Connecticut BBB says Ignore her and “Cardholder Services" Calls
Wallingford, CT – November 22, 2012 – Who is Rachel and why does she keep calling? Better Business Bureau says despite the best efforts of the Federal Trade Commission, consumers continue to receive illegal robocalls during which recorded voices identify themselves as being with “Cardholder Services,” the most common of which is ”Rachel.”
As part of an aggressive campaign to put an end to these calls, the Federal trade Commission (FTC) announced it had identified and halted five companies based in Arizona and Florida. These companies alone were responsible for millions of illegal calls that violated the Do Not Call Registry laws, and allegedly deceived consumers into paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in upfront fees to “reduce credit card interest rates.”
As the term suggests, a robocall is a recorded announcement that reaches land lines and mobile phones by computers that dial telephone numbers in sequence. Consumers are urged to press “1” to speak to a live representative and “2” to discontinue receiving such calls. Consumers who press “1” are then considered to be receptive to these scams, and added to a hot list that is sold to other telemarketers
Millions of consumers complain about these calls to the FTC every year. Unfortunately, the caller ID numbers are not the real number whence the call originates.
Not only is Rachel considered “public enemy number one” by the FTC, the difficulty in stopping these calls is illustrated by the agency’s offer of $50,000 cash prize for a technical solution to block illegal robocalls. Other telemarketers push auto warranties, debt consolidation, medical discount cards and grant procurement programs – almost all of which are scams. According to the FTC, these companies are difficult to find and stop.
There is not much that consumers can do block telemarketing calls short of not answering the telephone if they don’t recognize the incoming number, however, in the meantime:
• Hang up. Do not press 1 or any other numbers to be taken off the list.
• Consider blocking the number(s).
• Report it at donotcall.gov
Finally, if you have a way of blocking illegal calls, the FTC would like to hear from you at http://robocall.challenge.gov.
###
Founded in 1928, Connecticut BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB helps consumers find and recommend businesses, brands and charities they can trust, offers objective advice and a wide range of education on topics affecting marketplace trust.
BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses. Today, 114 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than three million local and national businesses and charities. For more advice on finding companies and businesses, start your search with trust at www.bbb.org/.
