This company ("Account Services" service provider? "EMBARQ") is notorious in various web blogs for their deviousness and their flaunting of the Do-Not-Call registery - I think the registry is WHERE they got my number in the FIRST place - However, this time I decided to answer and see what information I could get out of them.
As others have reported, I was greeted by a recording tellling me they've been trying to reach me to tell me my time was running out on my interest rate - blah, blah, blah, and to press one to speak to an operator. I did so. I then interrupted the lady's attempt to get my phone number, etc, and asked the name of their company. The female voice said "Account Services" - when I pressed for further information ("That's rather generic, Account Services for WHO?") she said "Account Services for Visa, MasterCard and Discover Card" - when I said that was too vague and asked where they were located she hurrridly hung up on me (DUH! Didn't want to get caught!)
This behavior is typical of reports against this company on various Internet Blogs.
Another thing, the number they called to reach me is not only on the Do-No-Call Registery, it is also a cell phone, so they commited TWO violations.
I have reported them before, as well as attempted to this time. Apparently the FTC - who is supposed to enforce the law - is more concerned with collecting their salaries and shoving complaints under the carpet - in fact, today their web site won't even accept compaints - you go to all the trouble to fill out their form and when you click "submit" a page comes up that simply says, "We are having trouble" - WELL DUH! Probably getting SWAMPED with complaints - I suspect the "submit" button realy means, "give in to the scammers, we're too da** busy to fight them." The FTC reports that the number of complaints is low - well DUH! If you CAN'T complain, it stands to reason that the number of complaits would BE low!
This morning I had a face-to-face with Senator Bennett and voiced my ire that the Do Not Call Registry is apparenty a toothless dog, a paper tiger, and does nothing to earn their keep in this department - I suggested they be put on an "earn your way" basis- I then followed up with a lengthy request for assistance at his congressional web site - and suggested that the Do Not Call registry become self sufficient on fines alone - that the list be made available for free to any legitimate business that wants to clean up their phone list as well as free to people who want to be listed on the registry. It will be interesting to see what resuts I get.
Meanwhile, I suggest that everybody write their Senators and Representatives and complain about the do-nothing Do-Not-Call Registry - I was unable to quickly locate current stats on how many complaints they have received or how many companies they have taken action against - the most current item I found was a whopping TWO - count them TWO - compaines that had been fined - $1.2 Million bucks - but what about the thousands of complaints? Not a word! NOT ONE! But the FTC website abounds with self praise for how well the system works - Well, DUH! THEY HAVE TO SAY THAT!
My suggestion is to input the phone number into your caller ID Data Base and then every time you get a call from them, don't answer, but report it to your Senators and Representatives (Keep track, the fine is $11,000 max per call - you 'could' get RICH sueing them!). Do NOT bother trying to report them to the FTC (site's down. Remeber?) or even, as some have suggested, the FCC. Funny thing about politicans, they like to be seen as doing something good - while government employees who like to sit around and tell jokes or play games or surf porn would rather not be seen at all