Friday, October 26, 2012

Account Services Phishing Scam

I have been receiving more and more calls from a party that describes themselves as "Credit Card Services" or "Account Services".  They claim that they are reducing the credit card interest rate that I am paying on my credit cards.  They want me to supply them with information on my credit cards, my social security number and date of birth, as well as the specific credit cards that I have.
I have explained to them that there is no way that I am going to give someone who calls me out of the blue and asks me for that kind of information until I have confidence that they are a bona fide organization that can be trusted. They either try to argue the point or hang up. Oftentimes, they call, do not leave a message (I know it is them because they have the same telephone number as when I have actually spoken to them). I have called back some of the telephone numbers that have been left in my recent calls list to find out that it is usually a non functioning number.   In the instances where the number was functioning it was some unsuspecting person who had no idea what was going on.

Today I received one such call. I did a reverse search on the number in Boston MA and it is Investor Group Services.  I went to their website and found the following message.

Investor Group Services, LLC
855 Boylston Street, 10th Floor
Boston, MA 02116
NOTICE: IGS has been targeted by a caller-ID spoofing scam. A company that is NOT Investor Group Services has been calling consumers using our phone number with a fraudulent offer. Investor Group Services, LLC is NOT affiliated in any way with these calls that are being made.
We are working urgently with our carrier to resolve the issue and have reported this fraud to the FTC and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. We encourage you to call your phone carrier to report these calls. We apologize for this inconvenience.

I have filed complaints with the FTC already, but I do not think it will do much good since the numbers are fraudulent.


I am going to list the telephone numbers that I think are associated with this scam:

617 371 4000 Boston MA
701 671 9447 Wahpeton, ND
843-619-3526  Charleston, SC

405-568-0145 OK

I am discontinuing listing the numbers since I have now received a few dozen different numbers.


I have found an interesting website called mrnumber.com  If you go to this site and click on REPORT SPAM in the upper right corner, then put the telephone number into the search window they return any comments that have been left by others who want to leave messages about the telephone number (presumedly that the number originated some sort of spam or whatever).  It is mostly reporting companies like this one, or the like, but it at least gives you a better snapshot of what is going on.  Perhaps with more input to sites like this the FTC can actually follow up and catch these low lives.

****************************************************************************
1/30/13
I have continued to get telephone calls from this organization. I have adopted the following method for dealing with them. I do not answer the call if I do not recognize the area code. I then check the number by doing a Google search on the number.  It usually shows up as an Account Services number.
I have now written an email to the FTC about all this. The email follows:






dncconsumerinquiry2@ftc.gove

Gentlemen,
I want to discuss with you what the FTC is doing about a very pervasive problem with unsolicited calls from a very unscrupulous party.
In my case I get about 30-50 calls a month from an outfit that calls themselves either "Credit Card Services" or "Account Services".
It is a recorded message that makes out like they are my credit card company and they are going to reduce the rate of finance charges on my credit cards. By pressing key one you get connected to a live service representative. I know that this is a scam and I do not give them personal information, but obviously this would not persist if they were not successful a small percentage of the time.
I have tried a variety of things to get them to stop calling me.
     1. I am registered on the Do not Call list
     2. I have asked them to put me on their do not call list
     3. I have filed complaints with the specific number that called me with the FTC
     4. I have investigated the number that has called me by calling that number and in ALL cases the number displayed is not the number that called me. They have hijacked the phone number
     5. I have tried to convince them that I do not have any credit cards
     6. I have told them that I am not going to provide information to someone who calls me, but rather only if I can call them.  They usually hang up on that request.
     7. I have tried to play along giving them false information, but this usually falls apart when it comes to the actual credit card number, since I do not know any valid credit card numbers that are not real.
     8. I have even just trying to use up their time so that they have less time to scam others.

The number that appears on my caller ID for these calls is usually the same for about a week, then it goes on to the next number, so they are obviously trying to stay one step ahead of anyone trying to investigate them. I can provide some of these numbers should you want them, but I think they must be worthless hijacked numbers.

Clearly, there is something that can be done here to catch these slimy operators. At a minimum a sting operation could be set up where a good credit card number that is provided by the credit card companies is used and then track the use of that card to nab them.
I have looked on line to see if others are experiencing this same problem and it is clearly the case. There are thousands of people who are getting these calls. 
I should think that this would fit into the scope of activities that you are interested in halting.
I would be more than happy to be the straw man for the sting operation since they obiously have my number on their call list.
Resolving this matter would solve three distinct problems for telephone customers:
     1. it would reduce the number of minutes we are using on our cell phones each month and therefore potentially reduce our telephone bills.
     2. It would reduce the amount of wasted time that we spend answering these useless calls.
     3. it would reduce fraud with the illicit use of the credit card numbers they actually collect from unsuspecting marks.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXXXXX

********************************************************************
I just found this press release at the FTC website:


For Release: 02/08/2012

FTC Shuts Down Robocallers Who Claimed to Reduce Credit Card Interest Rates

Marketers Settle Charges They Deceived More Than 13,000 Consumers

The Federal Trade Commission has reached a settlement with four of the defendants in an allegedly phony debt relief services operation that claimed that, for $995, it would dramatically reduce consumers' credit card interest rates. Under the settlement, reached as part of the FTC's continuing efforts against frauds that target financially strapped consumers, the defendants will be banned from robocalling consumers and from selling debt relief services. The operation, based in Canada and New York, used telemarketing boiler rooms in Orlando, Florida, to defraud consumers. Although the defendants operated under several different names, they often used "AFL Financial Services," or variations of the name "AFL."
According to the FTC's complaint, F&F Payment Processing Inc., Bajada Management Group Inc., Baird B. Fisher, Jacqueline M. Fisher, and others used illegal robocalls and falsely promised refunds to consumers if they did not save at least $2,500 as a result of lowered credit card interest rates. Based on records obtained by the FTC, the operation took in over $13 million from more than 13,000 consumers. When the case was filed, the court halted the operation and froze the defendants' assets pending a trial.
As alleged in the complaint, the defendants claimed they would negotiate lower credit card interest rates. At most, the defendants sometimes telephoned credit card issuers and attempted to conduct three-way calls among the credit card company, the consumer, and one of the defendants' so-called financial representatives. Often the defendants did not make these calls at all. When they did, the calls were unsuccessful. Some credit card issuers refused to participate in the calls as a matter of policy. Instead of a reduction in interest rates, consumers, who were already in dire financial straits, found themselves saddled with an additional $995 credit card charge.
In addition to banning the defendants from delivering prerecorded messages and selling debt relief services, the proposed settlement order permanently prohibits the companies and their owners from:
  • making misrepresentations about any goods or services, including anyone's ability to obtain a loan modification or improve a consumer's credit rating;
  • misrepresenting the terms of any refund or cancellation policy, affiliation with any government or non-profit program, or that a consumer will receive legal representation;
  • violating the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule;
  • illegally calling numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, or abandoning calls without involving a live operator; and
  • failing to transmit caller identification, and failing to disclose the seller's identity and the call's purpose.
In addition, the settlement prohibits the defendants from selling or otherwise benefitting from customers' personal information, from failing to properly dispose of customers' personal information within 30 days, and from failing to monitor sales personnel for compliance with the order. The order also imposes a judgment of more than $13.1 million, which will be suspended upon payment of $159,000 by the defendants who are part of the settlement. Additional funds are expected from the court-appointed receiver's sale of the defendants' assets in the U.S. The full judgment will become due immediately if the defendants are found to have misrepresented their financial condition or fail to meet the terms of the order. The other four defendants named in the complaint are in default.
The FTC brought this case in cooperation with the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario, Civil Remedies for Illicit Activities Office. The Ministry simultaneously filed a separate lawsuit in Ontario seeking assets for consumer redress to victims in the United States and Canada.
The FTC also worked cooperatively with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Toronto Strategic Partnership in bringing this case. The Toronto Strategic Partnership members include the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Competition Bureau Canada, the Toronto Police Service Fraud Squad - Mass Marketing Section, the Ontario Provincial Police Anti-Rackets Section, the Ontario Ministry of Consumer Services, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the United Kingdom's Office of Fair Trading.
The FTC thanks Bank of America and the Better Business Bureau for their assistance.
The Commission vote approving the proposed consent order was 4-0. The order was entered by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division on January 25, 2012.
NOTE: This consent order is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendants that the law has been violated. Consent orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC's website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Frank Dorman
Office of Public Affairs
 
(FTC File No. X110003)




Also, Dated Feb. 2011 I found this note. Obviously they have not solved the problem yet.

Credit Card Interest Rate Reduction Scams


Voice mail boxes across the nation are being clogged with prerecorded phone calls from companies that claim to be able to negotiate significantly lower interest rates with your credit card issuers if you just pay them a fee first.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, says consumers who get these interest rate reduction robocalls should listen to them with extreme skepticism, and delete them. Many are scams.
The companies behind the sales pitches claim to have special relationships with credit card issuers. They guarantee that the reduced rates they offer will save you thousands of dollars in interest and finance charges, and will allow you to pay off your credit card debt three to five times faster. They claim that the lower interest rates are available for a limited time and that you need to act now. Some even use money-back guarantees as further enticement.
The FTC says that the companies behind these robocalls can't do anything for you that you can't do for yourself — for free. You have just as much clout with your credit card issuer as these companies, and you are just as likely to get turned down for a rate reduction regardless of their promises or supposed efforts to negotiate on your behalf. Indeed, FTC investigators found that people who pay for these services don't get the touted interest rate reductions, don't save the promised amounts, don't pay off their credit card debt three to five times faster, and struggle to get refunds.
Amendments to the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule prohibit companies that sell relief services like these rate reduction scams on the phone from charging a fee before they settle or reduce your debt. If you do business with a debt relief company, you may be required to put money in a dedicated bank account, which will be administered by an independent third party. The account administrator may charge you a reasonable fee, and is responsible for transferring funds from your account to pay your creditors and the debt settlement company when settlements occur.

Protect Yourself

The FTC says that if you’re looking to reduce the interest rate you’re paying on your credit card purchases, your best bet is to handle it yourself for free: call the customer service phone number on the back of your credit card and ask for a reduced rate. Be calm, patient and persistent. And if you are tempted by the promises in a rate reduction robocall, the FTC says hold off — and hang up.
  • Don’t give out your credit card information. Once a scammer has your data, they can charge your credit card for their own purchases or sell the information to other scammers.
  • Don’t share other personal financial or sensitive information like your bank account or Social Security numbers. Scam artists often ask for this information during an unsolicited sales pitch, and then use it to commit other frauds against you.
  • Be skeptical of any unsolicited sales calls that are prerecorded, especially if your phone number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. You shouldn’t get recorded sales pitches unless you have specifically agreed to accept such calls, with a few exceptions.
  • If your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry, a telemarketer may call you only if you have agreed to accept calls from the company the salesperson works for, if you have bought something from the company within the last 18 months, or if you have asked the company for information within the last three months.
  • To report violations of the National Do Not Call Registry or to register your phone number, visit DoNotCall.gov 
    or call 1-888-382-1222.

File a Complaint

If you think you’ve experienced a credit card interest rate reduction scam, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ftccomplaintassistant.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
If your credit card has been charged for a service you didn’t order, authorize or receive, and you can’t get a refund, dispute the transaction with your credit card company. First call to try to stop the payment, and then follow up in writing. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you have the right to dispute charges for any service you didn’t get or any transaction you didn’t authorize.
This article was previously available as Credit Card Interest Rate Reduction Scams

I have now found another site with interesting information I will attach it here.

The FCC has temporarily halted 7 minor unprofitable boiler rooms who will receive a slap on the wrist and be back at it within a few days. In the meantime the calls will continue since they are making money with what is called a CNAM revenue-sharing program through companies like http://www.telephonemanagement.net and http://www.CallerID4U.co

In their own words:  'Every day your company makes thousands of outbound phone calls. Every one of those calls generates revenue for many companies, why not yours? Our CNAM revenue-sharing program helps you make money every time a Caller ID request is made by a phone carrier. A high-traffic call center can lose hundreds to thousands of dollars a day to phone carriers by allowing them to charge for access to your own data.'

You can now see why the criminals keep calling even though they know you won't fall for their scam. They are making money even if you don't answer the phone. If someone does make the mistake of answering the phone and falling for their scam then it is just icing on the cake for them. These people are the lowest form of filth on this planet.

What To Do When You Get an Illegal Robocall; http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/robocalls

1.    Hang Up. Do not press 1 or any other numbers to get off the list and NEVER call them back
2.    Consider blocking the number or on a cell phone add it to a contact list and assign NO ring tone
3.    Report it at http://www.fcc.gov/complaints
4.    Report it at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
5.    People should continually file complaints with their Attorney Generals office
6.    Report any criminal activity to the FBI here:    https://tips.fbi.gov

This is an all out attack from these scum sucking filthy pigs! EVERYONE should be reporting them everywhere that they can. Since this is an obvious attempt at identity theft and is interstate, the FBI should be forced to get involved. Charge them with a CRIMINAL offense and throw them in prison instead of the FCC saying 'Naughty - naughty, now go out and play nice'. (Prosecute them in criminal court instead of civil penalties).

Register your phone numbers online at http://www.donotcall.gov or call (888) 382-1222 (must call from # you want removed).

There is a blog site that has information on one of these operations:     http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com

Please read the blog and report violations to the proper authorities.
http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/callerid4u-inc-moves-to-silence-critics-of-illicit-robocalls

Many of these calls are coming from Costa Rica and India and they are using spoofed (false) numbers, which in itself is illegal. They do cold calling for or sell the leads to numerous companies in this country and they all know that what they are doing is illegal. Tomorrow this same number may be selling Cruises, Timeshares or Security Systems but if you follow the money it usually ends up in the hands of an American LLC.

Most of the inbound robo call numbers are spoofed, as most of the bolierhouses, both off and on shore, are using Voip SIP Trunks services. Throwaway DID numbers are also used. Some of the robocalling is operated by the end use scammers directly. Others are contract services who earn a referral fee once you are transferred to the scammers.

The criminals behind this operation aren't going to pay attention to you asking to be removed from their list. Their calls cost them almost nothing and they make millions of them so they have no intention of ever removing someone. When you press a key to talk to them all that is accomplished is to verify that they have a working number.

Unfortunately blowing an air horn or whistle doesn't work either. Their headset have noise dampeners plus they are expecting it. However with that said if it makes you feel better then by all means give it a shot.

The banking system is also at fault here, without merchant accounts and ACH processing these criminals could not collect the scammed funds. Though the criminals use obfuscation, layered corporations, multiple bank accounts and offshore stashing, patterns of obvious fraudulent activity become apparent after a very short time.

This is an all out attack from these scum sucking filthy pigs! EVERYONE should be reporting them everywhere that they can. Since this is an obvious attempt at identity theft and is interstate, the FBI should be forced to get involved. Charge them with a CRIMINAL offense and throw them in prison instead of the FCC saying 'Naughty - naughty, now go out and play nice'. (Prosecute them in criminal court instead of civil penalties).

If you want to stop these calls then you need to dry up their revenue source. Your phone company is charging you a fee for Caller ID. Your phone company pays the scammer for sending their Caller ID information. Your phone company pays only a fraction of a cent per call and you pay your phone company to have the Caller ID displayed. The scammers send out millions of calls which amounts to a significant amount of money however your phone company is charging a large amount to millions of customers. This may have something to do with the phone companies inability to stop these calls.

In order to stop this we need legislation making it illegal to charge for caller ID. If a phone service wishes to operate it would need to provide the Caller ID at no charge as part of the service. Here is the $50,000 solution that the FCC is looking for and it doesn't cost anything.

There is an excellent blog site that I found that explains how one company is getting away with this activity.

http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com

At the height of this telephone debacle it's been said that Rachel was making 27 calls a second, which is a whopping 2.4 million calls in a single day!

Read more at http://www.whycall.me/info/creditholderservices.php

This is an all out attack from these scum sucking filthy pigs! EVERYONE should be reporting them everywhere that they can. Since this is an obvious attempt at identity theft and is interstate, the FBI should be forced to get involved. Charge them with a CRIMINAL offense and throw them in prison instead of the FCC saying 'Naughty - naughty, now go out and play nice'.

Advance Fee Fraud

http://www.occ.gov/topics/consumer-protection ... -fee-fraud.html

Advance fee fraud, also called upfront fee fraud, is any scam that, in exchange for a fee,

 Promises to send you money, products, or services.

 Offers you the opportunity to participate in a special deal;

 Asks for your assistance in removing funds from a country in political turmoil; or

  Asks for your assistance to help law enforcement catch thieves.

Whatever the scammers call the upfront fees (membership fee, participation fee, administrative or handling fee, taxes) all have one thing in common: the victims never see their money, or the scammers, again. Advance fee schemes come in many forms. We have provided some examples here. For more information, you can also visit the Federal Trade Commission Web site http://www.ftc.gov/ and perform a key word search.

Debt Elimination Fraud

Unlike legitimate companies who work with debtors to help them responsibly repay their debts, debt elimination scammers promise to make you debt free in exchange for a modest upfront or membership fee that they simply pocket. Victims pulled in by these schemes will certainly lose that fee, but they may also lose property, incur additional debt, damage their credit rating, risk identity theft, or face legal action. To learn more, read Answers about Debt Elimination and Fraudulent Schemeshttp://www.helpwithmybank.gov/get-answers/cre ... e-quesindx.html or visit the Bureau of Consumer Protection on the Federal Trade Commission Web site http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/index.shtml.

Nigerian Fraud

This fraud combines identify theft and advance fee fraud. Scammers posing as government officials contact victims asking for help in transferring millions of dollars out of Nigeria in exchange for a percentage of the funds. They convince victims to provide their bank name and account numbers and other identifying information and to send checks to pay for bribes or legal fees. Perpetrators may also use the personal information received to drain victims' accounts and credit cards. The Nigerian government is not sympathetic to victims who, by participating in this scheme, violate both Nigerian and U.S. law. Read more about this and other common fraud schemes on the Federal Bureau of Investigation Web sitehttp://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/fraudschemes.htm#nigerian#nigerian.

From the FBI website:

http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publication ... -2010-2011#Mass

Mass Marketing Fraud

General Overview

Mass marketing fraud is a general term for frauds which exploit mass-communication media, such as telemarketing, mass mailings, and the Internet. Since the 1930s, mass marketing has been a widely accepted and exercised practice. Advances in telecommunications and financial services technologies have further served to spur growth in mass marketing, both for legitimate business purposes as well as for the perpetration of consumer frauds. They share a common theme: the use of false and/or deceptive representations to induce potential victims to make advance fee-type payments to fraud perpetrators. Although there are no comprehensive statistics on the subject, it is estimated mass marketing frauds victimize millions of Americans each year and generate losses in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The following is a brief description of some of the key concepts and schemes associated with the mass marketing/advance fee fraud crime problem.

Advance Fee Fraud: This category of fraud encompasses a broad variety of schemes which are designed to induce their victims into remitting upfront payments in exchange for the promise of goods, services, and/or prizes.

The predominantly transnational nature of the mass marketing fraud crime problem presents significant impediments to effective investigation by any single agency or national jurisdiction. Typically, victims will reside in one or more countries, perpetrators will operate from another, and the financial/money services infrastructure of numerous additional countries are utilized for the rapid movement and laundering of funds. For these reasons, the FBI is uniquely positioned to assist in the investigation of these frauds through its network of legal attaché (legat) offices located in over 60 U.S. Embassies around the world. By leveraging its global presence and network of liaison contacts, the FBI has successfully cooperated with other domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies to combat, disrupt, and dismantle international mass marketing fraud groups. The FBI participates in the International Mass Marketing Fraud Working Group (IMMFWG), a multi-agency working group established to facilitate the multi-national exchange of information and intelligence, the coordination of cross-border operational matters, and the enhancement of public awareness of international mass marketing fraud schemes. The current membership of the IMMFWG consists of law enforcement, regulatory, and consumer protection agencies from seven countries, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Despite the best interagency enforcement efforts to combat mass marketing fraud, the FBI remains cognizant of the fact that the only enduring remedy for this crime problem lies in consumer education and fraud prevention programs. Toward this end, the FBI has not only produced its own mass marketing fraud prevention materials, but coordinates on other public information efforts with the DOJ, FTC, and the USPIS, among others. The FBI also supports a consumer fraud prevention website in conjunction with the USPIS which can be located on the web at: Additionally, further information on mass marketing fraud schemes can be found at www.fbi.gov, www.ftc.gov, www.ic3.gov, and www.stopfraud.gov.

What To Do When You Get an Illegal Robocall; http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/robocalls

1.    Hang Up. Do not press 1 or any other numbers to get off the list and NEVER call them back
2.    Consider blocking the number or on a cell phone add it to a contact list and assign NO ring tone
3.    Report it at http://www.fcc.gov/complaints
4.    Report it at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
5.    People should continually file complaints with their Attorney Generals office
6.    Report any criminal activity to the FBI here:    https://tips.fbi.gov

There is a blog site that has information on one of these operations:     http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com

Please read the blog and report violations to the proper authorities.

http://telemarketerspam.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/callerid4u-inc-moves-to-silence-critics-of-illicit-robocalls

Thursday, October 25, 2012

EQUIFAX/NCTUE and the great fallacy of the credit reporting agency circus

CASE CLOSED. Success!

EQUIFAX/NCTUE and the Great Fallacy 
of the Credit Reporting Agency Circus

I have decided to create a new entry for EQUIFAX. This post grew out of my DirecTV post. I  am not going to repeat here what is in that post, so, if you want the detailed background material, I recommend that you start on that post and work your way forward to this post in order to more fully understand the situation.

Notwithstanding the above comment, I include here a very short summary for those not inclined to look at the details: I received a notice from DirecTV that the credit reporting agency that they use, NCTUE, was unable to locate a credit file on me and so, in effect, DirecTV was not really going to offer me servies like normal people. In other words, I was given a denial of service based upon the inability of NCTUE to locate my file.

After a lengthy interaction with both DirecTV and NCTUE, it was determined that the letter was sent to me by DirecTV in error and I was not denied any service based upon a bad or non existent credit report. Additionally, NCTUE, did not really lose my file, they are just incompetent, and couldn't access it in their own database. In the face of all this incompetence, I have requested to see the credit file on me that NCTUE has.  They also go by the names Exchange Service Center and Equifax.  Since Equifax is the most recognizable name I will use their name from now on and have started this post to deal with their incompetent handing of this matter. Only time will tell how really bad they are.  It is totally up to their performance.

At this point I have spent about 15 hours of my time trying to get a copy of my credit file.  After reporting twice to me that they could not locate any such file, they have subsequently located my file. They have attempted to mail it to me four distinct times. As of today we have the working hypothesis that they mailed it to the wrong address in spite of the thirteen times we have tried to verify the address that they allegedly sent it to.

I found this interesting blog on NCTUE that has background information on the organization should you be interested. Here is another interesting blog entry, and one more.

By way of background information, according to their website, "the National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange (NCTUE) is a consortium of over 60 member companies from the telecommunications, utilities and pay TV industries. The board is comprised of member companies in these industries. The exchange is managed by an executive director and a 12-member board of directors. NCTUE membership is governed by member agreements, operating guidelines and bylaws."


"Their mission is to serve as a Fair Credit Reporting Act compliant credit data exchange service for the telecommunication, payTV and utility industries by submitting industry-specific payment information to enable members of the exchange to better identify and manage financial risks and to better monitor customer relationships during the life of the service affiliation." 

The NCTUE "database contains information on over 325 million consumers.  NCTUE members are required to comply with FCRA requirements as data furnishers to a consumer reporting agency and as users of consumer reports, including adverse action notification requirements.  The NCTUE database does not include EQUIFAX credit information, and EQUIFAX is not a member of NCTUE."

They go on further to state, "In the late 1980s the business credit executives of long-distance carriers and the National Association of Credit Management Southwest (NACMSW) formed the National Telecommunications Credit Group...
During a February 1993 meeting, an informal committee was formed, made up of Credit Group members and a representative of NACMSW, to pursue the establishment of a national database to be owned and operated in accordance with guidelines set by the members.
The members of the committee requested approval from their legal departments to proceed with the establishment of a national database. Attorneys gave permission for the committee to proceed under the legal guidance of a senior attorney from AT&T and a senior attorney from MCI.
In October 1993, after numerous meetings and teleconferences, the National Telecommunications Data Exchange (NTDE), a non-profit corporation, was founded by AT&T, MCI, Sprint, Allnet, Business Telecom, Inc., Cable & Wireless, Inc., LDDS Metromedia, and Wiltel, Inc. A representative of NACMSW was chosen as executive director and vice president of NTDE.
In November 1993, NTDE started the process of interviewing potential vendors and developing the Request for Proposal to be sent to the vendors. The attorneys emphasized the importance of keeping NTDE independent from any vendor. At the same time, the attorneys started the process of obtaining approval from the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. Approval was obtained on March 8, 1994.
Equifax was selected to be the vendor, and NTDE and Equifax signed a contract on July 25, 1994. In August of 1995, after numerous meetings, teleconferences and extensive testing, the national database became active.
In 1996 telecommunications consumer executives, with the assistance of NACMSW, started the process of developing a national database of consumers who do not pay their local and long distance phone bills. The process followed very closely the process of the development of the NTDE database, with the exception of having to address the laws governing consumer credit and the utility regulations of the various states.
The National Consumer Telecommunications Data Exchange (NCTDE) was founded in 1997 by AT&T, Bellsouth, Citizens, Frontier, IXC, MCI, NYNEXLD, Sprint, and Worldcom. A representative of NACMSW was selected as executive director and vice president of NCTDE. In September 1997, the Department of Justice approved the creation of the database, and Equifax was selected as the vendor."

NCTUE claims that "The Exchange Service Center is a third-party contractor of NCTUE and provides services to consumers on behalf of NCTUE." I translate this to mean that EQUIFAX has set up a subsidiary unit named Exchange Service Center to further obfuscate the whole situation.

My personal experience in dealing with these people is that they use the names EQUIFAX, NCTUE, and Exchange Service Center interchangeably.  So much for the hype about the separation of NCTUE and EQUIFAX.



Right now I am waiting until Halloween to try to receive my credit file after doing so five times.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

10/30/12
Halloween came early this year.  The NCTUE (EQUIFAX) credit file arrived today based upon my fifth request.
Now, to the interesting contents of this report.

The first thing I noted is that they have my address wrong.   I attempted to correct it, but they will only do that if I mail in a copy of my driver's licence and my social security card and give them my phone number, all sent via FAX.  I do not have a FAX machine. I disputed the address and declined to send in my driver's license, etc..
I pointed out to the customer service representative that the address on all my accounts shows as the correct address, but that is not good enough for them.

Next, I noted that they show no inquiry into my credit file from DirecTV.  This is very strange, since it was DircecTV's inquiry for my credit file from them that started this whole incident. They say they cannot deal with this and that I must speak with DirecTV about it.

Next, on my cell phone bill they show incorrect billing and payment history numbers (not off by much, but still off) for just the last three months. I have had this account for nearly 10 years.  Why would only the last three months be in error?

My AT&T telephone account shows no balance amount or payment amount for Dec. 2010 and Jan. 2011 and yet shows account status of 0-30 and 30-60 days overdue respectively. I disputed this.

An old AT&T account shows "account closed/ unpaid final bill". I disputed the unpaid final bill item on two grounds. First, it is not true, I had paid the final bill, and second, if it were true, and it isn't, it is over 7 years old and should not be on my report because the information is too old.

They now have 30 days to research my disputed items and get back to me. I asked specifically how they would communicate with me. They said they would mail it to me at the address the companies use and not the address they have in my file there.  Interesting!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

11/1/12

I received a letter today from NCTUE with regard to my request to have my address changed:

                              Exchange Service Center  NCTUE
                              PO Box 105398
                              Atlanta, GA 30348-5398


October 29, 2012

Dear Consumer:

We have received your request concerning your telecom and utilities exchange data report.

However, the information you provided does not match your information currently in the data report.  Therefore, to protect your service history information, we must ask for some additional information in order to verify your identification and address.

A copy of one item in EACH of the categories below is needed in order to verify your identification and address.  The item you choose in the identification category SHOULD contain your Social Security number, and the item you choose in the address category SHOULD contain your current mailing address of:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Identification                                                 Address
*US Social Security Card                             *Driver's license
*Pay stub with US SS#                                *Rental lease agreement/house deed
*W2 form                                                     *Pay stub with address
*State or other government                         *Utility bill (gas, electric, water, cable,
  issued ID card                                             residential telephone bills)

To ensure that your request is processed without delay, please enlarge photocopies of any items that contain small print (e.g. driver's license, W2 forms, etc.).  To avoid additional delays, keep in mind that if photocopies are not legible or contain highlighting, they may cause us to ask that you resubmit your request with more legible documents.

These are the reasons for which a data report can be provided at no charge, if you don't meet the criteria below, there may be a charge.

If you have been denied service, credit or another credit-based benefit due to information on your data report within the last 60 days, you are entitled by las to a free copy of your data report.

If you have recently placed an initial 90 day fraud alert on your data report, you may receive a free data report.

If you have recently place an extended seven-year alert, you may receive two free data reports within 12 months.

You are entitled to one free data report during any 12 month period regardless of your state of residence if you are:
 Unemployed and intend to apply for employment in the next 60 days
 Receiving public welfare assistance
 Believe you are a victim of fraud
 Receive a risk based pricing notice

In the event you request the Exchange Risk Score, the charge is $7.95.

Please refer to the chart below to determine your current fee for the telecom and utilities exchange data report.

[Chart Omitted]

If you are entitled to a free data report but you included payment in the form of a personal check, it has been shredded for your protection.  If you included a money order, it is being returned to you in a separate mailing.

Please include correct payment with the new request and make check payable to: Exchange Service Center.
Please submit the requested information and this letter to the address below.

Exchange Service Center - NCTUE
P.O. Box 105161
Atlanta, GA 30346-5161

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to assist you.

Exchange Service Center - NCTUE


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXX



November 1, 2012

Exchange Service Center
PO Box 105161
Atlanta, GA 30348-5398

Re: Your letter of  October 29, 2012 (attached)

Gentlemen:

I am in receipt of your letter dated October 29, 2012 (attached). Please change the address in my file to the address indicated above.

In accordance with your request, please also find a photocopy of my Social Security Card and this month’s utility bill from Time Warner Cable showing my mailing address as indicated above.

Sincerely,


XXXXXXXXXXXX



encl: Social Security Card, Time Warner Cable bill (Nov. 1, 2012),
        Letter from NCTUE of October 29, 2012

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
11/28/12
It has been very quiet. No correspondence from NCTUE as of this date.

*************************************************************************************

11/29/12, 12:13pm, call duration 28 minutes
I have called NCTUE/EQUIFAX about their non response.
They have claimed that they did not receive my correspondence of 11/1/12 and have consequently not changed my address.
They claim that all the other errors that I reported have been corrected.
I have requested a corrected copy of my credit file. They will send it within 10 business days.
After almost 30 minutes they have now found my correspondence of Nov. 1, requesting that my address be corrected. They will update the address and include that in the report that they will be sending me. I have been told that I will receive this within 10 business days. That should be around Dec. 13. We will see what happens

*******************************************************************************


12/13/12 8:00am call duration 8 minutes
After going through the third degree on verifying who I was and using the confirmation number supplied, it was determined that I was talking to EQUIFAX and not NCTUE in spite of the recorded introductory message saying that it was EQUIFAX/NCTUE that I was calling. The claim is that NCTUE is another company and they gave me another telephone number, different from the one on the NCTUE letter I received. What idiots.

12/13/12 8:13am duration 8 minutes 
This time the claim is the last time they sent out my credit file was on Oct. 26. not on Nov. 29 as I was informed. Again, I was told that they would send it out within 48 hours and that it will take from 7 to 10 business days for me to receive it. I asked if I would have it by 1/3/13 and they confirmed that that was a good date to expect it by. Also, I confirmed that they were sending it to the correct address by asking them what address they were going to send it to. It was correct.


****************************************************************
December 17, 2012

Today, I received a letter from NCTUE with my "updated" credit file. First, note that they sent it to the wrong address. That appears to be the only problem

Below is the text of my response to them.

********************************************************************
December 18, 2012

Exchange Service Center
PO Box 105398
Atlanta, GA 30348-5398

Re: Your letter of  December 13, 2012
      Confirmation #xxxxxxxxxxx



Gentlemen:

I am in receipt of your letter dated December 13, 2012, which was in response to my request to have certain disputed information changed in my credit file. In part, I had requested that my address reflect my true mailing address. I note that your letter, in spite of multiple previous reassurances that the matter had been corrected, came addressed to the incorrect address. Even your previous correspondence was, at least, correctly addressed. Once again I ask that you please change the address in my file to the correct address indicated above.  I have gone to great lengths to have these addresses corrected because we have had so much difficulty getting mail delivered by the US Postal Service when it is not addressed with the simple and single word change that I have requested, especially from NCTUE.   AT&T, apparently the only member of your service, uses the correct address for billing purposes. Your intransigence on this matter is only a further indication that the data you supply to your member(s) is very unreliable at best.

I find it curious that you only have three of my AT&T accounts reporting into your system. I also find it curious that you do not have my DirecTV account in your system, since it was they who initiated the inquiry that has resulted in all this brouhaha over the information in my previously reported “non-existent” file.

As I indicated in my correspondence to you on September 5, 2012, I have no fewer than twelve utility, telecommunications, cable, etc. accounts with major national companies, and, yet, the only one’s that seem to be tracked by NCTUE seem to be some of the AT&T accounts.  I would think that your members might be greatly dissatisfied with the paucity and incompleteness of the meaningful information that you are really providing to them.

Sincerely,


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

encl: Research Request Form (NCTUE)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

1/2/13
Note to self: I called NCTUE today to follow up on my letter to them of 12/18/12. I spent another 17 minutes trying to see if they have my address correct, since I have not gotten a response to my letter. They claim that they have no record of having received a letter from me. I attempted to deal with the same issue on the phone. They denied that they have the wrong address for me and that they sent the last letter to me to the wrong address. They are going to send me a copy of my credit file showing the address as it appears on my file which they claim is the correct address. I should have this letter from them by 1/15/13

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


1/8/13
Today I have received a letter from NCTUE dated 12/31/12 addressed to the wrong address that I am trying to have them correct

December 31, 2012

Dear Consumer:
We have received your request concerning your telecom and utilities exchange data report.
However, our records indicated that a free copy of your disclosure report already has been sent to you.
These are the reasons for which a data report can be provided at no charge, if you don't meet the criteria below, there may be a charge.
If you have been denied service, credit or another credit-based benefit due to information on your data report within the last 60 days, you are entitled by law to a free copy of your data report.
If you have recently placed an initial 90-day fraud alert on your data report, you may receive a free data report.
If you have recently placed an extended seven-year alert, you may receive two free data reports within 12 months.
You are entitled to one free data report during any 12-month period regardless of your state of residence if you are :
-Unemployed and intend to apply for employment in the next 60 days
-Receiving public welfare assistance
-Believe you are a victim of fraud
-Receive a risk based pricing notice
In the event you request the Exchange Risk Score, the charge is $7.95.
Please refer to the chart below to determine your current fee for the telecom and utilities exchange data report.
[Chart omitted]
If you are entitled to a free data report but you included payment in the form of a personal check, it has been shredded for your protection.  If you included a money order, it is being returned to you in a separate mailing.
Please include correct payment with the new request and make check payable to: Exchange Service Center.
Please submit the requested information and this letter to the address below.
Exchange Service Center - NCTUE
PO Box 105161
Atlanta, GA 30348-5161

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to assist you.
Exchange Service Center - NCTUE

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1/8/13 Notes to self regarding NCTUE letter of 12/31/12
First, I note that the date of this letter is three days before my last call to NCTUE wherein they told me that they would be sending me a copy of my corrected credit file. I am going to wait until 1/15/13 as they suggested in that telephone call before proceeding.
Next, I note that while the address on the envelope is to the correct address, the inner address is the incorrect address.

*********************************************
1/23/13
Okay, I am finally getting back to this open item.  It is clear that NCTUE has no intention of meeting there obligation here, or, for that matter, keeping their word that they would send me a corrected credit file. I will now address another letter to them to try to resolve this matter. I will post it below.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

January 24, 2013

Exchange Service Center
PO Box 105398
Atlanta, GA 30348-5398

Re: Your letter of  December 31, 2012
      Confirmation #XXXXXXXXXX


Gentlemen:

I am in receipt of your letter dated December 31, 2012, which was in response to my request of December 19, 2012 to have certain disputed information changed in my credit file. You will note that in my letter of December 19, 2012 I indicated that in part, I had requested that my address reflect my true mailing address.

I note that your letter, in spite of multiple previous reassurances that the matter had been corrected, came addressed incorrectly. Even your previous correspondence was, at least, correctly addressed. Once again I ask that you please change the address in my file to the correct address indicated above.  I have gone to great lengths to have these addresses corrected because we have had so much difficulty getting mail delivered by the US Postal Service when it is not addressed correctly, especially mail from NCTUE.   AT&T, apparently the only member of your service, uses the correct address for billing purposes on all four of my accounts with them. Your intransigence on this matter is only a further indication that the data you supply to your member(s) is very unreliable at best.

I find it curious that you only have three of my AT&T accounts reporting into your system. I also find it curious that you do not have my DirecTV account in your system, since it was they who initiated the inquiry that has resulted in all this brouhaha over the information in my previously reported “non-existent” file.

As I indicated in my correspondence to you on September 5, 2012, I have no fewer than twelve utility, telecommunications, cable, etc. accounts with major national companies, and, yet, the only one’s that seem to be tracked by NCTUE seem to be some, but not all, of the AT&T accounts.  I would think that your members might be greatly dissatisfied with the paucity and incompleteness of the meaningful (or meaningless) information that you are really providing to them.

Please correct the information in my credit file and then provide me with a corrected copy of my credit file when you have corrected the information in it.  You should also note that in your letter of December 31, 2012, you seem to think that I should have to pay for this report. I might note that I have multiple justifications to insist that I receive a corrected credit file, which I have never received, at no charge whatsoever:

Firstly, I have only this month had my credit checked by AT&T for a new account. Consequently, I am entitled to a copy of my credit file on that basis alone.

Next, until you provide me with a correct credit file I have no way of determining if the credit file is correct. Under provision of the Fair Credit Reporting Act you are required to provide that report at no charge to me.

If you want to dispute that the credit file is incorrect, then I demand that you add a statement from me in my credit file that the address is incorrect in the file and indicate the address above as the correct address.

Please comply with your responsibilities under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and subsequent legislation.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXXXX


encl: My Letter of December 18, 2012
       Your Letter of December 31, 2012


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1/22/13
National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange, Inc.

Dear XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On behalf of the Exchange, the Exchange Service Center has contacted each source directly, and our investigation is now completed. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact the source of that information directly.

Result of Your Investigation (For your security, the last 4 digits of your account number(s) have been replaced by *).

>>>> We have researched the information you have disputed. Account # XXXXXXXXXXX THE DISPUTED ADDRESS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACCOUNT HAS BEEN UPDATED. If you have additional questions about this item please contact: AT&T, PO Box 80517 Charleston SC 29416 800 288 2020.

If you have any additional questions regarding the information provided to NCTUE by the source of any information, please contact the source of that information directly. You may contact us regarding the specific information contained in this letter by writing to us at

Exchange Service Center - NCTUE
PO Box 105398
Atlanta, GA 30348-5398
]Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you.

Exchange Service Center - NCTUE


Attachment: My credit report

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I note two things.

First, they have addressed the letter to me correctly and the mailing address is now correct on the report.
Congratulations NCTUE. However, I now note that the addresses reported as part of the report reported by AT&T are incorrect. I have today communicated with AT&T and they have assured me that the mailing address on my four accounts are correct. I do not know what to make of this.

I think this is CASE CLOSED.

I guess it was not quite closed. Today I received yet another letter from NCTUE. The text follows.


January 29, 2013

Dear Consumer:
We have received your request concerning your telecom and utilities exchange data report.
However, our records indicated that a free copy of your disclosure report already has been sent to you.
These are the reasons for which a data report can be provided at no charge, if you don't meet the criteria below, there may be a charge.
If you have been denied service, credit or another credit-based benefit due to information on your data report within the last 60 days, you are entitled by law to a free copy of your data report.
If you have recently placed an initial 90-day fraud alert on your data report, you may receive a free data report.
If you have recently placed an extended seven-year alert, you may receive two free data reports within 12 months.
You are entitled to one free data report during any 12-month period regardless of your state of residence if you are :
-Unemployed and intend to apply for employment in the next 60 days
-Receiving public welfare assistance
-Believe you are a victim of fraud
-Receive a risk based pricing notice
In the event you request the Exchange Risk Score, the charge is $7.95.
Please refer to the chart below to determine your current fee for the telecom and utilities exchange data report.
[Chart omitted]
If you are entitled to a free data report but you included payment in the form of a personal check, it has been shredded for your protection.  If you included a money order, it is being returned to you in a separate mailing.
Please include correct payment with the new request and make check payable to: Exchange Service Center.
Please submit the requested information and this letter to the address below.
Exchange Service Center - NCTUE
PO Box 105161
Atlanta, GA 30348-5161

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to assist you.
Exchange Service Center - NCTUE

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
There they go again repeating themselves.

I think this is a wrap.