The Federal Trade Commission and 15 state and federal law enforcers last week announced the results of their joint "Operation No-Credit" law enforcement campaign. The campaign netted 43 actions against credit con artists. Among those caught were seven separate enterprises offering consumers VISA and MasterCards, for a one-time advance fee, but never produced the promised credit cards. In one case, consumers paid as much as $499 to receive the credit card, most consumers did not receive the promised credit cards. A few received a "temporary" or "dummy"card with the MasterCard logo and a non-magnetic black stripe on the back. When consumers called to activate the card, the defendants told them for the first time that they had a debit card and not a credit card. The defendants also told consumers that they had to pay an additional fee and deposit money for any purchases made on the account.
OPERATION NO-CREDIT DRAGNET
(Credit Card Firms Sued by the FTC)
FLORIDA - Bay Area Business Council, Inc.; Bay Area Business
Council Customer Service Corp.;America Leisure Card Corp.
Premier Financial Services International, Inc.;
First Financial Debt Consolidation Inc.
TEXAS - Brent Shivers dba Credit Card Services; Destyni Enterprises
TORONTO - 1st Beneficial Credit Services LLC; First Beneficial
Credit Services;
First Beneficial Credit Services, Inc.;
American Capitol; Platinum Express
TENNESSEE - Premier Financial Services of Tennessee, Inc.
UTAH - Westcal Equipment, Inc.; Pioneer First; PF Member
Services., Inc.
NEW YORK - Star Credit Services Inc.
NEVADA - Tyme Lock 2000, Inc; United Family Services;
USA Membership Services; Total Resources, Inc.
For more information visit www.ftc.gov.
The Federal Trade Commission and 15 state and federal law enforcers last week announced the results of their joint "Operation No-Credit" law enforcement campaign. The campaign netted 43 actions against credit con artists. Among those caught were seven separate enterprises offering consumers VISA and MasterCards, for a one-time advance fee, but never produced the promised credit cards. In one case, consumers paid as much as $499 to receive the credit card, most consumers did not receive the promised credit cards. A few received a "temporary" or "dummy"card with the MasterCard logo and a non-magnetic black stripe on the back. When consumers called to activate the card, the defendants told them for the first time that they had a debit card and not a credit card. The defendants also told consumers that they had to pay an additional fee and deposit money for any purchases made on the account.