Before you start reading this seemingly pointless post I would like to tell you that there is a reason for everything I am going to tell you. Also that i am extremely angry with myself and with Unified Services. Furious actually. That anger led me into a seven hour search for information that everyone that posted here needs. Also some of the people that posted here have some information that I need. Even if you don't know that you do. If I can get this information we can report this illegal business practice and possibly get it shut down. There are two traits in people that I have absolutely no tolerance for, a thief and a liar. This "Companies" employees are, every single one of them,both of these. Join me in this fight.

I received a phone call earlier this afternoon(07-12-07) from a company called Unified Services telling me that every year ten winners are selected from each of the fifty states to receive a $1000.00 dollar online gift certificate and a three day- two night vacation to any one of my choice destinations within their package that they will ship out to me today,these destinations included some really expensive locations. I admit they had my attention. It has been a rough couple of years for my wife and I, and although I don't have hardly enough money to pay my bills, it sure would be nice to get away. Last October I under went total shoulder joint replacement surgery, where we live we are currently in the middle of a stage three drought and our water main broke (of course as my luck goes it was on my side of the meter making me responsible for the insanely high water bill and repair cost) blah blah blah. you might know Murphy's Law, anything that can go wrong does. Thats us lately. So this was welcome news, but I was skeptical cause this sounded too good to be true.

Naturally I started asking questions to the woman(very thick Indian accent) by the name of Genia Anderson.I asked her how she got my name and phone number. Her reply made some sense in an obscure way, being that I was busy at the moment. So I stopped what I was doing and grabbed a pen and note pad and asked for her name again and how to spell it. She complied quickly and courteously. then I asked her what I was going to have to do in return for this to good to be true offer. I asked her "O.K. What is the catch here, what are you trying to sell me. You have hit me with the honey, now start with the vinegar". She then assured me that she wasn't trying to sell me anything at all, that I won this simply because my name was picked, and( sounding a little put upon) informed me that she was not a telemarketer. The only thing that I had to do was choose my destination, call her back and allow her to schedule the trip for me and, simply send them a check for $1.95 to cover shipping and handling within ten days for this wonderful package that she was going to send. Spend my $1000.00 shopping spree money. Go on my free three day- two night vacation, and when I return home call them back and answer a survey of the resort that we would be staying in.

"Thats all!" I asked her. Yes that was all. And she was also going to give me three products to try free for ten days. This is a direct quote. "If at the end of the free ten day trail I was happy with any of the three services then I would sign up for the service. If I was not happy with any of them simply do nothing and the services would simply end.".

O.K. sounds good to me so far. Sounds legitimate so far. Then she asked for my checking account number.(Sound of a record player needle being dragged across a record in my head). I asked her "why do you need my checking account number and are you going to electronically draft my account for the $1.95?". She then said ( another direct quote) " No we will not draft your account you will mail the check to us. I need your checking account number and routing number as well as the name of your bank so that we can verify that it was you that we talked to when your check does arrive. To prevent any kind of fraud on your part!!! Can you believe that she said she was trying to keep me honest!!! I guess it is true that the best defense is a good offense. I fell for it. Looking back at it now I don't know what the hell I was thinking. I mean that was just stupid. I just gave someone I don't know, working for a company that I never heard of, free access to my and my wife's checking account. But I did. These people are good at what they do! So then she gave me the web address to the online store where I could spend my $1000.00 dollar shopping spree certificate (that probably doesn't either a.) exist or b.) won't work or c.) has nothing but high priced garbage for products to purchase or the most likely thing d.) loaded with spyware, maleware and or viruses). I was advised not to go over $1000.00 or I would have to pay the difference. The web site is www.freegiftsamerica.com. Then she asked me to hold on while she went and got her supervisor to verify all the information that I had given her.

The supervisors name was Michelle. She didn't give a last name. She too had a thick Indian accent. She went over all the information i had given to Genia Anderson( if that is indeed her real name). She also said that she was going to start a recording for me to accept the three free trials and that I would NEED to sound like I truly wanted the free trials. hindsight is always better than 20/20. If that doesn't sound suspicious, hell looking back at it, it all sounds suspicious, nothing does. But like a cow led to the slaughter i did what i was told. I then received my Package confirmation number and asked them to repeat all the numbers that i had almost been able to make out in the ( now it occurs to me to be intentionally so) horribly distorted and crackly recording that i was told to respond to. I did manage to keep some part of my brain intact during this whole conversation, and asked for their phone number again and received the same number that they had given me previously.

They were satisfied that everything was in order, and I felt like I had all the info I needed from them. The conversation ended as nicely as it began, with them telling me to have a great day. I reciprocated and hung up the phone.

I immediately felt that I had done something tremendously stupid. I got on my computer and Googled Unified Services. that is when I knew I had just been scammed. It took me a while but I found reference to Unified Services. Here. Nobody had anything good to say about them. Unauthorized deductions from banking accounts. People saying that they received verbal abuse from their operators. And even vague threats. Worst of all though is that I haven't seen where anyone has gotten their money back.

Several four letter expletives started to burst from my mouth at my own stupidity. I got scammed. I really thought that I was too smart to fall for anything like this. I did.

First thing I did was call my bank. Told them what had just happened to me. They said that the easiest thing to do is to transfer all of our money to our savings account and close the checking account. Great. We had just a few weeks ago ordered new checks, we would be out all of that money. Plus we would have to order new debit/Visa cards, more money lost. My most helpful agent then suggested another route, putting a stop payment on the debit that would come, thirty dollars. That sounded good, simply because I didn't have to run from them. Only one problem with this plan. I need their business stamp and their routing number. If anyone has these that is how you stop them dead in their tracks. Only a thirty dollar lesson of, if it seems to good to be true, it most likely is.

This is what I have learned today.

1. I was lucky that I felt like something was wrong with this right after i got off the phone.
2. I was lucky that I found this site. It has along with all of every other victims post, been most helpful.
3. The reason why the draft charge that is being deducted from everyones checking account is the same approximate amount is because no one ever called and canceled the services that we did indeed sign up for( with a ten day free trial). When the ten day free trial is over they charge you for the monthly fee for the services by way of electronic deduction of our checking account. We did truthfully and legally sign up for these services. Where the fraud comes into it is that probably everyone that has ever done this was lied to from the word go. As to will I receive the package and the services and products I signed up for, I HOPE to be able to kill this parasite before it gets that far. They charge for all three services at one time that is why the draft is $149.80.

I have managed to dig up quit a lot of useful information regarding this "Company" and how to protect yourself from it happening again by another "Company" however unlikely that seems.

1st you will need to call all three of the service providers numbers and cancel service within your te day free trial. Be diligent don't let up. Keep calling, keep notes, write down everything starting with the persons name that you talk to. If you don't get the answerer that you want from that person demand to talk to a supervisor. You will need to do this with all three of the service providers, even if you never received the service.

The numbers work I have already called them. I had to sit on hold for a little while, (not very long really) but I did talk to a person. That is how I found out that you must call and cancel before your free trial ends. If you don't you will be charged and it will be an automatic draft from checking. The womans name that I spoke with was Joey(once again if that is real). I would not mention anything about this site or them being scam artist. Just simply cancel your service. Be as polite as you can be. GET A CONFIRMATION NUMBER. And write everything down and keep it. if you don't cancel all the services they will continue to bill you.

The number for Unified Services is 1-866-904-7796 (i don't think it would do any good to call this number at all, but at least call the other three first!)

These numbers are the ones that you will need to call to cancel service.

Long distance service phone number is 1-866-585-1723

High speed internet (ha its dial-up) service phone number is 1-866-585-1725

Weight loss diet pills service phone number is 1-866-585-1727

www.donotcall.gov this site will remove your number from these groups list, or they are supposed to remove them at least 31 days from registration. If they call after that they are in violation of the law and could receive a hefty fine. After the thirty day wait period if you receive a call from a solicitor,play their game long enough to get a phone number or business or company name, then nicely tell them that they are in violation of the law because you are on the FTC DO NOT CALL LIST, and that if they ever call you again you will(have a smile on your face while you tell them this, kill them with kindness) be very glad to file a formal complaint with the FCC and the FTC. I doubt very much that they will bother you again. please go to the site and learn what they can and can't do, who can and can't call you. Some organizations are excluded from the law.

Knowledge is power. Go there and register, its free and easy. Just follow their instructions and in 31 days your phone won't ring with so many telescum on the other end.

Please file a complaint against Unified Services.

Good luck to all,
Walter.

An Indian man Identifying himself as informed me that I was lucky to be one of a selected few to be chosen to win a $1000 free shopping spree for FREE GIFTS AMERICA and a 3day/2night get away. He was difficult to understand. He told me that if I just pay $1.95 for shipping and handling, I would receive a package that includes the above mentioned. He said to make the check payable to "United Services." He assured me that it is a legitimate company and that he won't be charging a penny more. Now I should be getting a package in the mail including 3 additional offers. He said that I have 10 days to cancel these offers once I get them in the mail. "The best part about it is that money will automatically be deducted from your bank account." If I do not call and cancel the other 3 offers. And the numbers that you need to call to cancel are not toll free. 3 different numbers from 3 different companies. So, if you fall victim to this... The best you can do is pay the $1.95 plus the charge to the phone time it takes to cancel the three offers.

I just found out today 6/30/07 that my account is in a negative balance, i went to my bank today to find out what extra charges were. Here i find unified service's deducted money in the negative balance. So what i am doing is copying some of your complaints and giving it to my bank as live proof on paper to get an easy dispute. And for all of you unfortunate people that fell for the same scam i did, this is getting reported to our states F.B.I unit in Albany, N.Y. to the Internet Fraud Department. And to all the people in same situation I would advise for you all to do the same.

Sincerely Jennifer E. DiLallo from N.Y.

I am a verizon wireless customer and they called me on my cell phone. I was very angry, and he tried to make me feel guilty, saying that he is a person too. Then I insisted he tell me what company he was from and how he had gotten my number. If this is Verizon which is selling them this information, I am going to definitely raise a stink about it.

I got a call on my office phone which I was surprised me at the first place and this lady started talking fast and told me I have won something. I ask to repeat the company name and she said Unified, luckily since I was in front of the computer, I let her talk and did a google search for unified and got all the complaints and after reading them while she was talking on and on asking my account number, bank name etc but I never gave any personal information. She tired a lot to get my name but I just gave first 3 letters of my name and told them to call back since I did not have any information now. Thanks to all the complaints I did not get into much trouble.