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Credit Con Artists Mon, Sep 9, 2002 AddThis Social Bookmark Button

By Karen Shuggart, CardTrak.com

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.