813-675-3856

I received a call from 813-675-3856 about "Operation Franchise". The number is not listed - I don't know of any company that is advertising that has an unlisted number!
Definitely a SCAM!
The gentleman's name is Steve and he's been calling for weeks stating we only have a limited time to get involved in this "opportunity"!

I am the Director of Information Services for Faircount Media Group. The phone number in question is a direct line to one of my sales team. Our main switchboard number is 813-639-1900 and IS listed in the directory service.

We have been publishing in the Tampa Bay area for over 15 years. Some of our high-profile clients include the US Navy League, for whom we are currently publishing books for the commissioning of two new naval vessels. We recently published the official commissioning publication for the USS George HW Bush, and received a very nice letter from Fmr. Pres. Bush thanking us for our excellent work.

Mr. Steven Vargas, who uses the phone number in question, is a fairly new sales rep for us, and he is working on a publication entitled "Operation Franchise" that is going to be circulated to 350 military transition centers. The purpose is to educate military personnel about franchising opportunities. This work is being done in coordination with military leadership.

Faircount Media Group is a for-profit enterprise specializing in custom publications for government and military agencies. We are in no way, shape or form a scam, and I invite anyone who reads this to look at our web site at www.faircount.com. We have offices in Tampa, London and Sydney.

I would like to remind people that just because a number is not listed in directory assistance does not make a company a scam.

As a Director of the company, you may contact me at 813-675-3828. My name is John Madden, I am a real person, and I have been with the company for 6 years.

Dear Mr. Madden,

Would you have a copy of your advertiser terms and conditions? I have been made to understand that Faircount media does NOT make or allow for provision of termination of advertiser agreement/order acceptance of any kind for any reason.  I find this hard to believe as mostly every publisher I have ever worked with has made provision for termination with notice etc etc.

I hope to hear back from you,

You may contact Mr. Lawrence Roberts, COO, for that information at 813-639-1900.

I have been receiving calls from a few different people at this organization for over a year.  They keep on calling for my boss and my boss DOES NOT want to speak with them.  I have asked politely on numerous occasions to be removed from their list, yet they persist in calling.  They are rude, deceitful, pushy, and frequently hang up on me.    Their behavior is extremely unprofessional and I wish they would get the hint one of these days that we will NEVER EVER EVER buy an ad from them due to their unprofessional behavior.  If they acted with a bit of professional respect, it might be a different story.

Mr. Madden,
Can you please provide me some details on your ad space for 'Air Force Office of Scientific Research: 60th Anniversary'. I have not received any response to my requests and thought this might be a way to do so. Do you have an issue as sample? When will it be published? How often is this publication published? How many pages? Circulation?
Thank you very much.

the number was 813-675-3811 and his name was Jason Bullock.

Brandon Fields told me that my manager had referred him to me... From that moment on, he has called me every morning (I let it go to voice) and sometimes twice a day to try and sell me ad space. He calls both my work and cell phone. Today a Jason called instead. At one point, because I wanted to advertise in one of their publications and I used the moment to tell Brandon that I was going to purchase an ad, but to please stop calling every day and asking, Do you want to buy an ad today? Every single day of the year.  I've explained to him that my budget doesn't work that way and I've told him straight up that his sales technique is pushy, annoying, border-line harassment, and unprofessional.

I have asked politely on numerous occasions to stop and yet he persists.  I find the behavior is extremely unprofessional and I decided it's time to write a formal letter to them to cease and desist contacting me or my company in the future.

One of their people made a comment that just because their number shows up here doesn't mean that they aren't a credible business with real customers. Well despite having a few high-profile customers, Faircount is a telemarketing company and the industry publications where we buy real advertising do not act like these folks. He posts a defensive reply but doesn't  comment on their sales technique that his company seems to promote or the numerous comments here that it doesn't stop even when you ask nicely and then not so nicely, or that, in reality, he works at a company who harasses people every day.