Fraudulent Charge

ComplaintsInternet ScamsSEM* VALUE PLUS

Complaint

0
Stephens
Country: United States
My bank account has been debited electronically $24.95  for February 2011.  The debit is described as WC BUDGET SAVERS MN PH. 800-475-1942.  I have no idea what it is about because I have not purchased anything from such company.  What should I do next?

Comments

  • 0
    tj
    This is a common scam, and the Senate Commerce Committee actually held hearings on these fraudulent "discount membership" scams about a year ago, and the New York Attorney General went after several last spring.  

    There are a number of companies engaged in "selling" these worthless "discount memberships", splitting the take with other merchants or telemarketers.  Consumer fraud losses due to this "industry" are in the hundreds of millions of dollars per year.  


    Have you received any recent telemarketing calls?
    Have you called any company to place an order, possibly purchase of a product advertised on TV in an infomercial?
    Have you made any online purchases, and if so, were there any pop-up "discount" offers?
    Has anyone offered you some "free trial" offer, supposedly for some "discount"?
    These are the usual ways these scams try to slip through a deceptively "authorized" charge.

    If so, what merchant, product, phone numbers, website (URL)?


    Dispute fraudulent charges through your bank, and close the account or block the card number due to fraud, to prevent additional fraudulent charges.  Your bank can reverse the charges if you dispute promptly.  Follow up with a written dispute or fraud affidavit to preserve your FRB Reg. E or FCBA dispute rights.  

    Be sure to have your bank block the card number or close the account, since such scams often attempt to cram charges under different names, or sometimes "cancel", then start charging again months later, trying to slip more charges through.  

    Numerous complaints against these scams report that attempts to cancel or get refunds through calling such scams usually result in deceptive attempts to string consumers along and delay fraud disputes past the 60 day dispute window allowed by FCBA or FRB Reg. E.  Some investigations have found that over 90% of their "customer service" calls are dealing with "cancellations", trying to resell angry "customers", or delay refunds.

    You should also report this to FTC, your state Attorney General, the Minnesota Attorney General, and at www.ic3.gov.  

    You might also call the offices of Sen. Jay Rockefeller, who conducted the hearings, just to let them know these scams are still in operation.
  • 0
    amp38@comcast.net
    I finally found you.  Yes I have noticed the $24.95 charge for the last couple of months.  I tried to call the number, I get their website "www.program..com"  I get the display that Internet Explorer could not display the page.  I my search I finally find your site.  YES THEY ARE STILL IN OPERATION !! What do I do?
  • 0
    amp38@comcast.net
    I have recieved telemarketing calls.  I hang up.  I now have noticed a $24.95 withdrawal from my checking account. YES THE FRAUD CONTINUES!  HOW DO I STOP THESE CHARGES AFTER ALERTING MY BANK?
  • 0
    MANDI
    I have the same inconvenient issue- from SEM*FUN source & SEM*VALUE plus! I haven't gotten anything in the mail, haven't had any calls and apparently they have been doing this to me all last year and beginning of this year, I finally caught on April 5th 2011 and cancelled it I had no idea they was taking $24.95 out of my account, of course then I was making money, good money, and now that I'm out of a job like the rest of this poor economy money is hard to find. It's like one scam after another getting my money! Please help! I need my money. They telling me it will take 7 business days to get a letter and then I have to fill it out and send back to Value Plus- what can I do???? And another thing, other than filing for student aide I don't even get on the internet or click on offers, so why and how did they get my account information!!!
  • 0
    aldo
    My bank account has been debited electronically $19.95  for February 2011.  The debit is described as: (POS PURCHASE MERCHANT PURCHASE TERMINAL 75309561 SEM* VALUE PLUS 800-47519 MN 07-04-11 12:00 AM SEQ # 244371458599
    Amount: $19.95/Transaction type: WITHDRAWAL). I have no idea what it is and I have not purchased anything from such a company.  What should I do next?
  • 0
    aldo
    My bank account has been debited electronically $19.95  for February 2011.  The debit is described as: (POS PURCHASE MERCHANT PURCHASE TERMINAL 75309561 SEM* VALUE PLUS 800-47519 MN 07-04-11 12:00 AM SEQ # 244371458599
    Amount: $19.95/Transaction type: WITHDRAWAL). I have no idea what it is and I have not purchased anything from such a company.  What should I do next?
  • 0
    Crystal
    I just noticed that there was $24.95 withdrawed from my account i called my bank. they told they it was withdrawed from SEM*Value Plus. i dont know what that is or why they took it out of my account. my bank said that whatever it is has been trying to take it out of my account and that it finally went through i want my money back from whoever it is. that is wrong taking money from people when they dont purchase nothing. my bank also said that you can go to the bank branch and ask for another debit card if you just gave a debit card number.

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