- Report: #1027228
Complaint Review: Affinion Group - Nashville Tennessee
Reported By:
Tey -
Vallejo, California, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Affinion Group
PO Box 41869, Nashville, 37204-1869 Tennessee, United States of America
Phone:
800-860-7182
Web:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affinion_Group
Categories:
Business Rating:
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Affinion Group Chase Bank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank, Attinion Group as a business affinity of Wells Fargo Bank using a closed Wells Fargo account to get funds out of a new Wells Fargo account without my premission. Nashville, Tennessee
Here is what I learned according to the Better Business Bureau, thousands of issues have been reported by consumers for deceptive selling practices, unauthorized charges to consumers' credit cards, and failure to respond or resolve issues. Consumers are told that it takes 28 days for a charge to be canceled or credited back, and even employees of the credit card company are not able to dispute these charges in the same manner any other charge would be handled. Per
the creditors contracts with Affinion Group disputed charges were to be processed by contacting Affinion directly. Where any normal unauthorized charge can be disputed and resolved within a month as a matter of law, charges from these merchants are often not resolved for several months on end. On March 7, 2005, the company made a Settlement Agreement with the Office of the Attorney General of Florida. Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Chapter 501, Part II, Florida Statutes. In July 2005, the Attorneys General of Connecticut, California, and Maine brought
a lawsuit against TLG/Affinion for allegedly deceiving consumers into enrolling in its clubs. In December 2006, Trilegiant/Affinion agreed to pay over $8 million to 17 states and their residents to settle allegations of deceptive selling practices. In August 2010, Affinion/Trilegiant settled a consumer fraud action brought by the Attorney General of the state of New York for $8 million USD. In March 2012. a class action lawsuit was announced by Gillman Law LLP, a national law firm specializing in consumer protection. According to Gilman Law LLP, Trilegiant has been accused of colluding with numerous online merchants in an effort to sell memberships in the above named discount clubs. According to the complaints, consumers were induced into "joining" these clubs when they made purchases at websites. The complaint alleges that Trilegiant paid these reputable online retailers for customers' billing information, including credit card and debit card numbers, through a process known as "data pass." The are still in business, I am looking at Wells Fargo Bank as being the problems with Affinion Group my bank crossed the line when I reported that Affinion was not authorized to withdraw from my Wells Fargo account. I closed one Wells Fargo Bank account only to find that Wells Fargo keeping the account open and attached Affinion withdraws to my new account. What's wrong with this picture. If this has happen to you in California please contact the Attorneys General of California. Whommm Wells Fargo Bank. Affinion/Trilegiant/Wells Fargo Bank business partners a lawyers dream.
the creditors contracts with Affinion Group disputed charges were to be processed by contacting Affinion directly. Where any normal unauthorized charge can be disputed and resolved within a month as a matter of law, charges from these merchants are often not resolved for several months on end. On March 7, 2005, the company made a Settlement Agreement with the Office of the Attorney General of Florida. Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Chapter 501, Part II, Florida Statutes. In July 2005, the Attorneys General of Connecticut, California, and Maine brought
a lawsuit against TLG/Affinion for allegedly deceiving consumers into enrolling in its clubs. In December 2006, Trilegiant/Affinion agreed to pay over $8 million to 17 states and their residents to settle allegations of deceptive selling practices. In August 2010, Affinion/Trilegiant settled a consumer fraud action brought by the Attorney General of the state of New York for $8 million USD. In March 2012. a class action lawsuit was announced by Gillman Law LLP, a national law firm specializing in consumer protection. According to Gilman Law LLP, Trilegiant has been accused of colluding with numerous online merchants in an effort to sell memberships in the above named discount clubs. According to the complaints, consumers were induced into "joining" these clubs when they made purchases at websites. The complaint alleges that Trilegiant paid these reputable online retailers for customers' billing information, including credit card and debit card numbers, through a process known as "data pass." The are still in business, I am looking at Wells Fargo Bank as being the problems with Affinion Group my bank crossed the line when I reported that Affinion was not authorized to withdraw from my Wells Fargo account. I closed one Wells Fargo Bank account only to find that Wells Fargo keeping the account open and attached Affinion withdraws to my new account. What's wrong with this picture. If this has happen to you in California please contact the Attorneys General of California. Whommm Wells Fargo Bank. Affinion/Trilegiant/Wells Fargo Bank business partners a lawyers dream.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Puck
Columbus,Ohio,
The Actual Truth
#2UPDATE Employee
Tue, April 23, 2013
Affinion Group does not plan the marketing of the products. The shady marketing techniques are the result of the banks. That being said, NO memberships are started without a voice recording or signature agreeing to the membership. The truth of the matter is simple, people join these programs to try and get something free. A great example is the "free" credit report being advertised by Wells Fargo right now!
1. When the person gets to the bank they are told it's actually $1, they don't mind.
2. The bankers neglect to tell them they are now enrolled in a service costing between 12.99-15.99 a month.
3. The person sees the charge and we get the call.
That's what happens! Now just as a point of reference, when we enroll someone in the same service we are required to tell them a total of 6 times that they will be billed and get their agreement!
As for refunds in the membership kits it lists whether there is a refund available. People need to ask more questions and actually read the paperwork.
That's The Truth
Joe
Columbus,Ohio,
How to fight Affinion and get your money back
#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Thu, April 04, 2013
A few tips coming from a former employee..
If you never authorized the charge to begin with, don't even bother calling Affnion to dispute - it will be used against you in the long run.
If the bank that issued your card insists that you contact the merchant first, follow up in writing to the bank explaining that its an un-authorized/fraud transaction. File a police report and include that police report with your written correspondence with the bank.
The banks partner with affinion, and want to avoid having to do the chargeback, and also want to avoid having to stop the billing - so they will try to treat your complaint as a merchant dispute rather than an unautherized charge. Typically the way Affinion gets your billing info is that the bank sells it to them.. Don't let them get away with it.
If you absolutely must contact Affinion, do it in writing, certified, with return receipt.
Finally, if you are ever a victim of Affinion group, once you have your money back, vote with your wallet by switching banks.
My $0.02
