Consumer Blog
Massive nationwide telemarketing fraud crackdown
The Federal Trade Commission today announced its biggest ever bust of telemarketing scammers, called Operation Tele-PHONEY. The FTC worked with 30 different law enforcement agencies across the country, including AG Nixon, to announce legal action against almost 200 bogus operations.
Three of AG Nixon's cases were included in this sweep. They were:
- Operation Helping our Heroes - a bogus charity that used telemarketing calls to raise money supposedly for homeless veterans. Contrary to its claims, it's not tax exempt and the money is not going to help veterans. AG Nixon got a restraining order to shut them down.
- National Dealers Warranty - one of those car extended warranty companies we targeted in Operation Taken for a Ride.
- National Auto Warranty Services, Inc. - another car extended warranty company
The FTC has released tw two videos with education about avoiding telemarketing fraud.
Technorati Tags: phone fraud, phone scam, scams, solicitation, telemarketer, telemarketing fraud, telemarketing scam, moagoconsumer, consumer protection
Posted by on May 21, 2008 9:08 am :: Comments (9) :: Permalink
9 Responses to "Massive nationwide telemarketing fraud crackdown"
says:
May 23, 2008 12:36 pm
I went to the FTC release for this and at no point did I find anything about the two warranty companies being involved. Why is this?
says:
May 27, 2008 10:52 am
To Bobby:
The only reference to the state cases are in the fourth paragraph after the heading Law Enforcement Coordination (see link in this blog post). You'll see Missouri mentioned with other states that filed actions. The specifics of our cases were mentioned in a hard copy release that was handed out to the press in Washington during the announcement. It was long (12 pages) so I assume they left off details for Web purposes.
says:
June 5, 2008 6:03 pm
From: "Fedex Courier Delivery Services" Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert Subject: YOU HAVE A PACKAGE Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 08:28:52 -0400 (EDT) Greetings! I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank Draft of $800.000.00 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with FEDEX COURIER SERVICE, West Africa, I travelled out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till end of June 2008 What you have to do now is to contact the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you because of the expiring date. For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance premium and Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not a Drug Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country. The only money you will send to the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE to deliver your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($150.00 US) Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far. Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except $150.00US Dollars. I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know when you will contact them and in case of demurrage.You have to contact the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE now for the delivery of your Draft with this information bellow: Contact Person: Mr. Mike Aderson Email: fedexdelivery0010@hotmail.com Telephone:+(234)8074521523 Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address() and Direct telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to give you the tracking number to enable you track your package over there and know when it will get to your address. Let me repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $150.00 US Dollars for their immediate action. You should also let me know through email as soon as you receive your Draft. Yours Faithfully, Mr.Mark Curtis Delete Reply Forward Spam Move... Previous | Next | Back to Messages Save Message Text | Full Headers Check Mail Compose Search Mail: Search Mail Search the Web Move Options * [New Folder] * USDA * e-mails Forward Options * As Inline Text * As Attachment Reply Options * Reply To Sender * Reply To Everyone Address Book Shortcuts * Add Contact * Add Category * View Contacts * View Lists * QuickBuilder * Import Contacts * Synchronize * Addresses Options * Addresses Help Calendar Shortcuts * Add Event * Add Task * Add Birthday * Day * Week * Month * Year * Event List * Reminders * Tasks * Sharing * Synchronize * Calendar Options * Calendar Help Notepad Shortcuts * Add Note * Add Folder * View Notes * Notepad Options * Notepad Help Advanced Search * Advanced Search Copyright 2008 © Yahoo! Inc. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Send Feedback | Help (I Thought You Might Like Too See This, Fraud Attempt!)
says:
June 18, 2008 11:58 am
This company needs to be stopped. I receive about 5 calls a week. Since I have voice mail, they leave messages or speak as if the recording thinks it has a live person on the line. I end up having to access my voice mail only to delete their messages. This is almost everyday. I registered with the National Do not call Registry. I found that this hasn’t done any anything to stop them…it just hasn’t done any good. If you cannot provide the National Do not call Registry with information about who it is that’s calling you, who can you file a complaint about? You cannot get the company (if you get a live person) to tell you anything about them, who they are and so forth. You cannot get them to remove your number, even when you tell them you are registered with the National Do Not Call Registry. So, my question is, what good is the National Do not call Registry? Who and where can I get some advise and or action? Without exaggeration we get 4 to 5 calls a week from them. Short of changing our number (which we shouldn’t have to do and do not want to do) what else can we do? Does anyone have any suggestions? Any and all will be greatly appreciated.
says:
June 18, 2008 2:31 pm
To Ree:
You can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (which runs the national Do Not Call Registry) here and with the Missouri No Call list here.
says:
August 8, 2008 1:30 pm
I received this in my e-mail is this a scam? Thursday, August 7, 2008 6:17 PM From: "FEDEX EXPRESS DELIVERY SERVICES" Add sender to Contacts To: undisclosed-recipients -----Inline Attachment Follows----- Greetings! I have been waiting for you since to contact me for your Confirmable Bank Draft of $800.000.00 United States Dollars, but I did not hear from you since that time. Then I went and deposited the Draft with FEDEX COURIER SERVICE, West Africa, I travelled out of the country for a 3 Months Course and I will not come back till end of August 2008 What you have to do now is to contact the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE as soon as possible to know when they will deliver your package to you because of the expiring date. For your information, I have paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance premium and Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is not a Drug Money or meant to sponsor Terrorist attack in your Country. The only money you will send to the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE to deliver your Draft direct to your postal Address in your country is ($100.00 US) Dollars only being Security Keeping Fee of the Courier Company so far. Again, don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except $100.00US Dollars. I would have paid that but they said no because they don't know when you will contact them and in case of demurrage.You have to contact the FEDEX COURIER SERVICE now for the delivery of your Draft with this information bellow: Contact Person: Mr. Mathew Kind Email: fedexdelivery010@hotmail.com Telephone:+(234)8074521523 Finally, make sure that you reconfirm your Postal address() and Direct telephone number to them again to avoid any mistake on the Delivery and ask them to give you the tracking number to enable you track your package over there and know when it will get to your address. Let me repeat again, try to contact them as soon as you receive this mail to avoid any further delay and remember to pay them their Security Keeping fee of $100.00 US Dollars for their immediate action. You should also let me know through email as soon as you receive your Draft. Yours Faithfully, Mr.Mark Curtis
says:
August 8, 2008 2:32 pm
To Cari:
This is either a foreign lottery scam or a Nigerian letter scam.
says:
March 21, 2009 10:05 pm
US Fidelis aka National Auto Warranty Services/Dealer Services had opened a night club called "eXODUS". It was to be an alcohol free, smoke free club and the musicians were to be handselected by the Darain and Corey Atkinson; the owners. The club was opened to the employees for a review. The people hired all sported eXodus Tshirts, flyers and pamphlets were printed and handed out. The area was decorated in a very modern fashion. Upcoming shows were displayed on the Marquis sign to be seen from Interstate 70. Only six weeks after the club opened; it closed. The club was "given" to the Element Church. It is solely for the church now. I believe its address is 500 Mall Parkway. Isn't that strange? Nice tax rightoff? A way to avoid taxes? The church was meeting in the US Fidelis building prior to this for approximately 4 months, I believe. Their last place to worship was in Chesterfield. This seems to be a way to HIDE money.
says:
March 21, 2009 10:15 pm
More on US Fidelis-from an employee I notice a black tractor trailer with orange initials GG is in and out of the "Mall" once or twice a week. This past week I noticed it pulling in right around 5pm on two different days. I caught the name of the company-- Garland Gehrke out of Lincoln, IL. What on earth is being hauled in and out of there? It isn't a mail truck to haul out all the mass mailers that mislead people. Certainly they are not hauling in a semi truck load of paper and supplies. Maybe it is the Atkinson's yacht or cars they take back and forth to somewhere? Maybe they rent space out to other companies? Curious.............
