AG Curtis Hill

INDIANA —  Attorney General Curtis Hill is warning Hoosiers to beware of scams in which companies send consumers unsolicited credit cards, often touting high credit limits. Consumers should never activate cards they have not requested nor provide personal information to entities sending such cards.

This warning comes after an Indianapolis man recently filed a consumer complaint with the office of the attorney general reporting that employees of his business received unsolicited credit cards from an entity calling itself Connector Capital, purportedly based in Los Angeles. The information on the credit cards included the name of the business for which the recipients worked. The entity that sent the card has an “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau.

“Hoosiers need to know that, under the federal Truth in Lending Act, it is illegal to send unsolicited credit cards to consumers,” Attorney General Hill said. “If you receive a credit card you have not requested, first cut it up and then file a consumer complaint with our office.”

In some cases, unsolicited cards arriving in the mail are not credit cards in the first place. Would-be identity thieves may simply be trying to coerce consumers into providing personal information when they call or go online to attempt to activate the cards. In other cases, the high-limit credit cards may have a ruinous effect on consumers’ credit ratings if they activate and/or use them.

Anyone concerned about identity theft may want to consider a credit freeze, also known as a security freeze. Any Indiana resident may request a credit freeze free of charge. Learn more at the Attorney General’s website.

If you have been the victim of a scam or attempted scam – or have other consumer issues – you may file a complaint with the office of the attorney general by logging onto indianaconsumer.com or by calling 1-(800) 382-5516.