Tag Archives: financial
Debt Collectors Will Pay More Than $1 Million to Settle FTC Charges – Credit Bureau Collection Services
March 3rd, 2010. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Another unethical debt collector gets smacked by the Federal Trade Commission — A nationwide debt collector has agreed to pay a civil fine of more than $1 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated federal law by inaccurately reporting credit information and pressing consumers to pay debts they often did not owe. According to the FTC’s complaint, the company and two of its officers illegally tried to collect invalid debts and reported them to the credit reporting agencies without noting that consumers disputed them. In addition, even after receiving information from consumers that a debt was paid off or did not belong to the consumer, the company continued to assert, no longer with a reasonable basis, that the consumer owed the debt, without trying to confirm or dispute the consumer’s information, in violation of the FTC Act. The FTC charged that the company, Credit Bureau Collection Services, and two of its officers, Larry Ebert and Brian Striker, violated the FTC Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The company also is charged with violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act by reporting information to credit agencies that consumers had proved was inaccurate, failing to inform to the credit agencies that consumers had disputed the debts, and failing to investigate after receiving a notice of dispute from a credit reporting agency. In addition to imposing the $1.1 million civil penalty on the company, the settlement order: Bars the defendants from further violations; Prohibits them from making unsupported statements to collect a debt or obtain information about a consumer; Bars them from making claims that a debt is owed or about the amount, without a reasonable basis; Requires the defendants, when a debt is questionable or a consumer questions it, to either close the account and end collection efforts or investigate the dispute. If they cannot show that the consumer owes a debt, they cannot sell the debt or provide it to any business other than the original client; and Bars the company from re-reporting information to credit reporting agencies that it had voluntarily deleted from credit reporting before December 2008. The Commission vote to authorize staff to refer the complaint and consent decree to the Department of Justice for filing was 4-0. The documents were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division. The Commission recently released a video for consumers who are facing debt collection . The video is at www.ftc.gov/MoneyMatters , a site that includes information for consumers on managing credit, dealing with debt, and a variety of other financial topics. NOTE: The Commission authorizes the filing of a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the defendants have actually violated the law. Consent decrees are for settlement purposes only and do not necessarily constitute an admission by the defendant of a law violation. Consent decrees are subject to court approval and have the force of law when signed by the judge. The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics .
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Debt Collectors Will Pay More Than $1 Million to Settle FTC Charges – Credit Bureau Collection Services
Payment Processing CEO Banned from the Business; Company Illegally Debited Millions from Consumers’ Bank Accounts
March 1st, 2010. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
The chief executive officer of a payment processing company will be banned from the business as part of a settlement resolving Federal Trade Commission charges that the company illegally debited millions of dollars in bogus charges from consumers’ bank accounts. In 2007, the FTC charged the executive, Tarzenea Dixon, her company, and others with processing unauthorized debits on behalf of deceptive telemarketers and Internet-based schemes they knew, or deliberately avoided knowing, were violating the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule. In addition, the attorneys general of Illinois, Iowa, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, and Vermont charged the defendants with violating various state laws. According to the FTC complaint, the company played a critical role in helping many of its clients carry out these illegal schemes by providing access to the banking system and the means to extract money from consumers’ bank accounts. Between June 23, 2004, and March 31, 2006, the defendants processed more than $200 million in debits and attempted debits. More than $69 million of the attempted debits were returned or rejected by consumers or their banks for various reasons, an indication that in many cases consumers had never authorized the charges. In many instances, the merchants either failed to deliver the promised products or services or sent consumers relatively worthless items. The settling defendant is Tarzenea Dixon. Her co-defendants are Your Money Access, LLC d/b/a Netchex Corp., Universal Payment Solutions, Check Recovery Systems, Nterglobal Payment Solutions, and Subscription Services, Ltd.; YMA Company, LLC; and Derrelle Janey. In addition to permanently banning Dixon from any payment processing, the settlement order bans her from substantially aiding any marketer when she knows, or consciously avoids knowing, that it is violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The order imposes a $22 million judgment that is stayed based on her inability to pay. The full judgment will become due immediately if she is found to have misrepresented her financial condition. The Commission vote approving the consent in settlement of the court action against Dixon was 4-0. The FTC filed the documents in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on December 22, 2009, and court entered the order on January 11, 2010. Litigation against Janey continues. On October 28, 2008, the court entered a default judgment against the corporate defendants, Your Money Access, LLC and YMA Company, LLC, barring them from payment processing for any client whose business practices are deceptive, unfair, or abusive within the meaning of the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and the state consumer protection laws. The case was part of the FTC’s “Operation Tele-PHONEY” telemarketing fraud law enforcement sweep announced in May 2008. Wachovia Bank Redress Program In December 2008, the FTC announced a settlement between the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Wachovia Bank, N.A. to issue more than $150 million in redress checks to victims of telemarketing fraud. The checks reimbursed consumers for funds deducted from their accounts by three payment processors that maintained accounts with Wachovia, including Your Money Access. NOTE: Stipulated final judgments and orders are for settlement purposes only and do not constitute an admission by the defendants of a law violation. Consent judgments have the force of law when signed by the judge. The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics .
Gore: Kick out lawmakers who fail on climate – The Hill (blog)
February 27th, 2010. Published under Political Scams. No Comments.
Gore: Kick out lawmakers who fail on climate The Hill (blog) If he were forced to divest his financial interests in companies that stand to make billions from Cap and Trade (Kleiner Perkins as an example) we would not … and more
People and Politics | Unemployment Falls – Why Germany’s Jobless Rate Has Hit a New Low
February 19th, 2010. Published under Unemployment. No Comments.
In spite of the financial crisis, the number of unemployed in Germany is the lowest it’s been in 16 years. Currently, some three million people here are without work. Labour market reforms introduced by the then chancellor Gerhard schrã¶der are credited with lowering the unemployment rate. Many people are being forced to accept low-paying jobs. Well-qualified job seekers, who had been unemployed for long periods, are now finding jobs too. We try to find out the reasons for the turnaround on the job market.
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People and Politics | Unemployment Falls – Why Germany’s Jobless Rate Has Hit a New Low
Regulators of the World Unite!
February 17th, 2010. Published under Economic News. No Comments.
With apologies to Marx and Engels, this may also sound like the clarion call for those responsible for regulating financial institutions. We have already seen developed countries discuss how regulations on banking, derivatives, etc, can better be coordinated… all the better to keep the financial players from picking the best domicile for their activity. And, now, we
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Regulators of the World Unite!
Score Another Consumer Advocate Victory for FMD Consumer Blog
February 6th, 2010. Published under Business Scams. No Comments.
This was a hard ‘nut” to crack. I finally determined that FreedomRoad Financial was owned by Evergreen Bank Group / Bancorp Financial Inc, both of Oak Brook Illinois. The backstory A consumer and his family was being harassed by FreedomRoad Financial for being a credit reference on a loan application. Imagine that, being harassed over someone else’s debt for being a credit reference. FreedomRoad Financial’s alleged investigator even called the consumers family and scared the consumers mother to such a degree that she literally “freaked” out. I suspect though that the “investigator” is an employee of FreedomRoad Financial. Read the fill story here on FMD Consumer (opens in a new window). As a consumer advocate / Consumer Watchdog, I managed to contact the CEO of Evergreen Bank Group and the Vice President of FreedomRoad Financial and within 24 hours they contacted me and are investigating the issue. Hopefull they will fire the “investigator” and “Michelle” for violating collection laws. This is the response I received from Tom Collins the Vice President of FreedomRoad Financial: “Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
UPDATED: Freedom Financial of California Behind Harrassing Debt Collection Phones Calls – 866-354-5387
February 5th, 2010. Published under Business Scams, Fraud. No Comments.
UPDATE: The consumer that was begin harrassed over a debt that wasn’t his, he was merely a reference on the original loan. He finally received a response, Freedom Road Financial in Los Angeles were behind the calls. I aso discovered the Freedom Financial involved with the harrassment is owned by Evergreen Bank Group which is owned Bancorp
UPDATED: Abusive Debt Collection Tactics from 866-354-5387 Freedom Financial of Los Angeles
February 3rd, 2010. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
I received an email last night from a consumer that claims they are only a reference listed on an account. Supposedly he isn’t a signee at all, yet he and his family are being harassed by a caller (866-354-5387) claiming to be an investigator and stated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) didn’t apply to him. Hi, i have been contacted by a debt collector looking for a person who put me down as a reference, i told the investigator Davis i did not know where the motorcycle was and i had already told that to previous collectors from his firm, i asked him never to call me again, he then stated that he was not a collector rather an investigator, and was not bound by the collection laws, he then went on to call my family members telling them i was in major trouble freaking out my mother , is there anything i can do in this situation? i recorded a call from him. he would not give me a company name but did leave a number 866-354-5387 . What are my options? If it were me, I would temporarily block my caller ID and call the number to see if the number is legitimate. If it is find out who they are and then run to the closest consumer protection you can find. “Investigator” Davis” is not an investigator, he is a debt collector using illegal tactics, that is why he refused to give you the company name, he knows he he is breaking the law by calling the consumers family members and scaring them. If he calls back again ask him for his state investigator license, if he isn’t a debt collector (he probably is though) then remind him that investigators in your state are licensed by the state and he must provide you his investigators license number. What will mostly likely happen is one of the following: (a) he’ll hang up and not call again, (b) Give you some sort of bogus license number. If he does then you can get your state involved by filing a complaint with the state regarding a fraudulent investigator. After all if he gives you a bogus number than he is incriminating himself. If he refuses to give you a license number you bet he is a debt collector that breaks the law. Either way you got him and the company involved by the “cahones”. While I believe it is a debt collector it may be a collection scam, there are quite a few of them making the rounds across the U.S. I would suggest talking to your family and tell them that it is a debt collector using scare tactics. Ask them if possible to record future conversations or at least keep a log with the dates and times that they call each family member. If you do find the company behind the number and sue them, you will need the times/dates for use in court. I did look into the phone number, I didn’t find the company behind the number but did find references to complaints of “Marshalls” and “Investigators” calling from that number. Typical rouge debt collector scare tactics. Until such time that the identity of the company behind the 866-354-5387 is found, a consumer has limited resources in which to fight back. I would start with my states consumer affairs division and file a complaint. You may also want to consider filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), it probably won’t help you personally but there will be a record of the abuse. You could also file a report with the local police regarding the harassing phone numbers and then have the phone company put a trace on the line. The phone company generally won’t put a trace on a line unless a police report has been filed. I once had a debt collection company call me claiming to be an officer of UCB (United Collection Bureau) and she got all kinds of nasty, even told me she would call my neighbors and while on the phone with me she did, and my neighbor called me and told me immediately. I should have sued them, but at the time I didn’t know how (now I do). I did call United Collection Bureau and talked to the vice-president of compliance. After playing back the conversation between myself and the UCB officer, he said measures would be taken and I never go hassled by UCB again. Like I said I had the physical evidence, I just wish I knew then what I know about suing debt collectors for violations of state and federal law. UPDATE: The consumer that was begin harrassed over a debt that wasn’t his, he was merely a reference on the original loan. He finally received a response, Freedom Road Financial in Los Angeles were behind the calls. “I told “agent Marshal Davis” out of “northern CA” that i did not trust that he was a real investigator, and might be a phishing scam. I managed to get him to tell me that he is working on behalf of FreedomRoad Financial www.frf1.com he then gave me his contact at freedom road financial Michelle Peacan and her number to verify that he was working for them, i called her at 775.562.3816 and asked if i could record the call and she said no and that she knew who i was and that she has an agent working the case, i then said i did not trust that she worked for freedom road financial and she gave me the their 866.455.7623 main phone number to verify that she was a company representative, stating that she was the only michelle working there, sure enough dial by name brings you to Michelle Peacan, I told her that i was recording the call, i said that i never signed for anything and was not contractually obligated to them and wanted them to stop calling me, she stated that i was involved because i had once told their collection agent i knew where my friend lived and where their bike may be, i then asked if i was in trouble she said that i was involved with the theft of the bike, again i asked if i was in trouble and she said she was not a lawyer and that she would do what she had to to get the bike back and hung up on me.” Need help in dealing with crazy or sue happy debt collectors? Give my book a read .
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UPDATED: Abusive Debt Collection Tactics from 866-354-5387 Freedom Financial of Los Angeles
I’m about to Sue Worldwide Asset Purchasing II LLC, Hollander Law Offices LLC and Leading Edge Recovery Solutions. They are now Co-Defendants
February 2nd, 2010. Published under Business Scams. No Comments.
These jokers take an alleged $12,000.00 debt, turn it into a $15,000.00 debt then in short order turn it into a $17,000.00 debt. Time to start suing. Evidently Worldwide Asset Purchasing II, LLC (State of Nevada) thinks I owe them. As far as I know I have never had a MBNA account. I did receive a long time ago something stating I owed $12,000.00 to MBNA. May be I do and maybe I don’t. Anyway the junk debt buyer (pays pennies on the dollar for debts), turned the alleged debt over to Hollander Law Offices (a foreign corporation in Georgia) claimed that I owed $15,456.30. Hollander seemed to enjoy leaving voice mail at my employers office that they are debt collectors, we aren’t talking once but many times. I never gave anyone permission to contact my employer about a debt. Can you say multiple violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)? Hollander Law Offices, LLC sent me a letter on 9/12/2009 stating that I owed $15,460.30 (remember the date) I of course ignored the empty legal threats of Hollander Law Offices, LLC. And so I should have. On January 25, 2010 I receive a letter from Leading Edge Recovery Solutions, stating that they represented Worldwide Asset Purchasing II, LLC. for the amount of $17,007.15. Somehow in the period of about 5 months the alleged amount owed jumped $1,541.85. That’s a lot of interest of fees. Bear with me and I will explain all of the violations of the FDCAP this entails.
Explosion of "Fringe Financial Services" Underscores Need for Strong Consumer … – AlterNet
February 2nd, 2010. Published under Political Scams. No Comments.
Explosion of “Fringe Financial Services” Underscores Need for Strong Consumer … AlterNet In 2005 CLS filed a lawsuit against Cash Today, one of Philadelphia's largest check-cashers, for breaking Pennsylvania's usury laws (which cap interest … and more
Virginia AG Goes After Capital One for Debt Collection and Re-Aging
January 25th, 2010. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
I’ve had dealing with Capital One myself, they are a sneaky bunch, it appears that the Virginia Attorney General decided to do something about it. Hopefully other State’s Attorney Generals will dig deeper into Capital One’s business practices. West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw announced Friday that his office has sued credit card issuer Capital One and a debt collection agency for “unconscionable conduct in connection with their credit card lending and collection practices.” The complaint alleges that Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE: COF), tricked consumers into payment plans by sending them solicitations disguised as offers of new credit. The arrangement allowed Cap One to re-age the debt so that it did not fall under the statute of limitations.
Treasury Bills and the Budget Deficits: A Review of Financial Markets – Center for Research on Globalization
January 18th, 2010. Published under Political Scams. No Comments.
Treasury Bills and the Budget Deficits: A Review of Financial Markets Center for Research on Globalization Our current weather worldwide is testament to the scam of global warming. There goes Cap & Trade with only ten months to bi-elections. … and more
Liquidity Crisis – A Look From Inside
January 17th, 2010. Published under Economic News. No Comments.
Introduction. In the wake of the financial market turmoil that arose over the last few years and which already brought down some big financial institutions, the question remains what banks can and should do to protect themselves from the worst-case scenario. This article describes how banks operate in time of crisis and what their instruments
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Liquidity Crisis – A Look From Inside
Debt Collection Supervisors at Academy Collection Service Settle FTC Charges
January 10th, 2010. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Debt Collection Supervisors at Academy Collection Service Settle FTC Charges
January 10th, 2010. Published under Business Scams, Fraud. No Comments.
If Hackers Attack Your Business Then You Can Be Held Legally Responsible
January 4th, 2010. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
The next step for mostly anyone that has a brick and mortar store set up out in the real world is to create an online virtual space for their customers to shop in. Of course anyone that is in business has heard of the great advantages that can be gained when you bring your store online. You have access to a lot more customers in a global arena. Plus the use of the latest and greatest software allows your transactions to be made easily without any problems. All you have to do is to take the credit card, process it, and get ready to take the order, right? Wrong, having your business online is a great way to make extra money but there are some considerations that are there that you can not take lightly. One of those are the very serious security issues that can arise from taking someone’s credit card online. If this is handled the wrong way you can be held legally responsible. Right now there is a case going on between the financial institution Capital One and an electronic testing firm from Louisiana. The name of the company is JM test systems and they had more than $97,000 stolen through the use of illegal bank transfers. Capital One is stating that it is not their fault and they are not involved with the transaction beside letting it go through their systems. How this case will pan out is anyone’s guess and will, undoubtedly, be expensive in either case. Therefore, it pays to take sure security seriously. When you are a company that takes a person’s credit card number, you must have the best security that you can possibly afford. You have to be certain that the protection of the numbers is your number one priority and that you take it seriously. If you are a small business the best thing that you can do is to allow a third party entity that is trusted to handle your credit card processing. Look at the companies that get the best reviews and use them. These people are professionals and handle security threats on a daily basis. They will be able to handle the security of your customers personal data better than you can. You have to make sure that when you decide to take orders online that you do not take this responsibility lightly. People are entrusting their credit card numbers in your hands. If you are the one that slips up by not providing enough security then you can be legally liable. If Hackers Attack Your Business Then You Can Be Held Legally Responsible is a post from: Scam Types dot Com Check out The Best Internet Security Programs Of 2009
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If Hackers Attack Your Business Then You Can Be Held Legally Responsible
Wall Street’s Lost Decade
December 30th, 2009. Published under Economic News. No Comments.
As we enter the second decade of the 21st Century, Wall Street is in an upbeat mood since the financial upheaval experienced in late 2008. Bringing good news to investors and Governments around the World, but the bad news is that the first decade of the 21st Century a decade were stocks had an average
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Wall Street’s Lost Decade
Financial Reform – The Movement Has Begun
December 10th, 2009. Published under Economic News. No Comments.
Our current financial crisis has spawned an astounding amount of state and federal legislation aimed squarely at the financial services industry. Legislators are determined to prevent us from making the same mistakes twice, and are vowing to protect consumers from what they refer to as “predatory lending”. But how far should these new policies reach?
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Financial Reform – The Movement Has Begun
Financial Reform – The Movement Has Begun
December 10th, 2009. Published under Economic News. No Comments.
Our current financial crisis has spawned an astounding amount of state and federal legislation aimed squarely at the financial services industry. Legislators are determined to prevent us from making the same mistakes twice, and are vowing to protect consumers from what they refer to as “predatory lending”. But how far should these new policies reach?
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Financial Reform – The Movement Has Begun
VIDEO: Global Warming: "Cap and Trade" Will Not Work for Climate – Center for Research on Globalization
December 10th, 2009. Published under Political Scams. No Comments.
VIDEO: Global Warming: ” Cap and Trade ” Will Not Work for Climate Center for Research on Globalization … for more than 20 years – say that sulfur dioxide was different, and that cap and trade for climate is a scam which only benefits the financial players.
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VIDEO: Global Warming: "Cap and Trade" Will Not Work for Climate – Center for Research on Globalization
VIDEO: Global Warming: "Cap and Trade" Will Not Work for Climate – Center for Research on Globalization
December 10th, 2009. Published under Political Scams. No Comments.
VIDEO: Global Warming: ” Cap and Trade ” Will Not Work for Climate Center for Research on Globalization … for more than 20 years – say that sulfur dioxide was different, and that cap and trade for climate is a scam which only benefits the financial players.
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VIDEO: Global Warming: "Cap and Trade" Will Not Work for Climate – Center for Research on Globalization
Children’s Book Published To Help Unemployed Families
November 7th, 2009. Published under Unemployment. No Comments.
Author James Howard Carr discusses the value of his children’s book, “Will My Daddy Ever Work Again?” This recently published work can help unemployed parents openly and safely discuss their financial difficulties with their young children so to help everyone better cope with the family’s current uncertainties.
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Children’s Book Published To Help Unemployed Families
Phishing – What Is It?
October 28th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Phishing is an illegitimate method of extracting the personal and other financial details of a person. Basically, it is a process of tricking a person on the internet to retrieve their banking passwords, bank accounts, phone number, credit card details, etc. This practice has grown over exponentially over last few years. The imposters send you emails that can lure you into entering your personal details somehow into the mails sent by them and once they get what they want, they will raise a toast and have a bash on your hard-earned money. The laws and police have become very vigilant and tough to nail these kinds of fraudsters. Fraudulent E-Mails The preferred mode of Phishing is via sending fraudulent emails. Note, though, that reputed organizations like Amazon, eBay and banks never ask anyone for their password in their emails. Next, whenever you open a phishing email, then the link in that mail will always open a site that has no security encryption. For instance, the valid url of the site will not have HTTPS at the beginning and many email links have some other extension like .rs at the end of the email. Moreover, the format of the email is very generic whereas the reputed organization always refers to you with your customer id number in their emails. The most effective manner to remain protected from phishing scams is that you have enough knowledge to recognize one instantly. However, installing pop up blockers and spam filters in your browser is yet another step you can follow.
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Phishing – What Is It?
Dish Network Dealers Settle With FTC Over ‘Do Not Call’ Charges
September 24th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
I (Allen Harkleroad) don’t have problems with DISH Network dealers calling me, but I get at least one call every freaking day from 703-547-6025, which is DISH network itself. I keep filing Do Not Call complaints and hopefully at some point the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will do something about Dish network for violating the DNC list. I have never done business with Echostar or Dish nor will I ever. From the Federal Trade Commission Two authorized dealers of the satellite television provider Dish Network, formerly known as EchoStar, have agreed to settle charges that they violated the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule by calling consumers whose numbers are on the Do Not Call Registry. At the FTC’s request, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed complaints against the dealers in March of this year, and at the same time charged Dish Network itself with violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule, both on its own and through its authorized dealers (see press release at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/03/echostar.shtm ). The lawsuit against Dish Network is still in litigation. Under two separate agreed-upon court orders announced today, the Dish Network dealers and their owners are prohibited from calling any phone number on the Do Not Call Registry and from violating any other provision of the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The settlement orders also include monitoring terms to ensure the companies’ compliance. The final court orders are against Vision Quest, LLC, and its principal Brian K. Cavett, and against New Edge Satellite, Inc., and its principal Derek LaVictor. The court orders impose a $690,000 civil penalty against Vision Quest and Cavett, and a $570,000 civil penalty against New Edge Satellite and LaVictor. The penalties have been suspended because of the defendants’ inability to pay. However, the court may order the defendants to pay if it later finds that they misrepresented their financial conditions. In the summer of 2008, on the Commission’s behalf, the DOJ also filed complaints against and settlements with two other Dish Network dealers, Planet Earth Satellite, Inc., and Star Satellite, LLC, as well as their principals, for Telemarketing Sales Rule violations (see press release at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/07/dishtm.shtm ). The Commission votes approving the stipulated final orders announced today were 4-0. Both lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The order against Vision Quest and Cavett was signed by the judge and entered by the court on August 10, 2009, and the order against New Edge Satellite and LaVictor was signed by the judge and entered by the court on August 28, 2009. NOTE: Stipulated court orders are for settlement purposes only and do not necessarily constitute an admission by the defendants of a law violation. Stipulated orders have the force of law when signed by the judge. Copies of the stipulated orders are available from the FTC’s Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics .
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Dish Network Dealers Settle With FTC Over ‘Do Not Call’ Charges
How Can I Avoid Vishing Scams?
September 22nd, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
How to avoid vishing scams If you don’t already know what vishing is then you need to read yesterday’s post – What Exactly Is Vishing ? Today I am looking at a few very simple ways of ensuring you don’t become a victim of this crime. Rule #1 can be applied to just about every scenario you may ever come across online – DO NOT REVEAL YOUR SENSITIVE INFORMATION TO ANYONE , INCLUDING BANK EMPLOYEES. Whether you are contacted via email, IM or phone you should never, ever, reveal sensitive information to someone you cannot completely trust. If you always keep that in mind then you will have improved your internet security immeasurably. The other rules are just as much common sense – Banks and other financial institutions never call and ask you for personal information. The call or message may say that your call is being recorded but this is just to scare people so that they do not call the authorities. Notice how the caller never calls you by name. That is because they have no idea what your name is! If your bank or credit card number asks for your account number then they must be false – they should already know such details. Just because they don’t ask for your CVV2 number don’t think they are legit – some people can still steal your money without that information. Some banks, especially the small ones, usually have the last 6 numbers of the card the same for all the cards. So thieves will ask only for the last 6 digits of your credit card number because they know the first ones. So don’t think that if they ask only for 6 digits they cannot steal your money. They can do this just with your PIN and the last 6 digits of your card. Remember the above and stay safe. Don’t get vished!
UK August Apathy Moves Into September Summitry
September 18th, 2009. Published under Economic News. No Comments.
August is apathetic in the financial industry because the EU is in recess, so is Parliament in London; holidays dominate as the schools empty their childish cargo back into the arms of mum and dad, who usually schlepp into the City every day but have retreated to beaches and ski slopes. August is now over and
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UK August Apathy Moves Into September Summitry
Hulla Hoops Scams
September 7th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
I remember hearing Sawyer, from the TV series “Lost” , mentioning the hulla hoops scam in one episode so that is why I had to go find out what it was… With increasing interest rates, many people quickly find themselves in financial difficulties, especially if they already are subject to a large number of hire-purchase or financing contracts. A number of people often find themselves victims to vehicles or houses being repossessed. Many people often will attempt to take other measures rather than losing their property or being blacklisted by financial institutions, such as attempting to sell the property and making a small profit, if possible. More often than not these people might find that selling their property, especially vehicles, are not as easy. Finding a buyer may proof to be futile. It is in this battleground where many fraudsters flourish and target innocent victims with promises of a quick fix for their financial difficulties. In the majority of instances it is this ‘quick fix’ offer that will end the victim up on the wrong side of the law. HOW IS THE HULLA HOOPS SCAM COMMITTED? Offenders of this scam generally advertise their services in newspapers, offering assistance to vehicle owners who are no longer in a position to afford their monthly instalments. They often also offer vehicles to people who do not qualify for vehicle finance. These offenders will offer a vehicle owner the opportunity of being introduced to a person willing to take over the vehicle instalment. This will prevent the repossession of the vehicle and blacklisting of the owner by a financial institution. The client will then enter into an agreement with the new person taking over the instalments and pay an administration fee to the offenders. The person taking over the instalments will then be responsible for paying the instalments to the offenders, who will in turn be responsible for making payments to the bank. When the monthly instalments are received by the offenders, they will never make the payments to the financial institutions. This subsequently leads to the repossession of the vehicle and also criminal charges laid against the victim. HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST HULLA HOOPS SCAMS? Always remember that, legally, you are not allowed to let another person take over your vehicle instalments. Never pay any third party offering this service. If you are in financial difficulties, it is unfortunately a fact that you would have to return the vehicle to the financing institution.
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Hulla Hoops Scams
Job Search
September 2nd, 2009. Published under Unemployment. No Comments.
bit.ly Have you lost your job in the financial crisis wave? While you are on a job search, take some time out to study the root of the financial crisis and why you lost your job – www.youtube.com
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Job Search
Mann Bracken Defendant Fair Debt Collection Practice Act – 89 Federal Lawsuits so far in 2009
August 25th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
Mann Bracken seems to be continuing it’s practice of violating Federal and State Law, even the state of Georgia and New York is suing hem and they continue to do business as usual. Well you know what they say about Karma, their time is coming soon. The below Federal Lawsuits against Georgia’s Mann Bracken keep piling up and these bring the total lawsuits naming Mann Bracken defendant to 89 for 2009. August 20, 2009 | Appel v. Mann Bracken LLC CA Northern | Spero | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Jack Appel Defendant: Mann Bracken LLC August 17, 2009 | Wilkinson v. Mann Bracken LLC KS | Lungstrum | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Dan Wilkinson Defendant: Mann Bracken LLC Sandra Bergquist v. FIA Card Serices, N.A. et al IL Northern | Leinenweber | Other Personal Property Damage | Petition for Removal Plaintiff: Sandra Bergquist Defendant: FIA Card Serices, N.A., Mann Bracken, LLP, MBNA American Bank, N.A. August 12, 2009 | Hoffman v. Mann Bracken, LLP CO | Arguello | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Rossa Hoffman Defendant: Mann Bracken, LLP August 11, 2009 | Bertrand v. Mann Bracken, LLP f/k/a Mann Bracken, LLC TX Eastern | Heartfield | Other Statutory Actions | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Catherine M. Bertrand Defendant: Mann Bracken, LLP f/k/a Mann Bracken, LLC, Mann Bracken, LLP f/k/a Mann Bracken, LLC Toxen v. Mann Bracken LLC et al GA Middle | Land | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Charlene E Toxen Defendant: Mann Bracken LLC, Midland Funding LLC August 10, 2009 | Dougherty v. Mann Bracken, LLP PA Middle | Munley | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Thomas Dougherty Defendant: Mann Bracken, LLP Mann Bracken, L.L.P. v. LDG Financial Services, L.L.C. MD | Williams | Other Personal Property Damage | Petition for Removal- Property Damage Plaintiff: Mann Bracken, L.L.P. Defendant: LDG Financial Services, L.L.C. August 6, 2009 | BUTLER v. PALISADES COLLECTION, LLC et al PA Eastern | RUFE | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: HARRIET BUTLER Defendant: PALISADES COLLECTION, LLC, MANN BRACKEN, LLC, AMY F. DOYLE August 4, 2009 | McElvy v. Mann Bracken, LLC PA Middle | Rambo | Other Statutory Actions | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Thomas McElvy Defendant: Mann Bracken, LLC July 31, 2009 | Ferguson v. Mann Bracken, LLP MI Western | Neff | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Steve Ferguson Defendant: Mann Bracken, LLP July 30, 2009 | Morley-Ball v. Mann Bracken, LLC GA Northern | Moye | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Joyce Morley-Ball Defendant: Mann Bracken, LLC July 27, 2009 | Abbott v. Mann Bracken, LLC OH Northern | Adams | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: Brian Abbott, Brian Abbott Defendant: Mann Bracken, LLC July 23, 2009 | JONES v. MANN BRACKEN, LLP PA Eastern | TUCKER | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: NATALIE JONES Defendant: MANN BRACKEN, LLP MORGAN v. MANN BRACKEN, LLP PA Eastern | FULLAM | Consumer Credit | Fair Debt Collection Act Plaintiff: LORI MORGAN Defendant: MANN BRACKEN, LLP
Mid state Group Financial of Jonesboro Georgia 770-473-6976 Email Spamming
August 4th, 2009. Published under Business Scams, Scams. No Comments.
This state of Georgia spammer claims to be Mid State
4,054 Federal Consumer Credit Lawsuits filed so far in 2009 as of July 24, 2009 – FTC Sits on its Laurels
July 25th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Most of 4,054 the federal consumer credit lawsuits filed so far in 2009 are Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) against Debt Collectors and debt collection law firms. You can see for yourself at Justia.com . If you ask me that’s a lot of consumers being abused by debt collectors using questionable collection tactics. This is quite troubling as it shows that for the most part the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) and state attorney general’s are not getting involved in consumer abuse as much as they should be. These numbers also show that many debt collectors are willfully violating federal and state law to collect debts. I could see if there were maybe 75-100 (total) filed each month, but the numbers of lawsuits that consumers file
Many Questionable Debt Collectors, One Man and a Hedge Fund to Rule Them All
July 24th, 2009. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
It kinds of sounds like the beginning of a J.R.R. Tolkien movie… Apparently in the debt collection business having a lot of money keeps regulators, law makers and industry enforcement out of your hair. Hopefully with the true nature and operation of Accretive Technologies being exposed and publicized perhaps regulators, enforcement and law makers will take swift action. Slowly but surely opaque layers are being peeled away and exposing just who and what are behind the National Arbitration Forum (NAF) and several national debt collection law firms. Namely Mann Bracken LLC / LLP, Wolpoff and Abramson and Eskanos and Adler. All of which are “owned” by Axiant, which is in turned owned by a hedge fund, Accretive Technologies, which in turned it owned/run by one man. His name is J. Michael Cline.
Debt Collector NCO Financial Systems Claims to Have Been Defrauded By A Georgia Debt Collection Attorney Firm
July 17th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Talk about calling the kettle black. Karma sure has been kicking some serious butt in the debt collection industry lately! A national collections company has accused the Sandy Springs, Ga., law firm it hired to file collection actions for clients such as Capital One, American Express and Discover of fraud and other misdeeds. NCO Financial Systems claims in a suit filed July 1 in Atlanta’s federal court that it gave Trauner, Cohen & Thomas more than $1.3 million to reimburse the firm for fees relating to more than 15,000 collection lawsuits that were to have been filed to collect more than $100 million in outstanding debts. In addition to fraud, the suit alleges breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, negligence and negligent supervision and seeks an immediate accounting for all the suits, damages and attorney fees and costs. – read the full story on Law.com Personally I find this extremely funny from a personal point of view.
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Debt Collector NCO Financial Systems Claims to Have Been Defrauded By A Georgia Debt Collection Attorney Firm