FRAUD

ComplaintsBanksWC *VALUE PLUS-V Direct Marketing--Continuity/Subscription Merchants

Complaint

0
Vanessa
Country: United States
I don't know this company nor I ever sign or subscribe to it. But I was charge not once but 4 times to my account in one day $16.95. I inform my bank and ask them to investigate who this people are, because I don't know them. I don't even know what they are about. I advice every one to always check your accounts and the smallest or weird thing that you see contact your bank and let them investigate and find out. Even if is just a few dollars because all they want is to test you and your bank to see if they can use your bank account making small transactions.If they are successful and don't get cut then they know they are able to hit you with something bigger later then. Chances are that by the time you notice it will be too late. So pay attention and contact your bank before is too late.

Comments

  • 0
    tj
    They get your account information from other on-line retailers, claiming you signed up for some "membership club".  Most complaints against them are by people who claim they have no idea who they are and did not agree to their charges.

    Immediately contact your bank to dispute fraudulent charges and close the account to prevent future fraudulent charges.  Once they have your account number, there is nothing to stop them from charging you anytime in the future, under various names, unless you close your account.
  • 0
    adkron
    I have been scammed by Google ADWORDS. I called them and they were no help. My Credit Card Company is also giving me a run around about charges fron Google ADWORDS and others that started after the Google charges. The amount is now $2373.00 from people I have never heard of with phone numbers on my Credit Card statement that are bogus. I call the numbers and they are not valid. A company called DIRECT MARKETING-CONTINUITY SUBSCRIPTION is involved here and has been charging my Credit Card monthly automatically. I have no ides why or how the got my Credit Card number. The only way I could stop the automatic charges was cancel my Credit Card. This has been a disaster for me. I am a Senior trying to live on Social Security and we all know that is a joke from the beginning with the Government showing it's usual amount of efficiency.
    I am angry as you can probably tell and I am going to cntinue to fight this until i win or die. Google told me if I was unhappy with there charges to call my local police department. Like they real;ly care. Actually the town I live in doesn't even have a Police Department but why should a little detail like that prevent me from calling them.
    So a couple of financial Giants i.e. Google and Citi Bank have my money and don't care if it's because of fraudulent reasons. After all even if they have to pay me back the Government will reimburse them with bail out money at the expense of the tax pay, which I just happen to be. Is there a "Catch 22" going on here or what? To anyone reading this do yourself a favor and stay away from Google ADWORDS or anything Google and the other "frauders" listed above.
    Adkron
  • 0
    KD
    I cannot get a real person on the phone to discuss the $47 charge for a magazine.  Every time I call back the automated voice says the subscription was cancelled but my credit card still has not been credited.
    How do we find these people at DIRECT MARKETING-CONTINUITY SUBSCRIPTION?
  • 0
    rami
    Had the same probelm, with monthly 2$ charge on my credit card!!
  • 0
    ReNae Lundry
    I am having the same problem.  Did you order something from a company named HUBBARD?  It is the only on line transaction that I have had.  
    I have been billed $29.95 11/11/09, $29.95 10/24/09, $24.95 10/21/09.  It is the same company but under different names....what a scam!
  • 0
    julie
    I had the same problem ... I just checked my account, and I have a pending charge in the amount of $87.55.  I very very rarely use my bank card online in fear that something like this would happen ... and I haven't used my bank card online except for paying my car insurance.  This is the second time something like this has happened to me, and it looks like I'll have to get a new card sent out again!!
  • 0
    lucas
    I'm from Singapore. My Dec '09 visa indicated that on 19 Dec '09 I did a transaction for a 2010 Festive Catalogue for S$209. I do not spend such money on a festive catalogue - I get it FOC (free-of-charge). I checked my personal account book and found no such purchase done on that date. Called my Bank and was informed that the transaction was made with a local company called Direct Marketing-Continuity/Subscription Merchant. I told my bank that I do not know this company, did not received any goods from them or recieved any document from them with regard to this transaction. I requested a dispute form from my bank and with that my visa card will be freezed until such time this dispute is closed.
  • 0
    Itka
    Mine is titled SHOPESSPLUS out of CT. with the merchant category of DIRECT MARKETING-CONTINUITY SUBSCRIPTION. I will be disputing the charges tomorrow!
  • 0
    David
    | 2 replies
    This company charges for magazine subscriptions that you have signed up for as a reward for shopping at another on-line merchant that offers you free magazine subscription usually with a $2.00 fee for postage. You pay with you credit card agreeing to be automatically renewed each year at their then current rate. You should beware, FREE rarely means free. READ THE FINE PRINT!
    That being said I have never had any problem calling the 800# that's provided on my credit card statement and following the menu (which is quite difficult if you do not pay close attention, if you don't know an answer just remain on the line, don't guess, it will prompt you) to get a refund. I have done it many times without any problem at all.
    • 0
      Gannet replies to David
      | 1 reply
      What is the 800 number ? I didn't even get that!
      • 0
        tj replies to Gannet
        You don't deal with cramming scam charges by calling their 800 number.  
        They are set up to take and keep your money, not give it back.
        They will just feed you more BS to string you along, trying to run out the 60 day bank dispute period.

        Only way to reliably handle it is file fraud disputes through your bank, and shut down the account or block the card number.  Your bank can reverse the charges if you dispute promptly, under FRB Reg. E or FCBA.
  • 0
    David
    same thing happened to me. now I have to cancel my credit card.
  • 0
    carly
    my charges are pending at mo for something i never signed up for, i have cancelled my card but the charges will still come out. According to the bank there is nothing i  can do until the money goes out. does anyone know if the money will go out or will i get it back from my bank?
  • 0
    tj
    When large numbers of complaints indicate unauthorized charges, it is an indication that the merchant is engaging in intentionally deceptive marketing.  If the merchant did not intend to deceive, they would have changed their offers and disclosures to make the charges clear and prominent, but they never do, since then no one would "agree".


    That is how this type of scam is done:  create the perception of one thing to close a sale, any sale (even for "shipping"), and get account information, then start cramming charges, that were disclosed elsewhere.

    If large numbers of consumers believe they were deceived, then they were deceived.  There are no "accidents" when so much care has been used in crafting the scam.
  • 0
    tj
    "The only way I could stop the automatic charges was cancel my Credit Card."
    That is generally what you need to do in these cases.

    Actually you should call your police department, or in your case the county Sheriff, and your local District Attorney, and your state Attorney General, and FTC.  In addition, call the Offices of Senator Jay Rockefeller, whose Senate Commerce Committee has been investigating and holding hearings on fraudulent charge cramming.  

    The charges are fraudulent, and the whole scheme is set up to steal money for "products" of no value, while creating the illusion that there was some "transaction" you supposedly "approved".  The take is maximized by constructing the scheme to maximize the confusion around who is responsible, and pass off your account information so the charges can be run through under many different names, both to interfere with attempts to block them, and so that the fraud complaints are dispersed across jurisdictions.

    The very difficulty you are having in stopping this is an indication of the care with which the fraudulent scheme has been constructed.  

    One of the conclusions resulting from the Senate investigation was that practically the entire nature of calls handled by "customer service" associated with these schemes is handling disputes and cancellation requests.

    These are business schemes constructed for one reason:  to take money for nothing while creating the appearance the charges were "authorized".
  • 0
    tj
    Dispute fraudulent chargs through your bank, under FRB Reg. E for checking accounts, and FCBA for credit cards.

    Dispute immediately, block the card or account, and follow up with a written dispute or fraud affidavit.

    If you did not authorize the charges, you are not dealing with a merchant "billing error", you are dealing with a FRAUDULENT CHARGE.

    Treat it as such.
  • 0
    Concerned Consumer
    I just found out today that our magazine subscription had been renewed automatically. You may have placed a complimentary magazine subscription through a company offer (in our case, continental mileage redemption) via an agency company (in this case Direct Marketing Continuity 1-877-781-3425).
    I called the number our credit card company gave me (they should have the toll-free number of the company per transaction) and although i had to go thorough an annoying automated voice, in the end i was able to speak to a real customer representative (after 10-min or so wait) and was able to get a partial refund for Reader's Digest magazine which they say will be posted within 1 or 2 monthly statement, which I hope will not be a problem.
  • 0
    Concerned Consumer
    I got the refund already from this company, as they have promised. I hope the same for all of you who encountered this problem.
  • 0
    Virginia C Stone
    I too got scammed.. they took 16.95 out of my visia and I am going to take it to the Attorney General in Mo.  They sent me a thing to fill out or the membership co did. I want my money and I will get it back---- they need to be shut down NOW!!!! My Bank of American is investigating them.  They gave me three month back the  ban did. I want these crooks to pay all back.  I don't even know what it is.

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