Complaint Review: New Rochelle Telephone Services - New Rochelle Internet

Sorry I haven't updated this post sooner. The inside scoop on the telemarketing industry never dies. As this post goes up, I am currently investigating another story concerning Access Direct Telemarketing (see my previous posts on this company). Several of my sources have told me a story, which if true, could be yet another example of how bad this industry really is. On to business. I am sure you have had a chance to see what kind of people Total Marketing One telemarketing hires (see my report on Total Marketing One Telemarketing by doing a search on John Burchert). Total Marketing One is the company that New Rochelle Telephone employs to call your home. I am sure the criminal records of the names I listed speak for themselves. Nontheless, I promised you an inside look at how this company scams you so here it goes. New Rochelle Telephone Company calls the New York, New Jersy, and Pennsylvania areas. Usually the people that are called have Verizon for their phone company. One script that was used played on the fact that people are sceptical when changing phone companies. So rather than open a call with, "Hi my name is______ calling for New rochelle Telephone", The script read,"Hi my name is calling with the local phone company." This leads consumers to think Verizon. Another tactic is, "Hi my name is______ calling with NRT, Verizons reseller." This is a bit more troubling. Notice how in either case the represenative avoids saying he/she is calling from a different phone company than you already have. In the second case this is completely false. Verizon and New Rochelle Telephone have no connection. This is where the scam begins. The script then goes on to say, "According to my records you have a good record with us and your phone hasn't been shut off in the past 18 months right?". The represenative does not have any record in front of them, remember that a little later. The reason they get you to say yes to this, is because New Rochelle Telephone will turn you away if your phone has been shut off in the past 18 months. Sure it can screw up your service in a few days, but the represenative, and Total Marketing One get the sale. The script continues, "Due to rising costs some peoples phone bills have been increased by $18.12, we feel that is to much for our valued customers to pay, so as a reseller of their phone lines, Verizon has made arangements for my company New Rochelle to put you on our service with our low flat rate to ensure you will never be subject to a rate increase ever again. Best of all since we are Verizons reseller nothing changes." First off to my knowledge Verizon has not raised their rates by $18.12. Secondly as I said Verizon and New Rochelle Telephone have NO connection. Since Verizon will be losing a customer out of this deal rest assured that they have made no such arrangement. Also, NO telephone company can ever GAURENTEE you that your rate will NEVER increase. Last something major does change your phone company! They get you to agree by concluding,"I just need to confirm your primary billing phone number as_____ correct?" They then get the rest of the information from you, just to confirm ofcourse. They then transfer you to an independant verifier. Even though you are transfered to a verifier to give your permission you are still scammed because a) you think New Rochelle Telephone and Verizon are connected. Essentially you have never given anyone permission to change your service, you think Verizon has approved you to do this. b) The represanitive will coach you by saying, " the verifier will ask your permission to switch your service to NRT, just say yes because Verizon has made arrangements for you to do this. If you follow through you have been scammed/slammed. TM One telemarketers also made big off of MCI buying Verizon out. They played off of the fact that people have been scammed by MCI. This is true, but ironic when you consider John Burchert, founder of Total Marketing One Telemarketing (see report) was from MCI. At any rate, they said due to this merger a Verizon customers bill would be raised by $18.12. Again this is not true. The other scam went like this, "Verizon has been overcharging their customers, due to the deregulation act of '96 the federal government has given me permission to punish Verizon, by using their lines and giving you a cheaper bill." It is soely a matter of consumer opinion if they are being overcharged or not. The truth is the deregulation act simply broke up a monopoly. I can gaurentee you that the federal government did not give New Rochelle Telephone, Total Marketing One, or its employees "permission" to punish verizon. The "low flat rate" that I left out on purpose, is $44.95. In most cases the people that New Rochelle calls pays around $20.00 a month for a phone bill. In some cases the people are on government assistance called lifeline, and pay around $12.00 for a phone bill. I am sure that most of these people do not even have enough access to the internet to know that Ripoffreport.com exists. How do you convince one to double, or in some cases, nearly triple their phone bill? Easy. Take advantage of the phsycology of the situation. a)Most people are tense because they are on the line with a telemarketer. b)People can be caught up in any number of situations when you call them. In other words you are not giving the call your undivided attention. c) they can speak with anyoe 18, so the person on the line might not know what you pay for a phone bill. d) Alot of people are uneducated about their phone bill. So the telemarketer will say, "My records indicate you are paying around $50 to $75 dollars for a phone bill, and I feel that is to much don't you agree?" or "While you might think your only paying $30.00 for a phone bill, once you figure in the taxes, surcharges and other hiden fees you are actually paying around $60.00" Not true. taxes and surcharges add up to around $5.00 tops. Another one is, "If you haven't already seen increases in your phone bill, your going to, and according to my records this will take your bill up to around $70.00 a month." In any one of these examples the telemarketer promises to "save you money", while talking you into paying three times more than what you are. When I worked for MCI a scam I used to run to get an international(more bonus money for me) sale went something like this,"I understand you have AT&T right now, right? (yes) and I understand your paying them .10 cents a minute 24 hours a day 7 days a week with a $4.95 monthly fee right? (yes) Well, heres the deal, for the same $4.95 monthly fee I can give you 0.5 cents a minute 7 days a week 365 days a year. No big deal just cutting your phone bill in half, plus I will also cover any international calls you make ok? (ok) Great lets get you started I just need to confirm your name is______ correct" Go back and read my deal again. Notice I did not say 0.5 cents a min 24 HOURS A DAY. The fact is they did get 5 cents 7 days a week 365 days a year in the evenings, their daytime rate was .27 cents a min. That may not seem like alot but it adds up trust me. The bottom line is, that it is best to hang up on telemarketers. If you insist on talking to them make sure to give them your undivided attention. If you have other things going on, and you can't or you don't want to you really don't belong on the phone anyway. Ask questions if something doesnt sound right, or even if slight changes in a story occur. Pay attention to your phone bill just as you would any other utility. Finally if something sounds to good to be true it probably is. After all it's your service, and money that are at stake.