Bogus call centre threatens consumers

The Week says.

Based on payment documents and the VOIP address of these calls, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has determined that the call centre was run by one Zeus, which has its address at A-308 Wall Street-2, B'H Jungle Bhook Restaurant, Gujarat College Road, Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

In a complaint, the FTC alleged that American consumers received over 20 million of collection calls from India, and that since January 2010, the operation took in more than $5 million from victims, with collectors demanding between $300 and $2 000 per call.

At an FTC press conference, in Chicago last week, fraud victim JanLaree DeJulius explained that she had received a call from someone claiming to be an enforcement officer from the (phony) 'Federal Department of Crime and Prevention', who threatened to have her arrested and have her wages garnished if she did not pay a bill of more than $730, Huffington Post notes.

The scam artists had gotten her name and information from a payday loan her ex-husband had taken out in her name.

On a complaint by the FTC, a US district court ordered that all such calls be stopped and froze the operation's assets, The Hindu Business Line reveals.

“This is a brazen operation and the FTC is committed to shutting it down,” said David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

The calls were made in an Indian accent, according to the FTC complaint.