I got ripped off $700 from Benchcraft Company.  Robert Harpham (probably fake name) called me and said that they were designing golf guides for a local golf course - Sunridge Golf Course in Northern Nevada.  He charged me $350 for advertising in one golf course guidebook.  I sent him all the info that I wanted in the ad.  Tyler O'Dell (probably another fake name) called back a couple days later and said he was having a special - 2 years for the price of one at another local course - Genoa Lakes .  I naively agreed to the 2nd offer, also.  I thought I would look them up on the Internet, which I should have done before I ordered, to check if they received any complaints with the Better Business Bureau.  I saw numerous complaints that were filed against the company saying that they keep delaying delivery of the golf course guide and never provide the finished product.  I called back Tyler O'Dell and asked to speak with his manager.  He put me on hold for several minutes and then got back on the phone and tried to disguise his voice as the manager.  I told him that he was pretending to be the manager and I told him that I wanted to cancel the golf guide orders and get a refund.  Then he started calling me all sorts of names.  I reported them, but I don't think anything happened with my complaint.  I just received a call from their number today so they are continuing to try to screw people.  Other numbers include 800-824-8311 ext. 252, 425-293-6919, 503-596-2465, and 503-858-7299.

I got a call from this number, with no message left, and didn't recognize it so looked it up here. As it turns out I HAVE done business with this company (Gameday Media) and they are legit - at least they have been in business for a while and they do support the schools with your ad money.  As i understand it, here's how it works:  Rather than have the local booster club make calls and fund raise, schools (usually high schools) contract with GameDay, who promises to make a certain $$$ donation to the school. In exchange, Gameday Media will produce a high end program with rosters and individual pictures of each player, and sometimes includes other activities and teams from around the school, but typically their efforts revolve around the 'major' sports like football basketball and baseball. These programs include ad space which local businesses can buy.  Sometimes they put together packages where you can advertise in the program AND place a banner in the gym or on the football or baseball field. It's not outlandishly more expensive than you would pay to do something like this on your own, but you are not donating directly to the schools, you are buying ad space from gameday, who in turn makes a donation to the school in their name. Not a scam... but I'd prefer to deal with the school directly. unfortunately, some schools use gameday exclusively just so they don't have to deal with the day-to-day hassle of gathering art requirements and putting up banners and printing programs etc. As a result, if you want to advertise at these schools, gameday is sometimes your only option.

By the way, the national do-not-call list. Please people, please realize that anytime the national government puts your name on a list, you become a target for SOMEONE. not necessarily in an evil or under handed way, but THINK about it - do you really need to government to protect you from the big bad telemarketers?  Let's get back to some personal responsibility and limit the burgeoning bureaucracy in Washington in every way that we can.  

Here is your best solution:  The ONLY reason they call you is because it's Effective.  All you have to do is make it worth their while to skip you.  Simply tell them ' I do not accept phone solicitation' and hang up.  You might have to repeat this a few times, but if you are a 'bad' lead, they will not want to waste THEIR time by calling you and you will be dropped off the list - not only for that company, but any other company that purchases the same list.  Try it, it works.

Cameron from this number just left a voicemail on my phone. He said he was from the local high school and wanted to feature my photography in a project. How strange.

Received a voice-mail from this number and the caller ID said Game Day Media. They gave an Oregon call back number and left a message saying they were "looking for an insurance agent for the families of "high school name" Athletics."

I just received a call from a guy named Rick who says he is working on a local project for McClintock H.S. in our neighborhood.  Left a call back number of 650-260-4705.  Our area code is 480.

I got a call from  him  and   it    asn't    about     golf       he wanted       support         for.     Local.         High school           football.   Game.

Got a call several weeks ago and a voicemail, as I was working and missed call, from a guy who didn't say his last name and didn't say who he was with?! I've never heard anyone leave a message without telling you who they are calling with or which company they represent or at least mention why they are calling you in the first place?! Just first name, call me back, that was it. Out of curiosity, I called him back and tried to figure out who he was and what he was calling me about since I recently started my own business. He claimed to be with a media marketing group, Game Day, under the parent company of Bench Craft, and they would be printing out a local high school football program and to help supposedly sponsor their program that now requires kids to pay to play sports, looking for local business wanting to advertise/sponsor in this program that would supposedly be seen by up to 20k fans over the course of the season. A) I HATE football, so as much as I love kids, could really care less about their program-lets spend money on art and music first please, thanks, and B)no guarantees any single person would call me based on my advertisement in the brochure. Lucky for me though, I live locally, so I went down to their building in person to see if it was legit. Seemed like they were there, but just barely existing, no waiting area, no desktop computer and nothing that seemed all too permanent in the building office, and just a lot of kinda slick salesman people walking around that I didn't get a good vibe from. Asked some more questions, got some vague less than helpful answers. Told him I'd think about it, after researching this and other negative message boards about their little supposed 'help for the kids' operation, I decided no thanks on paying $ i don't have to go down the train potentially or even if legit on a program, who cares-no one would call me likely anyways. After texts, phone calls every day after I told him give me a week to think about it, I responded. Since I said no, still getting missed calls! GET THE HINT-NOT interested! All around shady. :-/ ashame, I would have loved to do an ACTUAL sponsorship for a NONprofit, not a sales hungry scam.

I got a call from this number saying that he was calling because" they were working on a brand new project for Summit High School" that they wanted to talk to me about.  We are a construction company so I guess they change up their marketing lines depending on the type of business they call.  I get enough bogus calls acting like people that want us to do work for them to be duped.  I didn't even return the call but was curious what this number was linked to, so now I know I was right.  Who says "Um" before they say their own name, like they have to think about who they are????

Yes, it is interesting that a manager from the company actually posted a reply in this column to state that this is not how they practice business. But they seem to have no problem at all calling numbers that have been on the national do not call list for years. If you cant abide by this list, then I am for sure not interested in whatever it is you are selling. If you cannot respect peoples desire for privacy, then you deserve to be punished/fined to the full extent of the law.

This guy stated on my Voice Mail system he was "with" the Red Mountain Ranch Country Club (here in Mesa, AZ) but gave us an oregon phone # on the voice mail,  so I decided to check it out before I called him back.... turns out to be a scammer, obviously since others here in the photography / construction industry are getting his calls. Don't fall into this trap ; surely others have.  He was a smooth speaker, with professional phone etiquette.

I just got the exact same message.  Guy claimed to be a Jamie Beagle (that's how it sounded, beagle, deagle, etc).  He told me he was with the Alondra Golf course up the street from me and started telling me about advertising to the over 80,000 people that play golf there (really? I didn't know there were THAT many people in the area surrounding mine, let alone locally lol!) and told me it'd cost me $395 to advertise for 2 years and they'd cover everything, yadda yadda...but they do a half down for 90 days and the other half later but I save $20 (making it $375) if it's in one payment.  
He said he'll send me an email so if he does, I'll call him out on it, but otherwise, I'll just report it as spam.

got a call from this number. same idea. want me to be the acupuncturist for the golf club memebers. (the only will be listed. wanted 375. i have had calls fro oregeon before. they all scams. NO local number= no business.

Jen,  I am one of the managers for Bench Craft Company.  We work with thousands of golf courses since 1982.  Can you please let me know the number that texted you that awful message or the persons name so I can take care of it.  That is now how we practice business.

This A-hole called me and when I would tell him my name, (um hello jerk, YOU called me. He hung up. Oh and then from another number texted : "You jus lost a customer bi***"
Holy crap!! What kind of business is this?? They messed with the wrong business owner!! Please help bring them down!!

I received a call from this number and listened to the info, and was interested! It was about advertising my RMT services for a close golf club/country club. I was surprised that the price was low, so I kind of got a little bit suspicious. After reading the comments above, I started to REALLY freak out. Then, I called the Golf Club in question (Carlisle Golf & Country Club) and I spoke with the manager there. He assured me that yes, they are working with Benchmark, and that they have documents and contracts with them. The idea is to basically have a business card in their books as an advertising thing.
Seems legit to me!

Caller ID says "Benchcraft".  I did not pick up.

JEFIN!!!

And I just got the same thing, only they are looking for a local realtor for the golfers to call.  Yeah, right.

We also received the same type of call. Looks like they can't get past the "golf course" script. They said a local golf course was looking for a contractor to provide our type of product for their golf club members.

Jefin

I just got a call from him.  Did not answer, but he left a voice mail, supposedly representing a local golf course, where the patrons are requesting my services (hypnotherapist).  Said his name was Jamey Beagle.  He is from Oregon, and I am in Maryland.  Spam!

He called me and I checked with the club.  His message is not accurate, but the call is legite.  The people at this number provide print services to the club, at least a book that is handed out to all perspective members and available to all existing members.

A man named Earl called today saying the golf course needed financial advisors.  He said that the golfers at the club could contact the firm directly and perhaps have the firm featured at the club.  The background sounded like a call center.

Scam alert!
Wanted to have me call him back and claimed he was with a golf course or some such thing..... Golf sucks but this guy sucks even more!

Got a message from a guy named Travis calling on behalf of some golf course and would like to refer some of the golfers who wish to purchase properties to local real estate agents.  SPAM.  Must be some lead generation marketing company or some sort.  Weird.  The area code is in Oregon and I'm in California.

I received the same call for Park Hills Country Club.  Its a company called Bench Craft Company in Portland, Oregon.  Spoke with a very nice guy.  I guess the work with thousands of golf courses in the country.  I spoke with the head pro, the contact Benchcraft gave me, and called Park Hills.  He told me they work with them as well.  They do a course guide for them and get local business sponsors.  Had to do my due diligence.

Updated on July 17:  Regarding my comment "And, this man said his name is Jamie (and then MY last name - how stupid!)"  Well, the man is not stupid, and his last name really IS the same as my last name.  He called again today to explain that, and to say that he is calling North Carolina from Oregon.  
But I am not interested in the call or in whatever business he is offering.  Jamie, I am afraid to call you back at your 971 number, for I have heard of scams that charge us $5 a minute when we call numbers back.

I, too got a call from this person. I can't remember off hand what he said his name was. But I left the voice mail get it & it's funny how he used the name of a Country Club that is in my area. I'm glad I did some research & found this forum. I'm still in the "getting found" stage of my business & need the exposure. The only reason I didn't question the area code difference is because when I first got a Magic Jack phone... I couldn't get a number in the area code I was located in.

I am a licensed massage therapist in North Carolina.  Received a voice mail from 971-245-6657 today. He   claimed to be from Wildwood Golf Course, wanted to locate a massage practice that their "golf members can contact directly".  And, this man said his name is Jamie (and then MY last name - how stupid!)  He gives enough details to make you WANT to call him back... But don't do it, I am sure this is a SCAM.

Got a call from this number saying he (Robert) was calling on behalf of the golf course "just down the street from you." He was interested if I would be interested in being a photographer that "their" golfers could contact directly.
First off the golf course he listed is a PUBLIC course, so it didn't make sense. Next, the number wasn't a local area code.

SPAM!