Don't know who this is "anyone know"?

I just got a call fro this number also, and there was some guy on the other end talking about a credit card that i applyed for. which i never did! and the number is under the company that i work for...not to many people have my work number.....

scammers calling from credit card refinance company saying that they had already talked to me and were calling back with a "plan".  Scammers.  report them to DNC list and do no answer.

I got a call from 314-241-6001; same message as above. The recording started half way through the message, and so it didnt tell me what it was advertising only that I could "lower it by 1.5%" The people behind this clearly are not the brightest of criminal minds 1) because they screwed up a simple recording and 2) because they sent this "offer" to someone who has never owned a credit or debit card in their life.

I just got a call that I let go to voicemail, and had the same experience. I wanted to make sure the woman was getting the info to the right person, as "this was the last courtesy call" and I didn't want someone to not get the message. Glad I checked the number here. I won't be calling back.

Received cell phone voice mail message with caller ID saying the call came from 314-241-6001.  Message was the same as reported above (caller found a program to lower my credit card interest rate to 1.5%, etc.). Although the message sounded to me like it was a live caller, it could have been recorded.   They are definitely liars attempting to confuse people as I didn't talk to anybody last week as they stated and I don't just make the minimum payment as they stated.  They probably don't even know IF I have a credit card.

Actually, in my opinion, jail would be far too kind and gentle for these invasive crooks; but, it's better than nothing.

This is the new incoming number for the same old Tina, lower your interest rates, robo call.  "Call back at 1-877-442-8079"

Send these people to jail!

YOU MUST REPORT THESE CALLS TO DONOTCALL ASAP - THIS SCAM IS VIOLATING A COURT ORDER TO CEASE MAKING THESE CALLS PENDING AN FTC LAWSUIT IN MAY  

The claim that they have talked to you before is to imply a previous business relationship with you-when NONE exists. ITS A LIE AND VIOLATION OF THE DO NOT CALL LAWS

These scammers cannot do anything for a HUGE UPFRONT FEE. that you can do YOURSELF for FREE - by calling your credit card company and requesting a decrease in interest rates.  
If your Cc company will not do it for you when YOU ask - they won't do it for this SCAM company either.

Only this scam company IS NOT MAKING THOSE CALLS on your behalf at all.  And its impossible to get the promised refund..


articles on the INTERNET about this SCAM

BBB, Schumer Warn Consumers of Robocalls Promising to Lower Their Credit Card Interest Rate
Arlington, VA ? June 10, 2009 - Consumers across the U.S. and Canada are sounding off to Better Business Bureau and U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) about incessant automated telemarketing calls promising to lower interest rates on their credit cards.  Not only are the calls a nuisance and violate U.S. and Canadian Do-Not-Call laws, but some companies behind the calls are ripping off consumers by charging large up-front fees to negotiate lower interest rates with credit card companies?something consumers can do on their own for free.
According to figures cited by the White House in January, credit-card debt increased 25 percent in the past 10 years, totaling $963 billion ? with per household credit card debt at nearly $9,000 now. Knowing that so many families are drowning in debt, telemarketers offering suspect financial assistance are taking full advantage of the situation. Consumers have reported receiving calls as early as three in the morning and on both their cell and home phones even when they have registered the numbers with federal Do-Not-Call lists. Consumers also tell BBB that, despite their requests to the telemarketers to stop calling, the calls continue to come.  
?Similar to telemarketing calls claiming your auto warranty is expiring, calls offering to lower credit card interest rates also seem to have complete disregard for federal laws,? said Steve Cox, BBB spokesperson. ?These telemarketers are not forthcoming about the company they?re calling on behalf of, but BBB has identified some offenders by working with consumers who, unfortunately, paid for assistance in reducing their interest rate.?
?Cell phone spam may not be the biggest problem we have to deal with, but we got the FTC to shut down the car-warranty robocalls and now it?s time they shut down the other robocallers as well,? Schumer said. ?These calls cost consumers hundreds in wasted cell phone minutes or much, much more if they get caught in the trap being laid by these unscrupulous companies. The perpetrators behind the credit card interest rate calls have also found a way around the Do Not Call List. The FTC has to track them down and then shut them down to put an end to this nuisance once and for all.?

BBB has received numerous complaints about two Orlando-based companies, CSTR Solutions, Inc. and Genesis Capital Management, and one Tacoma-based company, Mutual Consolidated Savings. All are behind at least some of the robocalls and are promising to save people anywhere from $2,000 to $25,000 by negotiating lower interest rates with credit card companies.
Robocalls generally begin with recorded messages that include statements like: ?There are no problems currently with your account, however it is urgent that you contact us concerning your eligibility for lowering your interest rates to as little as 6 point 9 per cent.? or, ?This is our final attempt to reach you since you've not responded to our other calls to discuss your credit card debt.? The automated message invariably does not include the name of the company, but may claim to be with Card Services or Card Holder Services. Complainants note to BBB that they now believe the calls were designed to deceive them into thinking their credit card company was contacting them.
After the initial recorded message, consumers must dial another number to be connected to a live person. The live ?operator? usually starts the sales pitch by asking for the consumer?s credit card number and whether the consumer is interested in lowering their interest rates. From there, callers begin closing the sale, asking if the consumer is willing to pay ? usually from $700 to $1,000 - to have their firm contact the credit card company and negotiate lower rates.  
?The ?negotiation? undertaken by these companies can be as simple as calling the customer service number listed on the back of the consumer?s credit card and asking a customer service representative to lower the interest rate,? added Cox. ?Consumers are fully capable of talking to credit card companies on their own, for free, and getting similar results. Consumers simply don?t need to pay any company a thousand dollars to negotiate lower rates on their behalf.?
According to BBB complaints, companies are failing to uphold money-back guarantees and not refunding money in cases where they are unsuccessful in lowering rates.
BBB offers the following advice for consumers who receive robocalls from companies offering to lower their interest rate:
? Never give personal information, including Social Security, bank or credit card numbers, over the phone to an unknown telemarketer. Always research the company first by reviewing its Reliability Report at www.bbb.org.
? When considering any company offering any type of financial assistance, insist on getting a contract in which all terms and conditions are clearly explained before signing up or providing credit card or other payment information.
? U.S. consumers can place their home phone number on the federal Do Not Call list by visiting www.donotcall.gov. If the consumer?s number is already on the list but continues to receive telemarketing calls?or is receiving robocalls on a cell phone?he or she can use the same Web site to report the incident to the FTC. Canadian consumers can learn more at www.lnnte-dncl.gc.ca.
For more information or to schedule an interview with a BBB spokesperson, contact Alison Southwick at 703-247-9376.



Credit Card Rate Reduction Scammers Banned From Telemarketing
Canadian firm ordered to pay $7.8 million fine


July 13, 2009
A federal judge has slapped a telemarketing ban on a Canadian outfit that targeted U.S. consumers with false claims that it could reduce their credit card interest rates.
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the court entered a permanent injunction that puts the defendants out of the telemarketing business. It also bars them from misrepresenting that they are affiliated with consumers' credit card companies, or that they can get consumers' credit card interest rates reduced.
The court also ordered the defendants to pay more than $7.8 million.
According to the FTC's complaint, the telemarketing operation cheated about 12,000 consumers out of more than $7.8 million between 2005 and 2007 by falsely claiming that it could substantially reduce consumers' existing credit card interest rates and save them thousands of dollars in interest and finance charges.
The defendants are Select Personnel Management Inc., based in Ontario, doing business as Select Management Solutions Canada; 1402473 Ontario Limited; 1489841 Ontario Limited; 2105635 Ontario Limited; Special T Services Group Inc.; United Registration Services Inc., as well as individual defendants James Stewart, Luigi Paulozza, and Philip J. Richards.
The FTC charges that they stated or implied--falsely--that they were affiliated with consumers' credit card companies. For $675 plus $20 for shipping and handling, according to the complaint, the defendants sent consumers promotional materials with promises to substantially reduce their interest rates, and a "financial profile form" for them to complete and mail back.
The complaint states the defendants promised to reduce the interest charged on credit cards to rates between 4.75 percent and 9 percent, save consumers at least $2,500, and refund the cost of their services to consumers who did not save at least that much money.
In fact, according to the FTC, the operators of the scam did little more than add their own fee to consumers' credit card balances. The extent of the rate-reduction services consisted of setting up three-way telephone calls with consumers and their credit card companies, and asking that the companies lower the interest rates. Those requests typically were denied.
The FTC said the defendants' misrepresentations violated the FTC Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). The agency also charged the defendants with violating the TSR by "spoofing" telephone numbers so that their calls appeared on consumers' caller identification services as coming from another number, and by failing to provide the names of the defendants or their telemarketer on caller identification services.



http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/07 ... am.html#ixzz0LA



FTC Goes After Credit Card Robocall Scammers
Offers of interest-rate reduction claims targeted


December 11, 2009


The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is widening its campaign against telemarketers who violated the Do Not Call Rule and other laws by making hundreds of thousands or even millions of recorded robocalls to consumers.
This latest effort targets three groups that allegedly made robocalls to sell worthless credit-card interest-rate reduction programs for hefty up-front fees of as much as $1,495. The court has issued an order temporarily halting the robocalls pending trial.
"The FTC has heard the public outcry against robocalls and has taken swift action to stop them. During these difficult economic times, the last thing anyone needs is to be bombarded by robocalls pitching worthless interest-rate reduction programs," said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz.
The three complaints follow two filed in May that led to court orders stopping other telemarketers from using robocalls with deceptive claims aboutextended auto warranties. Since September 1, 2009, virtually all robocalls have been illegal, unless the recipients have provided written authorization to receive the pre-recorded calls.
According to the three FTC complaints, Economic Relief Technologies, LLC, Dynamic Financial Group (U.S.A.) Inc., and JPM Accelerated Services (JPM) and related defendants made illegal pre-recorded robocalls to consumers, using names like "card services," "credit card services" or "account services."
The robocalls allegedly claimed the companies' services could lower the interest rate on consumers' credit cards. In each case, consumers who pressed 1 after hearing the automated call were transferred to live telemarketers who allegedly misrepresented that consumers could dramatically lower the rates on their credit card.
The telemarketers also said consumers would save thousands of dollars in a short period of time by lowering their interest rates and would be able to pay off their debts faster -- for an up-front fee ranging from $495 to $1,495. They then falsely stated that if consumers did not save a "guaranteed" amount -- typically $2,500 or more -- they could get a full refund of the up-front fee.
However, after securing the fee, the defendants allegedly did not negotiate lower rates on behalf of consumers and provided few refunds to those who were dissatisfied with the service.
Economic Relief Technologies also allegedly operated a related scam: using names like "Auto Protection Center" and "Warranty Services," they tricked consumers into believing they were affiliated with their vehicle manufacturer or dealership, and falsely claimed that the consumers' vehicles' warranties were about to expire. The scheme is similar to several stopped by a court order at the FTC's request earlier this year.
The lawsuits claim the companies broke the law by making illegal robocalls to consumers and that their deceptive sales pitches violated the FTC Act and the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule.
Additional charges include:
? Calling consumers whose phone numbers are on the National Do Not Call Registry.
? Calling consumers who had previously asked not to be called.
? Failing to transmit their caller ID information, as required.
? "Spoofing" or masking their caller ID information.
? Failing to promptly identify themselves, the purpose of their call, and/or the nature of the goods or services they were selling.
? Improperly abandoning calls.
? Failing to make required disclosures in their robocalls.
To help consumers and businesses understand their rights and responsibilities when it comes to pre-recorded telemarketing calls, the FTC issued two new alerts, "New Rules for Robocalls" and "Reining in Robocalls."
Separately, the FTC has issued a new publication, the National Do Not Call Registry Data Book for Fiscal Year 2009, which contains information about the Registry, along with a breakdown of consumer complaints about companies violating the Do Not Call rules. According to the Data Book, there are more than 191 million numbers on the Do Not Call Registry.




Read more: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/12 ... l#ixzz0ZNtsuqK0


16 Ways You Can be Phone Scammed

18 Nov 2008
When we started 800Notes.com we had no idea that telemarketing fraud comes in so many flavors. The variations include 'cramming', 'slamming', credit card scams, calls from telemarketers pretending to be IRS, sweepstakes and lotteries scams, advance fee  loan scams, phone toner scams, fat finger dialing scams, and area code phone scams.
Typically the goal is to get you to reveal personal, bank account information, or to make you do something that will result in unwanted charges on your account. Individuals and businesses are equally affected by these scams although the schemes might be different.
In this article I will outline the 16 most popular phone scams. I am sure there are more, so if you have been a victim of a phone scam, or you know of a phone scam not mentioned here, please share it with me and the readers in the comments.
Send this article to your family members, co-workers, and employees. Give it to your teenage kids and elderly parents (studies show they are the most vulnerable to the scams). As the old saying goes, "Forewarned is Forearmed".

3. Offers to Lower Your Interest Rates: The calls begin with a recording that makes a tempting offer to lower your credit-card interest rates. Then you are switched to a live agent who collects from you the credit card number and its expiration, name, address, and in some cases even your social security number. The telemarketers have no intention of giving consumers better interest rates on their cards and instead use the information to commit identity theft and run up unwanted charges.
Again, tracing these scam artists is difficult: they spoof the caller ID information and use numerous VOIP accounts set up using stolen credit cards. The best thing to do is hang up, report the call to FTC and warn others through 800notes.com.

Experience same as Tim's - Left me a message saying she could lower all my interest rates to 1.5%, acted like we had been in contact before when we had not and like Mia I too am not on the do not call list

caller Id Missouri

for credit I didn't request.   SCAM

I just recieved a call from this number. It's somesort of ad for a creditcard.  Sad thing is I'm on the "do not call list".

It is a scam.  Left me a message saying she could lower all my interest rates to 1.5%, acted like we had been in contact before when we had not.

Got to go, this relief package isn't going to find its way to those nigerian missionaries by itself!

Missed the call and tried to call it back and it said the number has been disconnected. Any ideas?