This is not the VA.  They are a loan consolidation co.

I was curious about the call when I received a message on my answering machine so I decided to Google it and received many complaints about calls from this number.  It stated that they are calling about education benefits offered by the VA and offered its thanks for serving our country.  Still curious, I called the number. You are absolutely correct, it's a loan consolidation company; a scam if you as me.

says EDS Federal STU on caller ID but you are right it is all about Loan consolidation. Thanks for the heads up.

i also recieved a call from this number. i called back and got a loan consolidation company. but then i listened to the message again and he gave me 866-606-8212 (another number) and when i called it, turned out it was the va. not sure why it is a consolidation number.

Department of Veteran Affairs ???

Is this company affiliated with the US Department of Education/ Direct Loan Consolidation Center?  If so, has anyone had any problems with them processing their student loan consolidation?

When I googled the Number this is what came up.

Electronic Data Systems Corporation
 (Electronic Data Systems Corporation)
474 S Court St Ste 500, Montgomery, AL 36104-4161

Contact Phone:     (334) 206-7400
URL (web address):     www.eds.com
Business Category:     Data Processing/Preparation in Montgomery, AL
Industry (SIC):     Computer Processing and Data Preparation and Processing Services

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Business Information

This company profile is for the private company Electronic Data Systems Corporation branch, located in Montgomery, AL. Electronic Data Systems Corporation's line of business is data processing/preparation.
Company Name:     Electronic Data Systems Corporation
Is This Your Company?
Address:     474 S Court St Ste 500, Montgomery, AL 36104-4161 (Map)
Alt Business Name:     Electronic Data Systems Corporation
Location Type:     Branch Location
Est. Annual Sales:     
Est. # of Employees:     
Est. Empl. at Loc.:     300
Year Started:     
State of Incorp:     
SIC #Code:     7374
Contact's Name:     Lynda Mott
Contact's Title:     Manager
Parent Companies:     Hewlett-Packard Company, Electronic Data Systems, Llc
NAICS:     Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services

My husband has gotten a call from these people almost everyday.  He is a combat vet.  I've tried to call the number back and they just hang up on you. I've reported them to the FTC and my cell phone company.  I've also called some places that are suppose to be out there to help veterans but they have never heard of these people. They told me to just have the number blocked and call your BBB.  So that is what I've done.  I just wonder where these people are getting our numbers from.  Our cell numbers are on the Do Not Call List.

I don't answer calls from numbers I don't recognize on my caller ID. We get calls from this number several times a week, at various times,  if not everyday.  They never leave a message when my answering machine starts up.  We have received calls from them for a number of months

I submitted a comment on www.va.gov and here was their response below on the phone number. This is definitely a scam.

Do you use a phone number of 334-206-7400 to notify Veterans of benefit chang...

 Discussion Thread
Response (Dept of Veterans Affairs) 11/17/2008 01:34 PM  
We generally do not call veterans with benefit information unless you specifically called in to VA and requested information (and we are calling you back with it).   Thank you for contacting the VA.
 
Inquirer 11/15/2008 08:10 PM  
Do you use a phone number of 334-206-7400 to notify Veterans of benefit changes? I receive a phonecall from that number and the lady on the other end wanted to notify me of benefit changes. I told her that I would go on the www.va.gov to read about the benefit changes. I didn't know who it was because it had unknown name in the caller id on my phone.

This number continues to call me periodically and leaves no message. Please inform them that this continuous calling is harassment.

This is not about showing disrespect. I'm a retired veteran and I appreciate what the VA is doing to help and care for veterans (especially the ones that were injured in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom). What I don't like is our veterans being taken advantage of. If you say that you are the VA and you are informing veterans of benefit changes, then use a phone number that is legitimate, vice a 334 area code phone number. I don't know who I am talking on the other line. This is the reason WHY i either go or call my local VA office to find out the benefits.

yes and also there is the VA website. Also VA will send you stuff about benefit changes through the mail as well. I receive that as well as calling the local VA office. That is pretty cheezy having a 334 area code phone number calling you to talk about VA Benefits at 8:24 pm.

i concur. VA doesn't handle business like this.

PEOPLE THIS IS NOT A SCAM!!!!!

This link will take you to the VA website as well as the EDS website. It will explain the call you received. It's not hyperlinked so just copy it into your browser.
These agents are contractors for the VA and they work 7 days a week and they actually care about veterans. They are not able to answer all of you questions but they can put a request in on your behalf to get you the answers you need. We will even follow up on your requests to make sure the VA responds to you in a timely manner. PLEASE SHOW THEM SOME RESPECT!!! As a supervisor here I understand your concerns about scams and phone solicitations so even if you are not interested there are other veterans out there suffering and are unaware of some the benefits available to them and are happy to know that the VA has reached out to them. So, again PLEASE SHOW THEM SOME RESPECT!! They should be giving you the same in return and if you were disrespected please ask for a supervisor on staff. The VA is trying to step up and assist as they should. If the links below does not provide the information you need to verify our authenticity, please contact you local VA at 1-800-827-1000 (VA general information line).

Website 1:   www.va.gov
Websit  2:    http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1493
Website 3:   http://www.eds.com/news/releases/4542/

recieved a phony call from this #

They called my phone today also and never left a message, its getting as bad on cell phones as it is on home phones.

This number appeared on our caller id with "Eds federal stu". Good thing i googled it before spending too much time wondering who it was. I suspect the scam is to steal identity. I plan to let my friends know about this.

SO...I have to take back a few things I said in previous posts.

The 334 number is from a company hired by the VA to reach 2 types of combat veterans: 1) those hurt in combat to let them know their benefits have been extended to 5 years; 2) combat veterans that have been discharged from the military but never contacted the VA for medical care.

Because I made such a stink someone from the local VA called, and apologized for the way the "call center" was putting out information and the unprofessionalism of their callers.  Apparently their practices are being investigated and the contract is potentially being handed over to a military call center associated with Military One Source because the federal government has more control over the practices of a military call center and their practices.  Plus as the VA rep stated, it lends more validity to a phone call from a governement phone number on the caller ID than from a hub number that follows telemarketing practices.  I was informed that by calling the 866-606-8198 number you will reach a VA combat veteran representative, but if you have problems call your local VA number and let them know you received a call.  They will only ask for your phone number and to verify your name.

So my apologies go out to those on this list that where trying to let everyone know that it was in fact ligitimate, but I do say that telemarketing practices should not have been used to contact those of us in the military.  We are schooled all the time on scams and this had already gone out as a possible scam from our superiors.  It would have been nice if the VA had just sent letters.  If they had really wanted to seem legitimate all they had to do was leave a message regarding the benefits with the information and a number to contact a representative at the 866 number if you wanted more information and an explination that they had been contracted by the VA to make the calls.

These idiots called back, but this time asked for my spouse (former military member).  They claim to be calling to inform and assist him with the new GI Bill benefits that will go into effect shortly.  Since I am a GI Bill counselor I asked questions.  First they know only what they have scripted and second...if you have questions about your VA Benefits please don't listen to someone over the phone unless it's a VA or GI Bill Counselor that you have contacted yourself; go to www.va.gov and click the benefits link.  If you still have questions call the 800 number on the page or the local VA in your area.

I went to the FTC and filed a complaint.  I suggest anyone else that gets a call from these people does the same.

For FTC complaints:  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
For FTC complaints from military members or their dependents:  https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/military_home.htm

Military Sentinel is a project of the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Defense to identify and target consumer protection issues that affect members of the United States Armed Forces and their families.

Military Sentinel  allows members of the United States Armed Forces to enter consumer complaints directly into a database that is immediately accessible by over 500 law enforcement organizations throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. These law enforcement agencies use this complaint data to target cases for prosecution and other enforcement measures. The information from Military Sentinel  can also be used by members of the JAG staff and others in the Department of Defense to help protect armed services members and their families from consumer protection-related problems.

I got the same thing they called but don't leave massage

I called the VA to verify this number (334-206-7400 and 866-606-8198) to see if this was legit. Apparently the VA hired out a call center to make the calls to inform combat vets of the benifits being extended. The reason you get a Loan Consolidation Company or Travel Place is they are located on the same hub with 334-206-7400. The Link Chris posted ( http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1493 ) explains this. They did continue to call a few times after I called them back after talking to the VA, Upon which I told them I'd already talked to them and they apologised and took my name off the list.

i just got the call from this same number, with similar message. Thanks to Google, i found this site. Thanks guys. For a minute, I thought they were for real, but for a VA to call me from a phone # that was not toll free made me suspicious.

This is not the VA - do not speak to them.  This is a loan consolidation co out of Alabama.  The VA will only contact you via mail.  Report them to the FTC, go to http://www.ftc.gov/phonefraud they are impersonating Fed officials, this is a crime.

It's legit. If you get a loan consolidator, you've dialed the wrong number...it's the VA and because they have received so much bad press they are really making an effort to care for Vets. I Called the number, had a pleasant conversation about new benefits and then received a packet in the mail from the VA office. They even ask your permission to call back after they send the packet. They are in no way asking for any payment of any kind. Don't believe the hype!

I'm sorry I meant that I called back 10 times in total!!!

I don't know where they get their list from, because if they pulled a credit report they wouldn't be offering me debt consolidation, I don't have any debt...I am retiring in less than 2 years and have worked hard to make sure that I can do it debt free!  I'd like to know who's selling the phone numbers to whom and call them 10-30 times a day, see how they like it.

Seriously, why would you come on here and post such nonsense?  I called the number back and the electronic voice on the other end says, "If you are calling about loan consolidation please press 1".  So I pressed 1, because that's all it says even if you wait a minute...the young woman that came on the phone greeted me so pleasantly.  I explained that I was on the no call list for solicitations and she explained that they are not soliciting.  You aren't huh?  I have free long distance on my home phone so I listened to her explain how their company could assist me in consolidating all of my current bills into 1 payment.  So again I asked her how that was not a solicitation, and she explained that they offer a service and they are just trying to get the word out to everyone.  I explained that unless their service was free then it was a solicitation and asked if she was at that moment sitting in a room with lots of little cubicles at a telemarketing center or did she actually have a desk in an office in an office building.  She said, "I'm sorry ma'am I don't see how my location is important to your use of our service."  I explained that the fact that she got up every morning and drove to work, or walked, or rode the bus there was because of people like me.  People who actually care about our freedom, people who also have the freedom to speak to the insignificant person that she worked for.  She said, "excuse me?"  I asked for her supervisor or someone in middle management that would understand a few big words.  She hung up on me.  I called back and got someone else.  The same thing happened.  I called back again.  In total I called back 1 times, the total number of times it shows that they have called on my caller ID.  Each time I talked to someone different, each time I was hung up on, until the tenth call...I got someone different, but instead of the normal conversation I asked if anyone was yet tired of me calling constantly?  The young man said yes, we are recording your phone calls and well report you as a nuisance.  I just laughed and informed him that I too was recording the phone calls that I was going to take them to my local Attorney General and report them, so feel free to take my name, my phone number and report me to whom ever he wanted, because all I was doing was annoying them like they annoyed me.  He took me off their call list.

We'll see!  I know they are annoying, but if you have the opportunity to mess with them...do it.  Do onto others as they do onto you, but only if they are telemarketers!

Yes, the VA DOES NOT CONTACT combat vets this way.  They go through the LOCAL VA Hospital, or VA Outreach.  My husband is Active Duty and does not fall under the VA Hospital, and we still get calls from this phony organzation.  This number has been reported to the VA.

BABYDOLL,
 If you do work for this company why cant WE VET's get a hold of a CSR, Even if given the option? Your # you are calling from is now 2 or 3 Companies????? You will burn in hell if you are a scam! If I ever get the chance to find out who did this I will treat you like a DIRTY Terrorist!

I got the same call about loan consolidation. I did press 1! I don't want a loan cons, I just put in for a loan to the bank with my VA loan! So dumb a** me entered my ss# Then it says "we were unable to find that number, Please hold for a customer service rep." Then the phone will disconnect!!!! I called back to try to talk with someone else by just pressing the # they say to talk to a CSR. It then hangs up on you again! I hope they find who is doing this. If it is the VA they should let us know some how. It sounds like a scam to me. Because a few people has had it say a few companies.