North Idaho target of phone scams

SANDPOINT – Telemarketers are tricking Sandpoint residents and businesses with offers of free products and relief for unpaid medical bills, drawing concerns from Better Business Bureau officials.

One company has even obtained confidential information such as bank account routing numbers, said Zan Deery with BBB’s Sandpoint office. Professional Teleservices is calling residents offering a 70 percent discount on unpaid medical bills and a $1,000 gift certificate. They tell potential customers they are one of two fake agencies – either the Idaho Department of Health or Healthcare Services of Idaho – to get people to sign up for a calling card.

To avoid telemarketing scams, businesses should warn employees of the schemes, and employees shouldn’t give out the name of people authorized to make orders, Deery said.

A Priest Lake woman who signed up for the medical bill discount never received what was offered, but she did get a calling card.

Professional Teleservices of Clearwater, Fla., has been mentioned in 99 complaints processed by BBB, most about billing and refund issues. Deery said the company targets consumers and hopes they won’t cancel the free-trial calling card in time.

Sherman Oaks, Calif.-based Marathon Imaging Supplies has been targeting businesses with an offer of free toner cartridges for fax and photocopy machines. Businesses that agree to the deal are being left with unwanted toner and bills.

“There was like a little rash of it, and what happens with these groups is they go in and target, hit an area hard, pop out real quick, go to another region and come back in again,” Deery said.

Deery said one business mistakenly signed up with Marathon, then continued receiving high-priced toner cartridges without authorization. The business sent the toner back, but Marathon just kept sending more.