gift card. Enter code ‘FREE’ at [web site address] to claim your prize. 150 left!!” However, consumers who clicked on those links didn’t end up with the “free” prizes; instead, they ended up signing up for multiple trial offers to “qualify” for the “free” prizes. In some cases, consumers also were billed for monthly recurring charges. “Much like we saw recently with the ‘One-Ring Scam,’ some scammers have figured out that mobile phones are one of the easiest ways to get directly to a consumer,” Morrisey said. “Unfortunately, for these consumers, clicking those links might add up hundreds of dollars in charges on their bills, which is just wrong.” http://www.wvago.gov/press.cfm?ID=794&fx=more
March 5, 2014 Attorney General Patrick Morrisey Urges Consumers To Be Careful When Evaluating Ways To Pay Down Debt Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is urging consumers to be cautious when evaluating their options when it comes to paying down their personal debt. Each year, thousands of consumers find themselves looking for ways to get a handle on their finances by paying off credit cards and loans. However, in some cases, the consumer finds the debt is too much to manage, and they seek help from third-party debt settlement companies. “Although there are many legitimate credit counseling services out there, some are bad apples,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “They often require already cash-strapped people to pay extraordinary up-front fees under the guise of negotiating on their behalf, but what ends up happening is the debt settlement company holds on to that money, and the consumer is no closer to any kind of help than they were before.” http://www.wvago.gov/press.cfm?ID=793&fx=more
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