Consumers across the U.S. and Canada are sounding off to Better Business Bureau about incessant automated telemarketing calls promising to lower interest rates on their credit cards. Not only are the calls a nuisance and violate u.s. and Canadian Do-Not-call laws, but some companies behind the calls are bilking consumers by charging thousands of dollars in up-front fees to negotiate lower interest rates with credit card companies-something consumers can do on their own at no cost. According to figures cited by the White House in January, credit card debt increased 25 percent in the past 10 years, totaling $963 billion – with current per-household credit card debt at nearly $9,000. Knowing that so many families are drowning in debt, telemarketers offering suspect financial assistance are taking full advantage of the situation. Consumers have reported receiving calls as early as three in the morning and on both their cell and home phones even when they have registered the numbers with the federal Do-Not-call lists. Consumers also tell BBB that, despite their requests to the telemarketers to stop calling, the calls continue to come. Click here to open press release “Connecticut Better Business Bureau: Government moves to stop illegal robocalls”