calling and hanging up
Complaint
Timotea Vega
Country: United States
I been getting calls from this number 866-790-5779 its from a 800 service number and when I answer they hang up when I call they sound busy soon I will call 311 or the cop after these people.
Comments
They are reported to have deceptively claimed to be with "VISA" or "MasterCard" "Rewards Programs". There are many reports of repeated calls per day, and several reports of abusive or obscene language when the consumer told them to stop calling.
There are several reports that they already had the consumer's card information, or that they put through unauthorized charges without the consumer having provided any card number. In some cases they appear to have obtained card information from other on-line retailers used by the consumer, either using it to run through unauthorized charges, or calling to try to solicit based on information passed from other on-line retailers. This may be how they have obtained credit card information to be able to make charges without the consumer providing a card number.
One report identifies them as "United Marketing Group" or "UMG", and another indicates that they are also known as "RGB", and are based in Illinois. They may be making credit card charges under many names, and calling from many numbers. See the BBB report for details.
BBB report includes consumer complaints of unauthorized charges. List of "membership" programs indicates they may be co-marketing with a wide variety of credit card companies, so they may be getting consumer information, including phone numbers and card numbers, from credit card companies directly.
Their BBB report currently shows that they are a BBB member, have agreed to arbitration, but that they have "No Rating". BBB apparently has discussed a pattern of consumer complaints with them in 2007, and may be waiting to see if they can clean up their act.
http://chicago.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=46&bbb=0654&firm=987
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Nature Of Business
This company offers direct response marketing.
United Marketing Group provides hard goods/merchandise, a variety of membership programs, and operate a travel agency. The company generally offers free trials of its memberships in conjunction with other offers or purchases that the consumer is making, after which the consumer is billed on a monthly or annual basis for his or her membership fees. Memberships consist of savings coupons, discount offers, rebates, etc. and may be cancelled at any time.
Customer Experience
Complaints reported to the Bureau primarily involve claims of unauthorized charges by the Company's affiliates. In such cases, customers reported no recollection of having agreed for the programs that were billed to their credit card, debit card or bank account. In some of the cases, consumers reported being charged for two or three years.
The company responds to complaints by offering a full unconditional refund for the allegedly unauthorized charges, while also denying that any of its charges were not authorized by the customers. The company has stated that, with the consent of its customers, its practice is to tape record telephone transactions, including the terms of the agreement with the customer. The company asserts that the audio tapes clearly reveal that all customers are fully aware that their credit card, or other forms of payment, will be charged for the program if it is not cancelled within the trial period.
On June 13, 2007 the Better Business Bureau met with the officials of the United Marketing Group to discuss company's products and services, consumer allegations, and BBB concerns. The company presented the various aspects of its business operations and affiliations, and explained its relationship with its clients and customers. UMG officials also presented the mechanism that the company uses to resolve consumer complaints.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
The BBB processed a total of 299 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 299 complaints closed in 36 months, 142 were closed in the last year.
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Other complaints here:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/4872 ... my_advisor.html
"Got Bank of America credit card statement and there was a $59.00 charge for RGI select services. No idea what this was until I read some of the posts on this site. Called BOA and told them that I had not authorized this transaction and was put on hold. The woman who came on next was from RGI - tell me that they are not in cahoots with one another! They could not produce any recording of my acceptance of their "product" and continued to try and sell me on this instead of cancelling it. I also inquired how they got my credit card number and was not answered. The woman stated that I would receive a credit on my next BOA statement, but could not give me a confirmation # or case #. The date that they said I suppossedly "accepted" this service, my girlfriend was home just having had surgery. She stated that these people had called repeatedly and were told after about the 10th time they called that if they called again, she was reporting them. Anyone have any comments on this/share experience
Add a Comment
Posted on 07/01/2008 at 7:07:15 PM"
https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-866-790-5779
"KE - 23 Sep 2008
They call 5-6 times a day. If there is someone on the other end they "REPRESENT" VISA...or your visa debit card. They want you to sign up for a "free" 30 day trial of something (they speak too fast to tell) in exchange for "free" gifts. I have asked them twice not to call, they get rude and want to hear every reason you don't want this offer instead of kindly hanging up"
" Reply
lee - 25 Sep 2008
I just got the exact phone call only they had my visa number.SCARY"
"Michelle - 30 Sep 2008
Guy leaves a message for Michelle, he says his name is Steven Kort, he is from the State Police and there is no problem but doesn't leave a number. THE STATE POLICE HAS NEVER HEARD OF HIM.
Caller ID: UNKNOWN
Caller: UNKNOWN"
"Rating: 0 john - 3 Oct 2008
Someone called here tonight - same thing claiming to have our Visa number. When I told him we weren't interested, he started swearing and using vulgar language. I hung up on him and he has called our number three more times. One right after another. The 2nd time he called he continued to swear and use vulgar language. I have since found out that these types of calls are traceable by your phone company and will be notified to your local police dept. Certain restrictions apply, but you have to protect yourself, so I suggest contacting your phone company if it continues. I JUST DID.
Caller ID: 1-866-790-5779"
"Jano - 3 Oct 2008
Got a Call from 866-790-5779, a Telemarketing company (Could not get the company name), saying that they were calling from my Master Card's Rewards Department, and that they had some rewards and gifts for me. It was interesting listening to the script that they have, which they have modified from the past, and now is more professional, and more tricky.
They are trying to push a couple of Membership programs to you. They tell you that you don't have to pay anything to join, but at the end you find out that they are charging your credit card for "Shipping" the programs to you.
The first one, they promise you $100 Gas Voucher & a complementary 2 Round Trip tickets. There will be a grace period before they charge your card $29.95 for the first program which includes some medical discounts, then $19.95 for the second program which includes some legal services.
Then they'll upsell you to two more programs which are: EZ-Rate for unlimited Long Distance for $29.95 and EZ ID Recovery for an additional cost. They will tell "Extremely Fast" that there is a shipping and handling cost to send you all these programs, and that you have some time to look over the programs and then you can cancell before the grace period so you don't have to pay the $29.95 for each program. The Shipping cost amounts to $13 and change for your to review the programs.
The catch is that you cannot do anything with the vouchers and gifts that they promise you until you have been with the program for about 6 months, or you have accepted the memberships, and spent some money wiht them.
Then, once you accept, it is a pain in the rear to try to cancel these programs and services.
Sometimes the grace period is only 14 days from the day they ship the product, so if you don't get to your mail fast enough for whatever reason, guess what: You are hooked.
Here are some links that I found on these reports:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/206/ripoff0206667.htm
http://www.elamb.org/hacked/ez1ratescam.htm
I hope this helps somebody either to decide to accept the programs, or to not waste their time answering the call. I have not tried the programs or memberships, so I don't know if the services are for real, or they don't work. You make the call. You can also decide to block these calls from your telephone service provider.
Caller ID: 800 Service
Caller Type: Telemarketer"
"fuzzy - 10 Oct 2008
it is united marketing group UMG...they probe your acct for one dollar, then deduct once to twice monthly, charges from 9.95 to 19.95.....it is big scam my wife and I got scammed for 279.00, but we finally got it back....be RUTHLESS with these people....you can win
Caller ID: 866-790-5779
Caller: not provided"