Complaint Review: Small Business Benefit Association

I had been thinking of starting a small Ebay business. When I saw the ad for ProAuction (I wasn't looking for anything like that, it was a pop-up or email I believe). They had the word Ebay looking just like the real Ebay letters and used the Ebay colors which led me to believe they were connected with Ebay which, of course, was the idea.

They were offering a free CD about how they could help me in my endeavor, so I thought I'd contact them. I wasn't all that interested to be honest, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to see what they had to say.

As I recall, they said they'd send the free CD (which they did) and I was told it was a free trial; using their information to see if it was something I could use. I decided against the business idea and, when the CD came, I just tossed it in a drawer somewhere and never saw it. I did give them my card number as a lot of places offering a free trial ask for your card number up-front, anticipating your business later.

About 3 weeks later, I noticed a 29.95 withdrawal from my bank account. I wrote them a scathing email and demanded that they return the money as I had not "signed up" for anything. They didn't write back.

Then, two days later, another deduction..29.95 except this company was named SBBA (located in Utah, the same as the "other" company).

Then five days later, another deduction (which maxed out my checking account); this time by another company (in Utah of course)called Tekmeds.

After the first deduction, I got a call from ProAuction. I was glad to get the call because I hadn't been able to find a phone number for them, so..I finally had a chance to talk to a live person about getting my money back. He said he was calling in regard to the "appointment" I'd made with him to discuss business. I'd never talked to this man in my life; I played along to get some info, but he wasn't saying much. He said, regarding the unauthorized deduction, that he had nothing to do with the billing. I told him I wanted to find the original advertisement for his company so I could go over it. He gave me a bogus email address.

Everyone involved in these companies are cold, calculating, thieving con-artists and I just can't understand why they are allowed to flourish by stealing our money. Are they bigger and smarter than law enforcement? I'd hate to think so.

Karyn
Columbus, Ohio
U.S.A.