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Recently, I checked my automated teller line with my bank to see if a recent store purchased had been ran. Upon hearing the debit withdrawals, I found that there were two (2) transactions made on the same day in the amount of $20.95. I contacted a teller to find that these transactions were from Privacy Matters and Shopping Essentials.
Upon further review, I found that these two, purported, companies began taking funds from my account on an unauthorized basis beginning in July, 2006. The total amount withdrawn from my checking account from July, 2006-December, 2008 exceeded $1, 000.
I immediately contacted both companies and spoke to a customer service person and demanded that the funds that were taken on an unauthorized basis be deposited back into my account immediately. In both instances the customer service person put me in touch with a 'supervisor'. I went through the same process again. At first and in both cases, I was told that only the last two withdrawals would be deposited back. I then illustrated that I had never clicked on anything, agreed to any terms at any time, and had never received any physical invoice and/or electronic invoice or confirmation of agreed-upon services. I demanded that my funds be credited immediately. What I did receive was a confirmation of canceled membership (which I never agreed upon) in my e-mail in-box.
I then went to my bank and canceled my debit card and had a new one sent. The bank filed appropriate paperwork to dispute the charges. I then contacted my attorney. Upon his suggestion, I sent an e-mail to the Indiana Attorney General, Nebraska Attorney General, and Connecticut Attorney General. I then responded back to both of the e-mails that they sent outlining what I had done in an attempt to recoup my funds.
Within a week, all of my money had been credited back to my account, with the exception of a total of $2, $1 from each from their initial, unauthorized transactions.
My suggestion is to call relentlessly and take the name and employee I.D. number from everyone that you speak with, and call often. Contact your bank and attorney. E-mail or write the Attorney General's office in your respective state and those that are associated any of the states where the names of the different companies are listed.
There are several that are all one in the same. In my case, I simply asked one of the customer service people if Privacy Matters is the same as Shopping Essentials. His answer was, as I suspected, yes.
I have found that there are many names that they operate under. Vertrue, Adaptive Marketing, Shopping Essentials, Today's Escapes, and ironically enough, Privacy Matters. I asked them what Privacy Matters did and they explained that it is a credit protection service.
Unfortunately, the funds that are withdrawn are so small that they tend to blend in with the other transactions. The fact that I did not detect it until now is solely my fault. I believe that there-in lies the rub and the basis for their success.
Good luck to anyone that has had a similar experience. Be relentless in attempting to recoup your funds. Be sure to get a hold of all, respective Attorney General's office to file a report. Hopefully, collective efforts of this nature will cause this type of action by them to stop.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I recently found this site which advertised a "free" credit report. It appears that companies who offer this "free" service make their money with credit monitoring. That's fine if that is what you want, but i immediately canceled this service. I soon found charges for 14.95 (labeled AP9* PRIVACY MATTER SID) on my bank statement even though i canceled. When i contacted the company they mentioned that i signed up for not one but two different services?!? The one that i canceled was for 29.95. The other so called service was still active for 14.95. A SCAM if I've ever seen one.
they twice made unauthorized charges to my bank account and after calling them told me that I had agreed to something when I used Intelius to search for a name and address for work. I had to speak to a manager who told me she would only refund me for one of the charges. She told me I had agreed to something... some special offer, I told her that if i did it was not to my knowledge and that I wanted all charges taken away. If this is a company who strives for protection of your identity I think they should rethink their mission statement because I felt today that they had stolen some of my identity. We'll see if the charges are refunded within 3-5 business days. Sure!
Once again I hope somehow someone can stop them from doing this to others because they are. Just search their phone number...[protected]... and see all the other people that they have taken money from that was unauthorized. Thank you!
I recently ordered a one-time credit report. I did not sign up for anything additional. I am now being charged $19.95 per month for services (not even sure what they are) that I never requested. This kind of crap should be illegal. Looking at how much others have been charged, I guess I should feel lucky that they're only stinging me for $19.95/month!
This company stole money from me. Beware people!
I did a reverse cell phone search with Intelius for $14.95 to see if it was a new number for this man who was stalking me. They signed me up for some service from PM Identity without my knowledge. When I accidentally learned that there was a strange charge on my checking account, I called the Bank, and they gave me the contact information I needed.
I called Intelius and did get through to customer service and they agreed to credit my account for the current month only. They had charged me $19.95 for five months. I still don't know what the service was for. It doesn't matter because I never wanted the service or to spend more than the $14.95 that it cost for my information. I called the 800 number for privacy.com and disputed the charges. They refunded me for the 5 months and claimed that my information was taken off of their database.
I am still very alarmed of how this could happen. At the very least something seems to be misleading us into not realizing we are signing up for something.
I always check my statements online to make sure that there are no unauthorized transactions. This particular company name stood up as I was checking my statements because it was 2 different charges for $19.95 on the same day with 2 different company names but they have the same address.
I asked my husband if he had ordered something online with these companies or if he authorized any transactions to this company and his answer was no. He said that the last time he used his debut online was when he joined classmates.com. Now I'm wondering if classmates.com has anything to do with it.
I called privacy matters and athomerewards and they won't give me any information unless I give them the credit card that was used. They must be out of their mind if they think I am going to give them that info. And then before I hung up the line, I asked her how she can sleep at night knowing that this company takes money from people unauthorized.
I had to cancel all debit cards to avoid any future charges. Hopefully we get our money back.
After receiving billings for credit reports which I never received and which I never signed up for, I had to spend hours on line with Credit Reports America which has an automated phone line and directs you to online help after back and forth I was finally able to get my credit card cleared of their charges. The phone at Privacy Matters was answered by a real person and immediately told me they would credit my account. These companies are total rip-offs, I am going to send my complaint to the New Jersey Attorney General.
I noticed a charge on my bank account that was unfamiliar. Went to my bank and they are reversing the charge. I looked up on internet when I returned home and found the exact phone number of [protected] on complaintsboard. I had no contact with this company or any affiliate of same, to my knowledge. Fraud claim filed with the Federal Trade Commission today as well.
Upon receiving my credit card statement for the month of December, I noticed 2 charges for $19.95 which I did not recognize. I immediately contact my credit card company. They canceled my card and are issuing me a new 1. They will send me a form that I'll complete regarding these unexplained charges.
After speaking with my credit card company, I checked my activity on my card for the current, as yet unbilled, month. And sure enough there are again 2 more unexplained charges fro the same 2 companies; PM Identity and also Privacy Matters, who I later learned are the same company. I renotified my credit card company about these 2 additional unexplained charges, and they asked me to include them on the form that I'll receive from them (credit card company) challenging the costs.
I then decided to call 1 of the 2 1-800 numbers on my credit card by the company charging me these unexplained fees. After a fairly long wait, a lady answered my call. She told me that I registered when I signed up for Classmates. I asked her if it seemed reasonable for me to sign up twice for 1 credit card. At that point she offered to cancel my subscription, which I wasn't even aware that I had done. I told her I didn't really care because the card was canceled and I was challenging the 4 bogus charges. I was then put on hold.
Do not trust PRIVACY MATTERS and their multiple names.
I found out I have been billed $19.95 per month for the last 5 months from this company. I can't even remember signing up for it. I must had thought I was getting a free credit report. Wow..it's my fault for not paying closer attention to all the charges each month.
Nancy
Biggest Scam company around...They are rude on the phone with you...They are purely out there to milk as much money out of people as possible...And they are providing information from your credit reports?...How is this allowed?...This is been going on way too long and they need to be shut down...Can you say Class Action Lawsuit?...You know it makes you wonder about the Credit Bureaus and how they owrk with these people...THe Credit Bureaus must be in on it and gaining profit...
It sounds like you have accepted a third party company’s offer that is advertised on the Intelius website. If you no longer wish to be enrolled in that third party company’s service, please call [protected] Monday – Friday 4:30am – 9:00pm PST. We will be more than happy to assist you.
The real name of the company is “Vertrue” and it’s based in Norwalk Connecticut. Here’s some of the tentacles of this beast I’ve uncovered thus far:
VERTRUE
20 Glover Ave
Norwalk, CT [protected]
http://www.vertrue.com
They have lots of arms . . . something like an octopus, but not quite as warm and cuddly.
The big one is called “ADAPTIVE MARKETING”
Adaptive marketing is an octopus attached to an octopus with lots of little octopi hanging off it. These are the ones that are obvious divisions of this outfit:
• FreeScore
• Privacy Matters 1-2-3
• Privacy Matters Identity
• 24Protect Plus
• Credit Diagnosis
• Credit Adapter
• Credit Score Express
• At Home Rewards
• At Home Rewards+
• BusinessMax
• Cross Country Savings
• DealMax
• Home Savings Mall
• Food and Flix
• Getaway and Save
• Leisure Exclusives
• My Great Deals
• Passport to Fun
• Passport to Fun+
• SavingsAce
• SavingSmart
• Shopping Essentials
• Shopping Essentials+
• Simply You
• Todays Escapes
• Today's Escapes+
• ValueMax
• Your Savings Club
Besides Adaptive Marketing the company operates other ventures including:
Neverblue (A “lead generation” company using internet tracking technology to sell targeted marketing . . . in other words, they sell YOU to people who want your money.)
Bargain Network (Markets foreclosed property, repossessed cars, etc. Sort of like internet leeches.)
Coverdell (Some sort of “insurance” marketing scam - makes me feel more secure!)
Lavalife (The leisure suit wing of Internet dating services)
MerberWorks Canada (A membership discounts company targeting this sort of crap to the French Speaking Quebec market.)
Avoid all of the above, and if you get caught in one of their scams, report them to the Connecticut Attorney General’s office, seeing as how that's where they're located. If they get Eenough complaints perhaps Richard Blumenthal will make these idiots his personal hobby.
Greenfrog.
Privacy Matters is still charging peoples cards without authorization. They just charged mine today. How do we stop these people! I filled a complant with the BBB. Maybe they will do something!
Yeah, they got me also. When I joined classmates.com an advertisement came up. If you click on it Privacy Matters automatically charges your account. These people are ripping us off. I reported them to the Better Business Bureau also there is a web site called
[redacted].com that has over 300 complants about this same company . Good Luck.
I have the same exact issue. I am not sure how Privacy matters obtained my information, but the timing indicates that this started when I went on a 'FREE' credit report site. I'm not sure which one. After realizing that none were 'FREE', I thought I was agreeing to pay a one-time fee of $29.95 to obtain a report. Instead, I my account was debited $29.95 twice for 2 months. I called to find out that I was a member and these were monthly fees. I did not notice the fees at first (last month), but when my account was unexpectedly debited this month, it caused an overdraft. Privacy Matters had charged $29.95 twice, plus an extra $1.00 twice, which was a total of 4 transactions, resulting in $188.00 charges. I am sure there is something illegal about this, but right now I am too angry to think about it, but I will. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
I noticed a charge of $29.95 on my bank statement with a company called "Privacy Matters'. I had no idea what it was for and upon more investigation, they have been charging me this same amount for the past three months...plus $1.00 charges here and there. I NEVER gave any permission for this service. I did not even know who they were or what they did! I called today and got someone who insisted that I DID sign up and the charges could not be reimbursed since I was negligent and did not " call to cancel" after the first month. What? I had no membership number; got no mail from them; never gave them permission to attack my personal bank account...SCAM...bigtime fraudulent company! Stay away!
I to was taken for a stick up from this company, I am just now finding that I is harder to get my money back. I have been double charged from the same company under different names and phone numbers.
I advise no one to trust them at all. Good Luck to all and God Bless.
Welcome to the aftermath of deregulation mania...the banks are holding everyone including the Federal government hostage...they are jacking up interest rates...forcing more and more people into financial difficulties..so they have bad credit to charge higher interest rates...the Feds pump the banks full of taxpayer money which they sit on..as more people's credit goes sour...when the recovery comes the banks can charge higher interest rates...the circus goes on..Thanks "W" Bush and bunch!
Same complaint, but I never even asked Privacy Matters for any contract or services of any kind. Intelius let them have my name and debit card information., when I did an Intelius background check for my church. Privacy Matters had debited my account twice before I was able to resolve it. The BBB in the Omaha, NE area is the agency that handled my case. They did so very quickly and easily. I have since been reimbursed the money that Privacy Matters took from me. Still not a word from Intelius.
I had the same experience. I'm waiting to see if the refunds go through. When I saw the first $3 charged to my account, I emailed them the same day and said cancel and refund. But, more than a week later, the charged me $29.95 twice; so now the total is $62.90. They apologized and said I'd have a refund in 2-3 days. We'll see.
But, how many people don't notice these charged. I watch my account closely, which is why I noticed this. But, I'm sure a lot of people miss these charges. It's poor business if you have to trick people into buying your services.
Ihope this goes through. I have my doubts except the firstcomment listed is the same experience I had. I.too was billed forthe same report twice and in less than 30 days when it was supposed to be free in the first place. When I called Roxie #25299 said, "Mame" nothing is FREE! then please don't advertise that way. Better Business Bureau where are YOU?
I have had exactly the same experience with this site. I was told it was free, when I called it was seven days. Later I was told 30 days and my last call told me it would be canceled in 7 days, again allowing the credit card company to bill me one more time pluss the dollor. Totally about
$ 65.00 with all the extra dollor fees when I canceled in Aug! I have been duped as others have from this comment page. I looked it up to find a writing address but have not come up with one. Do we take it to the BBB? I am disgusted. Margaret Landgraf