This is an exact copy of what I sent to DatelineNBC today:
Hopefully someone reads this even though I only have a "hotmail" account and not a more "legitimate" email address. Regardless, I have been violated and consequently uncovered an enormous scam sweeping the nation.
I'll make a somewhat long story short: a fraudulent company calling itself "Premium Mega Savers" has been automatically drafting $54.90 out of my checking account for at least three months and almost certainly much, much longer. After researching for similar cases, I found out that this company is based out of Miami, Florida; I also learned that there
are at least 47 other claims against them. (That was the short version.)
My wife called (there was a number (surprisingly) attached to the name on the online bank statement) the "company" and was told that she authorized the debit (they obviously would not say when or how). When Lillie, my wife, asked how they got the checking account information, they claimed they received it from
her credit card. We only own one credit card, so this was simple to verify. After she hung up, she called the credit card company and found out that they do not share that sort of information (for obvious reasons) and they have never heard of "Premium Mega Saver" (I was about to refer to this "company" by its initials -- see why I didn't? -- irony is silently woven throughout the world; you just have to listen for it).
Bank of America, who I have always been satisfied with, is doing their own research and has already informed me that I cannot dispute transactions which are more than 90 days old; theoretically, this means I may only get $54.90 back from Feb., Jan., Dec., and possibly Nov. I suspect that money has been drafted since April or May of 2002. (Like most working-class couples, we cut our monthly balance of credits to expenses VERY close; on more than one occasion, my checking account balance has gone negative (now I know why!), accumulating a $30 fee for each transaction while in the red. Who's responsible for this money?) For anyone, especially someone trying to save money to buy a house, this adds up quickly.
As I said, I am certainly not the first victim of "Premium Mega Savers" and, judging by their ignorant and moronic response on the phone, I will not be the last.
Please help me retrieve some of my money back; much more importantly, please help me track down this group of leaches running their fraudulent network.
Thank you immensely.
Peter
Charleston, South Carolina
U.S.A.