June 14, 2016

Florida and the Federal Trade Commission obtained a federal district court order to temporarily shut down a Central Florida-based operation allegedly causing more than $15 million in consumer harm. The operation blasted consumers with robocalls designed to deceive consumers into paying up-front fees for phony credit card interest-rate-reduction and debt-elimination services. The defendants, claiming to be Bank Card Services and the Credit Assistance Program, allegedly called consumers promising to substantially and permanently lower credit card interest rates, pay off consumers’ debts faster and save consumers thousands of dollars. According to the complaint filed in court, the defendants charged between $500 to $5,000 in illegal up-front fees and rarely, if ever, delivered the promised services. For an additional fee paid in advance, the defendants also allegedly claimed they would pay off credit card balances using money obtained from bogus government funds, leaving some victims in even greater debt. FL