After getting only four calls from these people, I called them back asking who they were. Naturally, they began on their spiel about me being pre-approved for this and that. I lied by telling them I was only 16 and had just a Savings account. They told me I wasn't qualified and removed my number instantly -- they said it might take up to 48 hours to stop receiving calls, but after that call, I didn't receive another one, and it's been almost a week now.
If you think about it, they aren't going to want to mess with calling someone so young, not only because there's no business to be had (no Checking account, which apparently their entire platform thrives on), but also since doing so might put them into even more of a legally questionable position... even if they may think you're not telling the truth about being too young, they're probably going to choose not to take the risk of continuing their incessant calls.
Tell them to stop calling your teenage daughter, tell them you are a teenager, whatever you feel most comfortable doing (I'm 19 so this was easy to pass off -- it was only over the phone anyway). Sound friendly or at least indifferent, and be sure to emphasize that you don't have a Checking account either. If you get a persistent operator, simply hang up and call back, and you're almost certain to get someone new on the line. Above all, don't divulge ANY personal information other than the number you want removed (which they clearly had in the first place).
As a preventative measure in the future (and likewise to those who haven't been struck by this yet), add your number(s) to the National Do-Not-Call Registry at http://www.donotcall.gov/ - this is GUARANTEED protection against these calls, but takes about a month to go into effect, so don't hesitate. These people WILL follow this list, because the consequences for not doing so are SEVERE. It's my gathering that violators can be fined up to $1,500 PER INFRACTION (and I believe an infraction would constitute a single call; correct me if I'm wrong). It'd also be very easy to prove violations -- all that would have to be done is a subpoena to a victim's phone company to find out when a call was placed, and then crosscheck that entry against the Do-Not-Call Registry's database of people who have opted out.
One last thing - the number they called me at is relatively new and has been given to very few, and only trustworthy sources. How they mined this number, I have no idea... sequential dialing sounds ridiculous, but it's the only thing seems even remotely plausible to me. I'm still curious about this phenomenon though, so if anyone has any idea where these people are getting phone lists, do tell.
Good luck to all!
-Ben (Lincoln, NE)
P.S. - For the sake of public knowledge, here are the four calls I received (yes, they called twice on Independence Day, and that's the same day I was removed):
July 3, 2006 @ 10:52 am - 888-669-8868 - Not answered
July 3, 2006 @ 4:55 pm - 888-669-8868 - Not answered
July 4, 2006 @ 10:18 am - 727-544-0057 - Not answered
July 4, 2006 @ 10:40 am - 727-450-0346 - Not answered
Full Version: 727-471-1408 and 727-471-1411
FINALLY SUNTASIA MARKETING IS GETTING EXPOSED!!
The media has started picking up the story on Suntasia Marketing and it's crooked enterprise. The following link is from KOMO news in Seattle, Washington. Please click on the link below. It has vital information on how to report these guys and the investigation going on.
KOMO 4 News Exposes Suntasia Marketing
If everyone raises their voices just a little bit these guys can be run out of town.
The media has started picking up the story on Suntasia Marketing and it's crooked enterprise. The following link is from KOMO news in Seattle, Washington. Please click on the link below. It has vital information on how to report these guys and the investigation going on.
KOMO 4 News Exposes Suntasia Marketing
If everyone raises their voices just a little bit these guys can be run out of town.
Ello!
My wife and i have moved into our new home, we have a new number and yet we were having weird phone calls. We pick up on first ring, you get no response and they would hung up on you. And you get those calls 4 times a day or more.
for about a month now my wife and i had these wierd callsand the odd thing these numbers are "no longer available" when we tried calling them back. We even had went to a site and put our name up for the telemarketer block site.
It was strange and annoying, We hadn't even gave our relatives or friends yet our number and yet we got these stalker calls.
A few times my wife picked up and there was some one finally on the other side and they ask for random names and my wife said no and hang up. I decided to look the number on the net and found an interesting thread by you guys
Well i got mad and annoyed from being phoned every night by the smucks but i knew who they were and what they are doing so i had an advantage over them, i knew their scam.
Today was the day, I had the female looking for Joe, it was interesting because she just said his first name not his surname. My experiance any one calls it be Mr or Mrs or the whole name not Joe.
I said "There is No joe that lives here"
she replied "oh well your the home owner?"
i said smiling "No we rent" knowing this was them.
She then said "Well we do renters and home owners and you have been sign up for a draw of 100 dollars of fuel and 1 grand in coupins and also free carpet cleaning.."
My heart beated faster, feelings of being woken up 2 am by these bloody buggers was getting to me so i tried to calm down.
she continued "and had won the contest"
I realized a few flaws in this deal.
I said "wait, I'm not joe, I didn't sign up for this, so isn't this cheating?"
She said "Your appartment won it"
I gritted my teeth and responded calmly "but we didn't sign up for this, Joe did so we don't win the prize"
She realized my view of distrust and changed the direction of the topic "Oh no you won it because we picked it a random phone number in a barrel"
I said quickly "Wait you said my house signed up by people knowing this joe. Now its a random pick?"
She hesitated, I am not the brighest spud but i did my home work thanks to you guys and love messing with telemarketers since i was one for a week (Couldn't handle phoning people up and make them wasting 10 minutes of their lives).
So she tried steering away from the sign up topic
she said in more friendly tone "Well we called to see which room needs vacuumed."
Before she continued i said, "How did we get signed up? How can we Unsign for these calls"
She said "you want us to block calling you? sure"
Bastards, no matter where you go they are always there ready to scam you. I hope they do take us off the calling list but i going to report them to BBB.
Again thank you.
My wife and i have moved into our new home, we have a new number and yet we were having weird phone calls. We pick up on first ring, you get no response and they would hung up on you. And you get those calls 4 times a day or more.
for about a month now my wife and i had these wierd callsand the odd thing these numbers are "no longer available" when we tried calling them back. We even had went to a site and put our name up for the telemarketer block site.
It was strange and annoying, We hadn't even gave our relatives or friends yet our number and yet we got these stalker calls.
A few times my wife picked up and there was some one finally on the other side and they ask for random names and my wife said no and hang up. I decided to look the number on the net and found an interesting thread by you guys
Well i got mad and annoyed from being phoned every night by the smucks but i knew who they were and what they are doing so i had an advantage over them, i knew their scam.
Today was the day, I had the female looking for Joe, it was interesting because she just said his first name not his surname. My experiance any one calls it be Mr or Mrs or the whole name not Joe.
I said "There is No joe that lives here"
she replied "oh well your the home owner?"
i said smiling "No we rent" knowing this was them.
She then said "Well we do renters and home owners and you have been sign up for a draw of 100 dollars of fuel and 1 grand in coupins and also free carpet cleaning.."
My heart beated faster, feelings of being woken up 2 am by these bloody buggers was getting to me so i tried to calm down.
she continued "and had won the contest"
I realized a few flaws in this deal.
I said "wait, I'm not joe, I didn't sign up for this, so isn't this cheating?"
She said "Your appartment won it"
I gritted my teeth and responded calmly "but we didn't sign up for this, Joe did so we don't win the prize"
She realized my view of distrust and changed the direction of the topic "Oh no you won it because we picked it a random phone number in a barrel"
I said quickly "Wait you said my house signed up by people knowing this joe. Now its a random pick?"
She hesitated, I am not the brighest spud but i did my home work thanks to you guys and love messing with telemarketers since i was one for a week (Couldn't handle phoning people up and make them wasting 10 minutes of their lives).
So she tried steering away from the sign up topic
she said in more friendly tone "Well we called to see which room needs vacuumed."
Before she continued i said, "How did we get signed up? How can we Unsign for these calls"
She said "you want us to block calling you? sure"
Bastards, no matter where you go they are always there ready to scam you. I hope they do take us off the calling list but i going to report them to BBB.
Again thank you.
Ever wonder what people really think about telemarketers? Here is a funny website that you can download audio clips from. These are REAL telemarketing calls. The people who answer the phone are just "playing" around with the agent who is selling them something. It is REALLY funny and worth listening to. Just scroll down to the near bottom of the webpage and you will see it titled "Terrorizing Telemarketers". lol When you click on the MP3 link you will have to wait about 30 seconds for the clip to download. You'll see an arrow on the bottom left hand corner of your computer screen with a little box showing you it's downloading.
Click below and take a listen. THESE ARE NOT FAKE CALLS.
http://jimflorentine.com/download.htm
Jim Florentine is the guy from the show Crank Yankers and he has his own website making fun of people who call. Enjoy!
Click below and take a listen. THESE ARE NOT FAKE CALLS.
http://jimflorentine.com/download.htm
Jim Florentine is the guy from the show Crank Yankers and he has his own website making fun of people who call. Enjoy!
Well I'm one of the people thats been ripped off by the company... here's what happened to me...
I received a call, I do not have a house phone my husband and I have cell phones. I kept getting the calls for a few week from "Suntasia" but I wouldn't answer... this went on for weeks (I don’t answer unless I know the number... other than that they can leave a message if its important and I will call back)
So finally I did and they had asked for my husband and I said he wasn’t here that they just called my cell phone and so then they said well we can talk to you about it too. I told him right off the bat that if he’s trying to sell anything I'm not interested. He said that he is not selling anything, that he was trying to reach my husband b/c we were in good standing with our bank so they wanted to send us $100 gas voucher and $400 in free airfare vouchers. (SO dummy me thought WOW! free gas what could be better than that.)
Well then I asked how they found us and they said we had made a purchase with one of their affiliate partner companies in the past but that he couldn't tell me exactly who b/c they have thousands. (So I figured it was from a purchase my husband made so it must be legit) Then he went on to tell me that all I had to do to get the gifts is accept there trial membership thing and if I didn’t want it all I had to do is call the 800# after I receive the package and just cancel and I wouldn't be billed. So then, he said he wanted to verify some of my info. He verified the way I spelled my name, my bank name, and the location of where I opened my bank account. Then he put me on hold to pull up my account to make sure everything is correct.(which I now know he was getting the bank info to make me think he already had it)
Then he said he wanted me to follow the #'s he read to me at the bottom of my check and then he asked is this correct so far right and I said yes... then he said ok, now there will be a symbol after the numbers I just verified with you, please go ahead and verify the next set of numbers, which is your account number. So then, I asked so you just want me to read them back to you and he said yes... we need to verify it... so my RETARDED ass did it. Then he went on to say that now he needed to record all of this for their records. Then he had me say my name, my telephone #, birth city, email addy (which he said this is how they would pull my records up if I ever need to call and talk to them about my account I also had to pick a password), my name on the checking account... so I told him then he coursed me into also saying my husbands name how it appeared on it also, then my bank and the location along with the routing # and then he said to state the account #.. and for some reason I pause for a minute (I know why now) And then he coursed me along saying something like you know or remember those were the numbers after the symbol I had you read back to me earlier... so then I read them. Then he went on to tell me about the package again how all I have to do is call and cancel and I wouldn’t be billed. THEN he said the address where it would be shipped...(which was wrong it was my mother in laws addy were I use to live.... but when he said that, I was so dumb founded that’s when the red flags started to go up that something wasn’t right... but I figured it was fine b/c I would still get them I go to my mother in laws house all the time and I didn’t want to tell him I changed my mind right then cause he had my bank info and didn’t know what he would do with it then.) then he told me about 2 other packages that I qualified for (which he never bothered to mention before now) and gave me the whole story on those how all I had to do was cancel and I wouldn’t be charged anything. One of the things was for a long distance service (which I don’t need I have a cell phone) but I figured I had been on the phone for so long and I just wanted to get off so I just figured it would be simple enough just to call and cancel (If I only knew then what I know now.) Then he just went on to give me like a congratulatory speech and then ended the call.
Then I kept thinking about it and went over in my head what just happened here and I thought about alot of questions... during the conversation it all happened so quickly and it was so smooth I didn’t really process it until it was too late... As soon as I hung up I was thinking how he had my account # so I went over the conversation in my head and realized I gave him enough info to find my bank which would give him the routing # and that’s how I thought he had my info already... since he read the first set of numbers to me and then told me to read the second set just to verify. So then I started feeling sick and was so upset... I just couldn’t believe I did that.
So I called the number right back and it went through an automated recording and I pressed for the selection to speak with a representative. I told her that I wanted to cancel and she said that I would have to wait until I receive the package and then call to cancel. But I now know that "suntasia" is the whole company... everything is run out of their office... telemarketers, customer service, the packages are sent from there... everything. So they would have had no problem stopping my "order" shall I say for lack of a better word.
So now... after all this.... I didn't even recieve that package untill 2 days after the date I needed to cancel by. So I checked my bank account to find out that I was billed 2 days earlier for $149. I contacted them about this and they told me that I would have to return the package with a letter to get my refund and that they would waive the $29 processing fee... YES!!! there is a processing fee for refunds stated in the terms and conditions. So this pissed me off that I had to return it. I was told it was part of their refund policy and they also stated that if it would have been cancled before the trial date ended I wouldnt need to return the package and I also wouldn't have been billed. (to bad they didnt send it out in time for me to get it) And I dont know how legal this is... I was never told anything about having to return anything and it isn't in the term and conditions.
And as for the free gifts(airfare/gas voucher) that were suppose to be mine to keep just for accepting the the trial package... You have to be a member to use them... so they are useless.and the $100 gas you can only get $10 at a time... per month I believe. And as for the air fare...there are tons of term and conditions... and you can only get $100 rebate at a time and thats if you spend $500.... Its starts at $200 to get a $25 rebate... and then for each $100 it goes up you get an extra $25. So as you can see it is nothing but a sham... the wording is just right to make it look good. Its nothing more than misleading representations. I've also found out that its illegal to deceive to aquire financial info. And that is exactly what they have done to me... as well and many other people. I hope this helps everyone to see what is really going on.
I received a call, I do not have a house phone my husband and I have cell phones. I kept getting the calls for a few week from "Suntasia" but I wouldn't answer... this went on for weeks (I don’t answer unless I know the number... other than that they can leave a message if its important and I will call back)
So finally I did and they had asked for my husband and I said he wasn’t here that they just called my cell phone and so then they said well we can talk to you about it too. I told him right off the bat that if he’s trying to sell anything I'm not interested. He said that he is not selling anything, that he was trying to reach my husband b/c we were in good standing with our bank so they wanted to send us $100 gas voucher and $400 in free airfare vouchers. (SO dummy me thought WOW! free gas what could be better than that.)
Well then I asked how they found us and they said we had made a purchase with one of their affiliate partner companies in the past but that he couldn't tell me exactly who b/c they have thousands. (So I figured it was from a purchase my husband made so it must be legit) Then he went on to tell me that all I had to do to get the gifts is accept there trial membership thing and if I didn’t want it all I had to do is call the 800# after I receive the package and just cancel and I wouldn't be billed. So then, he said he wanted to verify some of my info. He verified the way I spelled my name, my bank name, and the location of where I opened my bank account. Then he put me on hold to pull up my account to make sure everything is correct.(which I now know he was getting the bank info to make me think he already had it)
Then he said he wanted me to follow the #'s he read to me at the bottom of my check and then he asked is this correct so far right and I said yes... then he said ok, now there will be a symbol after the numbers I just verified with you, please go ahead and verify the next set of numbers, which is your account number. So then, I asked so you just want me to read them back to you and he said yes... we need to verify it... so my RETARDED ass did it. Then he went on to say that now he needed to record all of this for their records. Then he had me say my name, my telephone #, birth city, email addy (which he said this is how they would pull my records up if I ever need to call and talk to them about my account I also had to pick a password), my name on the checking account... so I told him then he coursed me into also saying my husbands name how it appeared on it also, then my bank and the location along with the routing # and then he said to state the account #.. and for some reason I pause for a minute (I know why now) And then he coursed me along saying something like you know or remember those were the numbers after the symbol I had you read back to me earlier... so then I read them. Then he went on to tell me about the package again how all I have to do is call and cancel and I wouldn’t be billed. THEN he said the address where it would be shipped...(which was wrong it was my mother in laws addy were I use to live.... but when he said that, I was so dumb founded that’s when the red flags started to go up that something wasn’t right... but I figured it was fine b/c I would still get them I go to my mother in laws house all the time and I didn’t want to tell him I changed my mind right then cause he had my bank info and didn’t know what he would do with it then.) then he told me about 2 other packages that I qualified for (which he never bothered to mention before now) and gave me the whole story on those how all I had to do was cancel and I wouldn’t be charged anything. One of the things was for a long distance service (which I don’t need I have a cell phone) but I figured I had been on the phone for so long and I just wanted to get off so I just figured it would be simple enough just to call and cancel (If I only knew then what I know now.) Then he just went on to give me like a congratulatory speech and then ended the call.
Then I kept thinking about it and went over in my head what just happened here and I thought about alot of questions... during the conversation it all happened so quickly and it was so smooth I didn’t really process it until it was too late... As soon as I hung up I was thinking how he had my account # so I went over the conversation in my head and realized I gave him enough info to find my bank which would give him the routing # and that’s how I thought he had my info already... since he read the first set of numbers to me and then told me to read the second set just to verify. So then I started feeling sick and was so upset... I just couldn’t believe I did that.
So I called the number right back and it went through an automated recording and I pressed for the selection to speak with a representative. I told her that I wanted to cancel and she said that I would have to wait until I receive the package and then call to cancel. But I now know that "suntasia" is the whole company... everything is run out of their office... telemarketers, customer service, the packages are sent from there... everything. So they would have had no problem stopping my "order" shall I say for lack of a better word.
So now... after all this.... I didn't even recieve that package untill 2 days after the date I needed to cancel by. So I checked my bank account to find out that I was billed 2 days earlier for $149. I contacted them about this and they told me that I would have to return the package with a letter to get my refund and that they would waive the $29 processing fee... YES!!! there is a processing fee for refunds stated in the terms and conditions. So this pissed me off that I had to return it. I was told it was part of their refund policy and they also stated that if it would have been cancled before the trial date ended I wouldnt need to return the package and I also wouldn't have been billed. (to bad they didnt send it out in time for me to get it) And I dont know how legal this is... I was never told anything about having to return anything and it isn't in the term and conditions.
And as for the free gifts(airfare/gas voucher) that were suppose to be mine to keep just for accepting the the trial package... You have to be a member to use them... so they are useless.and the $100 gas you can only get $10 at a time... per month I believe. And as for the air fare...there are tons of term and conditions... and you can only get $100 rebate at a time and thats if you spend $500.... Its starts at $200 to get a $25 rebate... and then for each $100 it goes up you get an extra $25. So as you can see it is nothing but a sham... the wording is just right to make it look good. Its nothing more than misleading representations. I've also found out that its illegal to deceive to aquire financial info. And that is exactly what they have done to me... as well and many other people. I hope this helps everyone to see what is really going on.
The Following Information is Distinct Advantages' Better Business Bureau Official Record!
Promoted and sold by the telemarketing company Suntasia Marketing in Largo, Florida.
Distinct Advantage
10500 Ulmerton Rd Suite 726-302
Largo, FL 33771
Telephone: (866) 545-5486
File Open Date: March 2005
TOB Classification: Travel Clubs
BBB Membership: This company is not a member.
Customer Experience
Based on BBB files this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to a pattern of complaints concerning misrepresentation in selling practices, refund disputes, delivery issues, and billing issues. Complaints received by the Bureau state that the company informed consumers that they would receive the free trial membership package prior to being charged. However, funds are being debited from the consumers' accounts before the free trial period ends. Also, complaints received by the Bureau state that the company has debited money from consumers' bank accounts, but the consumers have not received the promised free trial package.
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 Bureau processed a total of 153 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 153 complaints closed in 36 months, 141 were closed in the last year.
Distinct Advantage BBB Record Link
Additional DBAs, Addresses and Telephone Numbers
Additional Addresses
6822 22nd Ave N Ste PMB 432-432
Saint Petersburg, FL 33710
Additional Phone Numbers
(727) 471-1416
(727) 683-1127
(866) 545-0409
(727) 683-1124
All the numbers above belong to FTN Promotions Inc. (dba Suntasia Inc.). 8751 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33771
Promoted and sold by the telemarketing company Suntasia Marketing in Largo, Florida.
Distinct Advantage
10500 Ulmerton Rd Suite 726-302
Largo, FL 33771
Telephone: (866) 545-5486
File Open Date: March 2005
TOB Classification: Travel Clubs
BBB Membership: This company is not a member.
Customer Experience
Based on BBB files this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to a pattern of complaints concerning misrepresentation in selling practices, refund disputes, delivery issues, and billing issues. Complaints received by the Bureau state that the company informed consumers that they would receive the free trial membership package prior to being charged. However, funds are being debited from the consumers' accounts before the free trial period ends. Also, complaints received by the Bureau state that the company has debited money from consumers' bank accounts, but the consumers have not received the promised free trial package.
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 Bureau processed a total of 153 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 153 complaints closed in 36 months, 141 were closed in the last year.
Distinct Advantage BBB Record Link
Additional DBAs, Addresses and Telephone Numbers
Additional Addresses
6822 22nd Ave N Ste PMB 432-432
Saint Petersburg, FL 33710
Additional Phone Numbers
(727) 471-1416
(727) 683-1127
(866) 545-0409
(727) 683-1124
All the numbers above belong to FTN Promotions Inc. (dba Suntasia Inc.). 8751 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL 33771
QUOTE(Guest @ Nov 16 2005, 12:18 AM)
i recieved calls from the same number at least twice a day for about a week...when i finally answered, i spoke to someone who said they were from blah blah travel agency and i had a received a $400 airline voucher. at first it seemed to make perfect sense since about a year ago i had cancelled a flight that i booked with expedia.com and had gotten a voucher from them for the price of the ticket. the man i spoke with (jeremy) asked to verify that my address was correct so he could send me information. he repeated my address to me (of the apartment i was living when i ordered the tickets from expedia) and then went on to ask for my bank location and other bank info...he recited to me a set of numbers, but then asked for me to tell him my routing number...thank god i was at school because i didnt have that information on me and therefore didnt give it to him.
when i got home i looked up the number because the whole thing seemed kind of sketchy once i thought about it, and i ended up here.
when i got home i looked up the number because the whole thing seemed kind of sketchy once i thought about it, and i ended up here.
i didn't tell my routing no. but fell for telling my act. no. but closed it immediately...
is there anything more to do to end up with them...
Hey Joe. Since you're keeping track of these things you might want to know about a consumer report by Yvonne Zanos in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (9/26/06) and on KDKA-TV on (9/22/06).
Same old story about Distinct Advantage withdrawing funds from a woman's checking account before she received information about the program and could cancel it.
http://kdka.com/consumer/local_story_265165935.html
Same old story about Distinct Advantage withdrawing funds from a woman's checking account before she received information about the program and could cancel it.
http://kdka.com/consumer/local_story_265165935.html
Thank you so much! I have been waiting on the next news report to come out. This is great that 3 tv media stations along with newspapers and bank alerts have caught on to this story. I will let EVERYONE know about this news. Do you have the link to the Pittsburgh Gazette story?
Again thank you for finding this story.
Joe
Again thank you for finding this story.
Joe
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