Unauthorized use of Debit Card/Stealing Conumer Information
Complaint
Linda Trempe
Country: United States
This company is a complete fraud. I did an extensive search on them and it seems they've been billing victims since early this year at least under the Value-Plus name and then several others such as a health care membership charge. Some victims feel they got their personal info through 800 # calls and others through orders placed online amongst many different companies. These people are nothing more than criminals and should be stopped from bilking innocent, hard working people! I found dozens and dozens of comsumer/victim complaints against them.
My experience with them began yesterday when I saw the WC Value-Plus V $16.95 charge on my online statement along with an 800#. When I called the number a young rep answered "Membership Services". I demanded to know services for what type of membership as my account had been charged for something I KNEW I never authorized. He asked for my name and zip and said he couldn't find me in his system as having ordered. I said no I hadn't ordered anything and how did they get my card number. Just what is this membership for I demanded to know. I've handled customers on the phone and I know how a reputable company handles an upset caller. He could not tell me what kind of membership and muttered something about how they were several different companies (sure all these theives need to operate under several different names as I also found many of their victims were charged multiple times under different company names).
Next I demanded to speak with a supervisor and an older more patronizing man came on answering the phone as "Gardens Alive" and tried to tell me the membership was for this. I insisted I never ordered any membership and told him my greater concers was just how his company got their hands on my card #. He then also said he couldn't find me in his system and when I demanded a refund of my $16.95 he said since I wasn't in the system he couldn't do that but would place a paper note on his supervisors desk and I told him I would immediately contact my bank to let them know that unauthorized charges were placed against my card.
The bank did not argue when I explained about the charges, in fact she checked the records and found these theives had take 16.95 for 3 months straight. They can go back (as most banks can) only 60 days to refund my money so I think I got in just under the wire to get it all back. Then I must also fill out a dispute form which she is mailing me and my card had to be canceled while I was on the phone and I'll have to wait a week for a new card.
It seems to me that these criminals are probably stealing our information in a number of differnt manners, some people are naive, not cautious and give it to the wrong people, others are being taken in for products seen on TV for ONLY A SMALL FEE to try and then they capture your card number, they also are phishing online so make sure when you order online it's a secure site which you can tell if you see a little padlock in the browser. I never speak to anyone who calls from an 800,866,etc. phone number and I've only ordered a couple of things online recently just before this first charge came off my card. One of the places I ordered from was As Seen On TV web site for the Urine Gone pet spray and also I ordered from the Patch Perfect (grass seed also seen on TV) site. In one complaint this company, under yet another name, was based in TX but here as of recently the base seems to be MN.
I've called these people theives and criminals throughout this complaint because that's what they are and they've commited fraud against us and our credit card companies or banks in the case of debit cards, they'v stolen our card numbers. I say we all unite and file a class action against this umbrella of fake companies and also alert our local BBB's as well as our State Attorney General's office to make major complaints against this band of lowlifes.
My experience with them began yesterday when I saw the WC Value-Plus V $16.95 charge on my online statement along with an 800#. When I called the number a young rep answered "Membership Services". I demanded to know services for what type of membership as my account had been charged for something I KNEW I never authorized. He asked for my name and zip and said he couldn't find me in his system as having ordered. I said no I hadn't ordered anything and how did they get my card number. Just what is this membership for I demanded to know. I've handled customers on the phone and I know how a reputable company handles an upset caller. He could not tell me what kind of membership and muttered something about how they were several different companies (sure all these theives need to operate under several different names as I also found many of their victims were charged multiple times under different company names).
Next I demanded to speak with a supervisor and an older more patronizing man came on answering the phone as "Gardens Alive" and tried to tell me the membership was for this. I insisted I never ordered any membership and told him my greater concers was just how his company got their hands on my card #. He then also said he couldn't find me in his system and when I demanded a refund of my $16.95 he said since I wasn't in the system he couldn't do that but would place a paper note on his supervisors desk and I told him I would immediately contact my bank to let them know that unauthorized charges were placed against my card.
The bank did not argue when I explained about the charges, in fact she checked the records and found these theives had take 16.95 for 3 months straight. They can go back (as most banks can) only 60 days to refund my money so I think I got in just under the wire to get it all back. Then I must also fill out a dispute form which she is mailing me and my card had to be canceled while I was on the phone and I'll have to wait a week for a new card.
It seems to me that these criminals are probably stealing our information in a number of differnt manners, some people are naive, not cautious and give it to the wrong people, others are being taken in for products seen on TV for ONLY A SMALL FEE to try and then they capture your card number, they also are phishing online so make sure when you order online it's a secure site which you can tell if you see a little padlock in the browser. I never speak to anyone who calls from an 800,866,etc. phone number and I've only ordered a couple of things online recently just before this first charge came off my card. One of the places I ordered from was As Seen On TV web site for the Urine Gone pet spray and also I ordered from the Patch Perfect (grass seed also seen on TV) site. In one complaint this company, under yet another name, was based in TX but here as of recently the base seems to be MN.
I've called these people theives and criminals throughout this complaint because that's what they are and they've commited fraud against us and our credit card companies or banks in the case of debit cards, they'v stolen our card numbers. I say we all unite and file a class action against this umbrella of fake companies and also alert our local BBB's as well as our State Attorney General's office to make major complaints against this band of lowlifes.
Comments
Cancel all of your debit and check cards, as they are not safe. Never provide your checking account number to make a payment of any kind. Use checks only to pay companies you know and trust, such as rent, mortgage, utilities, credit card payments, etc. Use only credit cards for all retail or online purchases, since they are easier to dispute and cancel.
File complaints against them with your state AG, the Minnesota AG, and FTC.