Now if you don't answer the phone they leave voice mails - this was winning a 1000 dollar shopping spree...yea right - you don't get something for nothing
I have been getting calls from 6465582000 on my cell and had them blocked. Now they are calling me from 4233178221. No one ever leaves a message.. I never answer.
I received a call from 423-317-8221 on the evening of August 2, 2010. I used to live in the 423 area code but recently moved 2700 miles across the country, so I thought it might be someone I knew. However, I was at the movie theater when I received the call, so I let it go to voicemail. After the movie, I listened to the voicemail message and this was the message I received, word for word:
"Hello, Carly, this is Donna with Mountain Area and I've got some good news and some bad news for you. The good news is you have been selected to receive our $1000 online shopping spree. So congratulations. The bad news is I didn't get a chance to speak with you, so please give me a call back on my toll-free line: 1-877-859-5199, just so I can get this out there to you. I'll be here until 10PM eastern time and again, congratulations."
Confused that I could possibly win a $1000 shopping spree when I didn't enter to win such a prize, I went online and Google'd the phone number. Obviously, a scam worth avoiding.
No one just gives away $1000. Stay smart and add this number to your "Spam - Do Not Answer" contact in your phone. I created an account in my phone for numbers such as these--whenever they call, a picture of a Spam can appears on my phone's screen and I know exactly what to do--
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for enforcing laws relating to interstate fraud. https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ You can also report to your local prosecutor, or your state attorney general.
Additionally, contest the charges with your bank - you have 60 days to do so. Tell the bank all of their misleading practices. Also watch out for other charges appearing either right after you talked to them, or month to month.
Lastly, treat cold call telemarketers as though they are spammers - in this case, they are. Wonder how they got your information (did you fill out an on-line survey?) - and when they say that you were referred by your visa card, find out which one. I guarantee you that they are lying about that...
I recently had a couple of these types of scams calling, texting and emailing me so i started to do my research about fraud, scamming and how federal law relates... did you know that in most instances what they are doing is ILLEGAL according to Federal Law... well they don't apparently, or they are just playing dumb... because after they called me asking my age, name, occupation, type of credit card and then told me that I would need to purchase a couple magazine subscriptions in order to get my "$1000 prize" i simply asked "how am i going to need to pay for this, are you going to ask for my credit card number because if that is the case you must be out of your mind thinking i will give my credit card number to someone who randomly calls my phone"
so we disconnected and I called them back and spoke to this persons supervisor who assured me that "Mountain Area Communications" is a "legitimate" business that has been running for 35 years now... I asked for a web address and conveniently it is currently under construction which i am sure it often is... bottom line... Two things, when someone calls you asking you for any personal information inquire as much as possible to gather as much information as you can from them and NEVER GIVE THEM YOUR CREDIT CARD NUMBER!!!!!!! Second, report the number(s) and all the information you gathered to the FBI, ICCC and any other Fraud related agency you kind find on the web... enough complaints and they will have the feds so far up their a**holes they won't be calling anyone anymore!