unknown name
Complaint
Jerryb264
Country: United States
We receive two calls a day from 1-800-242-5548 the America Reading Club, they ask for a person we do not know. The calls started about six months ago, we have told them over and over that we do not know the person and they have the wrong number to no avail, we have had the number for three years, they still call. We have called the phone company and placed them on our do not call list...they still call. They called this morning at 8:10, they told me to send a copy of my phone bill with my name and number showing and they would take me off the list, I do not think so..... I will not send them any of my information. Does anyone know how to get off their call list or where to make a complant that has teeth to get rid of these people, they need to be shut down. I really feel for you all that have bought books and gave them your CC or bank info and can not cancel the account.
Comments
http://www.bbb.org/atlanta/business-reviews/s ... cumming-ga-3762
http://www.bbb.org/atlanta/business-reviews/s ... ell-ga-27213900
Similar complaints against both companies, fraudulent telemarketing, wrong magazines sent, threats to extort payment on inflated alleged "contract" misrepresented in the sales call:
American Reading Club:
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/VfSmDLxkRQB6WgjJrh3rHw
Reading America:
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/JRHTVm0ZaACRCAjLPzLm2g
You have no obligation to prove you aren't who they claim to be calling. You certainly have no obligation to send them a copy of your phone bill, nor would you want ANY of your information in their hands. You are on the Do Not Call list, and you have specifically told them to cease calling you, so file Do Not Call complaints with FTC.
Their insistence in continuing to call and harass you even though you aren't who they claim they are trying to reach implies that their calls are not the "sales" phase, but the "extortion" phase of the scam.
You are dealing with scammers, so report their harassing calls to FTC, and your state Attorney General.
This thread reported that they were fined for Do Not Call violations in 2006. Give them a reason to get fined again.
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-800-242-5548
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/Qsg1QTbsHwD10gjMUgi-ig
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/EOCyDbSpRAC7TgjJ3Y3HJg
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/marketing/bus27.shtm
It appears that America Reading Club owed a settlement to one of the defendants, so the court required that funds from that settlement be transferred directly to FTC to be used to pay this defendant's share of the judgement.
http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0823075/090401suretouchjdgmt.pdf
"...
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, and
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKYEX
REL. JACK CONWAY, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF KENTUCKY,
Plaintiffs,
v.
DIRECT CONNECTION CONSULTING,INC., a corporation,
also dlb/a SureTouchLong Distance;
DIGICOM, LLC, a limited liability company,
also d/b/a DigiTouch LongDistance ;
ELLIOTT BORENSTEIN,
individually and as an owner, officer or manager of
Direct Connection Consulting, Inc ., and Digicom, LLC; and
JOANN R. (JODY)WINTER,
individually and as an owner, officer or manager of
Direct Connection Consulting, Inc ., andDigicom, LLC,
Defendants
...
Plaintiffs commenced this action by filing their complaint for permanentinjunction and other equitable relief pursuant to Sections 13(b) and 19 of theFederal Trade Commission Act ("FTC Act"), 15 U.S.C. §§ 53(b) and 57b, theTelemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act ("TelemarketingAct"), 15 U.S.C. §§ 6101-6108, and the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act, KRS367.010 et seq. The complaint alleged that Defendants, together with DefendantJoAnn R. (Jody) Winter, engaged in unfair and deceptive acts and practices inconnection with the telemarketing of goods and services . Plaintiffs and Defendantshave agreed to a settlement of this action without adjudication of any issue of factor law, and without Defendants admitting liability for any of the violations alleged in the complaint.
...
4. Richard Maresco, Janna Maresco and American Reading Club,by and through their attorneys, shall, within five (5) business days of the date of the entry of this Final Order, transfer to the Commission or its designated agent $40,000 .00 (forty-thousanddollars) in monies owed to Defendant Borenstein in settlement of action No. CAFNO4-cv-d083 filed in the Georgia SuperiorCourt, Forsyth County, Georgia ;
..."
"...
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission halted this telemarketing operation on May 13, 2008. On the recommendation of the FTC, United States District Judge Timothy Batten appointed Pat Huddleston and Huddleston Law Firm as Receiver for Direct Connection Consulting, Inc., and Digicom, LLC. On motion of the Receiver, Judge Batten expanded the Receivership to include Ebor Management as a Receivership entity and ordered that over $80,000 be transferred from Defendant Joann Winter's bank accounts to the Receivership.
The FTC alleges that Direct Connection, Digicom, and the principals of those businesses, Joann Winter and Elliot Borenstein, violated the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act by charging consumer credit cards without authorization and misleading consumers. Among the things Judge Batten ordered the Receiver to do was determine whether the businesses could be operated profitably under the law. After a thorough investigation, the Receiver determined that the businesses could not be so operated.
Although the consumer losses far exceed the money remaining in the businesses, the Receiver has been able to recover additional amounts that will be available for consumer redress at the discretion of the FTC, should the Court find in favor of the FTC. Pending a final resolution of the case, the Receiver continues to gather assets and limit the expenses of the businesses.
..."
http://migration.kentucky.gov/newsroom/ag/suretouchrefund.htm
"Attorney General Conway Issues Refund Checks from Settlement with Suretouch Long Distance
Press Release Date: Friday, August 28, 2009
Contact Information: Shelley Catharine Johnson
Deputy Communications Director
502-696-5659 (office)
Attorney General Jack Conway announced today that more than 1,000 Kentuckians will receive refund checks as part of a settlement in a telemarketing enforcement action against Direct Connect Consulting Inc. of Alpharetta, Georgia and related defendants which marketed "SureTouch" Long Distance service. The action was filed in May 2008 alleging the defendants had engaged in deceptive marketing and illegal billing practices. The case was filed jointly by the Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as part of a national telemarketing fraud sweep called "Operation TelePhoney."
Restitution is being provided to 1,078 former SureTouch customers on a pro rata basis from the funds recovered in the lawsuit. The Attorney General’s Office is mailing checks today ranging from $5 to $433.44, with the average check totaling $56.29. The Office of the Attorney General recovered $60,683 in restitution and $14,317 for fees and costs of investigation.
..."
"...
Name: American Reading Club
Phone: (800) 242-5548
Fax: (770) 844-2112
Address: 5175 Performance Dr
[***], GA 30040-9656
Original Business Start Date: July 1991
Principal: Mr Christopher Clement
Customer Contact: Mr. Terry Christensen, Vice President - (800) 536-2514
Employees: 66
Type of Business: Sweepstakes, Magazine Sales, Publishers-Book, Publishers-Periodical
BBB Accreditation: This company is not a BBB Accredited business.
Additional DBA Names: ARC
A R C, Inc.
American Reading Club Inc.
Business Management
Additional company management personnel include:
Ms. Janna Maresco - C.E.O.
Mr. Richard Maresko - President
Mr. David J. Grzybowski - CFO
Additional Locations and Phone Numbers
Additional Phone Numbers
Tel: (800) 536-2514
Tel: (800) 237-7855
Tel: (770) 889-6933
Tel: (800) 272-7982
..."
http://www.accessnorthga.com/classifieds/index.php?m=details&id=13617
"Telemarketing
We have openings for telemarketing sales people. Great work environment, Training provided, no experience needed. Apply in person at 5175 Performance Dr. [***] GA 30040 or call Jody at 770-844-2151
CONTACT INFONAME: Glenn
STREET: 5175 Performance Dr
CITY: [***]
STATE: GA
ZIP: 30040
PHONE: 770-844-2106
EMAIL: glenn@cgccs.com
WEBSITE: http://www.areadclub.com
..."
Note that the "5175 Performance Dr" address from the BBB report shows up in connection with a helicopter service, "North Atlanta Executive Air".
http://www.ripoffreport.com/banks/american-reading-clu/american-reading-club-incorpor-ag97b.htm
"American Reading Club Incorporated The Owner Is Richard Maresco American Reading Club Here is the owner's contact info Atlanta, Cummings, Georgia
...
American Reading Club Incorporated - Richard Maresco
3870 SINCLAIR SHORES RD [***], GEORGIA 30041
Atlanta & Cummings Ga Georgia
U.S.A.
Phone: 770-844-8687
Web Address:
Category: Banks
Submitted: Monday, August 18, 2008
Posted: Monday, August 18, 2008
We were first contacted by an entity calling itself "United States Magazine Service" about magazines my brother wanted. it was a scam that sends old subscriptions and gives misleading info to the consumer..... and apparently they work for or with American Reading Club .... We belive this Because Not more than a few days later we were called by ARC and they had all my brother's bank account info right down to the adress and personal cell numbers.... thats when the trouble started.
after a few weeks we were charged a substaial amout of money by both groups, then agin and agin, varrying ammounts..... and they made claims we suddenly owed them four hundred dallars that would be charged, over the next 2 years, they were hazy on details then when i'd tell my brother to hand me the phone i'd get to asking questions and be hung up on... they sent us magazines we did not want, old /back issues and one or two current issues, a few that look to have been read through and bought from a store then they stuck a label on them with serial numbers and sent them...
well this got me angery, it's ruined our bank account aand credit, and we've recived threatening phone calls from people on cell phones who refuse to identify themselves other than the company the represented... just calling to try to scare and intimidate us with legal recourse among other things if we did not comply and put money in our accounts or send them money.
if they stoop this low, whats keeping them from doing more than threating lawsuits or ripping off people over the phone?
i did some reaserch and in my digging i found rip off report and saw all the folks that had been victimized by arc ....
i hope thease folks fare better than i did when they preyed on my weak-minded brother... protect your families and seek justice through legal means!!! lets stop thease scam/con-artists , below is a list of known adresses,numbers and personal contact info for American Reading Club
american reading club
5175 performance drive
cummings ga.
30040
american reading club inc
770-889-6933
1310 canton highway
[***] ga.
American Reading Club Incorporated
8613 Roswell Rd, Atlanta, GA 30350
(678) 352-9876
1800237-7855
arc
1800-242-5548
North Atlanta Executive Air
Rich Maresco
5175 Performance Dr
[***], GA 30040
770-844-8687 0r 404-580-6798
www.northatlanticheli.com
770-844-8687
serve legal papers if needed to:
Richard Maresco
3870 SINCLAIR SHORES RD
[***], GA 30041
(770) 844-9036
it's sad to see people ripping off their fellow americans in our countries time of need!!! thease people and folks like them are the new terrorists !!!
Anonymus
america, Nevada
U.S.A.
..."
http://cgccs.com/
http://cgccs.com/contact.htm
"...
Local Telephone: 770-403-0123
Toll-Free: 800-579-2010
Facsimile: 770-844-2152
Mailing Address:
5175 Performance Drive
[***], GA 30040
..."
Their client list includes North Atlanta Magazine.
http://cgccs.com/clients.htm
"North Atlanta Magazine Corp."
http://cgccs.com/direct_marketing.htm
"...
Telemarketing
With over 50 telemarketing seats, CGC Consulting Services is one of the largest domestic telemarketing centers in the southeastern United States. Each station is staffed by professional telemarketers that are highly trained and monitored by a dedicated training and quality control staff. Whether it is outbound sales, incoming calls, appointment setting or just a database clean up, CGC Consulting is your choice for high quality work that will meet or exceed your expectations. Our nimble size enables us to move quickly when needed, as well as, gives us the ability to adapt to whatever your project calls for.
..."
http://cgccs.com/media.htm
"For further information and pricing contact Glenn Weissman at 770-844-2106 or email glenn@cgccs.com"
Example lists sold by CGC.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-189871912.html
"CGC Consulting Services, Inc.
Description: This file contains people who are experiencing financial difficulties. They are impulsive buyers and are responsive to offers such as those for inexpensive products, credit repair ... "
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-188157286.html
"CGC Consulting Services Inc.
Description: This file contains mostly homeowners who have purchased a time-saving kitchen device. These are credit card holders who can be responsive to many different types of offers including travel, time shares, kitchen ... "
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-188063275.html
"CGC Consulting Services Inc.
Description: This file contains people who have tried to purchase a product after seeing it advertised on TV, only to have their credit cards fail. The product they were trying to buy cost $89.95. This list is ideal for credit repair, bankruptcy, debt consolidations, payday loans, and loan modification offers. "
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-192052881.html
"CGC Consulting Services, Inc.
Description: This file contains people who have purchased various products showcased on TV infomercials by using their credit cards. "
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-193405867.html
"CGC Consulting Services Inc.
Description: This file contains people who have bought Miracle Mud, a beauty product for skin care, after viewing an infomercial on late night television. This list is 95% female and its prospects have spent an average ... "
List brokering only?
Sales telemarketing?
Who provides the thugs in the back room?
Thin file, only 1 resolved complaint, but note that "Type of Business" is listed as "Magazine Sales", not "list broker" or something similar. That may indicate that the resolved complaint was in connection with consumer telemarketing of magazines.
http://www.bbb.org/atlanta/business-reviews/m ... ing-ga-27279892
"...
Name: CGC Consulting Services, Inc
Phone: (770) 403-0123
Address: 5175 Performance Dr
[***], GA 30040
Website: www.cgccs.com
File Open Date: July 2009
Type of Business: Magazine Sales
BBB Accreditation: This company is not a BBB Accredited business.
..."
United States Magazine Service
11300 Hwy 93 S
Lolo Montana 59847
U.S.A.
Phone: 406-273-2266
Typcial magazine scam "contract", with a minor.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/book-magazine-publishers/united-states-magazi/united-states-magazine-service-c6d4y.htm
Notice the repeated calls after obtaining card number, to add additional terms and increased charges. Also note that card had already been charged, even before cramming the authorization.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/Internet/United-States-Magazi/united-states-magazine-service-6pd63.htm
They were caught in "Operation Tele-PHONY".
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/telephoney.shtm
"For Release: 10/09/2009
FTC Stops Two Deceptive Telemarketing Operations
Magazine Seller, Medical Discount Plan Pitchmen Barred From False Claims
Two telemarketing operations targeted by the Federal Trade Commission as part of a major law enforcement sweep last year must stop the deceptive tactics they allegedly used to trick consumers into buying overpriced magazine subscriptions and worthless medical discount plans – and must pay a total of $2.06 million in consumer redress.
The FTC filed the two cases in 2008 as part of “Operation Tele-PHONEY,” the largest telemarketing fraud sweep ever coordinated by the agency. With today’s announcement of a settlement in one case and a court order in the other, 11 of the 13 “Tele-PHONEY” cases have been resolved to the benefit of consumers.
In the magazine telemarketing case, the FTC charged that U.S. Magazine Services and its principal misled consumers by understating the monthly charges for its subscriptions. Although the actual monthly charge was disclosed in a later call – often after the consumers provided their billing information – some consumers learned of the charge only after checking their credit card bill or debit account balance. Consumers who subsequently tried to cancel the subscriptions were told that no cancellations were allowed. In addition, the defendants violated the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule by failing to disclose important terms during their sales pitches.
The settlement order resolving the Commission’s charges bars the defendants from making any further misrepresentations when marketing any product or service, charging consumers without their express informed consent, or violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The order requires them to disclose important facts before consumers provide their billing information, including payment details and refund and cancellation policies. It also includes a $600,000 judgment against the defendants, to be paid over the next year.
..."
Notice the similarities between this operation, as reported by FTC, and other "magazine subscription" scams.
Deceptive telemarketing, inflated pricing, incomplete disclosure of costs, cancellations policies, or other material terms, etc, bait-and-switch after already getting billing information, or after claiming there is some "contract", while claiming no cancellation, etc.