Got billed for coffee I did not order

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• 0

  tj

  5 Aug 2010

  If you did not order any coffee, then the charges are unauthorized or fraudulent regardless of whether they sent any product or you returned it.  If they are cramming charges on your card without your authorization, and they use the U.S. Mail or a common carrier (UPS, FedEx, etc.) as part of their scheme, they are also engaged in mail fraud.  File a mail fraud complaint with your local police and the U.S. Postal Inspector to document the theft.
  
  That will not get your money back, however.  For this, you dispute through your bank or credit card company (Discover in this case), since under FCBA, they can reverse unauthorized charges.  
  
  Discover gave you erroneous advise by telling you not to dispute with them.
  (Discover is known for poor responses to fraud complaints.)
  
  Under FCBA, a federal law, you can dispute fraudulent or unauthorized charges directly with your bank or credit card company.  You do so in accordance with the instructions on your card statement, which should provide the address to which you should mail your WRITTEN DISPUTE.  Send this immediately, certified, to Discover's dispute address, with a copy of your card statement showing the disputed charge, and in your dispute clearly state that the charge was fraudulent.  
  
  Request a fraud affidavit, fill it out, get it notarized, and FAX and send that in to Discover also.  it can also help to send a copy of the police report from your theft complaint.  Keep copies of everything, including confirmation of delivery.
  
  Your credit card company (Discover) can reverse unauthorized charges under FCBA, but you MUST notify them of your dispute, in WRITING in accordance with FCBA, within 60 days of the statement date of the statement showing the disputed charges.
  
  You should also block the card number immediately, or you may find additional fraudulent charges.  Companies who will cram charges once will usually do so repeatedly as fast as they can.
  
  If you have any problems with getting Discovery to reverse the charges, file a complaint against Discover with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
  
  File complaints against the scam company with FTC, your state Attorney General, and at www.ic3.gov.

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• 0

  tj

  6 Aug 2010

  "Rich Cafe Direct" is one of the many names under which Peel, Inc. crammed fraudulent charges.  Starting in November of 2009, complaints that they were cramming charges on consumer cards and checking accounts where consumers had cancelled shipments months earlier.  Ripoffreport complaints soon shot up to 16x the already high level of fraud complaints against the company, and BBB showed a similar increase.  They were sued by the Illinois Attorney General in Feb. 2010.  
  
  If the charges were reported on a statement more than 60 days ago, FCBA disputes will probably not work, unless Discover gave you bad advise on handling the fraud, which resulted in your losses.  If so, file the OCC complaint against Discover.
  
  If this is a recent charge, then Peel, Inc. may be back to it's old tricks.  Their BBB report indicates they aren't sure where they have relocated to.  Immediately dispute in writing, and immediately block the card.  In addition, contact the Illinois Attorney General, your state Attorney General, and FTC.  Nothing but blocking the card will stop continued fraud, regardless of what Discover tells you.
  
  
  http://www.bbb.org/chicago/business-reviews/i ... ton-il-36000239
  
  "...
  Government Actions
  
  On February 17, 2010 IL Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court against Peel, Inc., and its President Brian Dale. The company sells products online at dozens of Web sites, including seattlecoffeedirect.com, metroroasters.com, posterpass.com and shopdani.com.
  
  The company markets its products using "free trial" offers and requires consumers to provide their billing information purportedly to cover shipping and handling fees for the supposedly free merchandise. However, within days of signing up for a free trial, consumers begin receiving unauthorized charges ranging from $19.99 to $49.99 on their credit cards.
  
  Further, Madigan's complaint alleges that if consumers are able to reach Peel's customer service, the company allegedly promises to stop charging consumers but fails to do so. Consumers continue to receive unauthorized charges on their credit cards. Madigan's Consumer Fraud Bureau and the Better Business Bureau have received more than 2,300 complaints against Peel and its affiliated Web sites.
  
  Madigan's suit alleges the defendants violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act by placing unauthorized charges on consumers' credit card bills. The suit seeks a permanent injunction barring the defendants from doing business in Illinois, restitution for consumers, civil penalties of $50,000 for violating the Consumer Fraud Act, and an additional $50,000 for each violation committed with the intent to defraud.
  ..."

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