The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) received a report of what appears to be an advance fee scam.

Recently, a Washington State consumer was contacted by someone claiming to represent Rosenblatt Financial Center. The representative stated the consumer was approved for a $5,000 loan but would first need to provide Rosenblatt Financial Center several payments via Western Union or MoneyGram. The consumer sent Rosenblatt Financial Center $748 via Western Union but has to date not received the proposed loan.

Rosenblatt Financial Center is not licensed to make loans in Washington State and is not licensed in Washington as a collection agency or debt buyer. Despite the address provided by Rosenblatt Financial Center to the Washington State consumer listed below, DFI has received information indicating that Rosenblatt Financial Center is operating from outside of the United States.

The following e-mail address and phone number have been associated with this apparent scam:

Email: Courtneysheppard@rosenblattcenter.com
Tel: (866) 724-8882
Address: 1620 5th Ave Ste 110
San Diego, CA 92101

The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions cautions that unlicensed entities often engage in certain practices that indicate they are committing a fraud or otherwise violating Washington State law. For instance, such entities often use non-business email addresses (such as @gmail.com, @yahoo.com, or other similar easily obtained email addresses) to send correspondence, threaten legal or criminal action if consumers do not reply immediately, or contain a variety of typographical and spelling errors in their correspondence to consumers.

However, at times, e-mails or letters from unlicensed entities engaging in fraudulent activity will contain accurate personal information, such as current or past addresses, active phone numbers, or social security numbers. DFI encourages consumers who receive communications containing personal information to contact their banks, credit reporting agencies, and the Social Security Administration to ensure there is no unauthorized activity on their accounts.

In all circumstances, DFI also strongly suggests verifying the business licensee of entity that is requesting personal or financial information, or attempting to collect funds.

Verify License

DFI strongly recommends that consumers deal only with those lenders that are properly licensed to conduct business. Consumers can determine whether lenders are properly licensed using the “Verify a License” feature on the DFI’s website atwww.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/findcompany.htm.

Report Fraud

Washington State residents, if you are suspicious of unlicensed activity by a payday lender please contact the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions at 1-877-RING-DFI (746-4334), or online at www.dfi.wa.gov.

If you live in another state, find your state regulator(link is external).

If you feel you have been the victim of a loan scam please contact the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357) or online at www.ftc.gov(link is external); or contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (855) 411-CFPB or online atwww.consumerfinance.gov(link is external). Because the scammers have access to bank account information and social security numbers, victims should consider themselves victims of identity theft and take appropriate precautions. The Federal Trade Commission has information for victims of identity theft available online at www.ftc.gov(link is external).

If you feel you have been the victim of a loan scam involving the Internet please contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center online at www.ic3.gov(link is external).

If you feel you have been the victim of a loan scam and are concerned about your personal financial information, contact your banking institution, and the three major credit bureaus.