Complaint Review: Centurion Financial - Champlain New York

In late October I received a telephone call at home from a representative of Centurion Financial telling me that I was pre-approved for a Master Card with a $2,000.00 credit limit that would increase to $5,000.00 in three months with no interest charges for 3 years. I was told that I needed to pay a one-time fee of $249.00 to obtain this offer. At that time I asked if there was anything else I would need to do or pay in order to receive this offer and was told no and that after the money was deducted from my account I would receive my card in the mail in 20 business-days.

The $249.00 was deducted from my account on Oct. 25, 2004. On November 29th, 25 days later, I still had not received my card, I called the customer service # I was given over the phone (866-784-0260) and spoke with a customer service representative who wasn't able to tell me anything but to wait and that my card would be there by the end of the week. Another week went by and still nothing. After making several more calls to customer service I received different responses each time; some told me they had no way of telling me if my card had been shipped or not, others told me that it would be there in a few days and then I was told to expect a "package" and that I would have to sign a form and return it before I received my card. This was the FIRST time ANYONE mentioned anything to me about a "package". I was then told that once I received my package I would have to sign the form and return it before I received my card, which would take an additional 25 days to receive.

After receiving the package, I read through the forms and quickly realized that this was nothing more then marketing tactic as it was filled with different offers for things like cell phones and satelite dishes etc. The only card form was one for a pre-paid card for which they wanted an additional $24.95. This was NOT a credit card. I called customer service again and spoke with Selena, though I doubt that was her name and who I might add is seriously lacking in customer service skills, and was told that this was the offer I qualified for. I explained to her that I paid $249.00 for the offer I received over the phone and didn't understand why I was having such a hard time with this. She then told me that was the fee to have Centurion research an offer for me and what I qualified for was a pre-paid "stored value" card. This is ABSOLUTELY NOT what I authorized over the phone. I authorized the deduction of $249.00 from my checking account for the specific offer I stated above. I was in no way told that this was a fee to see what I qualified for nor was it explained to me this was a pre-paid card offer. I asked to speak with a manager or supervisor and was rudely told they wouldn't talk to me and that my only option was to send a letter to Brian Hill the President of Centurion Financial.

I feel I have been lied to as well as taken advantage of. I was in no way informed that this was a pre-paid card offer and I feel that Centurion and their representatives fraudulently misrepresented the offer. The customer service people are rude and say anything that comes to their mind at the moment. Seriously what kind of customer service center doesn't have supervisors or managers to speak with. I think this entire operation is nothing but a scam. After researching their company via the internet I have found SEVERAL complaints regarding this very matter.

I did write a letter to Mr. Hill and had it sent over night to the 33 Elm Street Champlain, NY 12919 as instructed. Yet not that I'm at all surprised, I have yet to hear back from him. In an effort to have this scam eliminated I have filed a report with the Better Business Bureau in both MN and NY as well as the Attorney Generals Office in both states. I also found out that my complaint was the 27th in the last 6 mos. TWENTY SEVEN complaints from all over the US regarding the same thing. Someone has to take notice and put a stop to these people and SOON!!!!

Stacey

Shakopee, Minnesota
U.S.A.