Local woman falls victim to national telemarketing scam

A Lincoln County woman is one of the victims of a multi-million-dollar scam which is the subject of a civil lawsuit initiated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The civil suit was filed by the FTC on July 23, 2007, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

One of the defendants listed in the suit is Travel Agents Direct, LLC, a Florida limited liability company, doing business as Travel Agents Go Direct, Floridaway, Travel Life Go Direct, Lucid Long Distance, and Florida Direct.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office got involved when the Lincoln County resident contacted "12 on Your Side," a consumer advocate service sponsored by WRDW-TV in Augusta, and was referred to local law enforcement officials because her complaint seemed criminal in nature.

On Thursday, August 23, the victim told an investigator with the Lincoln County Sheriff's office that an individual from Florida Direct Imagination Vacations called her on the telephone in June in regard to a vacation package. She believed this individual was calling on behalf of her bank, and that she had won some sort of sweepstakes.

According to a spokesman for the sheriff's office, "The caller gave the victim the bank's routing number, which was one digit off, and an account number, which she (the victim) presumed was her old account number. She then gave the telemarketer her new account number, believing the caller was unaware that she had opened a new account and with the understanding that she was authorizing Florida Direct to debit a $14.95 processing fee from her account. The fee was to cover the cost of materials, which were mailed to her to be reviewed over a period of 30 days.

"However, instead of taking $14.95 out of the victim's bank account, the company took $149 out just two weeks later," the spokesman continued. "When she realized what had happened, she sent Florida Direct two certified letters and tried to call numerous times to get her money refunded. Then, when she didn't hear from the company, she contacted '12 on Your Side.'"

Presently, the Lincoln County investigator is attempting to get in touch with officials in the Middle District of Florida, based in Tampa, to determine if the company is facing any criminal charges. If not, the United States Prosecutor's Office has shown an interest in filing a criminal suit against Florida Direct.

The civil suit, filed against Florida Direct and other companies, states: "Since at least 2003, the defendants have acted as a common enterprise for the purpose of promoting, mar- keting, offering to sell, and selling to consumers throughout the United States via telemarketing, memberships in discount buyer's and travel clubs as well as telecommunication services...

"Between them, the defendants have over 700 employees working in furtherance of their deceptive scheme...They have deceived millions of consumers across the county out of tens of millions of dollars. The acts and practices alleged herein also have generated thousands of consumer complaints to law enforcement agencies and the Better Business Bureau."

According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, the following tips will help safeguard local residents from telephone fraud:

.. Always be wary of "great deals," and before you pay for a trip, ask detailed questions and expect clear answers.

.. Beware of the following statements: (1) You have to act now or the offer won't be good; (2) You cannot afford to miss this "high-profit, no-risk" offer; and (3) You have won a free gift, a vacation or a prize - and you pay only for postage and handling or other charges.

.. Don't give in to high-pressure sales tactics. Always take your time to make a decision. If you are told that you have to make a decision that day, end the conversation.

.. Ask the solicitor for the name, address, and telephone number of the company for whom he works, and call to verify the information.

.. Never send money or give your credit card or bank account number to unfamiliar companies. In fact, be extremely cautious about giving out your credit card number or banking information, period.

.. Don't purchase anything by phone from unfamiliar companies.

.. Ask the caller if you can record the conversation. If he says no or that it is not the company's policy to allow the conversation to be recorded, hang up.

..If a telemarketer has issued a draft against your checking account without your knowledge or permission or if the amount is more than you authorized, contact your bank immediately. Depending on the timing and the circumstances, you might be able to get your money back.

You may also want to contact your local consumer protection agency, the state attorney general's office, and the Better Business Bureau to report the telemarketer.

Victims of telephone scams may likewise file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission by writing a letter to the Correspondence Branch, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580. Although the FTC generally does not intervene in individual disputes, the information you provide may help to expose a pattern of possible criminal activity that requires action by the commission.

For more information about telephone fraud or to report a crime perpetrated by a telemarketer, contact the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office at 706-359-7320.