Brick resident Janice Lobat gets many scam calls, including some that promise to help lower credit card interest rates.

"If you are interested in lower interest rates press one," the robocall says. Lobat wants nothing to do with it. "I just hang up on them," she said.

Good move.

The Federal Trade Commission warns that prerecorded calls promising to help with credit card interest rates are flooding voice mail boxes around the country. With some expert help, Press on Your Side is here to tell you what you need to know.

1. Recognize the bogus calls. "You have everything from people calling you out of the blue and promising that they can lower your interest rate, (that) they can get things removed from your credit report," said Matt Schulz, senior industry analyst for "All you have to do is give them your very private, very important information."

2. Don't fall for promises. The companies claim to have a special relationship with your credit card company. But the FTC said investigators found that people who pay for these services don't get the interest rate reductions or savings promised, and don't pay off their credit card debt three to five times faster, as promised.

3. Scammers want you to act right away. They'll tell you the offer is only available for a limited time, said Adam Levin, chairman and co-founder of They try "anything that is trying to get you to act impulsively."

4. They are phishing for your personal information, such as your credit card numbers, bank accounts or Social Security number. "They are going to ask you for your Social Security number," said Levin, a former director with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. "Once you have done that, it is like you have handed away the keys to your kingdom."

5. They'll ask to you to pay a fee. The scammer may ask for you to wire money somewhere or put it on a prepaid debit card, Levin said. (Be wary if anyone on the phone asks you to pay for something by wire transfer from a Western Union or with a prepaid debit card.)

6. Do it yourself. Often, you can do the work to try to lower your credit cards' interest rates. Ask your bank or credit card company to lower your interest rate or remove a late payment fee.

"If you are willing to give your bank a call and ask for some of these things, you have a pretty good chance of having your request granted," Schulz said.

7. There are legitimate credit counselors and they are not the ones calling you with a robocall. If you're in trouble and need credit counseling, contact a nonprofit group or governmental agency that can provide financial assistance, such as New Jersey Citizen Action, Navicore Solutions in Freehold Township or Ocean Community Economic Action Now in Toms River.

Press on Your Side will return on June 3. Do you have a consumer problem that needs solving? Contact David P. Willis at 732-643-4042, or

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