk, act like you are going to be a big catch, ask for a minute to get your information and then come back and blow the shrillest whistle you can find as loud as you can.
I just got an auto-call to my cell from 402-286-7441 saying they were from account services and to press 1 to be transferred to lower my rate. I pressed it just out of curiosity and to listen to their song and dance. After hearing it, I am 99% sure that this is not legit. I asked what the name of the company the woman worked for, and she would not give me a straight answer, she just kept saying VISA, MC (sometimes just Master) services. When I said I understand that my cards are V/MC/ AMEX, whatever, and asked what bank she was calling from, she got very defensive. She basically said, if I don’t want a lower interest rate that was not her problem. I said it is banks, not V/MC that negotiate interest rates and asked if I could get the details of the offer in writing. Again, being defensive, she stated that it was already sent 30 -45 days ago, but most people think it is junk mail and throw it out, so I requested she send it again. She said she personally couldn’t, but would note my account.
Anyway, long story short, I am 99% sure this is a scam. If you are trying to pursue these people, try to get as much info out of the rep as you can, but I don’t think it will be easy.
Any real phone number for these scamming bastards!!!???
216-744-4009
971-295-9768
These numbers keeps calling my home and cell phone. First a recorded voice says it’s my last chance to lower my interest rates. When I push 1 and get to a live person, I ask them to tell me the name of the company they work for. They usually hang up but one guys said, “F_ _ _ you!” and then hung up. I’m sure this is illegal in every way. I told them to stop calling me every time but usually they hang up before I can get the words out. I get a call from one of these numbers at least once a day. I went on the FBI tip line and made a report. I am not sure how else to proceed with action against them.
(313) 204-1037 (785) 207-6317 These are today’s two numbers, so far. They are both “cell phone” numbers. The first from Detroit and aathe second from Topeka Kansas. My husband and I get at least three of these per day on both our cell and land lines and have had for the past year. Experian admitted to selling some of our information but there is nothing we can do. I have engaged an attorney who informs me there is little we can do but it won’t stop me from trying. To date I have 1) listened to their yammer, 2) hung up on them, 3) blown a whistle in the phone, 4) used profane language, 5) record all calls over the past seven months, 6) talked to our State’s attorney 7) retained my own legal council, 8) changed all my phone numbers and still it does not stop. It is now to the point that if I answer their call and hit 1, I am NOT connected to anyone….My next step is to involve our state and federal politicians and the FCC.
After much angst and anger with being bothered by CardHolder Services I pushed “1″ asked the rep to remove my number from their list, then called him a f%$king A$$@#le and hung up. They then called me every 9 minutes.
I finally realized my Panasonic telephone has the ability to block calls. Going forward, every time I get a call from one of their many phone numbers I’ll simply block the call. I feel so much better now!
Go ahead Shirley!! I asked to be removed many times, but I am the one they cursed. Maybe I will ask for a meeting for “special” services and see what they say. hahahahaha
been getting these calls sometimes twice daily. one time i strung the guy along as long as i could and then told him i was at work. asked him to call me back on my work phone so i didn’t look like i was just sitting on my cell. gave him the police commissioner’s name and number. i dunno if he even called it but i acted dumb pretty well. i think i had him going. i’m sure it made no difference but i thought it was amusing ….
I am so sick of these people calling me. I am on the do not call list. They do not care. It is not the do not call list that is to be blamed. It is the ignorant and lazy ass people who do not want to work for a living other than removing funds illegally from those who have worked hard for what they have. I AM SICK OF IT, SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALL ARE TOO. I am contacting my State Rep, my State Senator and whoever else I need to, as if I have time to waste. But I am sick of all these different numbers calling me at all different hours of any day and night. STUPID SCAMMERS, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND MAKE AN HONEST LIVING LIKE THE REST OF US. Now I need to go break out the soap for my mouth. I think I will start a facebook page for this problem, I will do that when I get off work. Please go there and sign it and I will take that to my Rep. I live in TX, you can do the same wherever you are. They are going to know hell has stepped through the door when I find them.
I have received more than 150 (I have them documented) calls from these criminals. I have filed more that 50 complaints with the FTC however due to the fact that they hide behind spoofed numbers I doubt that they will ever stop any of them. They ask for up front fees and charge your credit card without performing any services.
I find that I am getting great enjoyment by pressing 1 and talking to one of their “reps”. I have a phony name, credit card number, and security code that I use. The only legitimate number that I give them is the customer service number from a credit card that I no longer use since the card raised my rates.
I try to ask the criminals as many questions as possibe to keep them on the phone as long as I can. The scammers seem to get upset once they finally figure out that THEY are getting scammed. I guess they think their time is more valuable than mine.
There are two guys behind this scam and they have a slew of corporations, many of them defunct. I searched using the name “American Debt Negotiators” and found the name of the Registered Representative was a guy named RAN BARNEA, aca RAN DAVID BARNEA, aca DAVID R BARNEA. He is also listed as the president of a whole slew of other active corporations. The other guy is DANIEL T. POST. This stuff is all public record. Here is a list of the active Florida corporations and the corporate officers that I simply copied and pasted here.
BETUOCH MANAGEMENT VENTURE CORPORATION
Corporate Officers:
BARNEA, RAN
23123 STATE RD 7 #215
BOCA RATON FL 33428 BR
POST, DANIEL T
23123 STATE RD 7 #215
BOCA RATON FL 33428 BR
BMV DEBT MANAGEMENT CORP
Corporate Officers:
BARNEA, RAN
23123 STATE RD 7
BOCA RATON FL 33428
POST, DANIEL
23123 STATE RD 7
BOCA RATON FL 33428
METUKON CORP
Corporate Officers:
BARNEA, RAN
11555 HERON BAY BLVD # 200
CORAL SPRINGS FL 33076 US
POST, DANIEL
11555 HERON BAY BLVD # 200
CORAL SPRINGS FL 33076 US
PHL INTERNATIONAL, INC
Corporate Officers:
BURTON, MARK
836 SOUTH MILITARY TRAIL
DEERFIELD FL 33442 PB
POST, SHARI
836 SOUTH MILITARY TRAIL
DEERFIELD FL 33442 PB
BARNEA, RAN
836 SOUTH MILITARY TRAIL
DEERFIELD FL 33442 PB
BMV DEBT MANAGEMENT CORP
Corporate Officers:
BARNEA, RAN
23123 STATE RD 7
BOCA RATON FL 33428
POST, DANIEL
23123 STATE RD 7
BOCA RATON FL 33428
AMERICAN CONSUMER ADVOCATES LAW GROUP, LLC
Corporate Officers:
BARNEA, RAN D
23123 US 441 SUITE 225
BOCA RATON FL 33428
AMERICAN DEBT NEGOTIATORS, INC
Corporate Officers:
BARNEA, RAN D
23123 STATE RD 7 #250
BOCA RATON FL 33428 US
POST, DANIEL T
23123 STATE RD 7 #250
BOCA RATON FL 33428 US
POST, RICHARD
23123 STATE RD 7 #250
BOCA RATON FL 33428 US
Then I found a website for American Debt Negotiators with contact information that has the same address as METUKON CORP. listed above. So, I decided I should copy and paste the information. Here it is:
American Debt Negotiators
11555 Heron Bay Blvd. Suite 200
Coral Springs, FL 33076
Phone:(866) WOW-4 ADN
or 866-969-4236
Fax: 561-483-2733
I’ve been getting calls also. The last ones being from 775-410-1104. This is coming from YMax Communications Corporation in Nevada. It’s also a MagicJack number. MagicJack is owned by the YMax Communications Corporation in Nevada. MagicJack’s address is P.O.Box 6846, West Palm Beach, FL 33405, telephone 281-404-1551 or 561-594-2328, email MagicJackatDan@magicJack.com. Everyone contact MagicJack and complain. Call them everytime YOU get a call. Someone will get fed up