Best report
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Oct 11, 2007
For several days I kept getting calls (at least six) identified on my caller ID as CELEBRATION, but when I answered there was no one there. One time I called back, but the phone just rang and rang. Then, today, Oct 11, 2007,I decided to see what the deal was. A woman who identified herself as Julia Smith, employee 21064 of a company called Value Benefits of America. Strangely, with such an American name she clearly had an Asian-type accent that seemed like it was from India. She gave me the customer service call from this number for this company 866-916-8814 and a website www.freebeegas.com. I tried it later, and it was answered by a woman with an American accent who answered, "customer service Value Benefitis of America." I hung up and didn't ask her any questions. Earlier in the week I had responded to an email that seemed legitimate offering a $500 spending spree and a $125 gas card spendable at any retail store. I toyed around with it but bailed out of the website when they asked for my credit card. So I figured this was a follow up to that. Sure enough, Julia offered the same deal on the condition of paying $2.25 charged to a credit card within ten days of receiving my package. She said nothing else would be charged unless I chose to become a member for only $69.95 a month. She asked for my name, birth date, and address and the expiration date of of a VISA, MASTERCARD, or AMERICAN EXPRESS credit card, but not my card number. Eventually she connected me to a verifying supervisor, who identified himself as "Roy Phillips." He too had the same Asian or Indian accent. When I asked where he was calling from or if he was calling from India, he became defensive and challenging, asking me why I would make such an assumption. I told him I just wanted to make sure that this was all legitimate. He said he had an "Asian accent," was calling from DeMoine Iowa. At that point I got on the internet as he suggested to check out the website and noticed the company listed its headquarters in Largo, Florida. When I mentioned that the company was in Largo, Florida (not in Iowa), he couldn't understand the word Largo and I had to repeat it two or three times. At that point I became even more suspicious. However, I played along until he finally said he was recording information, including my credit card number. When he started the automated call requesting this information, if I didn't give it fast enough, he would interrupt me and come back on the line asking for the same information. I repeated my name and address but never gave him the credit card number. Then I hung up. He called back three more times. Twice I let it ring until it went to voice mail. The third time I had my son answer and tell him to put our number on their no-call list. He begged to talk to me but my son just hung up. If this is a legitimate company and offer, they have a real PR problem with "Roy Phillips" and his defensiveness and hostility and need to fire that guy. He was just TOO desperate to get my credit card information.