Lower credit card interest rate scam
Complaint
Michael Rennier
Country: United States
Somebody,(Margarite) phone number 901-248-7430, called me up and directed me to press number 1 to reach the company for credit card rate reduction. Upon doing so they requested if I had over $5,000.00 in debt and they wanted my credit card number to verify the debt. I requested their first and last name. The female speaking stated her name was Margarite but would not provide her last name. I attempt to find an address for the compant she refused to tell me then directed me to her supervisor "Ronald James". He again advised me he would lower my debt and requested my credit card number. I again requested as to the address of his company he stated Tallahasse Florida, but wouldn't not provide me with a street address. When I advised him I would look him up on the federal system because I felt he was trying to perpetrate a scam he stated "don't call this a scam and I'm going to hang up". I looked up the company "Account Services" on the internet and it advised of scam warnings. I said the internet site indicates you company is involed in scams. He stated "this is not a scam", I replied it sure appears that way; he stated "shutup" and hung up the phone.
Comments
I was wondering if anyone who has received such calls has been participating in any kind of online surveys.
The reason I ask this is because I also received such a call, but my # is private and unlisted. I received the same scam call less than 24hrs after completing some online surveys. Credit card company don't know how the scammers even come accross the partial card info. I shred everything with my name on it before throwing it out, so how? IP address?
This whole thing is just disgusting. About a week ago I received a call promising to lower my interest rate on my credit card. The person already knew my credit card account balance, the interest I was paying as well as my last credit card payment. They also called out the first 8 digits of my card and asked me to call out the last 8 digits for 'verification purposes'. I didn't want to, I felt like they should already know this.
So I was 'put through' to an 'associate', and it was while I was 'on hold' to speak with this other 'associate' I hung up.
The man had a light east-indian accent, he gave me a phone# where he could be reached. Said he was from LTA-Lindquist Tax and Accounting.
Of course the phone# he gave(214#) as well as the # appearing on my phone( a 1-877#), were both invalid.
They called back at least 8 times within the space of 1 hr, and then a couple more times after that, but I never picked up.
One message was left asking me what had happenened, in this pathetic desperate voice.
So after I hung up I notified my credit card, cancelled and called my local anti-fraud orginaztion, had identity on watch alert, because before I realized it was a definate scam I had confirmed my name, address and DOB.
I honestly don't know how these 'people' can even stomach themselves, doing what they do. They are pure scum, and may they all loose double-fold of what they took or tried to take in all aspects of their lives.
Also, seeing as how you immediately blew them off, I guess they didn't have time to try and lure you in by quoting your partial credit card info?
The first time I received such a call was soon after I completed a couple of online surveys for the first time.
It's the onliest thing I could think of, since the phone# they called me on is unlisted and rarely given out, so it's not on file anywhere(online or Offline) where a phone# would have been required of me.
I've already reported them, and I was surprised when the agent from my local anitfraud hotline told me that it's something that has been going on for years.
Yeah, I see they do wait awhile, before trying again. SICK.
If, no, when they call back, and I have time at the time, I'll mess with them big time. Couple of well deserved laughs for the inconvenience they caused...
They called again today, and I wanted to **** with them, but I was too busy.
I have been getting these rude callers for two months now and when I called the FTC they told me the only way they can do anything about it is if people call to file a complaint.
877-382-4357
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
I have been getting these rude callers for two months now and when I called the FTC they told me the only way they can do anything about it is if people call to file a complaint.
877-382-4357
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
I have been getting these rude callers for two months now and when I called the FTC they told me the only way they can do anything about it is if people call to file a complaint.
877-382-4357
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
I have been getting these rude callers for two months now and when I called the FTC they told me the only way they can do anything about it is if people call to file a complaint.
877-382-4357
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
I have been getting these rude callers for two months now and when I called the FTC they told me the only way they can do anything about it is if people call to file a complaint.
877-382-4357
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
I have been getting these rude callers for two months now and when I called the FTC they told me the only way they can do anything about it is if people call to file a complaint.
877-382-4357
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
I have been getting these rude callers for two months now and when I called the FTC they told me the only way they can do anything about it is if people call to file a complaint.
877-382-4357
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
I have been getting these rude callers for two months now and when I called the FTC they told me the only way they can do anything about it is if people call to file a complaint.
877-382-4357
http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm
RED FLAG #1: A legitimate loan company does not solicit business over the phone.
I spent some time talking with the caller (never got her name, had a moderate Indian accent). I was told that the company was in Florida, but no other specifics as to who or what this company was. All she would say was that they were 'Account Services', and that they could lower my interest rates on my credit cards.
RED FLAG #2: I would have to do this today, right now. This kind of pressure gives me severe pause.
I did give my name and credit card balance but when they asked for the last four digits of my social security number, I balked. This is pretty serious stuff here.
RED FLAG #3: Don't ever give out personal information to anyone who calls you. You don't know who they are, and more than likely, these people are phishing for such vital information.
I pushed back at this time, saying I needed to verify who I was talking to and determine if their business was legitimate or not. She gave me a phone number to call her 'approval officer', a "Erika Smith" (800-508-4918) who verified from my caller id the phone number from which I was calling, which happened to be my office phone. She said she would call back on a "secure line". The first thing I noticed was that both the name and phone number were blocked from my caller id.
RED FLAG #4: Legitimate businesses do not block their information from you. You should be able to get at least one bit of info or the other, but you should really expect to get both.
Right away, she asked me for the last four of my social. That was when I backed this "Erika SMITH" into a corner... I asked for a PHYSICAL ADDRESS for her company, NOT A PO BOX. I would then have to contact the BBB (I know, they don't know all the scams, but threatening a scammer with them will make them nervous). When she balked at giving me their address, I pushed harder. She said that she would have to hand me up to a manager; she was only a "Approval Officer" and did not have the "Authority" to tell me their address.
RED FLAG #5: Again, a legitimate business does not hide information from you.
When I told her that I would rather go talk to my credit union, she tried the next pressure tactic; I would have to make the deal today, right now, or I would have to wait 18 months before I would have the opportunity to lower my interest rates.
RED FLAG #2x3: Again, they try to pressure you into making a snap decision while you have no way to verify their bona-fides. At this point I talked over her ranting and said I'll take my business to someplace of My choosing, where I can physically walk into their place of business, talk face to face with a loan officer, and I can shake their hand.
!!!DON'T FALL FOR THESE SCAMMERS!!! Anytime Anyone solicits you and tries to force you to make an Immediate decision, THEY ARE NOT LEGITIMATE!!!
You have two choices (1) play along and waste as much of their time as possible so they don't scam someone else or (2) report them to the following individuals. If the originating #'s came from the 206 503 or 971 area codes or anywhere in WA, OR, or CA states then they are the result of Stephen Hamilton scammer. Report Mr. Hamilton to the FTC with Steve Wernikoff or Jim Davis 312-960-5630 and 312-960-5611 or email the Oregon Dept. of Justic who issued him a license for the PUC (Public Utilities Commission) at michael.weirich@doj.state.or.us
3721 Ocean View Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90066
310-895-0574
Feel free to call him back and harrass the sh_t out of him and see if he likes it.
Now do I believe that these places calling you on a robocaller are scams.... YES! There are many scams out there that take advantage of peoples hardship and it is definitely not okay but please don't assume they are all bad.
However, the real scam artists are the banks and private money bankers that control the world through the most modern way of slavery. We have been brainwashed to believe that it is okay that we pay taxes to government to repay interest to the private money system called the Federal Reserve (YES IT IS A PRIVATE PROFITABLE CORPORATION THAT PRINTS OUR CURRENCY... So imagine a company like Exxon or Walmart managing our currency flow and printing). If you want more information go to your favorite video site and search "the american dream". Great little cartoon that will walk you through the whole mess we are in.