USVI-On-Line

Holy buckets. Pete and I are in the middle of a major credit card fraud issue.

On Friday, I received a package from the USPS, addressed to me, from Proactiv skin care. Lucky me, it's a trial package which comes with my new membership and was charged to my credit card and will continue to be charged to my credit card monthly if I simply do nothing. Problem is, I never signed up for said membership. I asked the girls if they had done anything (like order this product online or through an 800 number, using my credit card). Nope. Of course not. I figure it's a fluke and got piggy-backed to an order I made with Victoria's Secret a couple of weeks ago or something...probably my bad...might have been a click on a link I didn't intend. I called the Proactiv folks and cancelled the "membership" and they let me know that they do not have any link on any other retailer so it was done independently. They were very helpful but I have to send the stuff back, at my expense. Hummmmm. Odd. Time to look at the credit card statement online. Interesting stuff there. All kinds of monthly memberships and such which I have never signed up for.

I called the credit card company, reported the fraud, itemized the fraudulent charges and all is good. We have cancelled all charges to the six or seven unknown entities. And, have a new credit card coming by Tuesday, FedEx (need to be home to sign for it). Everything seems to be handled.

However, I have learned since that call that canceling the charges to these entities does not mean you are not still going to get charged...if you signed up for these memberships, you are still required to pay. (Even if it wasn't "you" who signed up.)

Next day, Saturday. Another package arrives. This one is just as special as the last. It's from Purity Mineral Science. Neat. For the low, low introductory price of $1.00, I get a host of goodies and in 14 days, even more goodies, for the continuing low, low price of $60.00/month! I try to call them, to let them know that they are not getting their $1.00 because this was a fraudulent charge and will be denied (card canceled/fraud) and that I need to cancel this "membership." Here's where it gets really annoying.

They tell me I have to have documentation of the fraud, from my credit card company. If I don't get that to them by the end of business today, I will be charged the $60.00 for the membership. And, as I am on the phone with this *very helpful* person, she disconnected me before I could get their fax number. Oh, the other fun thing of this is that they will not let you stay on hold at Purity Mineral Science. You have to hang up and have them call back. Within an hour. That means you have to keep your line free for an hour, waiting. I finally get the second call back, talk to another *helpful* person and get the fax number. I can only hope my credit card company gets the required documents to them in time.

I can't wait to see what arrives in the mail and/or by UPS today. And, what I have to spend to send all of this junk back. Or worse, the "memberships" which are not things sent to you. One of them being something called "google tree".

Long and short of it: check your credit card account daily.

what a nightmare! can you trace what happened (how these folks got your CC number?)
Hope that this is all it is--and that more stuff doesn't arrive !

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I really don't understand this. How in the world did you get signed up for this? What good does a scammer get out of signing you up for this stuff? This is one I haven't heard before - sounds like some sketchy stuff being done by the companies involved. Has you CC company heard of this before?

Well, I guess you can think of it as an early Christmas? You know, like the song, "On the first day of Christmas..."! Just kidding.

Sounds like a real mess to me - I wonder how this started. Usually you hear about credit card fraud so someone else can get things with your money. I wonder if someone signed you up for these different things? I know you and like you , but maybe you have an "enemy"?

Marcia - Exasperating! I think you should call back and tell them that if they don't cancel it immediately, they'll be hearing from your lawyer.

I had to cancel my PayPal account after one fradulent charge. And yes, it was some girlie-smelly thing that was ordered. PayPal refunded the full amount. Don't leave any online accounts "open" - that helps cut down some illegal activity. Don't worry about the individuals or companies that spoof or use CC accounts, just go to the bank that backs your CC. Report the fraud and get new card. They have to invesitgate, but almost always support the card owner.

Tracy in WI wrote: I know you and like you , but maybe you have an "enemy"?

I was thinking the same thing. What a mean thing to do. It just can't be. I don't think I have any enemies. Or, at least none that cruel.

Gotta be careful with those “after purchase click here for $10 off your next order” links. Had one recently from snapfish that was tied to some kind of recurring monthly commitment to something or other with a bunch of other small print so clicked “no thanks” to make it go away. ANY of those deals with "try it free for 30 days before you incur the monthly charge" are tough to stop once started. Your post prompted me to check the on-line bank statement to make sure that just opening and not accepting that offer has not incurred any charges.

Linking your credit card charges and other bills to your on-line banking account is an effective way to keep on top of things, in addition to the convenience of not writing checks, buying stamps, etc. to pay bills.

Marcia, that so frustrating and crazy! If all those scammers would just put their energy into real work...

I got signed up for some crazy membership thing after cashing a 'reward' check from Budget rental car. Yep, fine print that I ignored. I don't know what Budget got out of it, but they lost a customer.

If you don't already, make sure you have updated anti-spyware running on your computer, especially if you think any of this happened after an online purchase. Also if you think it started after your Victoria's Secret purchase it's worth letting them know, too. They don't want any p'ed off customers.

I'm glad you have a new CC, and good job catching all that stuff early. It's a good reminder to all of us.

I just don't understand why someone would steal your card AND have it sent to you instead of sending it to themselves. What benefit is there in that? Unless the companies are part of the problem. And that would piss me off to no end.

Hope you get it all straightened out and thanks for the heads up to the rest of us!

I have actually heard of this happening before, usually because some idiot hacks into your computer and steals your cc info. Then they sign you up for all kinds of stuff....just to annoy you. They don't get anything out of it other than whatever satisfaction they take from being annoying and disruptive.

Marcia - Are your home computers (from which you may pay bills, etc) locked and secured? We have a separate profile that's password protected where our quicken, etc. are located. Then, our quicken is password-protected. This just sounds like a really bad practical joke to me. Not to place blame anywhere, but if there are teenagers in the house, is it possible that someone's friend thought they were being cute and got your card number from your computer? That would be a really sucky thing to do, but it happens. I can't fathom why a stranger would want to mess with you like that, but again, stranger things have happened.

Good luck getting it straightened out.