During the past 2 months I have received approximately 10 calls from the same phone number to my cell phone. Each caller advised me that he or she was calling about my American Express Account ending in 000. Since I consider myself to be pretty savvy I knew that American Express did not make such calls and that these calls were bogus. My cell phone recorded the calls as coming from 727-541-0001. Naturally I refused to give the callers any information and in fact I tried to get information from them, to no avail. They just hung up. I also called them back on the number they called from immediately after the call ended. Each time I received a recorded message that the number was disconnected.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments76 - Aaron
WOW from Hawaii to Florida up to michigan and back again this is crazy. Well add one more to the list of people getting calls. I did call the FTC and they said that if x number of complaints are filed, they in conjunction with the dept of Ag. can start charges, also when that occurs we can file civil action and the BBB wil assist us in doing that but first thing is people need to file formal complaints with the FTC and make sure that you are on the Do not call list.
Take care and thanks to Bob I think for initaly starting this post I know you are tired of the endless amount of responses but you have truely helped out your felow man.
-AP
77 - Bob Greenspan
I never get tired of seeing the comments. I just think, rather I know, that it is futile to file any complaints. You are dealing with Con Men. Con Men don't care if you file a complaint with the local police, the FBI, the FTC or any other local, state or federal agency. They know that if they get caught they won't be punished. (Or if they do get a few months or years in jail it was worth it. They rake in Millions. They live in Mansions, drive Ferrari's, Bentley's, have Yachts etc.) They will be told not to continue to do what they are doing, whether it be mail fraud or phone fraud or internet fraud. I recently saw another one of those scam shows on ABC Primetime or NBC Dateline. Can't remember which. It does not matter. The point is they traced a guy who had bilked thousands of people out of their life savings. Millions of dollars. The FTC sued him in Civil Court (not criminal court) and got an injunction against his company, let's call it Bob's Sure Thing Investments (since I can't remember the actual company name). So Bob's Sure Thing Investments was prohibited from doing business by this Judge. A month or so later this same guy was up and operating the same scam under a new name, Tom's Sure Thing Investments (Again I made up this name). But the beauty of this scam for these Con Men is that they can do this from ANYWHERE. Any State, Any City, Any Office or Home. All they need is a Phone and a Mailing Address, usually a Post Office Box. Sad but true.
78 - Jumper Bailey
Last year I received a few phishing calls from some outfit telling me I was entitled to receive a "government grant" of $8000 if I would just give my checking acount information to them.
I demurred and suggested they mail me a check instead. On the strength of my demurral, my grant application was summarily denied by the caller who hung up.
Darn. I could really use that $8000.
I looked at the call information on my cellphone. The area code was in Montreal, which confused me. Which government was offering me the money? Ours or Canada's?
I called the local branch office of the FBI. After a quick transfer, they put me through to a very nice person and I told her about my government grant call.
"Oh yeah," she said. "We know about that one. Was the grant for $8,000 or $15,000?" she asked me."
That stung. Apparently I wasn't worth the additional $7,000 to the people who appeared to be calling from Montreal (although they might not really have been in Montreal...there are apparently ways to fake the return number).
"$8,000," I said, feeling a little inadequate at this point. I thought I would have been worth at least $15,000.
The FBI lady took my information and thanked me for calling. I hung up, still bothered by that missing $7,000.
79 - Jason
I have just noticed that I have a $14.95 charge on my debit card that is for my personal bank account. I remember getting a phone call about a month ago, but i dont remember confirming anything. Since this is my personal account, will cancelling the card work? Or do i need to go as far as changing my account number? The charge on my account looks like this :
TRAVEL8008584838 602-271-0411 AZ
I also usally dont answer numbers that I dont recognize but in this case my brother answered the phone for me. Numbers that have called me recently that i dont recognize and havent answered are: 305-371-7266 770-663-6378 541-479-6016 im not sure if these are connected at all since these arent as frequent, i havent seen these on any other posts, and they apparently got what they wanted from me.
80 - John
These people called my wife about mid-Oct. She tells me she didn't give them our Visa card number, but they agreed to send her some sort of great gift cards. (I don't know what information she did give them.) The great gift cards never showed up. In November, we had a charge from TRAVEL8008584838 show up on our Visa statement every month for 14.95. I ask my wife to take care of it, which she usually is pretty good at doing, but doesn't make headway this time. Then in December, the charge shows up again, along with another one for $39.95:
R F AND G PRINCESS
DAPHNE, AL
So at that point, I'm worried, but not too much so, figuring if its a crook, they would be taking a lot more. It must be a legit business, I think, that mistakenly is billing us, or perhaps my wife actually purchased something from them. But with the holidays, I figure I'll take care of it afterwards, and then forgot. We now get our January statement, and both charges showed up again. So I try to call the number, get nowhere, and turn to Google and find this blog.
So call me naive, too trusting, or a bit slow, but I do eventually learn. I'm cancelling my Visa card tomorrow, and will file a complaint with my AG. The former will be effective, the latter won't.
81 - Lee
They called me Monday from the 727-541-1000. Said they were calling from Visa to thank me for being a cardholder in good standing... I told him that he wasn't calling from my credit union or Visa, as I have told them not to call me. He then began to argue with me, he was very rude, and shouting at times. I'm not sure how much info he had, other than my name address, and the last 4 digits of my card. I decided that he was, to say the least, dishonest and I was probably going to get charged for something regardless of my answer. So I decided to sign up for it and see what would happen. After 4 hours, they still hadn't attempted to make a charge to my account, but I decided to cancel the card anyway. It's really disapointing that it's so easy to get away with this kind of scam. For now, I've told everyone I know to block the 727-541-0001 number from their home phones, and store it in their cell phones as Phone Scam, or something to let them know not to answer.
82 - Ari
I just got a call on my cell from a 770 number, and since the person didnt even pronounce my name correctly I asked to take a message.. I searched this number on yahoo which led me to this page.
Now I am scratching my head as to how to get them to not call again.. maybe I can block the number???
as far as those of you who are seeing charges to your credit card that you have not agreed to, i would suggest call your credit card company and file a complaint. american express is one that actually cancels and tries to investigate fraude..
83 - Phone Scam 727-541-0001
I originally got a call from someone posing as MasterCard in August of 2005. They offered a free gas card for being a great cardholder and always paying on time. Then they tried to upsell me on some trial magazine subscriptions. I told them I didn't want anything, so they told me I could decline the magazine subscription and still get the free gas card. I declined the magazine subscriptions, yet I started receiving magazines from 4 or 5 different companies about 3 weeks later. I had to call to cancel each of the 4 or 5 magazine subscriptions.
Each magazine company told me the trial subscription was requested by me while I was purchasing something from one of their partners. The telemarketing company behind this scam was Vici Marketing Group. The product I allegedly purchased was a membership to Traveler Innovations. I have never spoken with Traveler Innovations before and I never signed up with a membership. My suspicion is that Vici Marketing Group signed me up for a Traveler Innovations membership at the time they offered me a free gas card. Then VMG immediately cancelled my Traveler Innovations membership and signed me up for the magazine subscriptions.
In my opinion both of these companies are fraudulent and deserve to be the focus of a class action law suit. I am fully behind any action that someone would lead. I have full documentation of the entire process, and I still get about 3-5 phone calls from these bastards a day. They call me from 727-541-0001.
Vici Marketing LLC.
14001 63rd Way N.
Clearwater, Florida 33760
Phone: 727-533-8730
Fax: 727-535-9720
URL: www.vicimarketing.com
Traveler Innovations
P.O. Box 45439
Phoenix, AZ 85064
800-331-8867
www.travelerinnovations.com
84 - the roommate
I did a little more digging on Traveler Innovations. Some info was found on their website. An email address for memberweb.com was supplied on their FAQs and their main search engine on TI's site looks like their pulling their deals from memberweb.com.
I suggest using samspade to get more info.
other companies involved:
www.accessdevelopment.com
www.memberweb.com
(you'll notice the icon on the address bar for access dev and memberweb are the same- as if they are affiliated w/ ea. other)
www.consumerinnovations.com out of phoenix, az
(mentioned in TI's terms & conditions page)
here's another person's experiences
try using samspade.org for whois and dns info and www.turbo10.com to expand your searching on them since they let you specify up to 10 engines to use at once.
http://search.bbb.org/ found some interesting stats on disputes against some of the companies
I dunno if this stuff helps
85 - J
Got a call with a man speaking spanish to me on my cell phone. They used number 305-371-7266. Does anyone else recognize this number? I looked up number and came with 999 Brickell Bay Dr Miami. Has anyone else experienced this?
86 - bmw78729
305-371-7266
Got a call which I did answer from this number last night. Have no ided waht it is. I am in Texas.
87 - CMK
305-371-7266
Got this call on my cell phone. When I picked up there was a Spanish speaking recording. Went on line to see if there was any information on it. Found this site and a few other logs mentioning it as a fraud of some type.
88 - D
Add one more person to your list. They called my boyfriend a couple of weeks ago and he wanted to know how in the hell they got the last four digits of his card number. They couldn't answer him. He told them not to call back. They have called six times since then. Yesterday they said his name wrong so I told them they had the wrong phone number. They called three more times and each time I answer, they hang up. I guess they just want to talk to him. Question: Has anyone contacted this Consumer Innovations to find out if it is them? I am just amazed that someone can steal your money so easily. Not to mention - this is harassment!!
89 - Bleh
Same deal with me.. I got a call from this number this evening... didn't answer 'cause I didn't recognize it.
305-371-7266
90 - Yeah
Looks like it came
from Florida..
Somewhere in 'Hialeah' apparently.
91 - Mare
I received a call from 305-371-7266 on Tuesday but didn't do anything or say anything to anyone bc I assumed it was just a misdial (I just hung up when I heard spanish). My sister mentioned getting a call from a 305 area code yesterday so we checked and she got a call from the same number. She received a voice mail (but hasn't checked it yet).
92 - Mare (again)
The weird thing is I was just in Miami for new years...anyone know if this could be related? It's weird that my sister and I were just down there and now we're getting calls based out of Miami.
93 - Dale
I am in Virginia and recieved a call yesterday on my cell phone from (305)371-7266. It was a recorded message in spanish. I think that what they are doing is calling long distance numbers and then submitting a bill to the phone company for them to bill the called number for a long distance call. Check your phone bills carefully
94 - Gary
Try canceling your credit card to get to talk to a person. Works every time for me.
I also got burned on the TRAVEL8008584838 thing.
It could really make me angry, but it's my own fault for not paying enough attention to the charges on the statement.
shitballs
95 - Jeff
I have beengetting calls from same number (305-371-7266) atleast twice a week, and when i answer it, its some spanish recording - pissing me off - I am in TX and with T-Mobile.
96 - Ryan
I already figured this out by reading it. First of all, they get your last 4 digits through some sort of reciept. Anything you have bought online or off. Anything you purchase with a credit card, has the last four digits shown, and the first 12 are x's or *'s. Mainly for protection of you, but also for convience. Say you have multiple cards, it is hard to identify which card you used otherwise. If they only show the first 4, millions of people have that same number. You might have it to, on multiple cards. So its easy for the last 4 numbers to be found. With millions of cards, it is hard to determine the first 12 numbers. Also the Verification number on the back of your card is impossible to scam without you giving it away. (This is usually a 3 or 4 digit number printed on the back of the card, on the signiture here part)Only the credit card company has it, and they NEVER disclose it. So if someone claims to be a credit card company ask them to repeat your verification number, or the first 4/8/12/etc numbers. Secondly, you can use the internet to search for anyones phone numbers if you know how. I have used it to find numerous friends in the past. Since they have a reciept with your number on it, it also has your full name. With that, they find all numbers with this name, and from there, they can start phishing for more information from people, just going down the list. Thirdly, since you mention calling back and it ringing, they probably have the phone set up to automatically play that message. Now I'm sure your wondering how they do this? Easy. Either set your phone to ring twice then go to voice mail, or set it up play automatically. I will explain both ways. First is the ring twice, when setting up a custom voicemail, it says please record after the beep. All you have to do is call a disconnected number, then record that onto your phone or a voice recorder. Then when it says record after the beep, it will beep, time it correctly to have the message be said into your phone. The other way would be, to make a sound file, of 2 rings and then the message, simply by recording the actually sounds into your computer, i.e. use a computer microphone, call the number, and then record it. Now how to make it useful? Many companies now are having an option to put on "music" as your ringtone for your cellphone. So that when someone calls, they hear a song that you choose. All you have to do is put your recording on the web, and then list that "song" as your ringtone. So when you call, you hear that message. Even though their fone is ringing, and they are acutally just smart enough to ignore it. These would be the 2 easiest ways to duplicate that message without acutally disconnecting the phone, at least if it is a cell phone. If it is a landline, you would use the first method. Or if you only have one phone connected to your landline, just pull out the wire after your call and leave it like that when not in use. Cellphones you could use either method. All of this somewhat explains how they are doing what they are doing. Hopefully you can use it to protect yourself. I don't know anything about the magazine scam, and I have not personally recieved these calls. A friend of mine has though. Please be careful people.
97 - Christopher Rose
Nice technical skillz there, Ryan.
If you comment again with more entertaining tricks like the phone scam, please use paragraphs cos that continuous style of yours makes my eyes bleed.
98 - Bob Greenspan
This comment is directed to #96, Ryan. First of all I agree with #97, Chris Rose - separate your sentences into paragraphsand use a Spell Checker- wow!
Your post is like something out of an amateur detective novel and a bad one at that.
These callers are not using one line. They are not pulling the line out of the wall after they call you so that if you call back you will hear a message that the phone has been disconnected.
They are not using a recording that they made from recording someone elses phone being disconnected just so they could play it in case you called them back.
These are sophisticated boiler room operations using numerous people to make the calls. I personally remember about 6 different callers calling me before they finally gave up.
The calls are probably taking place through a computer bank of phones either over regular phone lines or cable phone lines with some type of electronic device sending out the message "you have reached a disconnected number" if it detects an incoming call.
As for your idea about locating phone numbers over the internet if you know how, you are correct. I have experimented a dozen times putting my number and other numbers I know into Google. It has NEVER found any of the numbers I put in. If Google is going to find a number it will usually be associated with a business, such as a pizza restaurant or pharmacy etc.
The number these crooks called in my case was my cell phone number which is the only number I have. I do not have a land line. It is also listed on the "do not call list" which as I have stated before is not going to stop a crook. If a person is a criminal and he has the criminal intent to defraud you is he going to look at the "do not call list" and skip you if your number is on it? Get real!
So how do they get the credit card numbers and the phone numbers. This is one way. If you have followed the news over the past few years you would know that numerous computer data banks of large companies, including Experian, have been breached and the data stolen. Data was even stolen off of the Pentagon computers. In many cases the stolen data included credit card numbers, telephone numbers, medical records, credit information etc.
The people making these calls purchase the information from the hackers or other crooks that stole the data in the first place. They may sell the same data 50 or 100 or more times. It is the same as buying legitimate names from a "list broker". In case you are not familiar "list brokers" sell names, addresses and other data to companies that want to do mass mailings or mass phone calling solicitations. It is perfectly legitimate as long as they obtained the information legally.
How do they get the information? Every time you fill out a form to win a "free car" or house. Every time you buy a new product and send in the "warranty" registration card. Every time you subscribe to a magazine. Every time you go on line and register at a site for a newsletter or newspaper access etc. Did you notice how they ask you about your income, your occupation etc. This is all marketing information that can be used and sold to the list brokers.
Ok, lets discuss one other way crooks can get your data. You know there are 3 large credit reporting agencies. Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. These 3 companies know more about you and your employment history, rental history and credit history than any other companies on earth. They have followed you since you applied for your first job, your first credit card or your first apartment. (Yes, companies check your credit before they hire you or rent to you).
So how does someone get this info? It is easy. You create a phony company such as Hamas Computing Services and then contact the credit agencies, pay an annual membership fee and bingo, you can tap into their computers. You are now a "buyer" of credit and employment information.
If you don't want to use Experian and the other two credit companies directly, you do it indirectly. For example, you join an association such as "The Apartment Owners Association" and then you send them the names and Social Security numbers of 50 people who you claim applied to rent one of your apartments. Within a few hours you have the complete credit and rental history on all 50 of those people.
The key here is that you must have the Social Security numbers. Assuming you bought these from a hacker or just an ordinary crook who happens to moonlight as a bank teller or data processer in a large department store, or at any other company where they have access to credit records or MEDICAL records, you can get whatever you want.
There are lots of people who want information on other people and are willing to pay for it. The next time you go to your doctors office and you are greeted by the cute little 18 year old receptionist file clerk how do you know she is not being forced by her drug addicted gang member boyfriend to bring him the names and adresses and phone numbers and social security numbers of the doctors patient's?
Your best friend is not your dog! It is knowledge and a shredder!
99 - Marty
Finally my call tracing worked!, these hang up calls kept coming from 866-655-7366 Anyone out there figured out who/where these are from?
(866)655-7366 (They were watching Tv, heard it in the background)
100 - Naim
I keep getting the call too...occasionally i'll pick up in order to find out what these fools want...but to no avail...i'm getting furious
101 - someone else
I just thought I'd let y'all know they're using a new number: 877-453-3388. Started getting calls from that yesterday.
102 - P-Punk
I started getting the calls about a week ago from 866-655-7366. When I answer they ask for some woman who I had never heard of and then immediately hang up. It's been the same routine for 8 calls now. WTF??
103 - Brandon
these guys have called me 2 times EVERYDAY for the past 3 weeks. No lie...they have not missed a day.
So lets do the math: 21 X 2 = 42 times!
I just told one of em not to call back...but if they do...i'm gonna let em have it
104 - Get Results
I just called a private investigator who gave me some advice on what to do with these phone calls. She told me that the only way to really get these guys and get some action was to do the following: Call 911, or an FBI representative and tell them that you have just received a call from someone at 727-541-0001 and that the person on the phone told you that they knew where you lived and were going to blow up your house with a bomb and kill you and your family. After telling you that, they hung up on you. Let the authorities know that this was a "terrorist" threat and you are in fear of your life. Tell them you are scared and you need to know what to do. If that doesn't get someone on the case, I don't know what will.
I have simply NOT answered my phone when they call, but I thought that this was a great idea. Basically your word against theirs...and being the scammers they are who do you think is going to be believed.
105 - Be Smart
That last comment may sound great, but DON'T DO IT. Why would you want to get yourself in trouble with the law for filing a false report.
Like they said...just DON'T ANSWER your phone when they call.
106 - Marianne
I commented before about getting the 305 number calling me. Tonight, I got a call from 786-718-9058. I didn't pick it up and they didn't leave me a message. Weirdly enough, a couple hours later, I was mentioning this to my family, and immediately following the conversation, my mother's phone rang...WITH THE SAME NUMBER. They left her a message and, like before, it was all in Spanish.
I am just floored that she got the call the same day I did. Possibly, could it be that we share our last name and her first name is really soon after mine alphabetically? Our cell phone numbers are completely different, even our area codes, so I don't know what else it could be.
107 - Jason
I've been just recently recieving calls from the 727-541-0001 #. We've all gotta have something in common. I've been making some online pruchases lately a couple weeks before the calls began. anyone one else? shipped products also contain a paper copy of the last 4 digits of your cred, and the fone # that you gave them. so its also possible, that some carriers maybe be openning the boxes just for this information, then resealing. knowing that they can easily be traced for missing goods, stealing this information would be more effective.
If my situation sounds fimiliar to yours, post the online stores that you have recently purchased from before the calls. (it might even be someone working at an arrival point where the packages check through as they are shipped.)
finishline
buy.com
sierratradingpost
eforcity
I'll post the tracking checkpoint locations that my packages have been through, if this idea sparks any similiar responses
108 - Sgt G
Calls me too!!! I reported them and warned them that I am a federal officer. Havent had anymore since then.
109 - Jfrustrated
so these calls started the other day - happened to coincide perfectly with me being a totla idiot and falling for a stupid get a $500 shopping spree thing. I just wanted to try to get a running stroller! When I call the number back it is this weird dial tone kind of thing. I am getting the calls from the 866-655-7366 number - no one answers and I don't even hear anything on the other end. We shall see where this goes...
110 - Marianne
to #107, Jason, I have made online purchases recently but I never give my cell number, only my home number. And these calls have been coming to my cell.
111 - energydan
I've been getting the calls from the 727 number for the past week. They call about 5 times a day between 8am-8pm. I fight with them every time and they refuse to stop calling me, and they just hang up. Next time I'm gonna try telling them they have the wrong number, but I doubt that will help. Is there any way to get these goons to stop calling. I can't believe we don't have some sort of a service in effect that bans numbers.
112 - frustrated too
I received a call from 786-718-9058 on my cell phone and it said it was coming from Miami, FL and when I didn't pick up, my husband got a call from the same number without a message, as well. I tried reverse look up and it took me here.
113 - A
Just got the 786-718-9058 call myself. This sucks.
114 - Annoyed
My boyfriend just got a call from 786-718-9058 on his cell. He didn't answer and no message was left. He called the number back and the voicemail said John Johnson, but it wouldn't accept any more messages. Strange.
115 - Ticked
My wife just got a call from the 786-718-9058 number, no message.
116 - Me Too
Just got a call from 786-718-9058. I did not answer the phone. Google brought me here. Someone should really stopped these types of crooks...If not FBI, perhaps FCC???
117 - SeaJay
We have a winner! I too got the 786-718-9058 number calling my cell this afternoon. I did not answer.
118 - christina
that makes 4 of us in the last 4 hours!
i just got a call from that 786 # too
119 - Annoyed as Hell
I just got this frigging 786-718-9058 on my cell too. How the hell are they getting my number? Only 10 people have my cell number!!!!!!!!!!!!
120 - Pissed
Got this 786 number yesterday. Answer it as I have some out of town friends in the area, message was all in spanish, About 3 hours later I got a call from the same number, but I missed it, no message was left.
121 - Chris
I just got the call from the 786 area number about 5 minutes ago. Too bad there isn't a way we can track them down and go pay them a visit in person.
122 - mark
I just recieved two calls from 786-718-9058.
First one was just noise, the second I missed was a message all in spanish. W.T.F!
I GOOGLED it and here I am. I tried calling it back and no answer. There has to be a way to track these jerks down,and maybe give them so of their own medicine.
123 - Frustrated
I've gotten three calls from (786) 718-9058 on my cell phone today. Like most of you I didn't answer because I didn't recognize the number and .....like most of you I did an internet search on the number ending up here. I'm going to call my phone company and let them know that I have no intention of paying for these calls and if they can, they should block that number. Someone is bound to shut this down quickly....I hope.
124 - mark
Re: #106 Marianne
786 is apparently an overlay area code for 305 area code. go figure, smae pace just a new number.
125 - Greg
So if they're getting the information from online shopping of some kind, wouldn't that mean they know our addresses then?