A Cleveland woman reported she received a call from David Chambers who claimed to be with the Cleveland Better Business Bureau. Chambers told her she had won $3 million in the Globe, Incorporated sweepstakes. She was instructed to wire $400 to Schumar Kerr in Jamaica to receive her winnings. Chambers left his phone number as 876-503-8196.
When a BBB representative contacted Chambers and identified herself as being with the Cleveland BBB, he continued to insist he was employed by the Cleveland BBB at its Seven Hills office and that our employee couldn’t know everyone who was employed there. The Cleveland BBB has no Seven Hills office and employs 30 staff. He also denied asking for $400 as that would be “illegal” and told our staffer to check with her supervisor and get her facts straight.
Another area senior reported she received two threatening messages on her voice mail from Paul Adams. Adams message stated he need to talk to her “..right now. This is extremely urgent. If I do not get a call from you, this will be taken as if you are trying to run away from this legal mess.” She was instructed to get an attorney who could represent her in court and left a telephone number of 901-347-5152.
BBB’s in Toledo and Baltimore reported similar calls surfacing in their service areas from the same phone number. Consumers who spoke to the caller state he has a heavy accent and says he is calling from the “Financial Crimes Division” about an unpaid debt. He threatens arrest and prosecution if a payment is not made within 20 minutes. A Baltimore woman was so intimidated she paid $2000 using four pre-paid Visa cards. When the “Financial Crimes Division” demanded another $1600, she called the BBB. A Toledo woman was threatened with arrest if she didn’t pay $1000 in 15 minutes.
Older consumers are often easy prey for telemarketers. Seniors can place their phone numbers on the “Do Not Call” registry which is managed by the Federal Trade Commission. Doing so will greatly reduce the volume of calls from telemarketers. Scammers, however, do not worry about complying with federal laws and continue to call consumers who are on the registry.
The BBB offers this advice:
Ø Do not provide personal information or wire funds in response to threatening or abusive callers or in order to receive sweepstakes or lottery winnings.
Ø Try to get the caller’s name and telephone number and offer to return the call after you check them out at the Better Business Bureau.
Ø Report threatening and repeated calls to your local police department.
Ø Place your phone number on the Do Not Call registry online at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222. You will still receive calls from political organizations, charities, survey companies, companies with which you have an existing business relationship for up to 18 months after your last purchase, payment, or delivery from it, unless you specifically asks the company not to call again, and bill collectors.