I have an unauthorized charge of $14.95 on my credit card for AP9*SHOPPINGESSENTIAL and cannot locate the "company" that charged it.
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tj
All of the "AP9*" and a number of other "membership club" unauthorized charges originate with a company known as Adaptive Marketing or Vertrue, apparently with operations in various states, but headquartered in Nebraska.
Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record of complaints, failed to honor their commitment to mediate or arbitrate disputes or honor mediated agreements or arbitrated decisions, failed to substantiate, modify or discontinue false advertising claims with the Bureau due to a pattern of complaints concerning unauthorized charges to consumer's credit cards.
Complaints reported to the Bureau primarily involve claims of unauthorized charges by the Company's affiliates. In such cases, customers reported no recollection of having agreed to the programs that were billed to their credit card, debit card or bank account. In some of the cases, consumers reported being charged for two or three years.
The company has responded to all complaints offering a full unconditional refund for such unauthorized charges, while also denying that any of its charges were not authorized by the customers. The company has stated that, with the consent of its customers, its practice is to tape record telephone transactions, including the terms of the agreement with the customer. The company asserts that the audio tapes clearly reveal that all customers are fully aware that their credit card, or other forms of payment, will be charged for the program if it is not cancelled within the trial period.
In response to customers who have complained about repeated charges over a period of years, the Company has stated that the terms the customers have agreed to include the automatic renewal of the membership each year at the then current price.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
The BBB processed a total of 2517 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 2517 complaints closed in 36 months, 1021 were closed in the last year. ..."
Vertrue is a holding company with a number of subsidiaries that design and sell membership programs under a variety of names that offer consumers discounts in the areas of healthcare, travel, family entertainment and fashion.
The names of the membership programs currently marketed by the Company affiliates and third party marketers are Business Max, Connections, Essentials, Essentials Gold, First Fn, Galleria, HomeWorks, HomeWorks Plus, Main Street Savings, Market Plaza, Pharmacy Gold Card, Premier HealthPlus, Privacy Matters, Privacy Plus, Simple Escapes, Victoria's Secret Escapes, Victoria's Secret Sport and Spa, Vital Home Club and Vital Health Club.
The Company's subsidiaries market membership programs via direct mail, telephone and the Internet and by contracting with unaffiliated third party marketers who offer the company's membership programs to their customers. Generally the programs are offered on a thirty-day trial period, and often with the offering of a gift certificate redeemable at a major retail store as an incentive to agree to the terms of a trial membership for the program. Under the terms of the trial offer, no charge is billed to the customer's credit or debit card if, within the trial period, the customer contacts the company and cancels the membership. If the customer has not cancelled the membership by the end of the trial period, the membership fee is automatically charged to the customer's credit or debit card. Memberships are automatically renewed and charged to the customer's credit or debit card or bank account at the then current price until the customer cancels the program. ... Customer Experience
The BBB serving Omaha, Nebraska maintains a report on this company's headquarters location. Please visit www.bbbnebraska.org for details or call (402) 391-7612.
The information in this report comes from the report of the Better Business Bureau of Omaha, Nebraska, which is the headquarters for this company. All complaints received at the BBB of Chicago are transfered to the BBB serving Nebraska, South Dakota & Southwest Iowa.
In order to file a complaint against this company, please visit http://www.bbbnebraska.org or call 402-391-7612
Complaints reported to the Bureau primarily involve claims of unauthorized charges by the Company's affiliates. In such cases, customers reported no recollection of having agreed for the programs that were billed to their credit card, debit card or bank account. In some of the cases, consumers reported being charged for two or three years. ..."
They apparently get billing information from either telemarketing, or passed from other on-line retailers, claiming that consumers "authorized" the membership and charges. Most complaints appear to be that consumers weren't even aware they were being charged, and often only catch their small charges on their statements after months of charges have been slipped through.
Dispute the fraudulent charge with your bank, and terminate that card number to prevent future fraudulent charges. Follow up with your bank dispute in writing to preserve your FCBA or Reg. E dispute rights.
Comments
http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/229/RipOff0229553.htm
If you Google "AP9*" you will find they charge under many names.
BBB reports:
http://nebraska.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=135&bbb=0714&firm=107000028
"...
Customer Experience
Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record of complaints, failed to honor their commitment to mediate or arbitrate disputes or honor mediated agreements or arbitrated decisions, failed to substantiate, modify or discontinue false advertising claims with the Bureau due to a pattern of complaints concerning unauthorized charges to consumer's credit cards.
Complaints reported to the Bureau primarily involve claims of unauthorized charges by the Company's affiliates. In such cases, customers reported no recollection of having agreed to the programs that were billed to their credit card, debit card or bank account. In some of the cases, consumers reported being charged for two or three years.
The company has responded to all complaints offering a full unconditional refund for such unauthorized charges, while also denying that any of its charges were not authorized by the customers. The company has stated that, with the consent of its customers, its practice is to tape record telephone transactions, including the terms of the agreement with the customer. The company asserts that the audio tapes clearly reveal that all customers are fully aware that their credit card, or other forms of payment, will be charged for the program if it is not cancelled within the trial period.
In response to customers who have complained about repeated charges over a period of years, the Company has stated that the terms the customers have agreed to include the automatic renewal of the membership each year at the then current price.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
The BBB processed a total of 2517 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total of 2517 complaints closed in 36 months, 1021 were closed in the last year.
..."
BBB report showing many names they operate under:
http://ct.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=29&bbb=0111&firm=41001169
Other reports under their names:
http://houston.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=148&bbb=0915&firm=62000317
Vertrue BBB report:
http://chicago.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=46&bbb=0654&firm=33004499
"...
Nature Of Business
Vertrue is a holding company with a number of subsidiaries that design and sell membership programs under a variety of names that offer consumers discounts in the areas of healthcare, travel, family entertainment and fashion.
The names of the membership programs currently marketed by the Company affiliates and third party marketers are Business Max, Connections, Essentials, Essentials Gold, First Fn, Galleria, HomeWorks, HomeWorks Plus, Main Street Savings, Market Plaza, Pharmacy Gold Card, Premier HealthPlus, Privacy Matters, Privacy Plus, Simple Escapes, Victoria's Secret Escapes, Victoria's Secret Sport and Spa, Vital Home Club and Vital Health Club.
The Company's subsidiaries market membership programs via direct mail, telephone and the Internet and by contracting with unaffiliated third party marketers who offer the company's membership programs to their customers. Generally the programs are offered on a thirty-day trial period, and often with the offering of a gift certificate redeemable at a major retail store as an incentive to agree to the terms of a trial membership for the program. Under the terms of the trial offer, no charge is billed to the customer's credit or debit card if, within the trial period, the customer contacts the company and cancels the membership. If the customer has not cancelled the membership by the end of the trial period, the membership fee is automatically charged to the customer's credit or debit card. Memberships are automatically renewed and charged to the customer's credit or debit card or bank account at the then current price until the customer cancels the program.
...
Customer Experience
The BBB serving Omaha, Nebraska maintains a report on this company's headquarters location. Please visit www.bbbnebraska.org for details or call (402) 391-7612.
The information in this report comes from the report of the Better Business Bureau of Omaha, Nebraska, which is the headquarters for this company. All complaints received at the BBB of Chicago are transfered to the BBB serving Nebraska, South Dakota & Southwest Iowa.
In order to file a complaint against this company, please visit http://www.bbbnebraska.org or call 402-391-7612
Complaints reported to the Bureau primarily involve claims of unauthorized charges by the Company's affiliates. In such cases, customers reported no recollection of having agreed for the programs that were billed to their credit card, debit card or bank account. In some of the cases, consumers reported being charged for two or three years.
..."
They apparently get billing information from either telemarketing, or passed from other on-line retailers, claiming that consumers "authorized" the membership and charges. Most complaints appear to be that consumers weren't even aware they were being charged, and often only catch their small charges on their statements after months of charges have been slipped through.
Dispute the fraudulent charge with your bank, and terminate that card number to prevent future fraudulent charges. Follow up with your bank dispute in writing to preserve your FCBA or Reg. E dispute rights.