Complaint Review: Friend Finder Networks Inc. - Sunnyvale California

Much like all the reports I have seen on here I too have been caught out by the people at 'Friend Finder' whoever they are.

My find was purley coincidental.  I receieved a phone call last week telling me the compnay I had booked my holiday with had gone bankrupt and I need to supply bank statements showing my payement to them to get my money back.  No problem so to the internet I go.

I was hunting down said transaction when i spotted the 'Friend finder' fee.  I immediatley called my bank and told them I had no idea what it was.  When I dug a bit deeper they had been taking money for 18 months!  I just never noticed it.

So then I am advised to call the Visa helpline.  They put me onto the people at 'Friend Finder' where I found the very same problems everyone else has detailed.  He kept asking for my card details as that was the only way to find the transactions.  He wouldn't listen when I asked him to find another way, he was determined there was no other way.

So then he searched for my email address.  He found something linked to an email address I have not used for five years, I have no idea what the password is!  He then told me he couldn't access the details of the account without my password and kept asking me what it is.  I struggled to get it through to him that I can't possibly know what the password is if I don't know what it is for, but this fell of deaf ears.

The final point was a phone number.  He gave me a phone number to call this eveing after 7pm (BST).  But the number had no international prefix.  When I asked him for the entire number as if calling from the UK he tried to end the call, I insisted he give me the number.  Eventually he did but it still doesn't look right.  Before he ended the call he tried one last time to get my password (I don't have a clue!) and make card details (Which I wouldn't give him anyway, I cut the card up as soon as the bank cancelled it so I couldn't give them to him even if I wanted to).

At that point it was back on the people at Visa.  Within five minutes of talking to them my money within the last 12 months was back in my account and two forms were being posted today for me to fill in as part of an investigation!  Yes there is a chance they get sucked in by 'Friend Finder' and ask for the money or part of it back but seeing I have no ideas what it is I don't see it happening.

The moral of the story for me is check your bank statements on a regular basis and thoroughly.  I imagaine there are alot of people out there like me that don't even like using the cash machine for fear of the printing noise which tells you you may withdraw 'Nil'.  But it's precisely that which allowed this to go un detected for so long.  If I had not lost my holiday I would've carried on not knowing...

The second moral is as said by others, don't give up.  Don't give these people your details, why should they need them again?  Just talk to them once and then get back onto Visa or your bank.  Once you spoken with the 'retailer' directly it appears to open your rights up and you can actually move against them.

I am late in reporting that the money they took was given back to me through the bank's dispute letter.  I received a "Provisional Credit" and wans't sure at first if that was the real deal or just until they disputed it.  But, when I did the math, I was up the $17.99 in my account after all was said and done.  That's partly why I didn't report back for a while. 

I had put $18 into my account to cover this short fall, and I kept thinking my account reflected this deposit by me.  But, I would have been at the 00 $ balance if that was the case.  Before Friend Finder took money out I would have had 49 cents in my account once rent and another bill cleared.  My $18 would have covered the Friend Finder amount and brough me to a 50cent balance.  Instead, I was up $18.  I saw that once I returned the money to my family that they deposited to cover a shortfall and possible over draft fee, I would still have the $18 I deposited and it would not now go to cover the Friend Finder amount.

If you have this type of problem, notify your bank right away.  MOVE ON IT!!! I knew that this was not authroized by me, so I knew it was worth fighting.  And I did, and I got the money back if not a feeling of security in having my info on line with companies I order stuff from.  It is scary to think of ordering on line now...and I am hesitant to do so.  There are some items I can only get on line and there are some companies that I really like on line better than buying from a local store.

What are some suggestions for being safe and secure on line when posting our info, like credit card #?  Or should we just not do it?  You know how PayPal always says they are secure?  Well, when I was trying to research this Friend Finder group, I noticed that it says they are now affiliated with or a member of PayPal.  So, that made me think that maybe PalPay isn't that secure (???).  It says we are to only quote facts we know to be true.  Well, I was on the main Friend Finder page, and they proudly say they are now working with PayPal.  My info's on PayPal.  Whose to say someone didn't go through PayPal to take my money?  I am not saying they did.  It just brings up the fact that I don't feel very secure on line...even when using someone "trusted" like PayPal.  PayPal has it's own issues, as I've had problems with them, too....

Sorry, I wasn't clear if I was supposed to sign off...but:

Sincerely,

Nobody Particular (was that the user name I picked?)

I called Friend Finder and they wanted my card number and I asked could they not find me through my address or email address...and he insisted a card number was needed.  Of course, in order to get the money back into my account, that would make sense.  But couldn't they get it to me through bank routing number or something?  Anyway, I told him that card had a stop on it, and I no longer remembered the number (true).  He said the only recourse was through the bank or faxing them the info.  But what info was I going to fax that I couldn't give him over the phone?  I wasn't planning on giving my card number either way.  At one point he said, "We're not dishonest, Ma'am."  Why would he say such a thing and make them appear guilty of wrong doing?  That would not be at all professional for a bona fide business.  He should have just said, "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but that's our policy," same as I have to do in my job.  This guy insisted that I HAD to be a member of one of the 52 Friend Finder sites...and that I had probably signed up and forgotten.  This was charged to my account on November 30, 2009.  Would I have forgotten that fast?  He kept asking if I was a member of any on line dating sites, and I kept saying, "No."  So, anyway, the entire way the phone call was handled was suspect.

Later, I was informed of someone who had been using Match.com (one of the Friend Finder sites), and when they canceled the account, they were still getting charged!  More proof that something is fishy!

I went to the bank today, and they filed a form for me, and they said I will hear back within 10 days.  If it is proved I did not authorize this with drawl, I should get the money back in my account.  So I am grateful to People's Bank of Mount Vernon, WA for being so helpful.  This form sets an investigation of the matter into action, and they can determine whether it was me who charged this to my account.  I had deposited the exact amount in my account to cover rent and one automatic payment...and had no plans for any debit card transactions.  So why would I sign up for a Friend Finder site when I knew after rent and that one automatic with drawl came out I would have 49 cents in my account?

I was really bothered by the guy on the phone making me sound like I was stupid...had signed up and forgotten and so on...and that he kept insisting I had to be the member of an on line dating service, as if everyone out here uses this method to get dates.  I was getting a little irate on the phone, and I heard my voice rising.  So when he said I could fax info or bank could handle it for me, I said, "Then, I'll let my bank handle it" and hung up.  The whole thing was making me too upset.

So, anyway, that's how it stands now.  The form has been filed, and I am waiting for the determination.

I want to reiterate:  Don't wait!  The minute you see a charge for something that you didn't charge, talk to your bank.  They indicated because I jumped right on it, I would have a far better chance of disputing this.  They said as soon as I talked to the company, I could go ahead with action if comapany wouldn't refund money.  Well, maybe if I'd given the card number, they would have...but I refused to give that.   

Well, praise the Lord, the bank has been totally supportive.  They said once I try to call the comapny if the company says no to refunding (which seems to be what happens when you refuse to give them your card number), then I can write a dispute letter and they will help me with trying to get the money bank. 

I went to the bank THE VERY NEXT day after seeing this money had come out (or same day if you consider I found this out at 2 AM).  Please, to all reading this, DO NOT WAIT 60 days!  If they took out money this month, 60 days would allow them two more cycles of taking money out. 

I was at the bank to get a new card issued and the old one stopped IMMEDIATELY...and they informed me then they would help me pursue this.  I bank locally, so I did not bother calling or any such thing.  I was considering calling to put a stop on the card right away (had to go to work seven hours before I could get to the bank),  but perhaps going into the bank was the best thing.  We discussed how I wanted it handled, since they asked if I might need to use the debit card before a new one would arrive.  I told them just stop the card, as someone out there had my number and who knew what other things they might try to charge to my account? 

Anyway, I am really thankful my bank is perfectly behind me in disputing this!!!  I did not know bank's would be as inconsiderate as what you mentioned here.  I wanted to know if they could trace this, and they indicated they couldn't but that they would help me dispute it and try to get my money back.

I have not tried to call Friend Finder yet, though I do have two different phone numbers and got home late yesterday and assumed their offices would be closed for the day.  The site does not give any idea of business hours.  I am not sure if this is the correct place I was on as it is a site that lists Domain facts about Friend Finder.

I will keep you updated as to what happens next.  The bank said come in as soon as I hear from them as to whether they will refund my money and I asked if Monday was okay because I assumed they had 9 - 5, Monday to Friday business hours, as most of these places do.