North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services
Pay-Per-Call Telephone ChargesPosted February 1, 2001
Referenced from: http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/fraud/alert8.htm
The Attorney General's office continues to receive complaints about suspicious pay-per-call telephone charges being asserted by parties in Canada. Last week, two North Carolina citizens complained that their October phone bills contained "collect call" phone charges from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The number from which the call supposedly was received is 604-689-2910. One North Carolina consumer claims never to have received such a call, while the other contends he did receive one but that it was from a telemarketer and that he hung up immediately. Both consumers were billed just over ten dollars. Consumers from other states have complained about this practice and this phone number, as well.
In late August, the Attorney General sued three barristers from Markham, Ontario, Canada, accusing them of collection law violations and deceptive trade practices in connection with their calls and letters demanding that North Carolina citizens pay for 1-900 charges. Consumers claim they never made the calls. Although the barristers (attorneys) do not file suit to collect the amounts they are claiming, they and their "paralegals" (telephone reps) certainly threaten to do so in their letters and phone conversations. Many of the North Carolina citizens targeted with these letters have been older individuals, including a 69 year old retired Marine from Charlotte who said he was threatened over the phone with a federal lawsuit and loss of his credit if he did not pay immediately. Small businesses have received these demands as well. The Canadian barristers are Patrick Wymes, Patrick Mlot and Brian Belmont. Presently, Messrs. Belmont and Mlot are under court order to cease collection activities in North Carolina. Mr. Wymes apparently stopped sending demand letters to North Carolina citizens early in the summer. The case is pending in Wake County Superior Court.
Anyone with information regarding such "pay-per-call" collection practices is invited to contact Carol Johnson of the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section, tel. 919-716-6000. Thank you.
Further References:
bogus 900-number calls
http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/forums/about2990-1.html
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