Complaint Review: Firehouse Promotions Inc.

Buyer Beware!!!! My story is a little different from others, but equally as unethical!

I am a small insurance agent, newly into the business and trying to stay on my feet. This company contacted me posing as a spokesperson for my local fire station to make me feel like I was doing a good deed. They told me they liked my picture and pushed me to give them credit card information on the phone because "we have to fill the insurance agent spot the fastest since it is the most important!"  

I told them I was a small business owner and could not afford the amount they were wanting for this adverstisement but that I had many free items I could offer to the fire department to give out to children/families at their events. The lady gave me the contact person as if she knew them for me to donate items to my local fire department. She then said they really needed my support by participating in the fire boards for their events.

Unfortunately, after lots of pressure to use a credit card and promises of how many boards I would be on, I agreed to a lessor-paid in full-amount of $600 in order to participate.

The sales lady called me back later that same day to say the credit card did not go through and asked me for a different credit card number. I told her I only have one credit card that I use for business, and that I was puzzled as to why it did not go through. I told her to hold off until I could call the bank and find out what was happening.

I called the bank and found out my credit limit had just been lowered to a few dollars above my current balance, and several thousand dollars lower than what it had been previously.

When I called Firehouse Promotions back, I left a message of what had happened and apologized for the inconvenience of my not being able to participate in supporting the fire department board at this time.

A week later, I received a paid in full invoice from them with 2 smaller payments being made 5 days apart and AFTER I had told them to hold off until I could talk with the bank. This put me over my balance and has put me in a serious bind as a small business owner just starting out. The first smaller payment went through, and then the second payment went through 5 days later, after my credit card company had received my monthly payment. I can only assume they continuously ran my card through with different amounts every day until it went through-WHICH I DID NOT AUTHORIZE THEM TO DO!

I called and emailed Firehouse Promotions several times, and at first they acted like they were going to look into my concerns. I spoke with Gino, who was a smooth talker who said he would help me, and Sarah, who was very rude. I requested they refund the payments they had taken off of my credit card since I had asked them not to run it.

After a few nasty emails telling me what I said happened never happened, and one last phone call from Gino, the guy who tries to smooth everything over, he bluntly told me they would not refund my money, and that the accounting department ran my card, not the sales person. When I told him again that she was the one that told me it would not be run again and I would have had no knowledge that she was not telling me the truth, he said that did not happen and that was not how they do business.

Eventually, he basically said "thank you" and hung up on me without any further help. Though I realize it was an issue with my credit card that started this, they had no right to verbally accept my word to run my card, but then ignore my verbal request to not run it until I could talk to my bank. This is very poor, and very dishonest, business practices. I should have researched them before I did anything!

I would not touch this company with a 10-foot poll! They obviously engage in a variety of dishonest behavior to get you.