got a text message saying 'Hi Laura, thx 4 visiting our site Call 877-876-8947 to claim your FREE $200 Walmart gift Voucher! and it left a gift code.  I am very reluctant to give out my cell period let alone on a website.  I haven't called the number yet, wanted to check the internet first.  Has anyone else gotten this txt?

I just got the same text. What's up with it??? Don't know who that would be.

said same as others said

Got the same text message.  When I called the number, received back ground music then a man just said hello.  I just hung up.

Got the message . When i called the number a man answered and asked me for the gift code. The man then told  me i will be receiving my gift in 7 days. He asked me for billing details so that i can be charged 9.99 for shipping cost. I just declined and hang up

I received the same message. Why would they just give out $200? It's too good to be true!

Rec'd this as a text message saying thx 4 visiting our site call  877 876 8947 to claim your free 200.00 Walmart Gift Voucher, matter of fact this is my second text the 1st 1 was ignored  Called this number and got a recording from a man. Hopefully this person is caught and criminal charges are filed how's he getting these numbers.

Call 877-233-9186 to claim your FREE $200 gift voucher to Walmart... Gift code 3e733e1b

i received the same text. I called it and a man said "hello" so i said "hello" back and he goes "oh man, are you calling from Hawaii?" and i said "Yes" then he goes "do you have any other address besides Hawaii?" and I said "no" then he said "unfortunately we can't ship it to Hawaii, if in the future you end up with a different address other than Hawaii, you can call us back" and i said "ok" so he goes "i'm very sorry" so i said "ok bye" and hung up.
i was just curious to see who it was but i guess i can't get my $200 walmart because I live in Hawaii. Lame

my number was 877.232.5149 with same message

Got dead air.

we should send them a bill for the text messages

LOL your post made me laugh out loud. Too funny.

Got the text to call for a $200 Walmart voucher.

Thanks for all the info.  I won't call!!

Received a txt message 3 times from 1-877-876-8947, one at 2:49pm, then at 3:19pm and at 8:33pm "Thx Melissa 4 visiting our site call 877-876-8947 to claim your free $200 Walmart gift voucher! Giftcode a39f9dd1  Txt STOP 2112 2 Unsub from 729329 . I tried to stop the txt by unsubcribing but it came back as error. When I got the last txt I called the number and a woman said hello and then she hung up on me when I question the txt messages. I called again and sound like a man from india, ask was I calling about the free $200 walmart giftcards. I sternly told him I was not interested, I was not the Melissa they was texting and to stop it because I have to pay for those text messages. He then said so you don't want to receive anymore texts, ok well take care of it. I then hung up.

got one from 729-329 that said.

Hi (my name), Thanks for visiting our website, call this 1-877-876-8947 to claim your free $200 walmart gift voucher. gift code535b422c.
txt stop to 2112 to unsubscribe.

i got the same text message.  the first time i called i couldnt understand a word the lady was saying.  i told her that i knew this was a scam and i would like to talk to her boss.  she went silent so i repeated myself.  she mummbled something then said hold on and hung up on me!  i called back and spoke to a guy who said he was actually from walmart in phoenix, az and all i had to pay was 9.90 shipping and handling.  i told him thats expensive and he said really all i'm paying is .60 cents for shipping and handling.  the rest of the money goes towards activation fees for the gift card.  HA!  I asked him his name and what call center he was calling from just to see what he would say.  he told me his name was Zeus John LOL and gave me some fake ID number.  I told him i would call walmart and tell them what great customer service i was receiving. LOL  i hung up on him and called back and spoke to another guy who said his name was Robin.  I told him i had just spoken to another "representative" who said that this was walmart and he informed me that he was sorry for the confusion but they were NOT walmart.  they were some company called FOB Services and they are not affliated with walmart what so ever.  I said, well isnt that something....if you aren't affliated with walmart, then how are you giving away free walmart gift cards.  SILENCE!  I told him I knew his scam and that I was the FBI verifying the scam and he hung up... LOL I don't know how these people got my phone number but i'm not liking it.  Im calling verizon and seeing if they are giving my number out to anyone cause this is unacceptable.

DONT ANYONE FALL FOR THIS.  ALL THEY WANT IS YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION SO THEY CAN CHARGE UP YOUR BILL!!!!!  STAY AWAY AND REPORT THEM TO YOUR LOCAL COMPLAINTS OFFICE.

txted me and said credit approval inever heard of them

I received this text 5 min ago.
Hi JENNIFER,
Thx 4 visiting our site
Call 877-867-8947 to Claim
Your FREE $200 Walmart Gift
Voucher!
Thank you all for the heads up.

Got a txt from this company about $200 Wal-Mart Voucher.  Did it just to see what is was (pre-paid card), was suppose to get a voucher within 5-7 business days.  Signed up on the 3rd and still haven't gotten anything!  BEWARE of SCAMMERS!!!! Phone numbers 1-877-867-5801, 1-866-525-6608, 1-866-318-5007.  That's the new numbers from what everyone has posted!!!!

I may have visited a site, but this is most likely a scam, sent me a text at 7am today that read, "Hi DONOVAN, Thx 4 visiting our site Call 877-876-8946 to Claim Your FREE $200 Walmart Gift Voucher! GiftCode: 39cfc451 Txt STOP2052 2Unsub", first off, getting a text message with a bunch of shorthand in it that didn't reference the site or company was a little irking, but there was a code and an unsubscribe number, so i called to check into it, asked me for the gift code, when he couldn't understand me (he had a thick Indian accent) he asked if he was speaking with me by last name (info probably just came up on caller ID) and asked if I'd be paying the $9.99 with a Visa or MasterCard. I repeatedly asked what company he was with but all he said was they are a promotional company working for walmart, followed by will you be using a Visa or MasterCard? I asked him to send me an email confirmation to which he replied, "If this was a scam, would we give you a phone number? No, we would call you. Visa or MasterCard?" Well, sending me a vague text is scammy enough. If they weren't a scam, they wouldn't hammer you for a credit card number. I'm in sales, I know how the song and dance works, and these guys aren't even that good!

I am trying to stop the text messages!

Got the same text message as the others above except it was my brothers name.  He has never used my number for anything before.  I think they are fishing for info trying to find him.  He owes money to a credit card and for a car about 6 years ago.  I have gotten other weird calls like this before asking for him.

HOPE YOU HAVE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION!

Legitimate "winnings" do not require that you PAY ANYTHING to receive it.

Prize Offers: You Don?t Have to Pay to Play!
Congratulations, it?s your lucky day! You?ve just won $5,000!
You?re guaranteed to win a fabulous diamond ring, luxury vacation or all-terrain vehicle!

If you receive a letter or phone call with a message like this, be skeptical. The $5,000 "prize" may cost you hundreds of dollars in taxes or service charges ? and never arrive. Your "fabulous" prize may not be worth collecting. The diamond is likely to be the size of a pinhead. The "vacation" could be one night in a seedy motel, and the ATV, nothing more than a lounge chair on wheels!

Scam artists often use the promise of a valuable prize or award to entice consumers to send money, buy overpriced products or services, or contribute to bogus charities. People who fall for their ploys may end up paying far more than their "prizes" are worth, if they get a prize at all.

What these people are likely to get - especially if they signed up for a contest drawing at a public place or event ? may be more than they bargained for: more promotions in the mail, more telemarketing calls and more unsolicited commercial email, or "spam." This is because many prize promoters sell the information they collect to advertisers.

Worse yet, contest entrants might subject themselves to a bogus prize promotion scam.

And The Winner Is...
Everyone loves to be a winner. A recent research poll showed that more than half of all American adults entered sweepstakes within the past year. Most of these contests were run by reputable marketers and non-profit organizations to promote their products and services. Some lucky winners received millions of dollars or valuable prizes.

Capitalizing on the popularity of these offers, some con artists disguise their schemes to look legitimate. And an alarming number of people take the bait. Every day, consumers throughout the United States lose thousands of dollars to unscrupulous prize promoters. During 1999 alone, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 10,000 complaints from consumers about gifts, sweepstakes and prize promotions. Many received telephone calls or postcards telling them they'd won a big prize - only to find out that to claim it, they had to buy something or pay as much as $10,000 in fees or other charges.

There's a big difference between legitimate sweepstakes and fraudulent ones. Prizes in legitimate contests are awarded solely by chance, and contestants don't have to pay a fee or buy something to enter or increase their odds of winning. In fraudulent schemes, however, "winners" almost always have to dip into their pockets to enter a contest or collect their "prize."

Skill Contests
There's one notable exception: skill contests. These are puzzles, games or other contests in which prizes are awarded based on skill, knowledge or talent - not on chance. Contestants might be required to write a jingle, solve a puzzle or answer questions correctly to win.

Unlike sweepstakes, skill contests may legally require contestants to buy something or make a payment or donation to enter.

It's important to recognize that many consumers are deceptively lured into playing skill contests by easy initial questions or puzzles. Once they've sent their money and become "hooked," the questions get harder and the entry fees get steeper. Entrants in these contests rarely receive anything for their money and effort.

Consumer Protections
Several consumer laws help protect consumers against fraudulent sweepstakes and prize offers promoted through the mail or by phone.

Telephone Solicitations
Telemarketers frequently use sweepstakes and prize contests to sell magazines or other goods and services. These telemarketers make an initial contact with consumers through "cold calls," or take calls from consumers who are responding to a solicitation they received by mail.

The Telemarketing Sales Rule helps protect consumers from fraudulent telemarketers who use prize promotions as a lure. In every telemarketing call involving a prize promotion, the law requires telemarketers to tell you:

the odds of winning a prize. If the odds can't be determined in advance, the promoter must tell you the factors used to calculate the odds.
that you don't have to pay a fee or buy something to win a prize or participate in the promotion.
if you ask, how to participate in the contest without buying or paying anything.
what you'll have to pay or the conditions you'll have to meet to receive or redeem a prize.
The Telemarketing Sales Rule prohibits telemarketers from misrepresenting any of these facts, as well as the nature or value of the prizes. It also requires telemarketers who call you to pitch a prize promotion to tell you before they describe the prize that you don't have to buy or pay anything to enter or win.

Written Solicitations
Many sweepstakes promotions arrive by mail as a letter or postcard that instructs the consumer to respond by return mail or phone to enter a contest or collect a prize.

The Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act helps protect consumers against fraudulent sweepstakes promotions sent through the mail. The law prohibits:

claims that you're a winner unless you've actually won a prize.
requirements that you buy something to enter the contest or to receive future sweepstakes mailings.
the mailing of fake checks that don't clearly state that they are non-negotiable and have no cash value.
seals, names or terms that imply an affilia-tion with or endorsement by the federal government.
Skill Contests
Skill contests also are covered by the new Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act. The law requires the sponsors to disclose in a clear and conspicuous way:

the terms, rules and conditions of the contest.
how many rounds of the contest you must achieve to win the grand prize.
the time frame for the winner to be determined.
the name of the contest's sponsor.
an address where you can reach the sponsor to request that your name be removed from the mailing list.
Just Say "No"
Another way to protect yourself is to request that your name be removed from mail and telephone solicitation lists.

The Telemarketing Sales Rule requires telemarketers to keep a "do not call" list of consumers who have asked not to be called again. Calling a consumer who has made this request is illegal and can subject the telemarketer to a hefty fine.

The Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act requires companies that use direct mail to maintain a similar "do not mail" list for consumers who call or write and ask that their name be removed from the mailing list.

This new law gives caregivers the right to have the names of the friends and loved ones under their care removed from the mailing lists of undesirable solicitors.

Another way to reduce mail and telephone solicitations is to contact the Direct Marketing Association to request that your name be placed on its "do not call," "do not mail" and "do not email" lists. Association members agree not to solicit consumers who have requested that they not be contacted.

To have your name removed from direct mail marketing lists, write: Direct Marketing Association, Preference Service Manager, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036-6700. To have your name removed from telemarketing lists, write: Direct Marketing Association, Preference Service Manager, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036-6700. To "opt out" of receiving unsolicited commercial email, use the DMA's form at www.e-mps.org.


A Dozen Ways to Protect Yourself
The next time you get a "personal" letter or telephone call telling you "it?s your lucky day," the Federal Trade Commission encourages you to remember that:

Legitimate sweepstakes don?t require you to pay or buy something to enter or improve your chances of winning, or to pay "taxes" or "shipping and handling charges" to get your prize. If you have to pay to receive your "prize," it?s not a prize at all.


Sponsors of legitimate contests identify themselves prominently; fraudulent promoters are more likely to downplay their identities. Legitimate promoters also provide you with an address or toll-free phone numbers so you can ask that your name be removed from their mailing list.


Bona fide offers clearly disclose the terms and conditions of the promotion in plain English, including rules, entry procedures, and usually, the odds of winning.


It?s highly unlikely that you?ve won a "big" prize if your notification was mailed by bulk rate. Check the postmark on the envelope or postcard. Also be suspicious of telemarketers who say you?ve won a contest you can?t remember entering.


Fraudulent promoters might instruct you to send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier to enter a contest or claim your "prize." This is a favorite ploy for con artists because it lets them take your money fast, before you realize you?ve been cheated.


Disreputable companies sometimes use a variation of an official or nationally recognized name to give you confidence in their offers. Don?t be deceived by these "look-alikes." It?s illegal for a promoter to misrepresent an affiliation with ? or an endorsement by ? a government agency or other well-known organization.


It?s important to read any written solicitation you receive carefully. Pay particularly close attention to the fine print. Remember the old adage that "the devil is in the details."


Agreeing to attend a sales meeting just to win an "expensive" prize is likely to subject you to a high-pressure sales pitch.


Signing up for a sweepstakes at a public location or event, through a publication or online might subject you to unscrupulous prize promotion tactics. You also might run the risk of having your personal information sold or shared with other marketers who later deluge you with offers and advertising.


Some contest promoters use a toll-free "800" number that directs you to dial a pay-per-call "900" number. Charges for calls to "900" numbers may be very high.


Disclosing your checking account or credit card account number over the phone in response to a sweepstakes promotion ? or for any reason other than to buy the product or service being sold ? is a sure-fire way to get scammed in the future.


Your local Better Business Bureau and your state or local consumer protection office can help you check out a sweepstakes promoter?s reputation. Be aware, however, that many questionable prize promotion companies don?t stay in one place long enough to establish a track record, and the absence of complaints doesn?t necessarily mean the offer is legitimate.



To File a Complaint
Consumers who believe they have been victimized by fraudulent promotional offers also should contact their local postmaster or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service by phone, toll-free, at: 1-888-877-7644; by email at: www.uspsoig.gov; or by mail at: U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Office of Inspector General, Operations Support Group, 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1250, Chicago, IL 60606-6100.

If you have a problem with a sweepstakes or prize promotion after participating, and you are unable to resolve the problem directly with the company, contact:

The Direct Marketing Association, ConsumerLine, 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036-3603; phone 202-955-5030; fax 202-955-0085.
The Better Business Bureau where the company is located.
Call for Action, a network of radio and television station hotlines that offer resolution services for consumers. Call 301-657-7490 or write: Call for Action, 5272 River Road, Suite 300, Bethesda, MD 20816.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

July 2000

From the Federal Trade Commission Website - everyone should mark www.ftc.gov as a favorite for CONSUMER PROTECTION INFORMATION

Prize Offers: You Don?t Have to Pay to Play!
Congratulations, it?s your lucky day! You?ve just won $5,000!
You?re guaranteed to win a fabulous diamond ring, luxury vacation or all-terrain vehicle!

If you receive a letter or phone call with a message like this, be skeptical. The $5,000 "prize" may cost you hundreds of dollars in taxes or service charges ? and never arrive. Your "fabulous" prize may not be worth collecting. The diamond is likely to be the size of a pinhead. The "vacation" could be one night in a seedy motel, and the ATV, nothing more than a lounge chair on wheels!

Scam artists often use the promise of a valuable prize or award to entice consumers to send money, buy overpriced products or services, or contribute to bogus charities. People who fall for their ploys may end up paying far more than their "prizes" are worth, if they get a prize at all.

What these people are likely to get - especially if they signed up for a contest drawing at a public place or event ? may be more than they bargained for: more promotions in the mail, more telemarketing calls and more unsolicited commercial email, or "spam." This is because many prize promoters sell the information they collect to advertisers.

Worse yet, contest entrants might subject themselves to a bogus prize promotion scam.

And The Winner Is...
Everyone loves to be a winner. A recent research poll showed that more than half of all American adults entered sweepstakes within the past year. Most of these contests were run by reputable marketers and non-profit organizations to promote their products and services. Some lucky winners received millions of dollars or valuable prizes.

Capitalizing on the popularity of these offers, some con artists disguise their schemes to look legitimate. And an alarming number of people take the bait. Every day, consumers throughout the United States lose thousands of dollars to unscrupulous prize promoters. During 1999 alone, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 10,000 complaints from consumers about gifts, sweepstakes and prize promotions. Many received telephone calls or postcards telling them they'd won a big prize - only to find out that to claim it, they had to buy something or pay as much as $10,000 in fees or other charges.

There's a big difference between legitimate sweepstakes and fraudulent ones. Prizes in legitimate contests are awarded solely by chance, and contestants don't have to pay a fee or buy something to enter or increase their odds of winning. In fraudulent schemes, however, "winners" almost always have to dip into their pockets to enter a contest or collect their "prize."

Skill Contests
There's one notable exception: skill contests. These are puzzles, games or other contests in which prizes are awarded based on skill, knowledge or talent - not on chance. Contestants might be required to write a jingle, solve a puzzle or answer questions correctly to win.

Unlike sweepstakes, skill contests may legally require contestants to buy something or make a payment or donation to enter.

It's important to recognize that many consumers are deceptively lured into playing skill contests by easy initial questions or puzzles. Once they've sent their money and become "hooked," the questions get harder and the entry fees get steeper. Entrants in these contests rarely receive anything for their money and effort.

Consumer Protections
Several consumer laws help protect consumers against fraudulent sweepstakes and prize offers promoted through the mail or by phone.

Telephone Solicitations
Telemarketers frequently use sweepstakes and prize contests to sell magazines or other goods and services. These telemarketers make an initial contact with consumers through "cold calls," or take calls from consumers who are responding to a solicitation they received by mail.

The Telemarketing Sales Rule helps protect consumers from fraudulent telemarketers who use prize promotions as a lure. In every telemarketing call involving a prize promotion, the law requires telemarketers to tell you:

the odds of winning a prize. If the odds can't be determined in advance, the promoter must tell you the factors used to calculate the odds.
that you don't have to pay a fee or buy something to win a prize or participate in the promotion.
if you ask, how to participate in the contest without buying or paying anything.
what you'll have to pay or the conditions you'll have to meet to receive or redeem a prize.
The Telemarketing Sales Rule prohibits telemarketers from misrepresenting any of these facts, as well as the nature or value of the prizes. It also requires telemarketers who call you to pitch a prize promotion to tell you before they describe the prize that you don't have to buy or pay anything to enter or win.

Written Solicitations
Many sweepstakes promotions arrive by mail as a letter or postcard that instructs the consumer to respond by return mail or phone to enter a contest or collect a prize.

The Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act helps protect consumers against fraudulent sweepstakes promotions sent through the mail. The law prohibits:

claims that you're a winner unless you've actually won a prize.
requirements that you buy something to enter the contest or to receive future sweepstakes mailings.
the mailing of fake checks that don't clearly state that they are non-negotiable and have no cash value.
seals, names or terms that imply an affilia-tion with or endorsement by the federal government.
Skill Contests
Skill contests also are covered by the new Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act. The law requires the sponsors to disclose in a clear and conspicuous way:

the terms, rules and conditions of the contest.
how many rounds of the contest you must achieve to win the grand prize.
the time frame for the winner to be determined.
the name of the contest's sponsor.
an address where you can reach the sponsor to request that your name be removed from the mailing list.
Just Say "No"
Another way to protect yourself is to request that your name be removed from mail and telephone solicitation lists.

The Telemarketing Sales Rule requires telemarketers to keep a "do not call" list of consumers who have asked not to be called again. Calling a consumer who has made this request is illegal and can subject the telemarketer to a hefty fine.

The Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act requires companies that use direct mail to maintain a similar "do not mail" list for consumers who call or write and ask that their name be removed from the mailing list.

This new law gives caregivers the right to have the names of the friends and loved ones under their care removed from the mailing lists of undesirable solicitors.

Another way to reduce mail and telephone solicitations is to contact the Direct Marketing Association to request that your name be placed on its "do not call," "do not mail" and "do not email" lists. Association members agree not to solicit consumers who have requested that they not be contacted.

To have your name removed from direct mail marketing lists, write: Direct Marketing Association, Preference Service Manager, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036-6700. To have your name removed from telemarketing lists, write: Direct Marketing Association, Preference Service Manager, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036-6700. To "opt out" of receiving unsolicited commercial email, use the DMA's form at www.e-mps.org.


A Dozen Ways to Protect Yourself
The next time you get a "personal" letter or telephone call telling you "it?s your lucky day," the Federal Trade Commission encourages you to remember that:

Legitimate sweepstakes don?t require you to pay or buy something to enter or improve your chances of winning, or to pay "taxes" or "shipping and handling charges" to get your prize. If you have to pay to receive your "prize," it?s not a prize at all.


Sponsors of legitimate contests identify themselves prominently; fraudulent promoters are more likely to downplay their identities. Legitimate promoters also provide you with an address or toll-free phone numbers so you can ask that your name be removed from their mailing list.


Bona fide offers clearly disclose the terms and conditions of the promotion in plain English, including rules, entry procedures, and usually, the odds of winning.


It?s highly unlikely that you?ve won a "big" prize if your notification was mailed by bulk rate. Check the postmark on the envelope or postcard. Also be suspicious of telemarketers who say you?ve won a contest you can?t remember entering.


Fraudulent promoters might instruct you to send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier to enter a contest or claim your "prize." This is a favorite ploy for con artists because it lets them take your money fast, before you realize you?ve been cheated.


Disreputable companies sometimes use a variation of an official or nationally recognized name to give you confidence in their offers. Don?t be deceived by these "look-alikes." It?s illegal for a promoter to misrepresent an affiliation with ? or an endorsement by ? a government agency or other well-known organization.


It?s important to read any written solicitation you receive carefully. Pay particularly close attention to the fine print. Remember the old adage that "the devil is in the details."


Agreeing to attend a sales meeting just to win an "expensive" prize is likely to subject you to a high-pressure sales pitch.


Signing up for a sweepstakes at a public location or event, through a publication or online might subject you to unscrupulous prize promotion tactics. You also might run the risk of having your personal information sold or shared with other marketers who later deluge you with offers and advertising.


Some contest promoters use a toll-free "800" number that directs you to dial a pay-per-call "900" number. Charges for calls to "900" numbers may be very high.


Disclosing your checking account or credit card account number over the phone in response to a sweepstakes promotion ? or for any reason other than to buy the product or service being sold ? is a sure-fire way to get scammed in the future.


Your local Better Business Bureau and your state or local consumer protection office can help you check out a sweepstakes promoter?s reputation. Be aware, however, that many questionable prize promotion companies don?t stay in one place long enough to establish a track record, and the absence of complaints doesn?t necessarily mean the offer is legitimate.



To File a Complaint
Consumers who believe they have been victimized by fraudulent promotional offers also should contact their local postmaster or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service by phone, toll-free, at: 1-888-877-7644; by email at: www.uspsoig.gov; or by mail at: U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Office of Inspector General, Operations Support Group, 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1250, Chicago, IL 60606-6100.

If you have a problem with a sweepstakes or prize promotion after participating, and you are unable to resolve the problem directly with the company, contact:

The Direct Marketing Association, ConsumerLine, 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036-3603; phone 202-955-5030; fax 202-955-0085.
The Better Business Bureau where the company is located.
Call for Action, a network of radio and television station hotlines that offer resolution services for consumers. Call 301-657-7490 or write: Call for Action, 5272 River Road, Suite 300, Bethesda, MD 20816.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

July 2000

I got the same text today.  I called the number and got an Indian sounding person on the phone.  I informed them that my cell number is listed in the Do Not Call Registry and that I am an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, the very agency that administers the Do Not Call Registry and that each text his company sends me is a violation of the DNC Registry punishable by a $100,000 fine.  He assured me that they would take my number off their rolls.

yep, got the same call. it is defininitely a Phishing scam, in order to get your credit card information. my best guess is if you ever clicked on soem random pop up ads while surfing the web, even inadvertently. I clickled on some ad for some webstore and my antivirus notified me of a download attempt.
 mine said " thx 4 visiting our site call 877-876-8947 to claim FREE $200 Walmart Gift voucher!" Giftcode:..... txt STOP2072 2 unsub

you sure cause 9 dollar shipping and handleing is expensive

I got this text too and I gave them my info since they didn't ask for social. I gave them my ppd card and I actually got a 200 gift card loaded I spent it. The way it worked was they sell my email and jam it with spam. For 200 bucks I can live with that. I'll get a new email. Not scam just a marketing company