This is the final warning that the warranty on your vehicle is about to...*click*
It's over.
Finally.
UPI reports, "The Federal Trade Commission announced Friday that a U.S. District Court in Chicago issued a restraining order demanding that three companies accused of aggressively making automated calls to sell auto warranties across the country cease the pitches."
USA Today adds, "The Federal Trade Commission has received 30,000 complaints about this unsolicited robocall pitch." The three companies reportedly "made as many as 1.8 million calls each day in violation of Do Not Call regulations." The FTC claims that the companies "evidently dialed every number in a given area code."
FTC attorney Steve Baker told MSNBC, "We think they were just dialing every phone number in the U.S. more or less in order." The companies "even called Secret Service offices and 911 dispatchers."
The New York Times reports, "Once on the line, recipients were misled into believing that they were extending their original vehicle warranty for $2,000 or $3,000 with a company affiliated with the dealer or manufacturer of their car."
The scam worked. The Times reports, "The seller took in more than $10 million as a result of the calls, as well as related mailings, according to the commission."
Our hero in this case is Judge John F. Grady of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
The villains should be named as well. Consumerist reports that Grady, "Issued a temporary restraining order against Voice Touch, as well as a business partner, Network Foundations, from making further calls. He also issued a separate temporary restraining order" against Transcontinental Warranty, Inc. "Also named in the restraining orders are Christopher D. Cowart, the owner of Transcontinental; James and Maureen Dunne, the owners of Voice Touch; and Damian Kohlfeld, an owner of Network Foundations."
There is even hope that some of those bilked in the scheme could get some money back. The AP notes, "Besides ordering a halt to the automatic telephone sales calls, Grady's order froze the assets of the two companies. The FTC alleged in its complaints that the calls were part of a deceptive scheme and asked the court to assure the assets will not be lost in case they might be needed to repay consumers who have been victimized."
If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.
