301-882-9986

"...Doesn't the technology exist to catch these number spoofing scam artists and put them in jail???"
Sure it does. It's just that the guys we taxpayers pay don't care!

Call ID say New Market MD

D-Bags!

"...The government IS now paying attention,..."
What kool-aid aew you drinking?
The governmant could care less.
These guys may have even gotten TARP money.

Got several calls from this number. I finally presses 1 to speak with the supposedly debt specialist. I asked immediately to speak with the Mgr. She would not let me do it. The person on the other line kept asking me for my name and address, and got mad at me because I would not give it to her.

HEY FOLKS...I think this is a collection agency that uses this technique to skiptrace and find folk. She told me he was calling from "Client Services" There is a collection agency based in Missouri that is on the "Budd Hibbs" website that list this company as a collection agency that is notrious for using sneaky tactics to call people. This may or may not be a good lead.

block this number and they will use another to call ya the next day I have been reporting these folks for a year now to the do not call folks and nothing has happened yet... I have blocked 5 numbers and they just use another the next day...

Got a call from 301-882-9986.  The caller ID text said "OUT OF STATE."  Surely they are not complying with the law in identifying themselves.  I didn't answer.

I pressed option #1 and spoke to a live operator and informed them we were registered with the national do not call list and they told me there was nothing they can do and we would not be removed from the list!!!

that is because its a scam - CROOKS DO NOT FOLLOW DO NOT CALL LAWS

SCAMS IGNORE DEMANDS TO STOP CALLING

i have received MANY calls from:(301) 882-9986.

Type: Land Line
Provider: Core Communications
Location: New Market, MD
(got this info from www.switchboard.com by reverse look-up.)

i am on do not call registries- national and state. have tried multiple times to press #2 to "decline further offers"... no luck. tried several times to press #1 to talk to live human.... as soon as i say a word he/she hangs up on me. i have tried being firm and assertive, nice and agreeable, nothing works!! they will not quit!
i would love to report these jerks but don't know who to report to.

I am going to post on this site every time these crooks call. I am also sending a message daily to my Congressman. Here is the message I sent today. I am going to do everything possible to stop these crooks. I need your help to do the same thing every time they call.

Congressman Walden, The no call registry and complaint system is just another scam. They take tax dollars and promise the tax payer they will prosecute willful violators. What a lie! Yesterday I sent you a link to a site where thousands have reported filing complaints against the credit scam telemarketers that use several ID's the most common MARYLAND 301-882-9986. Read the stories of the violated!!!! These crooks have to be stopped. They must be fined and sent to prison if necessary.  Thousands have filed complaints daily with the NO CALL registry, FCC, and report these willful violations to local law enforcement and the credit bureau. NOTHING has stopped or slow these criminals. I would appreciate your contacting the National Attorney General with this concern and ask him to take action not only against the criminals, but also the NO CALL system for taking tax dollars under false pretenses. I propose that a law be passed making ALL telemarketing illegal. No one has the right to invade another's privacy. Telemarketing of  all kinds must be stopped. The government officals such as the NO CALL ones must be held accountable. Please visit this site again. I am posting this letter there. Thanks for any interest you might have over this nation wide assult on the taxpaying public. Sam

https://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-301-882-9986

While you are posting your issues about this credit card scam - DID you read these 2 articles?  If not - please read them - it explains why it is so hard to find these scammers

16 Ways you can be phone scammed.
https://800notes.com/articles/Article.aspx/LFRVNXyqwQBNrAjLF8wQyg
When we started 800Notes.com we had no idea that telemarketing fraud comes in so many flavors. The variations include 'cramming', 'slamming', credit card scams, calls from telemarketers pretending to be IRS, sweepstakes and lotteries scams, advance fee  loan scams, phone toner scams, fat finger dialing scams, and area code phone scams.

Typically the goal is to get you to reveal personal, bank account information, or to make you do something that will result in unwanted charges on your account. Individuals and businesses are equally affected by these scams although the schemes might be different.

In this article I will outline the 16 most popular phone scams. I am sure there are more, so if you have been a victim of a phone scam, or you know of a phone scam not mentioned here, please share it with me and the readers in the comments.

Send this article to your family members, co-workers, and employees. Give it to your teenage kids and elderly parents (studies show they are the most vulnerable to the scams). As the old saying goes, "Forewarned is Forearmed".

One of the ‘hottest’ scams in the telemarketing industry these days involves companies that sell Auto-Warranties. It’s usually a robo-call. The recording starts with: “This is your final notice! The warranty on your car is about to expire…” Of course, the caller has no idea whether you even have a car, not to mention its warranty. After the recording is played you are connected to a live operator who often refuses to send anything in the mail until you make your first payment. The experienced salesman will use high-pressure tactics rushing you into making a payment.
Victims, who fell for the scam and “extended their warranties” report that the companies often fail to send any paperwork and routinely deny policy payments.

Tracing the calls to the companies is difficult. The calls often come from telemarketing centers located overseas. Also, the companies often spoof their caller ID information to display someone’s else’s real number. When people receive these calls they dial the number they see on Caller ID and leave angry messages for an unsuspecting victim. Two-three days later the telemarketers change the Caller ID number and the scam continues.

Another phone scam involves calls from “Prize Distribution Centers” that claim that you are the winner in sweepstakes or a lottery. Of course, you are not the only “winner” in the lottery and tens of thousands of people received the same call. The goal of the scheme is to entice you to make a relatively small payment (for example, shipping and handling fee, a sales tax) promising that a much bigger prize will be sent your way. Once the payment is sent, you will most likely not hear from the company again, and a promised “Lincoln Navigator” will not find its way to your driveway.
Offers to Lower Your Interest Rates: The calls begin with a recording that makes a tempting offer to lower your credit-card interest rates. Then you are switched to a live agent who collects from you the credit card number and its expiration, name, address, and in some cases even your social security number. The telemarketers have no intention of giving consumers better interest rates on their cards and instead use the information to commit identity theft and run up unwanted charges.
Again, tracing these scam artists is difficult: they spoof the caller ID information and use numerous VOIP accounts set up using stolen credit cards. The best thing to do is hang up, report the call to FTC and warn others through 800notes.com.

Fake Bank Alert Messages: A fake message from a local bank says that your card is being suspended and that you need to call this toll free number to activate it. Of course, the toll free number does not belong to the bank and when you call they ask to verify your account information, which includes your name, date of birth, SSN, address, credit card number, etc. Once they have your personal information, they can use it to commit identity theft charging your existing credit cards, opening new credit card, checking, or savings accounts, writing fraudulent checks, or taking out loans in your name.
Advanced Fee Loan Scams: In this scenario a telemarketer promises a consumer a loan or a credit card on very attractive terms. All the consumer has to do is just send a processing fee, or provide checking account info, and the offer was guaranteed. To make the offer sound even more attractive the scammers might throw in a free laptop, an iPod, or any other 'hot item'. After the payment is made the company disappears, and the victim is often left with an empty checking account and NSF (Non-sufficient funds) bank fees.
Fat Finger Dialing Scam: A simple mistake in dialing - or writing down - a phone number can be costly. The type of con it plays into is called a "fat finger dialing" scam. Consumers make a mistake dialing a number and end up connected to someone who leads them down a rip-off path. Almost any frequently called number is likely to be a target for the "fat finger" approach. Take the national number for the Do Not Call list run by the Federal Trade Commission. The correct number is (888) 382-1222. But if you are off by just one digit, you can end up calling a number that tells you the number has been changed. The number it directs you to call will charge you $5.49 plus an "administrative recovery fee," for "a new national directory assistance service."
Free Listing at Yellow Pages:  This scam targets businesses. The caller says that he is from Yellow Pages and is calling to update their records. He proceeds by asking to confirm some basic information such as owner’s name, business phone number, address, and company name. Then they start billing the victim and only then the business owner realizes that it’s not a free listing and it was not Yellow Pages directory that called.
The victims report that when they call to complain, the company plays the recorded conversation with the victim saying 'Yes' except that the caller is reading from a completely different script. The scammers replace one side of the conversation, making it sound as if the business owner agreed to a paid listing and a monthly fee.

Bogus Fund-Raising Operations: 800Notes.com users report getting calls from scam artists posing as a charity and asking for donations. However, the charity is either non-existent or unaware of the solicitation.
When it comes to donations, it’s best to never make donations over the phone and donate directly to the beneficiary not the solicitor. This way 100% of your money will go to the charity not 10-15% as it often happens when donations are made through a telemarketer or even 0% if the money goes to a bogus charity.

International Phone Calls Scam: It's not always easy to tell if you're dialing an international telephone number. In most cases, you have to dial 011 to begin a call to a foreign country. However, there are locations outside the U.S. where telephone numbers may look like domestic long-distance calls, but are actually international calls and international rates will apply.
For example, 284 (British Virgin Islands), 242(Bahamas), 246(Barbados), 268(Antigua/Barbuda), 345(Cayman Islands), 664(Montserrat), 670 (U.S. commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), 758(St. Lucia), 787(Puerto Rico), 767(Dominica), 809(Dominican Republic), 869(St. Kitts & Nevis), 868(Trinidad & Tobago), and 876(Jamaica) are all area codes in the Caribbean.

The scheme: the scammer often leaves a message typically asking consumers to call what appears to be an ordinary long-distance telephone number to confirm a lottery prize, or to get information about a relative who has been injured in an accident. In each case, you are told to call the number right away. Since there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return the calls. Once the number is dialed, the scam artist will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges. Unfortunately, when you get your phone bill, you might find that you’ve been charged $2500 per minute.

If you are asked to call unknown number, google the area code to check if it’s local. Also, ask your cell phone and land line companies to put a block on international calls. This way you will hear an error message when you try to call an international number.

Phone Toner Scam: The scam artist poses as a warehouse representative or vendor and makes contact with a targeted company. He will say "This is (first name), I need the model number off your copier". If the person who answers gives this info, the scammers will try to set up a shipment of toner. Of course, the deal is so good that the offer is based on a limited supply or limited time, pressuring the employee to act fast and get their money's worth. Upon delivery, both the employee and the company are usually in for a big surprise. The price of the invoiced toner is 2-3 times higher than expected, and the scam artist threatens with legal fines if the company fails to pay.
"Cramming": When monthly charges pop up on your telephone bill for optional services that you never authorized such as voice mail, paging, or club membership, it's called "cramming." You may be asked to return a missed call because it’s 'Your lucky day' and you’ve won a trip to Las Vegas. When the call is made, an automated system is activated and you are unknowingly enrolled in a club or program, and the charge is placed on your phone bill. The crammer might not even need to do anything except simply pick your phone number out of the blue and place charges on your bill through your local telephone company, claiming that you agreed to purchase some services.
Look at your bill closely every month. Charges for optional services should be itemized and show the name of the company providing them and its phone number. If you did not authorize the services, call that number and insist that they be canceled and the charges removed from your bill.

Also, consider putting a third party block on your phone service. It's often free and it does not let any third party add charges to your phone bill.

"Slamming": Slamming occurs when customers have their telephone service switched to a new carrier without their permission. You may receive a call from a telemarketer asking you to switch your long distance provider. Although you say you are not interested in switching, your long distance provider is changed anyway.
Caller ID Spoofing: Generally, the scam works like this - you receive a call where total strangers pretend to be someone else and they back up their claims with spoofed Caller ID. The scam artists might then ask for money, demand a payment, request your personal information, addresses, or banking info. People report getting calls from 'Secretary of State', grandchildren, law firms, IRS, and government officials.
For example, in one scheme the caller identified himself as a court official and informed the victim that she is being prosecuted for failing to show up for Jury Duty. When the victim replies that this is the first time she hears that she was summoned for jury duty, the caller suggests that this may be a clerical error in the court system, and he asks for her full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number to check the official summons files. The scam artist informs the victim that this data will be kept confidential, but it is required for cancellation of the outstanding arrest warrant.
In another variation of this scam 'government officials' call to offer a 'Government Grant': 'Because you pay your income taxes on time, you have been awarded a $12,500 government grant! To get your free grant, simply give us your checking account information, and we will deposit the grant into your bank account!'  You may receive a message like this, where the caller claims to be from a government agency or some other organization with an official sounding name. The caller might claim that you will qualify to receive a "free grant" to pay for education costs, home repairs, home business expenses, or bills. In any case, the claim is the same: your application for a grant is guaranteed to be accepted, and you'll never have to pay the money back.
Scam IRS calls: In this scheme people receive phone calls from a caller who impersonates an IRS employee. The caller asks the taxpayer for their Social Security and bank account numbers, claiming that the IRS needs the information to complete the processing of the taxayer's payment. In another variation of the scheme, 'an IRS employee' states that the check issued by IRS has not been cashed, and the IRS is calling to verify the individual’s bank account number.
Hang up, find the official number of the organization and call to report the incident. Also, don't send money - cash, check or money order - by courier, overnight delivery or wire to anyone who insists on immediate payment.

Call Forwarding Scam: You may receive a call or message where the caller, requests you to dial a 2-digit code preceded or followed by the * or # key (such as *79 or 72#), and then another phone number to claim some prize. This procedure programs your telephone to forward your calls to another number, possibly a toll or long distance number. Scammers can then call your number, be forwarded to the number you dialed and place calls that are billed to your home telephone number.
Telemarketing Travel Fraud: These scams have many variations and often involve travel packages that sound legitimate. You get a phone call and the caller is saying that you have been selected to receive a free trip. Skilled salespeople will tell you, to be eligible for the free trip, you must join their travel club. Later, you may find another fee is required to make your reservation. In the end, you may never get your "free" trip because your reservations are never confirmed or you must pay different fees, or comply with hard-to-meet or expensive conditions.
Check out the company with your state, provincial and local consumer protection office before you buy any product or service. Also, be wary of "great deals" and free offers. Few legitimate businesses can afford to give away products and services of real value or substantially undercut other companies' prices.

Get Rich Quick Schemes: Scam artists lure both would-be entrepreneurs and people looking for home-based work with false promises of big earnings for little effort. The schemes often require an initial investment and involve selling items on Ebay or making sales calls. However, once the payment is sent the companies often disappear.
The truth is everyone is susceptible to phone scams. Scam artists will devise a highly believable story to solicit information from their victims. That's why it is important to never give out any personal information over the phone if you are not the one who initiated the call even if that person claims to be a law enforcement official or someone from your financial institution. If you are returning a missed call, research the caller first. Also, always check 800notes.com to read other people's experiences with the caller. If you stay alert, you can certainly reduce your risk of falling victim to phone scams.



or this one

BBB, Schumer Warn Consumers of Robocalls Promising to Lower Their Credit Card Interest Rate
https://800notes.com/articles/News.aspx/vBdkN6a54QD-vAjLxs7bWQ
Arlington, VA – June 10, 2009 - Consumers across the U.S. and Canada are sounding off to Better Business Bureau and U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) about incessant automated telemarketing calls promising to lower interest rates on their credit cards.  Not only are the calls a nuisance and violate U.S. and Canadian Do-Not-Call laws, but some companies behind the calls are ripping off consumers by charging large up-front fees to negotiate lower interest rates with credit card companies—something consumers can do on their own for free.
According to figures cited by the White House in January, credit-card debt increased 25 percent in the past 10 years, totaling $963 billion – with per household credit card debt at nearly $9,000 now. Knowing that so many families are drowning in debt, telemarketers offering suspect financial assistance are taking full advantage of the situation. Consumers have reported receiving calls as early as three in the morning and on both their cell and home phones even when they have registered the numbers with federal Do-Not-Call lists. Consumers also tell BBB that, despite their requests to the telemarketers to stop calling, the calls continue to come.  
“Similar to telemarketing calls claiming your auto warranty is expiring, calls offering to lower credit card interest rates also seem to have complete disregard for federal laws,” said Steve Cox, BBB spokesperson. “These telemarketers are not forthcoming about the company they’re calling on behalf of, but BBB has identified some offenders by working with consumers who, unfortunately, paid for assistance in reducing their interest rate.”
“Cell phone spam may not be the biggest problem we have to deal with, but we got the FTC to shut down the car-warranty robocalls and now it’s time they shut down the other robocallers as well,” Schumer said. “These calls cost consumers hundreds in wasted cell phone minutes or much, much more if they get caught in the trap being laid by these unscrupulous companies. The perpetrators behind the credit card interest rate calls have also found a way around the Do Not Call List. The FTC has to track them down and then shut them down to put an end to this nuisance once and for all.”

BBB has received numerous complaints about two Orlando-based companies, CSTR Solutions, Inc. and Genesis Capital Management, and one Tacoma-based company, Mutual Consolidated Savings. All are behind at least some of the robocalls and are promising to save people anywhere from $2,000 to $25,000 by negotiating lower interest rates with credit card companies.
Robocalls generally begin with recorded messages that include statements like: “There are no problems currently with your account, however it is urgent that you contact us concerning your eligibility for lowering your interest rates to as little as 6 point 9 per cent.” or, “This is our final attempt to reach you since you've not responded to our other calls to discuss your credit card debt.” The automated message invariably does not include the name of the company, but may claim to be with Card Services or Card Holder Services. Complainants note to BBB that they now believe the calls were designed to deceive them into thinking their credit card company was contacting them.
After the initial recorded message, consumers must dial another number to be connected to a live person. The live “operator” usually starts the sales pitch by asking for the consumer’s credit card number and whether the consumer is interested in lowering their interest rates. From there, callers begin closing the sale, asking if the consumer is willing to pay – usually from $700 to $1,000 - to have their firm contact the credit card company and negotiate lower rates.  
“The ‘negotiation’ undertaken by these companies can be as simple as calling the customer service number listed on the back of the consumer’s credit card and asking a customer service representative to lower the interest rate,” added Cox. “Consumers are fully capable of talking to credit card companies on their own, for free, and getting similar results. Consumers simply don’t need to pay any company a thousand dollars to negotiate lower rates on their behalf.”
According to BBB complaints, companies are failing to uphold money-back guarantees and not refunding money in cases where they are unsuccessful in lowering rates.
BBB offers the following advice for consumers who receive robocalls from companies offering to lower their interest rate:
• Never give personal information, including Social Security, bank or credit card numbers, over the phone to an unknown telemarketer. Always research the company first by reviewing its Reliability Report at www.bbb.org.
• When considering any company offering any type of financial assistance, insist on getting a contract in which all terms and conditions are clearly explained before signing up or providing credit card or other payment information.
• U.S. consumers can place their home phone number on the federal Do Not Call list by visiting www.donotcall.gov. If the consumer’s number is already on the list but continues to receive telemarketing calls—or is receiving robocalls on a cell phone—he or she can use the same Web site to report the incident to the FTC. Canadian consumers can learn more at www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca.
For more information or to schedule an interview with a BBB spokesperson, contact Alison Southwick at 703-247-9376.

call from 301 882 9986 .. about every day ..sometimes more than once a day .. claim they will lower credit card rate .. they said if i dont take their offer then my card rate would go to 30% in a week .. they want to know how much i owe and credit card numbers .. when i said no ..they cussed and slammed the phone down ..

the number seems to belong to nations line inc .. new market Md.. that may be a phone service .. maybe an internet phone service .. so these calls might be from a forign country .. no accent though .. since they claim to represent visa, master card, amx and others, i called the fraud dep at those cards ..they said they definately are not legit and do not represent them .. all my friends and relitives are getting these calls with the same treatment.. sent a "do not call registry" complaint .. also to the attorney gen of Md .. i am considering calling the local TV channels .. if they are willing to break the law (violating no call)and lie about representing those credit cards, then can you imagine what they could do to people that give them the information they want ..

How can I get them to stop?  It is not 4:00 yet and we have received 3 calls already.  I even spoke with someone.  How can we stop them?

Indeed, Mikeb... I am on the do not call list, yet they seem to feel they can call me about credit cards that I don't even have. I actually injured my leg getting to the phone and intend to file legal action against them.

google National no call and their site will come up. Then click on the report violation tab and a form will appear to fill out. It just goes in a data base, but the more complaints filed will help when they get investageted. Also google your Congress persons name and sent them an email with all the info and also a link to this site so they can see what a National problem these crooks are causing. Do it every time they call. Also write a letter to your local newspaper editor with all the info and email all your friends. The people of America still have some power if they take time to use it.

Yes, I did! These articles contain good info on how to avoid being scammed, but still do not have a solution for stopping these illegal calls. The government knows who and where these people are and could stop them if they chose. The people must bring pressure on their representatives to demand the attorney generals office fine and send these willful violators to prison.

Yes, all LEGITIMATE companies hang up or become verbally abusive the moment you ask who they are and how they got your number! :)

It's obvious that this is a scam.  No legitimate company would use language like that.  You obviously got to the crook and p*ssed him off!

They can't take you off their calling list, because they don't have a list.  They just call EVERY phone number they can, in sequence.  So if you have time to burn, I'd say press #2 and mess with them.  Pretend to be some old guy who has massive debt and lots of credit cards.  But be too feeble to accurately read the credit card number.  These guys are greedy and if they think they have a chance to make a buck they will stay on the line.  See how long you can keep them occupied.  Remember that in their business TIME IS MONEY.  The more of it you waste, they more it costs them.  These guys get paid on a commission basis.  So it REALL HURTS to waste their time.

Sure, it's fun blowing a whistle into the telephone -- UNTIL SOMEONE GETS AND EYE POKED OUT!

Besides, don't they make air horns for this sort of thing?

We can poke their eyes out?  HOW???  I'd pay a lot for a phone that did that.