Consumers warned about credit card mailer

By Steve Kanigher

Friday, July 29, 2011 | 10:22 a.m.

The Nevada Attorney General's office alerted Nevada consumers today that they may be receiving an offer in the mail from Union Workers Credit Services for what may appear to be a MasterCard or Visa credit card but is something else.

The offer indicates that the consumer is qualified to receive a “Platinum Card” membership with a “guaranteed pre-approved $10,000 credit limit” at a “low, low interest rate of 5% APR.” It is also stated in bold letters: “You don’t have to worry if you have previously been denied credit by MasterCardor Visa."

But this advertisement is actually an offer to purchase a membership in a “buying club” where members can purchase items with the “Platinum Card” on credit. The membership alone costs $37 per year. Consumers will not be able to purchase merchandise or services from any other location.

“Citizens should carefully read any offer of credit to make sure that the offer is for a credit card and not a disguised offer for something else,” Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said. “Consumers should read every word in the offer, not just the bold and capitalized words. They should be sure to read the fine print, then check the business on the Internet.”

These companies rely on the casual reader who fails to verify the advertisement or the company’s reputation. This often causes people to purchase goods and services they really don’t want. The attorney general's office advises consumers to read carefully before responding and check the company with agencies such as the Better Business Bureau.