These guys have called me a number of times and I wanted to play with them a little bit. Usually if you ask a few questions, they hang up on you.
First, this block of phone numbers comes from Digicom Services, which provides 'disposable' phone numbers to scam artists like these guys. Their information is:
12923 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Phone (310) 358-7000
(800) 464-5446
Fax (310) 437-4105
I spoke with Chris Georger. They were good enough to offer me a three year extended warranty on my (make-beleive) car (2003 Chevy Impala LS) for $2995 ($495 of it up front, 208.33 a month). Even if they weren't in a boiler room somewhere in Orange County, CA, that is about half the trade-in value of the car today, much less in three years when the warranty is supposed to end. He told me that I could find the contract information at
www.royaladmin.com but none of the information emailed to me has Royal Admin on it anywhere, which makes me question whether or not they are actually affiliated.
The email they sent me comes from mail@directprotectwarranty.com. There is a website for directprotectwarranty.com, I tried calling the toll-free that is on the website (which is differnt than the number Chris gave me) When I asked for Chris Georger, I did get connected, so at least they are keeping that part of their story straight. Nowhere on the website is there any location information - no names, no addresses... a Whois search of the domain is privacy protected.
A Google search of directprotectwarranty is kinda interesting: There is a Google posting for MemorialCare Health Centers looking for Extended Warranty Reps. I am afraid to ask what kind of extended warranty a hospital would be trying to sell, but my guess is that someone posted the job using a hacked Monster account.
http://jobview.monster.com/GetJob.aspx?JobID=71344192&WT.mc_n=jobscomviewThe posting had a phone number 714-415-7500 - Googling this number comes back with a number of interesting businesses in Orange County, CA like 'Morgage Bang' (really). Calling this number gets you a very helpful receptionist at C1F Marketing, another one of these awesome virtual companies with a website and a phone number, but no contact information, no street address, and a privacy hidden. C1F Marketing styles itself as a 'Voice Broadcasting' company (read: 'Robo-Telemarketing'). The receptionist didn't know who Chris Georger was.
Okay, seriously, if this didn't look like a scam before, it really does now. This information will go to the appropriate consumer protection agencies of my home state and California.
And yes, I really did give them the name Bartholomew Simpson - maybe they can sell me a warranty on my skateboard... !Ay Carrumba! It was hard not to giggle when they kept calling me Mr. Simpson.