Teri@ABC

So Teri,

Welcome.  We're genuinely glad to see you here, and hope that the cesspool that our nation's phone system has become is going to get some much needed sunlight through your efforts.

However, we are by nature an excessively skeptical lot, so please don't be offended, but we're hoping you will share a little more about yourself.  We've already had one poster today who was clearly fishing for personal info about users here, and so we'd like to know that you really are who you seem to be.

Again, don't feel insulted, we're paranoid with everyone.  

Also, to anyone responding to Teri, I would suggest at this point that you make initial contact by posting here, or looking up the number for ABC and calling it instead of simply accepting and using a number or email from the person posting as Teri.  

Sadly, the good and the bad of the Internet is that you never know who you are really talking too.  I lean towards believing Teri is legitimate, I just don't want someone who has been outspoken on any of the many topics Teri has inquired about to expose themselves to someone without validating the contact.

Thanks for understanding.

Oops.  We have it on good authority that Teri is for real.  Never mind.  

Teri, I owe you virtual beer and pizza as an apology for my overly suspicious mind.  My co-conspirator in these wicked thoughts shall get to remain anonymous.

Sorry, one and all.

lone stranger, Thank you for being alert.

We verified that Ms. Whitcraft is indeed from ABC.

But I encourage everyone to always double check. If anyone contacts  Ms. Whitcraft ask for her corporate email or a phone number. It's just better to keep some things off the public boards.

Thank you all for your welcome and help on this story - especially Resident 47 and Lone Stranger.

I really do need your guidance on this story - and I appreaciate your understanding that some things are better kept off public boards.   That's why I am asking people to contact me on teriabc@gmail.com.  I'll be happy to provide my corporate email and phone number once we connect.

Julia - I would love to reach you directly for guidance on how best to search 800 nots and reach some of the victims of this scam - as well as whistleblowers who might be able to help me follow the money trail back to India.  

If you could leave a contact email or number on my gmail account I'd be very grateful.
Thanks again,
Teri

Teri,

Thanks for understanding our latent paranoia.  I can suggest a very effective way of searching 800notes.  Go to the site <https://startingpage.com/> this is a search engine which does not log your searches.

In the search bar enter (without the quotes) "host:800notes.com  whatever you want to search for"

So, host:800notes.com teri@abc would get you a list of all the posts with that string in it.

For more complex searches, click on the "advanced search" link in the upper right hand corner, or, if you know how, you can use boolean terms in the search bar.

You can do the same thing on Google, using "site:" instead of host, but why share your searches with the world when you don't have to?

Hi Lone Stranger -
Thanks so much for replying.  And I should buy you a virtual beer and pizza for wantting to help me crack this story.  It is so outrageous. - it really makes me want to expose how they do what they do.

 I'm looking for people who have been terrorized and victimized by the scammers.
 Ideally it would be great if they have audiotapes of the messages/threats left.
 Any inside info on how it works and the call companies in India or overseas.
 Any info on Credit Crunchers and Varang Thaker - recently busted by the FTC (which is how we got onto this story).
 I'd also love to find a whistleblower who worked with them and now wants to expose them too.
 
It's a big list - and I could really use your help. If you write me at teriabc@gmail.com I'll reply with my ABC News email and my number so you'll have proof of who I am.

Thanks again for wanting to help. Much appreciated. This is an important story and we will keep digging till we get it.  

Best,
Teri

Hi Lone Stranger -
Thanks for the tip on how to search.  I just did it and it works like a charm  It's a really big help.

Thank you thank you.
Teriabc@gmail.com

One more question:
Is there a way to search the forum to find people who've posted their emails?
I'd love to reach out to them....
thanks again,Teri

Teri,

I've sent you an email on this.  Still working on a better solution.

Got it. Thanks so much.  
talk soon.

Terri, these people are harrasing me over a payday loan I never took. 408/256-8153. They claim to be the Federal Enforcement Agency or some non-sense like that. I've actually called that agency and they are pretty useless. They tell you to report it to your local law enfocement (who I know will do nothing as well). How can we get these animals locked up? I'll do anything to help.

Rich,

Teri may not be able to respond right away.  You can contact her by email <Teriabc@gmail.com>.  If there is a delay in her response, don't be discouraged, as she may be "away from her desk" for a few days.  I know that she is looking for folks with a story to tell, or information to share.

I am tired of the BS that these people keep feeding people. I have spoken with my attorney and here is what he says to do  : "IGNORE THEM.  I just tried calling both numbers, the local one wont take voicemails or answer, the 877 one hung up on me.  That is all the advice I can give you unless you want to accept service." He actually did call the  numbers and these are the results.  Now they are trying a different to call me on..not good.!  The first call was saying "I am an loan processor and there is a claim against you."  I asked:"really what is the claim for?". Process says:"It is in a sealed envelope and I do not know."  OK.. my attorney says: "Yes.. processors are legal..but they should be able to tell you someone has filed against you."  My attorney went as far as looking up the counties they might have filed in and says nothing is out there, Pretty much..it is a SCAM.  I did a research check on the 877 number and on the net is says it is a golf store.  The "golf store" also had another number to call and it is NOT a golf store..  It is something else.  Here is the deal...Maybe the 877 number is for real...but..I was told by my attorney ignore. it.

KJ,

Take a deep breath, and let it out slowly.  I will try to guide you through this.  Your tormentors are powerless.  There is nothing they can do beyond trying to scare you over the phone, and I am going to tell you how to stop them from doing that.

#1 Your attorney probably is not fully aware that this is a well known and documented scam.  He didn't find anything filed in the courts, because this is an extortion racket, and everything they tell you is fictional.

#2 You can't accept service, because there will be no service.  It would be wonderful if there were, because then you could get these criminals in front of a judge.  Your attorney is treating this as if it might be real, and I do not fault him for that, he should, but it is not real.  These are extortionists running a scam.

#3 Please don't blame the golf shop.  Technology allows for the simple falsifying of caller ID information.  It is called "spoofing", and it has legitimate uses as well as illegitimate ones.  If I wanted to, I could call you at your home and have YOUR phone number appear on the caller ID.  Or that of the local Walmart, police department, or even the White House.  So tracking down the number is usually a waste of time.  I use tools which let me research the number a bit further than you can, and I still can't get around the fact that a number was spoofed, unless it was a call which I received.  Even then, having the "real number" may not be all that useful.  Overseas callers can have a phone number which appears to be anywhere, even in your home town if they wish.  I actually use the same technology that they do, so I am telling you from first hand experience.

#4 You attorney is correct, you should ignore them.  This particular bunch of creeps seem to get off on verbally abusing women.  I figure that it is because in real life, no woman will talk to them.  I ignoring them is easier said than done, but hang on, I have a way.

#5 One of these operations has been raided overseas.  Teri is doing a story on them for ABC news.  This is a crime of international scale.  People are trying to stop it, but it will take time.

#6 Technology can help you.  You can block these calls with the right tools.  Some phones (including certain Panasonic models) have a call blocking feature.  A free Google Voice account will help you to block such calls, and will automatically block known spam callers if you wish.  If you have questions about this, you can post them here and I will try to answer them for you.

#7 You might want to share this reply with your attorney.  No one can keep up with all the different scams that are out there these days, and he might be interested to know a bit more about this one.

I strongly suggest blocking these calls or otherwise ignoring them.  But if you just can't stand to ignore a ringing phone, then have fun with it.  Make fun of them.  Insult their masculinity.  Call them names.  Laugh at them.  Get out the anger you have towards them, your boss, and the jerk who cut you off in traffic if you like.  Tell them they are powerless and that you know it.  (Just be prepared to let some very nasty replies roll off of your back.) Make them as upset and unhappy as they were making you.  Or, continue to sound like a victim, take the calls and record them, then send the recordings to Teri.  

Whatever works for you. Just don't let these pathetic liars get under your skin any more.  They are flies buzzing around, annoying but meaningless.

Let us know if you have any questions, or if we can help in any way.

LS

OMG this people are still calling my i have got over 50 calls to my work and 30 to my cell phone I am in the USMC I can not even get a payday loan. I have been looking through all your post. AND these people need to stop starting to hurt my job and I do not need that in training. I will start talking with people in service who have also been down this road and see what I can do. If you need any info please email me at ericbaze@yahoo.com