Autoblog

Judge disconnects alleged car-warranty "robo-callers"

Chris Tutor — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:47:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Carsumer Advocacy

It's official. The Feds are pissed, too. On Thursday, a federal judge did what many of us have wanted to do for a long time now. He handed out restraining orders to two companies the Federal Trade Commission says have been calling you, me, all your friends, your 90-year-old blind grandmother, and anyone else without enough sense to ignore unidentified phone calls.

"Today the FTC has disconnected the people responsible for so many of these annoying robocalls," said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz in a press release. "We expect to see a dramatic decrease in deceptive auto warranty calls, but we are still on high alert.

Voice Touch, Inc. and its partner Network Foundations LLC were ordered to immediately stop making phone calls that violate the Do Not Call Registry. The Feds also ordered the companies' assets frozen and appointed receivers over them to ensure all relevant documents are preserved for a May 29 hearing. Transcontinental Warranty, Inc., a client of Voice Touch, was also given a restraining order.

Does this mean those annoying calls will now stop? Most of them, probably. Does it mean your car's warranty really isn't about to expire? Judging by the number of new cars sold in the last two years, the end of your car's coverage is probably long gone or very near. Leave your number in the comments and someone will get with you soon to discuss your options. (We're kidding, obviously.)

[Source: The Associated Press]

Judge disconnects alleged car-warranty "robo-callers" originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 May 2009 10:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Fed investigating car warranty 'robo-calls'

Chris Tutor — Tue, 12 May 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

You're tired of them. We're tired of them. Most people with a phone number and a low tolerance for spam are tired of them. But finally, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer of New York has gotten one of those highly-annoying car warranty calls and has vow to put a stop to them.

Altogether now: It's about damn time.

According to an article by The Associated Press, it only took 140,000 complaints to the Better Business Bureau to get the attention of Sen. Schumer. Oh, that, and several states that have already taken it upon themselves to go after the scam artists. But Schumer said at a news conference this week that he wants a more concerted effort at the federal level that involves the Federal Trade Commission wielding the power of the Do Not Call registry.

Will the senator get anywhere? Hard to say since, as we've already reported, these phone spammers are as easily found as a Mazda Miata with an Alaska license plate. But some progress has already been made against a company called USfiidelis, an extended warranty company recently sued by Missouri officials.

[Sources: The Associated Press via Kicking Tires]

REPORT: Fed investigating car warranty 'robo-calls' originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"Expired car warranty" calls have several states pissed, too

Chris Tutor — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:31:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Carsumer Advocacy

If you haven't gotten the automated phone call frantically saying that you desperately need to speak to someone about your car's warranty, consider yourself lucky. If you gave in and actually bought an expired warranty from these spineless telemarketers, good luck getting reimbursed for car repairs.

At least that's what several state attorneys general are saying. Connecticut AG Richard Blumenthal says his office has received a "huge number" of complaints about the highly annoying and possibly illegal sales calls. Illegal because many of them blatantly violate the Federal Do Not Call Registry. Annoying because not only do they waste people's time, the extended warranties the companies are selling are almost always impossible to use, according to one attorney general. Connecticut, New Jersey and Iowa have teamed up to look into the sales pitches.

Unfortunately, the calls are almost impossible to trace since the numbers are spoofed. One number being used was traced to a disconnected phone in Nebraska that had belonged to an illegal immigrant who had been deported after a meat-packing plant raid.

If you've gotten calls from these people, you've probably already learned it's about impossible to get anything specific from them like a call back number, a manager's name or even the actual name of the business. We hope the investigation brings these alleged scam artists down. Hard.

[Source: The New York Times]

"Expired car warranty" calls have several states pissed, too originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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