Complaint Review: Specialty Merchandise Corporation

I received a postcard stating that "SMC" was going to charge me a $39.90 annual membership fee renewal on Sept 19th, 2006. Problem is that I am not a member to start with. The post card has my "Account" number on it so that I am suppose to enter to "Access" my account to update my information. What they are doing is fishing for my personnal information so they can access my bank or credit card account. You cannot contact them unless you give them this information, either at their website or calling by phone. http://www.smcorp.com/ or 1-800-345-4762

Don't call them from your home phone to check, use a payphone, in as they have caller ID and will use that to call you back to attempt to get the information from you to scam you.

They figure that by sending out this bogus card to people, they will be upset and contact them to verify that they are not being charged, but will invertantly give them the info to "Insure" that they will not be charged, but instead will have given permission to scam them out of becoming a victim...er, member.

I read though the list of complaints and can see where the company is writing "success stories" to counter the fraud/scam claims and see where nobody with half a brain would buy marked up products to resell at even more marked up prices for junk. You can go to WalMart and get anything they have for a quarter of what they charge.

If I am charged an annual renewal "Fee" from my bank account or credit card, I will seek crimal charges to them for postal fraud and bank fraud.

Mark
Nenana, Alaska
U.S.A.