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  1. #1
    Senior Member controlledImmigration's Avatar
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    Attorny General Probes Immigrant Calling Cards

    Immigrants find hang-ups in phone cards

    Victor Manuel Ramos | Sentinel Staff Writer
    September 26, 2007

    Many immigrants stay in touch with loved ones in their countries of origin by using prepaid calling cards that offer discount rates for international calls.

    But the offers are not always as good as they seem. Often, the cards chew up more minutes than advertised, which results in higher cost for consumers.

    State Attorney General Bill McCollum has launched a probe involving 10 calling-card companies that operate in the state. Representatives from McCollum's office joined Hispanic advocates Tuesday in Orlando as they called on consumers to report any calling cards that turn out to be defective or companies that are deceptive in their advertising.

    "We want immigrants to lose the fear and report these problems,"
    said Carlos Irizarry, a Kissimmee city commissioner supporting the effort. "The more complaints we have, the stronger the case" against companies skirting the law, he said.

    Among the problems: Cards that run out of time before their set number of minutes should expire; cards that charge hidden fees or round down the number of minutes left; companies that market their products in deceptive ways, while issuing disclaimers that most immigrant users cannot understand.

    "The bold print is in Spanish. The fine print is in English," said John Pare, regional deputy attorney general for Central Florida. "It's our interest, at the end of this investigation, to make sure that consumers are provided with adequate information to make a choice."

    The companies that have been subpoenaed are cooperating in the investigation, said Elizabeth J. Starr, the Orlando bureau chief of the attorney general's Division of Economic Crimes. But those companies were unreachable or did not return calls on Tuesday.

    Intele-Card, a Texas company that organizes the pre-paid industry's expo, also did not respond to a request for comments.

    Consumers such as Carlos Sanchez, a 58-year-old maintenance worker from Costa Rica, said he keeps buying the cards because they are still less expensive than signing on to a long-distance plan.

    He often buys cards that don't last. Sometimes they lose minutes when he is not using them. He had just bought a $2 card called"Fuego Latino"that he was using for a half-hour call to his 19-year-old daughter.

    "If I call right now and don't use all the minutes it gives me right away, it would become worthless," Sanchez said. "You go and check back and, boom, the minutes are gone."

    The Hispanic Institute, an advocacy group in Washington, is spearheading the fight to bring accountability to the industry.


    Many immigrants who are customers, group president Guy West said, may not be fluent in English and think they don't have any recourse when the cards fail them. It's not clear how much money those consumers lose, but the institute says the pre-paid calling-card business is a $4 billion-a-year industry -- and growing.

    Cards have appeal because, on average, they are cheaper than telephone-company long-distance rates for international calls. But the institute's studies have shown they are not reliable.

    "I have been using calling cards for about 10 years now, and I have been experiencing problems with the cards myself," West said. "Many of those cards we have tested deliver about half the minutes that they promised."

    Immigrants at an east Orlando shopping center on Tuesday said they always have problems with calling cards and have to keep switching brands to find the best deals.

    Those who sell them say customers often complain about the cards, but the merchants' hands are tied. Bravo Supermarket on East Semoran Boulevard typically stocks 15 to 20 calling-card brands, but customers buy them at their own risk.

    "We try not to tell people which one is good, because from one week to the next we hear different stories about the same cards," said Tony de Jesus, one of the store's assistant managers. "We try to carry different kinds so people can choose."

    Elia Rosales had just bought a card named "Companero" at that store. If a card doesn't last, Rosales said, she just buys another one. One time, she called a card's customer-service line to complain about losing minutes, and was just left waiting on the line.

    "Now," Rosales said, "I just throw the bad cards away."

    Victor Manuel Ramos can be reached at vramos@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-6186

    http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loc ... ?track=rss

    Expect Senator Durbin to write a bill giving unlimited, free calls to Illegals soon.

  2. #2
    Senior Member redbadger's Avatar
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    "We want immigrants to lose the fear and report these problems,"
    What freaking fear...they don't look fearful buying new dodge trucks or proteting in the halls of the Capitol...What freaking fear?Heck they have raped and murdered 50 thousands plus Americans...who should be fearful?????????????????
    Never look at another flag. Remember, that behind Government, there is your country, and that you belong to her as you do belong to your own mother. Stand by her as you would stand by your own mother

  3. #3
    Senior Member Dixie's Avatar
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    State resources being wasted on illegal aliens. I hope they are keeping a tab.

    Dixie
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

  4. #4
    Steph's Avatar
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    Doesn't the Attorney General of Florida have anything better to do, than investigate calling card companies that rip off illegals? Possibly something that affects legal Florida residents? Why is he encouraging them to lose their "fear" and learn how to use gov't services when they are screwed out of half the value of a $5 or $10 calling card, when the illegals can just not buy that brand in the future? They sure know how to boycott, why don't they just boycott the companies that take advantage of them? He should be encouraging them to lose their "fear" of the police department and start calling them to turn in known criminals or report illegal activity such as knowing that a family member or freind is currently driving around the streets drunk.

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