I received an unsolicited call from a "finance company", EPIK RELIEF on 2/17/09. Since they had left several message on my voicemail, and I was home sick I took the call. They insisted that they could reduce my credit card interest rate to as low as 6% and guarenteed a saving of $2450. My husband and I had been talking about contacting our credit card company for a rate reduction, as we were in good standing, and had never missed a payment. I was taken in by the everso helpful and concerned telemarketer, and thought she/her company might have more leverage than I would have alone.

After 10-15 minutes her "manager" came on the line
to confirmed my information and guarenteed a rate
reduction, monthly savings ...

He scheduled a date and time with me, when I was
to be contacted by my rep, with exact information of
my new rate approved by my card company
(WaMu). During that conversation I stipulated, at
that future time, they could charge me the one time
processing fee of $900. I thought if it was a good
rate I'd pay them for the service, and if it wasn't I
would cancel. The very next day, 2/18/09, a charge
for $990.00 appeared on my credit card account. I
had asked about cancellation terms, and he clearly
stated that I could cancel at anytime within the next
30 days. I tried to reach them several times and
finally left a couple of message asking them to call
me.

When EPIK RELIEF's representative called me, I
informed him, as I had WaMu (on 2/25/09), that it
was less than 30 days and I wanted to cancel. I
reminded him that they said "Yes" to my term of
applying the charge after talking to a rep (at a future
date) with exact interest info. When he said I
approved the charge and they had a recording of it, I
asked to listen so WE could hear my terms were
also stated clearly, as was his answer to my
question about cancellation. He put me on hold.

To almost everything he said I repeated over and
over, "it is less than 30 days, you said I had 30 days
to cancel and I want to cancel right now!"
He finally said I had to let him call the credit card
company that issued my VISA, give him the last 4
digits of my social security number, and tell VISA
that I was giving him access to my account and
permission for him to act on my behalf. He continue
saying, since I was unwilling to do this he couldn't try
to get a new rate; therefore, I did not qualify for a
refund.

It seemed clear to me this person was only
interested in getting my social security number and
probably a recording of me saying he is an agent
acting on my behalf, give him full access to my
account. I imagine he would have everything he
needed to access far more than just my VISA
(which I cancelled)!

What kind of company says "Yes I understand you
want to cancel, but I have to do the work before I will
let you cancel"?? The answer is a company that is
phishing for as much of your private info as they can
get.

This company should be put out of business. They charged when and in an amount I didn't approve and they were phishing for my social security. The imagination reels at the potential for Identity Theft and other forms of fraud...

One more warning, the contact us on the
website that looks to be theirs, its not. Their web
address is phoney, its a false-front, and the web
address is actually available!

It cost me $990.00 on my VISA to realise I was
robbed! And, such the fool I feel, but I'm willing to
admit I was taken, and hope this group will be stopped.

I hung up and blocked the number (*60), and I
suggest everyone else do the same.