Tuesday, August 4, 2009

(972) 428-5200 -- persistent Texas telemarketer

Every single day I've been getting at least one phone call from the same number: (972) 428-5200. Sometimes it's as early as 8 a.m., other times not till 9 or 10. They never leave a message, but it's obvious from the timing, the constancy, and the number itself that it's an aggressive telemarketer.

I looked up the number, and it seems a lot of people are getting persistent calls from this location. According to the 800notes website, these calls are coming from a company called TransTech Merchant Group (or, alternately Summit Merchant Solutions) in Texas.

Some recipients of the call say that the caller is allegedly selling check imaging services, while other people report that the caller claims to be from their credit card company, and that they're calling to discuss some charges on the bill. Both of these calls are emanating from the same number. I have not picked up the phone to see which one I'm getting-- maybe I'm getting both. The caller does not leave an automated, prerecorded message. From what other people are posting, perhaps the telemarketers have a live human fishing for information at the other end. Some people continue to receive the calls, even if they answer the phone and say "no."

No legitimate business calls people like this every day.

On a happier note, I seem to have stopped getting the expired car warranty calls. Is this new outburst of calls from the same group?

6 comments:

Swiftek said...

Here's the scam: They call pretending to be your merchant account provider and that they are investigating suspect charges on one of your customer's cards. It's all lies.

They also claim to take you off their call list, but they will keep calling.

Here's a fun trick!
To get a list of every phone extension in their company, call their main number at: 972-428-5200 and press 4. You can then enter a name to get that extension. It also lets you then browse by pressing 1 and 3. Many listings give the name of the person, their position within the company, the extension number and even cell phone numbers! In the directory of names, you will hear the various company names that include Transtech, TMG and Summit Merchant Solutions.

If you are angry and have a little time, this is a great way to waste theirs and rock the boat in a way that may actually annoy them. You may actually speak to someone important who can actually do something. Or at least you may inject a little stress into their work day.

FIRST AMERICAN PAYMENT SYSTEMS LP is the umbrella name for all of these companies:
AMERICA ONE
APPSTAR FINANCIAL
Eliot Management
FIRST ADVANTAGE
MERIMAC CAPITAL
Summit Merchant Solutions
TMG
TMS Certified Merchant Services
TMS Merchant Services
TRANS TECH
Transaction Merchant Services
TransTech Merchan Group
TRANSTECH MERCHANT GROUP

Their info:
FIRST AMERICAN PAYMENT SYSTEMS LP
(817) 317-9100
100 THROCKMORTON, STE 1800, FORT WORTH, TX 76102
merchantrelations@first-american.net
Primary Contact:
BECKY LEFAN (MANAGER, MERCHANT RELATIONS)

The BBB gives them a "D-", and they have a long history of complaints you can see here:
http://www.fortworth.bbb.org/commonreport.html?compid=97040065

DL said...

this number is a VoIP,, the company could be anywhere,,

Unknown said...

They kept calling me too. CPP is what shows up on the caller ID. They asked for "the owner" and I explained that we don't have an owner perse` because we are a state organization and they hung up on me. Everytime they called IF I answered, they'd hang up on me if I did not give them "the owner". I answered again and when they asked for the owner, I said I was the owner. The girl (same girl every time) stated she was "Jasmine" with Certified Payment Planning and that they were calling small business owners in the area. I proceeded to tell "Jasmine" that she has been calling repeatedly and has been told there are no owners because we are a state organization and that if she did not stop calling me I would report her and the company and then *I* hung up on her.
That "Jasmine" is stinkin' rude.
I sent an email to that email addy that Erickson, so we'll see if it actually works today.

Unknown said...

They kept calling me too. CPP is what shows up on the caller ID. They asked for "the owner" and I explained that we don't have an owner perse` because we are a state organization and they hung up on me. Everytime they called IF I answered, they'd hang up on me if I did not give them "the owner". I answered again and when they asked for the owner, I said I was the owner. The girl (same girl every time) stated she was "Jasmine" with Certified Payment Planning and that they were calling small business owners in the area. I proceeded to tell "Jasmine" that she has been calling repeatedly and has been told there are no owners because we are a state organization and that if she did not stop calling me I would report her and the company and then *I* hung up on her.
That "Jasmine" is stinkin' rude.
I sent an email to that email addy that Erickson, so we'll see if it actually works today.

Pat said...

I got 5 calls from this number this morning. I usually just click talk/off on my phone. I finally picked up on the 6th call today and was told (by same woman as always when I answer) that she was just verifying the business address. I told her it's the same as it was the last two hundred times she called to verify it. She, as always, said, "Oh someone else has called you? I'm sorry, I will put you on the do not call list." Then SHE calls again a couple days later and won't stop calling until someone answers and speaks to her. I wonder if they get a commission for every person they have a conversation with so it doesn't matter what is said, just that they have spoken with you. I wondered too if they get something for each time you say, "Yes" into the phone, so I try not to do that. It gets so annoying. But they are not the only ones who do this. This kind of crap should be illegal and companies who participate in it should be charge and taken to court and fined. Why do we have to put up with this kind of harassment? We prosecute people for the most trivial things and yet hacking, and phone harassment just goes on and one with no controls.

The G said...

972-428-5200 (http://www.reportedcalls.com/9724285200) has been reported to the Federal Communications Commission more than one hundred times!