got a call from a similar number 440-088-4247 claiming to be these same people. most caller ids only show ten numbers, but when you look at international codes it is from the UK. i talked to a rep and and i wanted to know what credit cards they were talking about. she claimed all of them. i said wow, but i am not interested. she asked why, i said because you are most likely a scam, your number is an international one. she accused me of being hostile and did not like me calling her a fraud when i dont even know her. she continued...the number is routed through a call center and it shows up that way because its the phone company's fault for not providing the correct number. she had one excuse after another.
I have received numerous calls from this 442 area code with different numbers attached. The calls are placed by an autodialer and programmed to distinguish between a machine or live person answering the call. That's why many of you find the caller ID on your phone but no message left.
This is definitely an illegal telemarketing scam and in order to hear their pitch you have to say something into the reciever. After a short pause you will hear a short recording offering to lower your credit card debt. In order to speak with a representative you must press 1.
A representative (Clarissa) took my call and identified me by my last name, so they must be using some sort of database instead of calling random numbers. She asked a lot of questions about my finances. Did I have credit card debt? How much? How many cards? Was I interested in lowering my interest rate?
I fabricated all of my responses in such a way to keep Clarissa talking in hopes she would tell me more about her company because I knew the number displayed on the caller ID was bogus. I told her I had a mountain of debt scattered over 6 cards and boy would I like to lower my interest rate.
But, I asked Clarissa, what's the name of your company and what are you offering me? Are you a credit card company? A bank? A debt consolidation organization?
Clarissa said she worked for "ACCOUNT SERVICES" and, no, they were not a bank and they were not offering me a credit card. "I guess you could say we offer you debt consolidation," she said.
I then asked what this was going to cost me and Clarissa replied that it cost nothing.
"Well, I not used to getting something for nothing," I explained, "So what's the catch."
"There's no catch sir," Clarissa answered, "by law you are entitled to get a lower interest rate and we simply help you get it."
I asked why they would do that for free and she explained that they get paid by the credit card companies.
I continued to feign interest and explained that I would like to make sure I was dealing with a legitimate company. Clarissa explained that if I qualified for their services she would be happy to send me some literature.
"Okay, but before I give you a lot of my personal info," I offered, "I would like some info about you, you know, to make sure you're legit. Where are you located?"
"All over," replied Clarissa.
"All over sounds pretty vague," I mused.
"I'm in Orlando," replied Clarissa.
"But the caller ID shows a 442 area code," I said, "That's not Orlando"
"That's because our system calls from California and then connects you to me," she explained.
"Does your company have an address or phone number? Do you have a website? I'm really wary of giving out infomation to people I don't know...
<CLICK>
Clarissa was gone. She hung up. I've read that some telemarketing companies give their callers a limited amount of time (seconds) to a hook a customer. Apparently I used up my limit.
One thing is for sure: as soon as you quiz the caller for more information about Account Services, you too will be disconnected. So why not string them along, sound interested in their product, make up outlandish answers and lots of small talk, beg their pardon while you yell at your fictious kids ("Travis, take those handcuffs off your little sister NOW!"), just do anything you can to take up their time and make their day as unproductive as possible. Maybe, just maybe, they will earmark your number as one not to waste time on in the future.
got a call from a similar number 440-088-4247 claiming to be these same people. most caller ids only show ten numbers, but when you look at international codes it is from the UK. i talked to a rep and and i wanted to know what credit cards they were talking about. she claimed all of them. i said wow, but i am not interested. she asked why, i said because you are most likely a scam, your number is an international one. she accused me of being hostile and did not like me calling her a fraud when i dont even know her. she continued...the number is routed through a call center and it shows up that way because its the phone company's fault for not providing the correct number. she had one excuse after another.