This is "research" company that goes by the name of "OTR" or "On Track Research." They call repeatedly, even if you ask to be removed from their call lists. Typically, they engage in political surveys, often engaging in polls of dubious nature designed to create public opinion, rather than understand it.
They are a shady and suspect organization. There is a whole list of interconnected companies whose relationships are obscured by a list of different names. For example, reviewing the Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations website (http://www.sunbiz.org/search.html) we find that OTR was listed as dissolved and inactive as of 09/15/2006.
A big red flag is the fact that caller ID lists them as "Unavailable." If they were a legitimate firm, they would list their company name and phone number on Caller Id. Other research firms that have contacted us have done just that.
When the telemarketer "researcher" from OTR calls, an attempt to extract information from them is met with resistance. In the two calls from this company I received this weekend, I was told that they were not allowed to give out the company phone number or address. All I was told was the company name, and that they were located in Palm Bay, Florida. When I was asked for a copy of the company's privacy and do-not-call policy, I was hung up on.
When you participate with surveys, you have no method of knowing what will be done with your personal and private information. For example, let's say you answer questions in a political survey. You do not know if as a result, your name, phone number, and address will be sold to telemarketers that will in turn, call you incessantly. They can get away with this under the guise of having done business with you before, based on your survey participation.
Fight back people! Do not accept phone calls from suspect "research" firms that skirt the do-not-call laws! Challenge the callers with direct questions, such as what is the name of the firm, their phone number, address, and most importantly, THE NAME OF THE COMPANY THAT IS PAYING THEM TO PERFORM THEIR RESEARCH!
My own research discovered that OTR is the "sister" company of "Global Marketing Research Services" according to their website: www.polling.net.
Here is the address of GMRS, and presumably OTR:
712 East New Haven Ave.
Melbourne, Florida 32935
Phone: 321-723-7013
Fax: 321-676-5496
There are several alternate addresses as well:
OTR also has a listing of:
809 Palmetto Ave
Melbourne, FL 32901
321-725-8886
In the February 9, 2005 annual filing with the Florida Department of State, OTR listed its address at:
517 Bahama Drive
Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937
and a mailing address of:
P.O. Box 880
Melbourne, FL 32902
This post office box was also listed as the mailing address of GMRS in a January 16, 2008 filing.
The "current" registered agent of OTR is listed as:
Peter Bakolia
517 Bahama Drive
Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937
He is also listed as a company officer and director.
The "new" registered agent of OTR is listed as:
Anthony J. Diana
P.O. Box 880
Melbourne, FL 32902
GMRS has listed Anthony J. Diana as not only the registered agent, but the officer and director as well:
Anthony J. Diana
754 Hunan St. NE
Palm Bay, FL 32907
321-984-9055
A search for "Anthony J. Diana" in the Florida Department of State web site lists about 16 businesses, all with the same addresses as above. A search for Peter Bakolia lists 14 businesses.
We got 3 calls from this company today. Each time we asked to be called back. The first two times we did so politely. The third time we advised them we were reporting them to the Federal Trade Commission for violation of the do not call law. And we just did. Enjoy your visit from the feds! Ha ha ha.
What OTR and companies like them do is collect contact and other personal information for companies like NCO Financial Systems, which is a notoriously sleazy junk debt collector. If anyone from OTR calls and asks for you or a family member, your best bet is to tell them they have a wrong number and then to firmly decline participating in their "survey", to demand they remove your number from their calling list, and then hang up. They just called our house, too, but I've been aware of these sleazy operators for some time. If you ever wonder how criminal bogus debt collectors get your info, these guys are your answer.
Also got several calls, including a very late call. Just finished filing reports with the FTC and with the Attorneys General of their state and of mine, and I am about to contact Melbourne FL local offices and law enforcement. This is out and out harrassment and abuse at this point.
Also, "Action Research" is another of Peter Bakiola's enterprises and has already been on the FTC radar for some time.
I encourage anyone who is being bothered by these bottomfeeders to file complaints immediately with the FTC, Attorney General (Florida and your own state), and to contact Melbourne, FL and let them know they have some shifty people engaging in highly suspicious activities in their town.
You are mixing up Action Research "Group" with Action Research. I think I heard that the company "Action Research Group" are skip tracers. If you read the entire article you link to you will see that it has different principals.