The operators of an alleged credit card interest rate reduction scam will be permanently banned from the debt relief industry as part of court orders resolving charges by the Federal Trade Commission and the Florida Office of the Attorney General.
The defendants—Gino de Paz, Grace de Paz, and Shabana Khublal—allegedly engaged in deceptive and abusive practices violating the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act in selling their credit card interest rate reduction services to consumers throughout the United States.
“The defendants in this case were taking advantage of Americans dealing with rising debt by falsely promising to permanently reduce their credit card interest rates,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC is proud to partner with the Florida Attorney General to stop these scams.”
“These scammers lured victims—financially distressed consumers, along with seniors—into signing up for their debt-relief scheme. Instead of receiving the promised relief, victims were brought down further into debt while the defendants made millions,” Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said. “Now, working with the FTC, we stopped the defendants from bombarding consumers in Florida with deceptive telemarketing calls promising financial relief, and they will be forced to pay.”
In a complaint filed in July 2020, the FTC and the Florida Office of the…
