"Hi this message is for Mr. Blah Blah my name is Michael Lopez with Congressman Tom Cole in the National Republican Congressional Committee.  Your name came up here in Washington and we would liek you to serve on our Business Advisory Counsel.  My number is 1-888-383-8065 please call me as soon as you get this message.  Thank you."

I live in Washington State - what does Oklahoma Tom Cole want to do with me?

We got the same message... they wanted to talk to my boss... but first i searched the number and found this....

I also just started a business and have received four of these calls over the course of a week and a half.  I used to work up in the DC area right near the Hill and I started calling up some of my old contacts asking them to check the staff lists for Tom Cole.  The people were not on the staff lists at all.  Big time flags started going up.  

Call up your Senator and complain.  Maybe if enough people complain the people in Washington will get a clue and take the hint.

My boss also "won the Congressional award of Merit"... Tom Cole is quite the giver ....

Woman named Barbara Allen called saying that Tom Cole wanted to give a Congressional award to my boss. Ha! The number was 1-888-383-4164.

I got the same message from Joe Blow at Congressmen Coles Office. Have any of you tried to mess with the guys? I have just started a new business also.

My caller used the name Jennette Hoffman, claiming to be calling from Tom Cole's office. She informed me I was to receive the Congressional Order of Merit. ROFLMAO! Aksed me to call her back @ 888.383.4164

I got a call from these scam artists today.  This is the third time I've been contacted like this in the past few years.  The other times I was told that I won an award.  I asked them to send it to me before I would decide to contribute.  I was promised I would receive it in the mail but, of course, never received anything.  Today's call was different.  They told me they were calling on behalf of Congressman Tom Cole (from Oklahoma) and that I had been selected to be a delegate to a Republican convention in Washington.  The fact that I have been a registered Democrat for at least the past 3-4 years didn't seem to dissuade them.  When I accused them of out-and-out fraud and that I would report this they just continued to talk and talk.  These people are way scary.  You would think that after they realize I'm not going to contribute they would politely end the call, but they don't.  You have to hang up on them or they will just keep talking to you...like some kind of cult of religious fanatics.

Nicole Desano from Tom Cole's office at the National Republican Congressional Committee stated he would like to awared me a congressional order of merit. Left the number 888-383-4164 on my voice mail.

Ditto but my callback number was 888/383.4164  Big high faluting scam.  I'm an Idaho Democrat and have to watch my back (and the next door bathroom stall) all the time.

I am so glad I Googled this.  My secretary was so happy that I am getting a Merit Award from Congressman Tom Cole.  Now I have to break her heart to let her know that it is a fraud.

I got another call from 888-383-8065.  Because I did not respond the last time I guess they trumped up the ante to offer me something much more suitable, a Congressional Order of Merit.  Thats cool but for what?

I got a fax from these people at one of the faxes in our office today. Same as everyone else except a Christopher Terre-Blanche was supposed to have left a message for me.  They want me to call 888-383-8065 - I googled it and found this.  I wonder how I got on this list - I am not registered with either party.

I got a phone call from a Heather Galisky or Galisby.  Same message as the rest, but the phone number was 888-383-4164.  Put an ad in the Wall Street Journal.  Wanted $500 - $600.  Would get a copy of the ad for framing.  Would take a credit or debit card.  Told the "gentlemen" that my wife had the debit card and we don't have credit cards.  Would then take check.  Said we couldn't afford $500 - $600.  Then he said they would split it over 2 payments.  Then he said we could pay $200 over 2 payments with a check.  Something didn't "feel" right, so I went to Google and found this.

I received the same garbage!  They wanted me to not only have dinner with Bush but to be a Business Advisor for the State of Florida, ya right!  They don't even know what I do fo a living.

Just got a fax from the Business Advisory Council, Congressman Tom Cole, with the same 888 #. Sounds like a scam

Well I too got the call from Tom Coles office and called the 888-383-8065 number and I'm pretty sure this is a complete scam. The receptionist was pleasant but didn't really tell me anything of substance. I think it is outrageous that they should call me about serving on a business counsel without knowing anything about me.

JoAnn McWilliams called me for Congressman Tom Coles office and asked me to serve also. I am a business person in Texas and I am not currently regestered to vote. What would he want with me?

Same stuff - agent's name is Ackory Mayfield - concerning the National Republican Advisory Committee  - BS and scam if you ask me.

Melva someone called here asking for the owner by name.  It's probably like the 10th time someone from 888-383-8065 has been trying to reach her regarding Congressman Tom Cole.  One was a business dinner w/the President. It's getting really annoying.

Angela Phillips said she needed to discuss a meeting/dinner with the president "BUSH".  WHAT????????  Sounds funny to me!!!!

I am in New York, got a message re Business Advisory Council. The lady on the tape said "My name came up in Washington". I can't imagine why, so I deleted the message. Sounds like a scam.

I work at a subway in Columbus, OH and received the same call while at work. she was asking for my manager. I told her he was not in and if I could take a message, that was when she gave me the exact same spiel almost to the word. She then asked if he had a fax number, I told her yes, at this number. she then asked me for the number, Why would she ask me for the number when she dialed it to reach me? she then asked if he had voice mail, but i told her no. I don't trust it. I think, if I give my manager this message, i'll point him to this site so he can decide if he wants to return the call.

I received a call from a "Walter Stevens" regarding the same matter as above.  I thought it was strange because # 1 I am a Democrat and # 2 this is the first time I have ever heard of Tom Cole!  I called the # and spoke with someone who explained the Congressman is looking for information to help with upcoming legislation regarding small business issues.  There was also mention of a business dinner in Washington with the president.  They played a message from Senator Cole who stated basically the same thing and then another person got on the line to ask questions.  I didn?t let her get too far I explained I wasn?t a business owner, and she stated that is fine they are just looking for people to serve who have opinions on the matter at hand.  I then stated I didn?t think I was the best person to be on this kind of advisory.  Her reply was "Are you a Democrat?"  I said  "yes" and she stated she would make a not of that and remove my name form the list. She wasn?t asking for any personal information, ssn, account#s. financial questions.  I don?t think it is a scam, but I'm still not interested.

I got the same message on my business phone on two different occassions with tow different names. Right off the bat I was skeptic so I googled the phone number and found these posts. LOL. Figures.

I received the call at my office at 9:43am from a Beverly Brown, from Congressman Tom Cole re Business Advisory Council, to call back 888 383-8065. I live and have business in Colorado Springs, CO
Strange.

Same as above. Received call from someone saying they are from the office of Congressman Tom Cole at 10 am PST. This has to be a fraud deal so just report it to your state Attorney General's office. The called id was blocked.

I got a message at 9:25 AM from the same 888 number. He said he was John Whoever from the Office of Congressman Tom Cole. He said he got our number from Washington and requested a call back. You all know who is going to call him back, right?

A "Nancy Unkefer from Congressman Tom Cole's office" called at 8:45 AM. I did not initially receive the call; a message was left for me to call this toll free number: 1-888-383-8065. I returned the call. "Nancy," who repeated stated she was with Congressman Cole's office, said "my name came up" for the Republican Business Advisory Council. She attempted to get personal information from me. I ended the call. I strongly suspect it was a fraudulent, criminal, phone call; a way for telemarketers to "get around" National Do Not Call Registry listed numbers by claiming to be a political organization. Note: My phone numbers have long been listed with the National Do Not Call Registry.

I recieved the same call on the same day, for the same purpose.

Claimed to be some Republican Business Advisory Council.  Can't think of why they would call *me* though, as I have a very steady record of giving to Liberal causes.

I am, however, a new business owner.  Maybe they're just getting me off of that list somehow?