Complain about a product or service

Access Resource Service
Cleo Psychic Network

1007 N. Federal Hwy., Suite 272
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Kristine of Mountlake Terrace, WA writes (4/21/01):
I called for the free five minutes on the psychic line. I even confirmed it with someone on an 800# line and was told that as long as I hung up within 3 seconds of the beep, I would not be charged. I did each time. One time being charged for 3 minutes and the other times for one minute totalling $34.95. I have disputed this debt with them and been yelled at, called names and threatened. I refuse to pay this debt and plan on doing as much as I can to protect my credit rating.

Jennifer of Naperville, IL writes (4/17/01):
We received a collection letter from Access Resource Services stating that we owe $169.00 for use of a psychic hotline. The letter was addressed to my husband. Neither one of us have ever used this "service". Furthermore, the number they have listed from where the calls were made, has never been our phone number.

After contacting the telephone company, we discovered that the number was our old neighbor's. The address on the envelope and the phone number both belonged to our old neigbor, but it had my husband's name on it. After looking on the internet, we also found that this company is being sued by the several states (i.e. Arkansas, Pennsylavania...). There were also several cases in North Carolina in which people were billed for calls they never made and the state is looking into it. I have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, but am concerened as to how I can protect our credit. Any help you could offer would be appreciated.

This may prevent us from buying a house, since we are trying to buy one within the next 30 days

Cathi of Cheektowaga, NY writes:(3/30/01):
One of my friends decided to try the Cleo Psychic Network to see what his free reading would be. After being on hold to speak to a psychic for over 3 minutes, he felt it wasn't worth it and hung up. Ever since then we've been receiving NUMEROUS phone calls from 1-000-000-0000 (as seen on our Caller-ID). Everytime I requested someone say hello, there was no answer.

Today, after the third time of this number showing up, a person finally cleared his voice before speaking and said he wanted to speak to the head of the household. Concerned about how this person got our phone number, I asked how he got it (seeing as it's unlisted). He avoided the question several times and kept saying he was from ARI and that I had to write down this very important phone number for an URGENT message for the head of the household. He was very adamant about it and wouldn't even let me speak to his supervisor to get our phone number off the database.

I reluctantly called the FREE 1-800 number then was told it was from Cleo and that I had to call this 1-900 number for a free psychic reading up to 5 minutes. Desperate to contact SOMEONE to get us off this STUPID AGGRaVATING list, I called the 1-900 number being very careful not to go over the 5 minutes. I finally got switched to a psychic (who didn't even know my name - what a good psychic!) and asked that our phone number be removed from whatever database they have. She said that because she is only a psychic, she couldn't do it. I asked for a number i could call to get removed - she didn't have one.

Bill of West Palm Beach writes (9/20/00):
I was conned by these people on 1 900 psychic reading, they told me there were three free minutes and there was not.

Damage Resulting: $1,300 phone bill.

Mary of New Port Richey, FL, writes (12/12/00):
I have been targeted and victimized by Access Resource Services, the Cleo Psychic Network. Their automated recorders will not stop calling me and the caller id info never shows their real phone number, so there is no way to get taken off the list.

All I want to do is get on with my life. I called one time, and I will never call again, they put me on hold, told me I won a free prize and now I have a huge 900 bill. They keep billing me on my phone for calls that I never made. I wanted the phone company to credit me but they told me to call Access.

This is what happened when I called: "We are taking you to court for Christmas and are disconnecting your phone service. You are never going to be able to have another credit card. We are putting your name into the credit bureau as a charge-off, unless you pay the full amount of these charges, we dont care what you have to do come up with the money but we want to get this paid one way or another. If you dont pay it the next step is a legal action suit against you and we shut off your local and long distance phone service."

Lillian of Detroit (12/12/00):
I am 79 years and live alone, on Social Security and I have no husband in my life. My health is good but this is the thing -- I am being scammed by the Psychic Network. I never talked to their psychics before, I dont call 900 numbers. They told me I had to pay or my phone would be shutoff and my credit report would be damaged. They dont even havemy correct phone number.

They are trying to make me pay for something I don't owe. I have not been able to get this off my bill, and when I call customer service they are rude and won't talk to me, they only want my money.

Holly of Orlando (1/22/01):
I first received a bill dated December 19, 2000 for $154.69 for 31 minutes worth of psychic services. The problem is that they claim that the call was made on March 21, 2000 at 11:26am from (xxx)xxx-xxxx, and I had that phone line disconnected in November of 1999. I have records to prove that the phone line was disconnected, and I have contacted the person who now has that phone line, Jamie C, and she admitted to getting that phone number around January 10, 2000. However, she denies that any calls were made from her residence.

I called to dispute the charges with Access Resource Services, Inc. when I received the first bill, but since then I have received a "Payment Deliquency Notification, 2nd Notice". I do not want my credit to be damaged by this situation, and if there is any help or advice that you could offer me I would appreciate it very much.

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