Trying to collect on an account that doesn't exist
Complaint
Jacqueline Weedo
Country: United States
Some telemarketer with a heavy accent called our business phone number to verify address info etc etc. While asking is this so and so company, is this your address, phone number etc they record the information and then try to bill and collect from you for a listing you never wanted or needed.
Comments
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/vV_TMfLakQCmwAjMjQlJyw
They are reported to be running their scam out of the Montreal area, which has a high rate of call centers engaging in fraudulent telemarketing.
They are reported to record calls "to verify your information", then edit or doctor the recordings to misrepresent that small businesses have "agreed" to pay for some listing in the $400 to $600 range.
They are also reported to pass off these fraudulent "accounts" to a debt collector in New Jersey, ACA Recovery, that makes similar fraudulent claims, with reports they play the doctored recordings in an attempt to extort payment.
File complaints with FTC, your state Attorney General, ans www.ic3.gov, which is for reporting internet related fraud. If ACA Recovery attempts to collect on bogus "accounts", file a complaint with the New Jersey Attorney General. If you receive a fraudulent "invoice" in the mail, from either party, file a mail fraud complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspector.
https://complaintwire.org/Complaint.aspx/Nu0ZT7fzuQApTQjMmK0v4Q
As the telemarketing age continues to grow, more and more businesses use this approach to successfully sell or advertise their products and/or services.
Many of them ARE legitimate however, this way of selling is not only used today by companies and charities, but used by people eager to committ fraud. They depend on a person's naiveness and rob them blind using their best telephone sales tactics as their weapon.
Now lets take a look at the common definition of telemarketing fraud.
According to some experts, the term telemarketing fraud refers generally to any scheme to defraud. In a telemarketing fraud scheme, the persons or person carrying out the scheme use the telephone as their primary means of communicating to their prospective targets. They tend work with their sales tactics to persuade people to send money for the "sale". Usually these fraudulent companies solicit people to buy their products and/or services, or to donate funds for charitable causes, or even to invest money. Most of these operations use representations and promises just to trap their unfortunate victims.
There is one particular telemarketing tactic commonly used called the "reloading". Reloading is a term that refers to the re-contacting of victims after their initial transactions were completed. They re-contact the victim for additional payments.
You can find out more information on our website: www.spgconsultants.com
By informing each other, we protect each other.
Sincerely,
SPG Consultants
Parties: 6253547 Canada, Inc., d/b/a Thompson Hill Publishing, The Official
Yellow Pages, and The Oyp Group
Opus Media, Inc.
Karl Garon
Claude E. Berthiaume
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