The Federal Trade Commission is returning more than $149 million to AdvoCare distributors who lost money as a result of the AdvoCare pyramid scheme. The FTC sued AdvoCare in 2019, alleging that the multi-level marketing company operated an illegal pyramid scheme that deceived consumers into believing they could earn significant income as “distributors” of its … Read more
One of the most common scams out there is the lawsuit threat scam. A person calls who identifies themselves as a debt collector. Then, they aggressively threaten a lawsuit for a supposed debt. While anyone could be a victim of this scam, these scammers prey particularly on seniors. Here is a video where I spoke … Read more
The operators of a massive real estate investment coaching scheme face permanent bans and will pay approximately $12 million for consumer redress as part of a settlement in a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission and the Utah Department of Commerce Division of Consumer Protection (UDCP). The FTC and UDCP alleged that Zurixx, LLC, … Read more
The Federal Trade Commission is taking action in federal court against a Florida-based group of defendants it alleges have calledExplore Data with the FTC – Do Not Call hundreds of thousands of consumers nationwide to pitch them expensive “extended automobile warranties” using deceptive telemarketing tactics. According to a complaint filed in federal district court, American … Read more
Two of the defendants behind an alleged small business financing scheme, RAM Capital Funding, LLC and its owner Tzvi Reich, will be permanently banned from the merchant cash advance and debt collection industries, and required to pay $675,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they used deceptive and illegal means to seize assets from … Read more
American National Bank and Trust Company has reported that counterfeit cashier’s checks using the bank’s routing number of 051401027 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with various internet scams involving mystery shopping and job opportunities. There are at least three known variations of counterfeit items in circulation; coloration is unknown. Variation #1 – … Read more
If you receive an email regarding a NORTON 360 LIFE renewal, it is a scam. Do not call the number in the email. It appears designed to get suckers to call and then the person on the phone will attempt to get personal information from you. There are a number of red flags in the … Read more
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has been informed that an entity using the name “FNB” is misrepresenting itself as a national bank. While the entity may represent that they are affiliated with a legitimate financial institution, they are not. The fictitious entity has been robocalling and robotexting consumers to obtain information … Read more
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has been informed that an entity using the name “Amarico Trust Bank” and branding itself as “AmTrust Bank,” an inactive institution, is misrepresenting itself as a national bank. The fictitious entity has been using a foreign-hosted website designed to obtain information to likely perpetrate identity theft. … Read more
A new Federal Trade Commission data spotlight shows that in the first nine months of 2021, consumers reported losing $148 million in scams where gift cards were used as the form of payment. That amount is more than was reported in all of 2020. Nearly 40,000 consumers reported using gift cards to pay a scammer … Read more
Question: Dear Steve, Senior consultant Mr. Daniel Jackson from Lawyer Solutions Group contacted me regarding the recovery of 82,134 USD. Is Lawyer Solutions Group a trustworthy company, and is it capable of assisting me in recovering my lost investments? Answer: Thank you for your question. I see that you might be located in the Netherlands … Read more
Question: Dear Steve, Steve Vanderhoof’s widow Rayan Vanderhoof and her CURRENT STATUS with the Department of Justice and her company Olympus Medical Group Corporation for Medicare Fraud? Was Ms. Vanderhoof ever convicted? Answer: Many of the court records in the case of the United States of America v. Rayan Vanderhoof are sealed and not publicly … Read more
Have you ever tried to resolve a dispute with a corporate entity: a bank, a car rental agency, a credit card company? How did it turn out? Most times–I’m guessing–you just gave up without getting your problem solved. A couple of years ago, Chase Bank flagged a fraudulent transfer out of my checking account. Three … Read more
If you get a call that sounds similar to the message below. It is a scam. Hang up. “Hello, this is Mary Fletcher, state number agent, FF694. And this is a notification call from the department of financial relief services. And the purpose of this call is to inform all us citizens in our state … Read more
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took action against GreenSky, LLC for enabling contractors and other merchants to take out loans on behalf of thousands of consumers who did not request or authorize them. The CFPB issued a consent order against GreenSky requiring the company to refund or cancel up to $9 million in loans … Read more