UNAUTHOTIZED CHARGE FROM MY CREDIT CARD

ComplaintsUnsolicited Phone CallsIP SMARTSTEP

Complaint

0
Dorothy G. Celosia
Country: United States
Please stop the $40.00 monthly charges from my Bank of America Credit card. I have not signed a written agreement with the company. Please cancel the account. I want my payment in March and April 2008 refunded to me.
I already reported to Bank of America about this unauthorized charges.
Thank you.

Comments

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  • 0
    Teeninchee
    Well, I just noticed it on my account/$20.  I remember VERY clearly telling the telemarketer that I was NOT interested in the insurance.  They told me all of the 'you can cancel anytime' spiel and I said NO.  I just finished a IM contact with BOA to stop the auto withdrawal.  Rep "Anne" said to contact BOA in the morning regarding other charges.  Better believe they will be called.  BOA knows this is being done... and I intend to stop it for my account as well as my daughter's.  She just told me it is happening to her, as well.  If the money is NOT put back IMMEDIATELY, the BBB in Oregon will be on the job before COB tomorrow evening.  This is insane.
  • 0
    bens
    I used the number to cancel those 20 monthly bucks. I dont remember authorizing anything, but they said I did. That is the right number to call and cancel. thanks for the info.
  • 0
    foxhoundme
    I guess this scam continues because I just caught a $40.00 debit against my account and immediately called CS @ BoA.  CS advise they will investigate but I should called Smart Step Insurance @ 18668790179 and file a compliant equally.  When I called the phone number the recording did not even acknowledge the company name other than to announce the business hours.  It was after hours when I place my call, but I will be calling tomorrow to reach someone in this company about this unauthorized debit from my account.
  • 0
    Dennis
    I call them to this # 866-879-0179  that Alyssa Hollifield provided for us.
    well, looks like step smart ins. is really affiliate with bank of america, cuz that guy ( i didn't ask his name,  xD ) was from B.O.A., and he was talking pretty of that insurance,  so i told him,  that i was looking for info of that insurance, but i didnt find any,  only complain of people and u know that rest..  so he told me that these people were complaining becuase they didnt undestand that insurance, and they didn't know how to differ from a verbal agreement.

    well, i told him,   that i agreed with that insurance ( when they call me, i said, what the hell, let's give it a try, and before april i'll cancel it)  but guess what,   they never send me the paper work,  with of all the info, about them and how to cancel,     well i dindt get it, cuz they have my apt # wrong ,   so he told me that i'll recieve the info in a couple of days.   and finally he told me to stick with the insurance and shouldnt pay attention to the complains.

    *****  i found out about this complains ,cuz i was looking for a number to cancel the insurance, cuz i didnt remember receiving any info of them.
  • 0
    lovelylesa
    Well i just could not belive they had the nerve to charge my acct. when i recived the packet there was no valid NUMBER to reach them, the number i called was for another company that had no idea what i was talking about, but after i googled them boy was i surprised!!!!!first of all they were rude and somewhat forcefull in their way of trying to convince me to keep a policy i did not sign up for in the first place, but to make a long story short  i have a cancellation # and i am seriously thinking of changing banks....How dare BOA TO GIVE OUT MY ACCT INFO.
  • 0
    tj
    Warning:  In a number of complaints against this company by people claiming they never agreed to purchase insurance, there are allegations that they have produced doctored recordings of "authorizations".
  • 0
    Abad
    I jusy call to B of A,tkey insist to keep my life insurance, but i'll get my 40 boxes back.
  • 0
    Chuck
    Please inform me how you were able to accomplish this feat with
          Smartstep and keep the darn thing from reaccuring to bill again
          as has happened to me.I cancelled once and then they billed me $9.95
          some months later.I know that Bank of America does nothing to help
          you.Do you have the telephone or email that you use to cancel the
          policy once and for all.Thanks.
  • 0
    LaVerne
    Thanks for the phone #. I called and cancelled right away, but have to wait to hear about the refund. The worst part was they charged my daughter's college account (a joint account) and put it in the red!
  • 0
    tj
    Claiming "your husband", or someone else in your household, authorized this is a "talk-off", basically a deceptive invention thrown in to deflect your attempt to dispute their unauthorized charges.  If they knew they were talking to "your husband", then they also knew they were not talking to the named account owner.  Now claiming that only he could cancel, since he supposedly "authorized" it, is more "smoke", particularly when you already know he never made any such authorization.  If one lie doesn't do the trick, try another.

    The systematic use of deception indicates they intended to charge your account without regard to authorization, and having done so are prepared to keep charging it despite your dispute.  This pattern is consistent with many other consumer complaints against this company.

    Such tactics are common with telemarketing scams based on fraudulent verbal "authorizations".  Claiming to have a "recording of your authorization", or claiming that "your husband" authorized it, both attempt to deflect your allegation that the charges are fraudulent by threatening that they will prove otherwise, essentially depending on that threat of embarassment, nebulous consumer fears that making some error in disputing charges might somehow subject them to prosecution, or whatever, to get you to back down from disputing.  They are attempting to create the perception that it will be doo difficult to get your money back, so that you give up, or accept a partial refund.

    These tactics are common with "business directory" telemarketing scams, where the scammers routinely fabricate doctored recordings of "authorizations" from random employees they contacted, originally claiming to "verify your information" while later claming an "order" was authorized through a "verbal contract".  Complaints against Smart Step show use of both talk-offs, as well as questionable recordings (whether doctored, or just claimed but never produced) to deflect attempts to dispute charges, similar to "business directory" scams.

    Their false claim of authorization, however ludicrous, also gives your bank a "reason" to reject your claim for refund due to fraud.  BofA SHOULD represent YOU in any dispute over unauthorized charges.  Smart Step is buying account information from BofA, allowing it to place charges for alleged "insurance" whether or not they actually contact BofA customers.  Various reports show BofA customer service either treating these consumer disputes as some "billing dispute" for which they will only go back 60 days since the customer did not catch it in time, or actively siding with Smart Step and refusing to accept consumer disputes, possibly indicating there may be an internal BofA policy to reject customer disputes of these charges.
  • 0
    kermit johnson
    if you contact b of a claims dept at 8006342927, during normal business hours they will asst you in contacting the company and getting this cancled. this is typically signed up via a phone call. if you have been chrgrd, it is a t the companys discresion to credit your account. typicaly they do record the conversation, as i had mine played for me. people you need to pay attention to who you are talking to. yes they are an affiliate of bank of america, that is why all they can do to assist is make the call (with you on the line) to assist you with canceling the program.

    we are adults, its our jobs to question calls, things we get in the mail etc.
    its our faults if we dont read the fine print or ask the questions. and (no offence) if you dont look at your statements, (as above, for 2 years) you deserve to have to pay for that. stop being so lazy. its your money your spending to pay for this, they send statements for you to double check everything. b of a will asst w/disputes for up to 120 days.

    anyway they helped me, but the smartstep company is on est, and must be contacted before 5pm, thought the  b of a claims dept is open till midnight mon - sat.
  • 0
    cb
    Uh, that's $480 and don't forget the interest!
  • 0
    CB
    YOU MAY WANT TO CONFER WITH GREG OF AN EARLIER POST AND CONSULT AN ATTORNEY ABOUT FILING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.
  • 0
    Alex
    Could I get the phone # to smart step insurance I was charged $ 20.00 on my bank of america account.
    thank you.
  • 0
    blueboy
    were you able to get your money back?
  • 0
    hugo fed.
    i have the same problem , could you give to me the phone number of them. i need cancel the supouse insurance
  • 0
    Marco
    I've 2 months in a row charging me 20 dlls for this stupid IP*SMARTSTEP, I know for sure that it's impossible for me to authorize this charge, can anyone tell me if there is a law firm that I go to suit these fraudalent company, whoever they are?
  • 0
    Wigberto
    The right number to call is 1-800-251-2617.
    Just take few minutes to cancel it.
  • 0
    Gildabrat
    BBB is Better Business Bureau.
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