This "company" called to offer me a Visa and a MC at 4.9% and 0% annually for a year, with credit limits of $2500 and $2000 respectively. They also threw in a Sprint PCS phone with 3000 minutes free. All he needed was a checking account number to authorize a debit of $199 for the membership fee. I asked him if the company was legitimate right off the bat and he said yes. He said that I would recieve the package and of course I would have to call to activate the card. I asked him specifically if they were the lending institution and whether this was an approval or a preapproval... He said they were indeed the lending company and that the offer was a guaranteed approval. He said a confirmation representative would call within 20 minutes to verify all information. The name that he gave me was First Capital Corporation (very IMPORTANT). When I got off the phone with him I went on the internet to see if I could find out any information and to my disappointment I found nothing about this CC offer. However, I did find First Capital Corporation... They are not into CC loans they are into business capital. So I decided to do a search on First Capital Credit Cards and whola I found these consumer complaintss. Here is how this "company" is beginning to legitimize their scam. The lady who called to verify talked very fast and only slowed down at my questioning. She claimed that the conversation was being recorded so I asked her "on tape" who they were and she said that they were First Capital Consumers Group. I asked her were they the lenders or the second party to this offer, she no they were not the lenders but they were the second party. I told her there was a misunderstanding and that I would not be able to authorize this debit. She hung up. 5 minutes later Alex calls back and says why did you cancel? I tell him that I've read about the scam on the internet and that he had previously told me that they were the lenders, however once the conversation was being recorded the name of their "company" changed ever so slightly and they were not claiming to be the lender. Very Smart! Baffled he said no she must have misunderstood that they were not First Capital Consumers Group but that they were in fact First Capital Corporation. I told him that First Capital Corporations' website has nothing as far CC offers. He says "that's right we're trying to get into this." I tell him to shove it and that my account has already been put on notification.in short, the main crucial between this report and the many others is the distinct difference between the recorded call and the unrecorded calls. The verification call is the only one that counts that's why they will not overtly lie on it. They are a consumer group and they can legitimately practice what they do. It's not right, but hey that's the price of freedom. Get all your necessary knowledge of what you're being sold during the recorded conversation. My experience with legit companies such as Capital One and many others says that first of all a legit doesn't ask for any upfront funds even on a secured card they will simply add it onto the card. Secondly, a caller who confirms the authenticity of a deal will not engage in a sales pitch at your request. They are simply verifying your information not theirs. Last but not least, if and offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Jason BrightConsumer Advocate (803) 783-2814JasonColumbia, South Carolina
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