866-326-9921

Who called me from 866-326-9921?

Longwood Industries, Inc. / Auto Marketing Systems (registered DBA).  Longwood is a government-accredited 501(c)3 non-profit organization that has been serving as a sheltered workshop in Bedford, VA since 1975.  The company was established for the purpose of providing employment opportunities to mentally and physically disadvantaged individuals.  Its many branches of service include sign making, embroidery, screen printing, tote bag creation, bulk mail collating, and auto marketing.

Why is does my Caller ID register their phone number as unknown?

For non-profit organizations, name and/or number identification on Caller ID is optional.  Longwood uses multiple lines to dial out, as well as to directly reach multiple departments of their business.  There are quite a few numbers used for the auto marketing facet of the organization alone.  To avoid outbound confusion and excessive inbound call transferring, Longwood has opted out of providing such information for Caller ID.

Why did they call me?

They provide a matching service for buyers and sellers of used vehicles.  They likely have prospective buyers who are currently shopping for a vehicle like yours.

Why aren’t these so-called “buyers” just contacting me directly from an ad I may have somewhere else?

Typically, timing has a lot to do with selling a vehicle.  There are always people looking, but they’re not always looking at the same time you are advertising, and they’re not always looking in the same place you are advertising.  Longwood’s goal is to remove “timing” from the equation.
How?  One way is by allowing prospective buyers to register for free and put in requests for help finding a vehicle.  These are buyers who just don’t have the time or desire to sift through hundreds of classifieds in dozens of different sources to find what they’re looking for. Others are not as familiar with the process of pricing and buying (or selling, for that matter), and don’t want to be taken advantage of.  In both cases, AMS does the shopping for them.  
Furthermore, just like they don’t wait for sellers to find them, they don’t always wait for buyers to find them either… Longwood finds them first.  A multitude of buyers searching online fill out forms requesting the vehicles they want.  These requests are typically sold to large brokers and eventually dealers, banks, etc. in the form of leads.  These leads are expensive and typically sold in large volume.  By using group buying power, Longwood is able to purchase the required volume and make access to those leads affordable to all of their customers.

How do I know they have someone looking for MY vehicle?

Give them a call to see who is looking in and around your area.  If you received a call from one of their representatives, there is likely someone who has shown interest in a vehicle like yours.  If none of their current requests result in the sale of your vehicle when you sign up, then they begin purchasing additional buyer leads that match your vehicle’s description.

How much does the matching service cost?

One program is a one-time non-refundable fee of $99.00.  
The other program is a one-time fee of $199.00 with a money-back guarantee.
Call for details about the two programs.

I’m on the National Do-Not-Call List… Is it LEGAL for them to call/solicit me?  On my cell phone?

Yes.  Longwood Industries is a non-profit organization.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has exempted non-profits from DNC regulations; therefore, they are not obligated to subscribe to the National DNC List.  They must, however, maintain an internal Do-Not-Call list.  Federal law specifically permits certain solicitations to wireless numbers; however, if you do not want them to contact you again, you may call and provide your phone number(s) to one of their Customer Service Representatives and request to be put on their internal DNC list.

Do they have a website?

Yes, you can visit Longwood’s main site at http://www.longwoodinc.com, and there is also link there to the Auto Marketing Systems site where customers selling vehicles can manage their listings, which is http://www.amsvehiclesales.com.

I am currently using another means of marketing my vehicle and specifically stated that it was NOT okay to contact me with other commercial services or interests.  Why did they contact me anyway?

Certainly you don’t want every business that has a new air freshener or tire cleaner contacting you about their new product.  These are services/products unrelated to why you posted your contact information in the first place.  You did, however, post your information online in an attempt to sell your vehicle.  Longwood represents buyers in the market to purchase vehicles.  If you received a call from a Longwood representative, there is reason to believe they have a prospective buyer who has shown interest in a vehicle like yours; therefore, this call was related to the very reason you posted your information online (not for “other” commercial services or interests).  They offer a very valuable service and want to reach as many people as possible that they believe they can help.
If you are not one of the people interested in working with Longwood’s prospective buyers, they will record any Do-Not-Call requests that you may have if you call and provide your number(s) to one of their Customer Service Representatives.

Is Longwood a member of the Better Business Bureau?

Longwood Industries is not a member, but is registered with the BBB.  The BBB record currently shows that all complaints (representing LESS THAN 1% of the business’s customers) have been resolved*.  They are currently being reviewed for accreditation.

*resolved – cases deemed “resolved” are listed as such whether or not the business was responsible for the underlying cause for the complaint.  Complaints are not removed from the report tally, even in the event that the business proved its innocence to the BBB and/or the complainant accepted responsibility.