TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The operators of an alleged credit card interest rate reduction scam have been banned from working in the debt-relief industry, thanks to a court order following complaints filed by the Florida attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission.
Gino de Paz, Grace de Paz and Shabana Khublal are accused of engaging in abusive and deceptive practices violating the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.
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In a complaint filed in July 2020, Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office and the FTC accused the de Pazes, Khublal and other defendants of blasting consumers with telemarketing calls promising to permanently and substantially reduce credit card interest rates.
After posing as representatives or affiliates of consumers’ credit card companies, the complaint said the defendants allegedly claimed to be able to save consumers thousands of dollars in credit card interest, thereby allowing them to pay off debt much faster.
READ: Consumers lost nearly $6 billion to fraud in 2021, imposter scams top the list
According to the complaint, all of the claims were false or unsubstantiated.
“These scammers lured victims—financially-distressed consumers, along with seniors—into signing up for their debt-relief scheme,” Moody said in a statement. “Instead of receiving the promised relief, victims were brought down further into debt while the defendants made millions.”
READ: Scam Alert: OUC says scammers are trying to get payments over the phone
Under the terms of the agreements, the defendants are permanently banned from advertising or selling debt-relief products and services.
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