I received call from Lisa Colletti representing Consumer Financial Advisory Board. She said I was referred by Experion/Equifax because of my "good payment history", and that her company was about helping "good consumers" get a better deal with the banks.
She asked for one card that was not at max balance to see if she could give me an estimate on how much I could save. She said the Consumer Protection Act and their recording my agreement conversation was my protection against fraud. That for $995 "back end charge" I would save a minimum of $5,000 and get a financial advisory report on how to save money or my money would be returned.
I was tired enough, stupid enough and wanting a break enough after my bank could not see their way to reducing my 24.99% interest rate that I gave the information. Lisa went off the phone and then came back to say that they could help me and that I just needed to talk to "Jessica in the Verification Department". This is the part where they ask questions that they seem to have the answers to already like my address and phone number and that I need to clearly say "Yes" or "No" to.
When it came to saying "Yes or No" to thier taking the $995 out of my card I balked and started asking questions again to which Jessica immediately had Lisa on the line talking to me about how this is really legit and in 30 days I would see it and she said, "Just give me 1% of your trust right now and we will earn the other 99%..." I said I wanted to check this company out and to talk to Experion as I believed that I had opted out of their giving my information to any marketers, so why did they give my name to Consumer Financial Advisory Board. I also mentioned my state's attorney general saying that their is a growing fraud problem going on with people being desperate to get out of financial trouble. She turned cold and had some comment I don't remember and hung up without mentioning to call back soon.
That is when I realized I probably screwed up and called my bank card. I talked to fraud and verified that a pending charge for $995 was on my card this evening before I agreed to make payment on the recoding program. The fraud department said that it would take 6-7 days for the balance to actually "Post" if it was going to and then I would have a legitimate fraud claim to get the charges reversed if it did.
I am hoping that this "company" was just checking that they could get $995 out of my card tonight and does not actually post the charge as I did not complete their "recorded agreement" process. Unless that was all a rouse and the agreement in their process actually happened when I gave them the number.
I know it is tough out there, but no company should have to get your money first and then get to keep it for a minimum of 30 days before actually showing you how they are going to earn (or not) that money you gave them. Even if they give it back in 30 days, imagine the cash float they earn interest on $995 times say 100 people a month. I am sure they are getting more than that many people per month.
Lisa Colletti... Don't post that charge please!
B. *
SuN VALLEY, Nevada
U.S.A.
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