Credit Card Scam. Suggest everyone keep track of "Rachel from Credit Card Services" and when you have a decent list of phone numbers they use, report it to the Federal Trade Commission. They are trying to track these bozos down and have made arrests as recently as March 2012. (Anyway, that's what the lady at the FTC told me.) You can either file a complaint at www.ftc.gov or call the hotline at 877-382-4357.
If everyone starts reporting to one source, maybe they'll catch these creeps and make their scam less lucrative and save the rest of us from their annoying calls!
If you want information on this scam and the people behind it I recommend checking out this website:
http://onthespotblog.com/the-hunt-for-rachel-at-cardholder-services/
The players we know that are now involved, including names and cities are:
Ambrosia Web Design LLC, Chris Ambrosia, Mesa, Arizona
American Debt Negotiators, Ran David Barnea, Boca Raton, Florida
Associated Accounting Specialists Inc., William R. Page, Port Saint Lucie, Florida
Castle Rock Capital Management, Roy M. Cox, Laguna Niguel, California
Concord Financial Advisors LLC, Lee Cestine, Mesa, Arizona
Financial Services Solutions LLC, CEO Unknown, New York, New York
PHL International, Mark Burton, Deerfield Beach, Florida
Premiere Debt Solutions, CEO Unknown, Orlando, Florida
Red Leaf Capital LLC, Leroy Castine, Mesa, Arizona
I have received more than 150 (I have them documented) calls from these scum sucking criminals. I have filed more that 50 complaints with the FTC however due to the fact that they hide behind spoofed numbers I doubt that they will ever stop any of them. They ask for up front fees and charge your credit card without performing any services.
A special thanks to a reply from MGD at dslreports.com which gives great insight as well:
"Some on your list have already been the subject of FTC action, such as Roy M. Cox of Castle Rock Capital Management. Not surprisingly, many are habitual repeat offenders, and are the subject of multiple FTC actions. FTC action is grossly inadequate in these cases. The millions of unsolicited "Heather" "Rachel" et all, Card Services robo calls will not begin to subside until these criminals are charged with Federal Felonies, are convicted and subjected to significant jail time.
Civil action by the FTC against such criminals is totally ineffective. All of those involved know that they are violating FTC regulations. The FTC prohibits unsolicited calls for any kind of debt / interest rate reductions which require up front fees, period, and that is what these robo calls are about. The FTC civil actions have been nothing more than whack-a-mole interference. Which is why numerous individuals are the subject of repeated actions, despite signing prior agreements that prohibit future involvement. The FTC levies huge fines, then rescinds them based on inability to pay. The FTC settles for the minimal cash on hand, and enjoins them from future "telemarketing". The criminals sign off, then go right back to business. The entire operations are clearly criminal, intent to defraud, etc, and should be dealt with in criminal court and not by civil actions.
The banking system is also at fault here, without merchant accounts and ACH processing these criminals could not collect the scammed funds. Though the criminals use obfuscation, layered corporations, multiple bank accounts and offshore stashing, patterns of obvious fraudulent activity become apparent after a short time.
If you are interested in obtaining useful tracking information on the callers, I suggest another angle in the conversations. Act very interested in the rate reduction scam, as you have multiple high interest cards with large balances. Tell them that you don't give out card numbers in response to unsolicited calls. However, tell them that if they provide you with a verifiable number that you will then call them back and provide the info.
Since many of the operatives work on commission they will provide direct contact numbers if they believe you are serious about completing the deal. Verified return phone numbers are an excellent tool in tracking the people behind the operations.
Many of the inbound robo call numbers are spoofed, as most of the bolierhouses, both off and on shore, are using Voip SIP Trunks services. Throwaway DID numbers are also used. Some of the robocalling is operated by the end use scammers directly. Others are contract services who earn a referral fee once you are transferred to the scammers.
In a follow up post I will document one group associated with the Rachel "Card Services" and the pond scum, including a lawyer behind one of the operations. Follow the money ..... track the recipients ... and take a close look at the processors and banks involved."