UCAN

UCAN.org user AmiLin recently brought a disturbing practice to our attention. After buying 4 boxes of contact lens from Lens.com, AmiLin discovered that she had been sold recalled contacts. She was aware that some of the Optix 02 contact lenses (the brand she normally buys) had been recalled and even contacted Lens.com before purchasing to confirm that none of their Optix 02 lenses had sku's within the recall range (view the recall notice here). Lens.com assured AmiLin that she would not be sold recalled contact lenses, however, that is exactly what they did. As if that weren't enough, Lens.com refused to fully refund AmiLin for the recalled contact lenses. Read some of AmiLin's correspondence with Lens.com here.

UCAN and its sister organization Privacy Rights Clearinghouse learned of a phone number scam that is particularly vicious because in one case the phone number USED TO BE the fraud dept. number for Experian. In the other case, a La Jolla, CA victim who was desperately trying to call the 800# listed by IDT to opt-out of information sharing, ended up with the same message and ended up being referred to the exact same number where "International Rates" would apply.

Until UCAN posted the number as (800) 301-7195, it was a working 800 # bought up along with a huge list of 800#s no longer used by legitimate companies. UCAN tried the 800-301-7195 on June 8, 2007 and it was no longer in service. Whoever Marina Telecom and its related third-party billing companies are in the U.S., are now monitoring the UCAN website and probably other complaint sites on the Net. We called the 876-5711 from our office phone to see if we would get any useful information or to see if someone would answer. There were long pauses, recorded requests to check toll-free 800#s, 866#s, 877#s and 888#s. The bottom line is that each time we followed the prompts, we got no information other than we were being charged International rates. The suggestion is to NOT DIAL THE 10-15-15 OR THE 876 JAMAICA INTERNATIONAL NUMBER.

An individual called our hotline and reported this to me today. She had been given that number so she could place a fraud alert. She called it (and I've done the same to verify her story) and was referred to another number to call. She got a message that says:

Either the 800 numbers were discontinued and remained as references on other websites or the numbers were hacked into by a foreign company. UCAN could find no reference to a search for Marina Telecom. "The number you have dialed has a new number assistance service. For more information ... dial 1-876-536-5711. ... International rates apply.... Brought to you by Marina Telecom."

The key words in that message are "International rates apply." But it's easy to not hear that warning.

When one individual dialed the 876 number, she later found that a fee of $7.14 was applied to her phone bill. Turns out that the area code 876 is a Jamaica area code. A google search on area code 876 turns up many warnings about this area code being associated with scams. It's easy to hear the area code 876 and think that it's one of the toll-free area codes.

It's instructive to do a google search on the full number (800) 301-7195. It shows that dozens of legitimate web sites, including the ITRC provide that number as the fraud department of Experian. If people call that number and listen to the recorded message, they are likely to then call the 876 number and be charged the international rate of $7+.

Further, when we made multiple calls to the (800) 301-7195 number, sometimes we were directed to dial 10-15-15-800 instead of the (876) 536-5711 number.

Let us hear from you about this scam below!

UCAN has discovered that to opt-out of IDT sharing information with affiliates or third parties using its Pay N'Talk promotion, that the public is given an 800 # designed to make them think they can opt out. When this number is called, a recording tells you the 800 number has changed to an 876 #. The area code is to Jamaica. Therefore, if one followed the instructions to opt-out of information sharing per IDT's own privacy statement enclosed, it would require an international call. Not so user friendly in our opinion. Remember to fill out our complaint form if you experience anything similar to the IDT scam.