Go Shop and Save Go Shop and Save hacking 1-800 numbers Nationwide

Apparently this unscrupulous company, Go Shop and Save, have found ways to hack 1-800 numbers by intercepting calls made to legitimate companies. Today I called my mortgage company's 1-800 number to get information on refinancing my loan. The call was answered by a recording that said, "Thank you for calling please listen to because our options have changed." Well, it only gave me 2 options, "Press 1 to continue or 9 to hang up."  I pressed 1 and a man with an East -Indian accent answered, which is common for companies to use foreign customer service call takers these days. I told him I wanted a loan officer because I wanted information about refinancing. He then asked, "Do you want to refinance or just information?" I thought that was a weird response but I repeated that I wanted information. The man said, "Ok, I will transfer you to the person you need to speak to but for calling today you have won the opportunity for a $100 retail gift card to use anywhere in the US at any establishment" So I am thinking it is some kind of promotion from my mortgage company becuase that is who I think I am talking to."

The man went on to say that there is a $4.95 promotional and processing fee. and that the gift card would come in the mail with an offer to join the the discount club for 29.95 but today today I was only paying $4.95 and there would be no other charges unless I want to join the club but all of that would come in writing. He then, on his own, emphasized several times that I would only be paying $4.95 today and nothing else. I said ok I'll take the gift card. The man then transfered me to the person who would get the rest of my information. A woman named Nellie, also an East Indian accent, came on the line and said she was going to verify that I wanted the gift card for $4.95 and them put through to an automated machine. so the autotmated system then verified my VISA card info and then sent me back to Nellie who then put be BACK on the automated system to give me my confirmation number. The system then took to me to another offer for other shopping discounts. This happened 4 times and each time the machine would ask you "OK?" and when I answered "No" it would go dead. Then Nellie would call me back and told me that I had to say "yes" or the machine would disconnnect us and without the confirmation number that the "machine" was going to give me I could not cancel any of the services which then then me charged to my credit card every month. This occurred another time when I said "yes but I don't want the product!"

Nellie became very frustrated with me and I explained that I do not want the other "trial" discount programs because I don't want to have to keep calling and cancelling something that is otherwise going be charged to my card each month. Nellie said, "Sir you are not going to be charged anything but you have to say "yes" if you want the confirmation number otherwise we are going to get disconnected and your card is going to be charged $29.95 each month!" She then told me, "Complete the verification on the 'machine' and get the confirmation number. When we get the confirmation number I will have you hang up and then I will call you back on another line and I will cancel all the other programs." I, against my will, completed the verification, got my 'confirmation number'. Nellie had me hang up and then she called me right back and asked for the confirmation number. She told me that she cancelled the other programs and that I would still get the $100 gift card (yeah right!). She then said, "I am now going to give you the number so that you can get the information that you called about, 1-800-555-1212." This 1-800 she gave me is the 1-800 directory service number. It's the same as call 411 directory service. It was not to anyhting connected to my mortgage company. I am positive that this is not going to be easy and that I am going to find different charges on my account in the next few day and that I am going to have to dispute the charges and cancel my card.

I am sure that the FTC, or maybe even the FCC (since they intercepted my call to my mortgage company), would want to do something about this company's strong arm tactics. I believe that by using these intercept tactics and by implying that they are with the mortgage company Go Shop and Save violated federal statutes. The company has a website goshopandsave.com but after reading others posts about this company those people are saying that trying to cancel any service or get your money back is d**n near impossible. We'll see! If any federal or other law enforcement agency would like to pursue this I would be willing to assist. My background, which I will only reveal to law enforcement, is very credible and dependable

Westy