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Don't be fooled and robbed as I was (and still am - being pursued and threatened.) Instead of starting over with this write, I will just provide you with my notes over the last 2 years. My naivety thought this company could help, but it has only caused more stress. Don't get suckered as I did. Always contact your credit card company for assistance, worked for me. My apologies for "long" write, just wanted to share my experience to help others. Note: I am on the West Coast - California.
11-6-15
I received a phone call from a “Christina Taylor” (1-212-470-9514) who informed me she was with Discover Card Legal. The call came in around 1 o’clock p.m. She stated that a company C.C.S. (Credit Card Services) contacted her and were going to subpoena me for an outstanding balance owed to them in the sum of around 4500.00. I asked for what? She stated it was for interest that would have accrued to a balance transfer. I informed her I had no idea what she was talking about? She told me for a credit card I opened up last September 2014. She gave me the number to which, apparently, they gave to her to give me so that I could contact them. (844-330-0439 x1) I told her I never opened up a card with a balance transfer. Then I thought this may be the company that told me that they could lower all of my interest rates on all accounts. That they had a 100% success rate. That this should take only a few months, and if they were not successful they would refund the money back to me. I informed Christina of all of this. I also told her that I made several attempts the first 6 months to contact this company to find out the status. They informed me they were working on it and that it takes time. I gave them more time and about 9 months into it, phoned them and found a disconnected number? I tried to look them up online (because they had a website) and there was nothing! I went on to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and filed a complaint to which they later replied “Thank you for contacting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We reviewed your complaint and couldn’t send it to the company for a response. This could be because the company is not yet registered to respond to complaints or because we do not currently handle complaints related to this matter.”
Anyways, I contacted that number and left a message. Called Christina back, as she requested. She informed me to try again, so I did, someone answered and said they would be right back – I waited for about 8 minutes then hung up. They contacted me back with a (no caller ID) around 1:39. I spoke to a gentlemen who informed me what this was regarding (all of the above mentioned) I asked him if he was affiliated with Efficient Budgeting and he said yes. I told him that they have not done anything for me, interest rates are still the same, etc. He stated it takes time. He told me about a credit card that was sent (and they informed me of this) and that I was to call as soon as I received it. I told him two things, I was never informed I was going to be receiving a card, and more importantly, never received a card! My only correspondence with E.B. was setting up (what they called my account) to help lower may rates, and the “approximate” 5 conversations I had with the receptionist (who I believe was an African/American woman, maybe in her late 50s?) to find out the status. We began discussing the situation again to which he again stated that money was owed to them to which I stated for what, you didn’t do anything, you took 1500 dollars from me without doing anything and you want more…..Or something along those lines. He then said well we will be sending you a subpoena…
I then (frustrated/scared/ripped –off feeling) phone Christina back to discuss. I told her everything that was spoken with C.C.S. I told her about the credit card that was supposedly delivered to which I never received. She took a minute and then said she could see that it was delivered but there was an address issue and that another one was on the way and I should receive it next week. I thought this strange? Thought to myself, how does she know this? She said she was sorry, and could only give legal advice. She stated that there are only 2 things that could be done. One was to get the subpoena, go to court to which I would probably win because I did not receive or take a card and register it. Or she could take the funds from my Discover Card account and pay them off. She could then get the money back in a weeks time because of the “fraudulent / rights / consumer act”? I asked what if I paid it off (just for curiosity sake) she said it would stop the supine and would settle the issue. She told me to hold on for a minute, put me on hold, came back and said she tried contacting C.C.S. but that because it’s Friday they are most likely busy! I told her I needed to sleep on making a decision, I already made a bad one by going with this company who promised big and gave nothing and still wanted something. She said ok, that she was here if I needed any legal assistance. That she was “here” for me, the consumer.
Note: I did mention to both Christina and C.C.S. that I filed a complaint with C.F.P.B.
Nothing was said……
After I got off of the phone with Christina (because I was not feeling right with whole thing) I called Discover Card. I spoke to simply a financial representative with the company, asking if they have a Legal department. She asked yes and why so that she could possibly assist with any questions, so I gave her the “jist” of the enclosed. She pulled my account up and stated it was in good record, to which I knew. She stated no-one has pulled it for review, and in “her” opionion, if someone FROM Discover was to have a conversation with me (i.e. Christina Taylor) they would have made a record in the note section as standard protocol. She, in her opinion, thought this all sounded fishy as well! I told her thanks and hung up – after she apologized for all of this and wished me luck!
I then called 411 to see if the number that Christina gave me: 212-470-9514 was affiliated with Discover. The operator stated the number does not exist in her system. It may be a cell number or????
So with all of this “uneasiness” feeling robbed of my 1500 dollars, to which I decided to let go of, learn from my stupid mistake! I may now be robbed of an additional 4500 some odd dollars with nothing to show for it!
Update 12-29-16 at 11:10 a.m. – got a call from a Sydney Marshall, stated from Discover Card Legal (917)995-1517. Informed me once again, that the above mentioned contacted them for legal action against me. All the above mentioned stated still remains true. Have not heard from or received anything from them since the initial set-up. Gave me a number to contact, 877-420-2678 x 101 and told me to ask for a supervisor. Thought this “fishy” so once again contact Discover (spoke to a Tanitia?) She checked the number with a different dept. and stated this number does not come from Discover, not to mention Discover would not call to discuss this type of matter.? Once again called 411, no listing? Could be unlisted or cell???
" May i please speak with Mr Joe?" " No, im sorry, this isnt Mr Joe but have a nice day" or " this is Sally from Discover, i need to verify you are Mr Joe, this is an attempt to collect a debt" " Im sorry, i cant verify im Mr Joe, have a nice day".
Next time they call, explain that Joe Scamtarget used to be your roommate but has moved. Find the non-800 number for Comcast customer service and tell them that's his new number. Make up a nonexistent PO box as his new address. Explain that your name is Drizzt Do'Urden and that you have no relationship with them, "so please update your records." Hang up.
When you interact with someone who seems suspicious, always try to look up their number online to see if they are who they say they are. For example, the 212-470-9514 number "Christina from Discover Card Legal" gave you is actually a private cell phone number in New York City. It may be a burner phone belonging to the scammers or could be a spoofed number of an innocent victim. The same is true for 917-955-1517. The last number, 877-420-2678 belongs to a private individual, not a business. There are online services that will provide you with further information, but you have to pay for that.
You were absolutely right to get in touch with Discover Card right away. Is there any way that you can stop payment on the fund collection? If you stop payment be SURE to get your credit card or bank to add a flag to that request stating that it is requested due to suspected fraud/criminal activity.
Of course the criminal gang members will threaten you with subpoenas, etc. The purpose of the multiple person role play is to fool you into not only giving up funds but also to blurt out other information they can use for identity theft. You need to get in touch with all three credit reporting bureaus ASAP. You are entitled to one free credit report per organization per year but I think that you can also get a free report if you alert them of suspected fraud/criminal activity directed against you.
I agree with Maggiekate that you should fill out a police report if you lost any money. There is not much the police can do for you but you can use the police report as supporting evidence if followup actions become necessary such as stopping payments or filing with the credit bureaus if identity theft actions take place.
"Efficient Budgeting" is listed as one of the fraudulent companies the criminals set up. It's a long shot but perhaps you can contact the FTC and the State of Florida to see if there is any way you can participate in a class action lawsuit and perhaps recover a bit of money.
Please submit this to the fraud division at the federal government also. I can't remember the website but the Attorney General's office can direct you or just Google fraud report & they should have a website address.
They are really helpful & will investigate. Thanks for letting us know.
"This is Jill from CenturyLink. We are calling to conduct a review of your phone services." It might be Jill, but she isn't with CenturyLink, and she really wants to trick you into signing up for a 3rd party long distance service that is already included with your current service for free.
"This is Bob from Fisher's" (copy machine company) "I am calling because the toner used in your machine is going to be discontinued and we wanted to see if you wanted to stock up before it becomes unavailable". We have toner included for free in our copy machine lease, so if it was unavailable, I would expect Fishers to update me to a new machine.
"This is Joe from Dex Phone Book j(or Google, to use a modern reference). We are calling to confirm the information in your ad. If you phone number x, your address y and your business name z?" All of those things are correct, but we never signed up for any ad, and definitely aren't going to pay a fee for what is a free service.
Those are all actual calls I've received.
Just because someone says they are from a company doesn't mean they are. Life lesson, don't trust anyone who calls you on the phone if you don't know them personally. Tell them, I'm sorry, I don't discuss those things if I don't initiate the call. Let me look up your number myself, what department should I ask for when I call back? If they are legit, they will tell you. If they are not, they usually hang up at this point in the conversation.
I've had several times that Wells Fargo fraud protection has called me to report suspicious activity on my account. They leave a message, I call the number on the back of my card and discuss it with them. So far, those calls have all been real, but they so easily could not be.
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Thank you all!
