FTC busts alleged $10 million telemarketing scam in Largo

[Someone]

Who are you? When did you work there? What did you do there? I think I know you Kristin. Except for the husband part,'cause you're not married. How old are you? Are you really Kristin in St. Pete, or pretending to be her?

Kristin wrote:

Elvis Arrowwood (director of operations) should receive criminal charges as well. Suntasia, Strategia, and any other name they went under not only scammed and ripped off their customers, but also their employees, by charging $2.95 every week for a bogus ee fund and $50 for a fake telemarketing license. Between my husband and I we are owed $808 from those scam artists.

[this is funny]

first off....all those names mention for the owner...truth is..they're not...real owner..vance vogul..and corps//not just couple people..they're just figure heads...and you know what if u agreed to what we tell u, that's ur dumasses lol...we tell u ..after two weeks you WILL BE BILLED 19.95 a month if you DONT CALL BACK..OK?..you answer ( yes)...BOOM authroziation

[These guys will walk]

It's over. Have you seen anything else? These guys had there hour on the news and now they are going to get off scott free...

[Frustrated]

From what I have heard these guys always get away with their scam. Their children go to the Catholic school my children go to along with another family that is involved in this rip off.I have not seen anything else in the paper about this story Why???? Wolf is also building a mege, mega, mansion maybe the paper needs to keep on top of these creeps.

[richard]

they have a 15,000square foot home being built in tierre verde, a 4million dollar 85 foot lures boat. and hugh parties.ps dont forget the new limo

[richard]

These guys will walk wrote:

It's over. Have you seen anything else? These guys had there hour on the news and now they are going to get off scott free...

The wheels of justice turn slowly but they turn

[fltaz23]

I had a friend who worked there for maybe a week. She was desperate for a job and it was one of the only takers of a 55 yr old lady. She would tell me horror stories about how the management would come into their phone room and make everybody stand up and speak real loud into the phone. My friend said the floor manager would yell... I can't hear you. Meanwhile the cust is on the phone going .. what is going on? When she tried to discuss this tactic with the manager, they told her to sit down... pick up the phone and sell the packages. If you don't want to... there is 4 or 5 people in the waiting area to fill the next vacant seat. When she told me this story, I told her to leave. That was not a properly run telemarketing business. She told me of the packages they were "selling" to customers and the " speal" they were to repeat very similar to Zac's statement. I told her this place was crooked. she has since relocated back to Ohio.... when the story broke... I couldn't dial her number fast enough to tell her they finally got caught. She even had a hard time getting her barely 1 week pay out of them. She had to drive back out there to Ulmerton Rd 4 times before they finally gave it to her. She would call... they would say it was ready and available. Then she would drive out there say it was not ready.... I went with her the last time posing as her attorney.... after about 15 minutes... she had a check in her hand that we took directly to their bank to cash. They should all have to pay back all these people they stole money from with their crooked forced withdrawals.

[Ben Dover Fort Myers]

Pay attention.

When a person goes in to a store to make a purchase, and wants to pay with a check, the merchant contacts a company that either approves or declines the check. One of these companies is Certegy Check Services.

Certegy processes checks, debit card transactions, and credit card transactions.
Millions of people have received letters telling them their bank account information held by Certegy,has been compromised.

An employee of Certegy, William G Sullivan, owner of S$S Computer Services in Largo, allegedly stole the files on 8.5 million bank accounts, and sold them to JAM Marketing (Michael S. Currier), in Seminole.
JAM sold the information to 3 buyers.(Data Secure of Tampa, Whitehat.com Inc of Tempe, Ariz.,((who sold the info to 4 more companies)), and Strategia Marketing/Suntasia, of Largo.)
I have a list of nearly 30 names used by Strategia/Suntasia to do business. When one company got too many complaints, they switched names. Oh yeah, one of those company names is Co-compliance (dba JPW Consultants dba Freedom Gold, Variety!, and Credit Life).

Odd thing is, the offices of Mr Sullivan, and Strategia/Suntasia, are only about a mile apart on Ulmerton Rd.

I think thats what got them in trouble.

The Federal Trade Commission has received over 5,000 formal complaints about Strategia, which prompted them to go to court and seek a restraining order, to make Strategia cease its business practices, and freeze the company's assets. That's how the government gets to just shut them down and seize everything.

[Sony]

Is anyone checking out the hearing tomorrow in Federal Court, Tampa Florida for the 6 defendants?

http://www.ftc.gov/os/caselist/0623162/070723...

Also, check out this link.....somehow I believe that the Certegy and Suntasia are connected is some way.

http://www.topix.net/forum/com/bbby/T2QJM5MNF...

[Holee]

Thanks Sony for the links. If you find anything out after the court hearing please post it. I am not in Fl. and there is nothing in the news here about this.

I don't know if Certegy and Suntasia have a connection but Certegy is protecting Amazon and the other companies they serve so they can hold onto the accounts.

I am sure some of the employee's were there for the job and paycheck..but I must say that the person who called me was arrogant, down right nasty and I hope she is enjoying her lack of a job. When I demanded to know where she had gotten my info she laughed and snickered into the phone...I'm having the last laugh.

[Jan Consumer]

bucket o1o3 wrote:

I WORKED AT SUNTASIA ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND KNEW THE OWNERS. I ALSO KNOW THAT THEIR PLAN TO STEAL FROM GOOD AMERICANS WAS WRONG. THATS WHY I QUIT! I FELT THERE WAS SOMTHING FISHY GOING ON, BUT WHEN I WOULD ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUSINESS ALL THEY DID WAS AVOID THE QUESTION AND TELL ME TO MIND MY OWN BUSINESS!!!

Did you ever meet or see William Sullivan?

[Holee]

Currant employee & This is funny..

There is nothing legit about buying info on people that was stolen from an on line purchase from Amazon. They got caught because of that theft. Because of complaints to Amazon, the Secret Service got involved.

All the complaints that came before the theft of records were only evidence aganinst them..it was the theft that brought them down at this point. They were the "dumasses" for using stolen ID's. And now,you are the dumasses for backing them up.

[whats up]

anyone hear what happened at court

[Fully Alive]

What time is the trial?

[whats up]

ANYBODY HEAR WHAT HAPPENED, I HEARD THEY ARE OPEN

[sony]

What does that mean? They are open?

[Roy]

Here is the story and also the letter that I sent back trying to get my money back:
----------
CreditLife
10460 Roosevelt Blvd., Suite #312
St. Petersburg, FL33716

Dear Customer Service,

Back on 7/2/2007, I was informed by Barbie Parker (operator #116) that if I review these Variety Shopping program, Freedom Ring and CreditLife, then I would receive $100 gas and $400 Domestic Airfare rebates. I clearly asked Barbie when the review period starts. She told me that they allow 2 weeks to cover shipping period, then I would have plenty of time to review after 2 weeks (she informed me that our conversation with her was recorded).

I got the CreditLife mail on 7/14/2007, and I opened it on 7/15/2007. I was shocked that I was going to be charged $149 on 7/16/2007 (Monday) according to the welcome letter. This was not the deal that Barbie mentioned; she even promised me that my checking account would not be charged.
Any case, 7/23/2007 should have been the correct deadline to review the material according Barbie Parker.
I felt that I’ve been lied to and cheated. I tried to call Customer Service first thing in the morning on 7/16/2007 at 7:00 a.m.(E.S.T.); finally, I got thru at 9:57a.m. talked to John Ferguson whom I cancelled the CreditLife account (Confirmation# J7CL1F6), but he told me that I’m going to be charged anyway. If I want my money back, then I need to write this letter because my checking account has already been charged! I really regret that this happened to me, I even regret talking to Barbie Parker, and I promise you that I will never happen fall for the scheme again.

Please return my $149 as soon as possible.
Sincerely,

Roy
XXX-XXX-XXXX

PS: I included the original mail package containing the Welcome letter, freedom mall booklet and $150 certificate

[hello]

are they open, or not? i hear nothing about them being open. are they under a nw name? has the city taken hold of the buliding. why is nothing more being reported on this? hello?

[Fatima Yechburg]

If you are in Pinellas, why dont you go and SEE if they are open? Maybe there has been no news because there has been no news.

[kim- wpb fl]

Is there any information on how to get refunded money, they have taken around 200 dollars from my bank account and I get no where on the telephone numbers to call