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MWI* CONNECTIONS company fraudulently billed my credit card without authorization Connecticut
Upon recieving my monthly credit card statement I noticed an unauthorized charge in the amount of $149.95 from "MWI * CONNECTIONS" giving phone number of 888-868-6216 state of CT. I immediately telephoned the above number.
I spoke with a representative claiming her name was "Sharron, operator ID#4689. I was asked my name and address so they could "look up my account". I asked what exactly this service was for and stated I did not remember ordering any service from them. I was told that someone had to have called the telephone number listed on an infomercial on television. I was told the service was for a discount package for movie tickets, videos, video games, books, restaurant coupons to such places as Red Lobster, etc. with a 30 day money back guarantee.
I asked to what address the service was ordered to and was given my prior address as to where the service was to be sent. I advised I did not authorize any order of this service and do not live at the address ordered from any longer and requested this service be terminated and that my account be credited immediatly.
I also advised I would be notifying my credit card company security division of this incident. This was done immediately after the above conversation.
How a company is able to authorize a charge to a credit card account not having the expiration date or pin number is a mystery to me. I also wonder about the telephone number given if it it not one of those scams where if you are prompted to make the call for an inquiry such as the above that it may NOT be a toll free call and costing high dollar per minute for additional profit to such fraudulent entities.
Ron
polson, Montana
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
BRUCE
COLUMBUS,Ohio,
U.S.A.
I AM SURE THEY HAD YOUR PIN AND EXPIRATION DATE.
#2Consumer Suggestion
Wed, February 26, 2003
MemberWorks Inc which goes under about 35 different names, already all your info. They pay companies millions of dollars to get your info. They could of got from your bank, your credit card company, Sears, Victoria Secrets, AOL, or from a telemarketer. This company is on the NASDAQ and excepts to make $450,000,000 in revenues. Not bad for a company with no real product. This company is solely based on deception and on consumers who do not check the banking statements. They have over 6,000,000 members and they may be the number of people in the USA who do not like at their statements. How a company like this can stay in business just goes to so what money can buy.
MemberWorks Inc. has many names to operate under to con the consumer out of their money. They do it through telemarketers, infomercials (answered by the same telemarketers) who offer additional products, through the offers from your bank statement, through their Website, through large companies you trust, and now through pop-up adds on AOL. MemberWorks Inc. pays millions of dollars to telemarketers, banks and companies you trust by their name, checking account number, credit account number, debit card number and other financial information. The company is listed on NASDAQ and expects to have over $450,000,000 in revenues in 2003.
Companies with deals with MemberWorks include but by no means limited to, are Sears (who along with MemberWorks were sued in Minn.), Limited Brands, through Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, Express, Express Men's (Structure), Limited Stores, White Barn Candle Co., Henri Bendel, AOL, US Banks and Citibank. AOL was paid $1,000,000 in December 2002 and is going to be paid at least $3,000,000 in 2003 for access to debit and credit card numbers and have ads for that offers something for nothing if sign you up for a risk free trial offer. In the fine print they tell you they will bill you $139.95 in 30 days if you do not cancel and every year after that until you catch it to the debit or credit card AOL already has.
MemberWorks bases it profitability not on providing a service to the consumers, but on the statistics that people will not notice the charge on their credit or debit cards. They hope that you do not notice the fine print and forget to cancel for years. They sometimes offer $500 in free coupons on a thirty-day risk free trail and tell the consumer they will receive membership info in a few days and then send out the info in an envelope that looks like junk mail so you will not open it and cancel. Their ads are misleading and very deceptive in nature. They misstated the number of Doctors and Dentists on their health plans and misled on the percent of savings. According to MemberWorks employees they try to mistreat actual members who ask for the offered discounts because they loose money on people who know they are members.
So what can you do a company like this????
Call MemberWorks and demand a refund in less than 5 business days.
Site with their phone numbers:
http://twiki.cageyconsumer.com/MemberWorks
Ask how they signed you up? If by phone, ask for recording of your voice.
Ask how long you have been a member? You may be entitled to several years of refunds.
Call your bank or trusted company and ask if they sold your financial info? If they did, include them in any complaint and refuse to do business with them and tell your friends.
File a complaint with the federal trade commission and with your state agency.
Send e-mail to Bill OReilly, Dateline NBC, 60 minutes, your local stations, newspaper and anyone else you can think of.
E-mail your state and Federal representatives to change the law.
Here is a site that explains some of the laws.
http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2001
/rpt/olr/htm/2001-r-0778.htm