I wouldn't say they are a ripoff. They were reported on a morning news show.
It's 2 guys in college I believe. They call and pretend to be you and try to negotiate a lower rate of fee. However they get 1/2 of what they get you for 1 year. So if they save you $40 a month off, they get $20 a month.
The iffy part is you have to give them all your personal info so they can be you. Account numbers, SSN, DOB, etc.