Square Enix Holdings review: fraudulent charge 84

I had the same problem as most of you. A charge of 27.95 from square enix and 19.99 from blizzard, overdrafting my account.

I've done plenty of online shopping and never had any cases of fraud until I made a paypal account. With this many complaints about unauthorized charges for one comany, you'd think something would have been done by now.

check this out: http://www.portaldirect.com/

Doesn't say much, but is interesting. My parents and I each had these charges on our cards this past weekend (along with iTunes charges). There were others too, but they were declined--probably after they tested the card with Square Enix and the card company picked it up.

Found this page through Google because I justed experienced the same unauthorized charge from Square/Enix PlayOnline for $27.95 on 5/4/09 & then $1 for Itunes on 5/3/09. This on my primary spending CC which is used alot online. I did use to use PlayOnline, but that was several years ago. I thought something was up when I had problems using my card since 5/3 & only saw the $27.95 today. Seems like a security compromise somewhere since others were seemingly affected.

One thing to mention is that a trojan virus appeared on my computer on 4/30/09 according to AVG which should be healed now. One of the offending programs was also called sysguard.exe which was discovered by Spybot SD. Duno't know if these had anythign to do with the recent charged, but the timing is suspect.

One more victim here in Montana. I have charges totaling $83.85 (which means I got the $27.95 charge three times, all within a week.). I have since canceled my debit card, which I had been using online. Paypal is one place I've used the number, but not the only place. I'll post back if I learn more, but thanks to all who have posted. I'm not a video gamer, and my kids aren't old enough to begin to know that stuff.

I really don't know how they are getting hold of the credit cards numbers I have a card I haven't use in 18 months and still i was charge around $55 from the same game site..! believe it or not the same day my check card was also charge $27.95 from the same game site totally different banks BOA and Chase!

i just got 3 charges today fromSquare Enix, i use paypal alot. a power seller/buyer and almost nothing else, i think there is a breach here, very likely
if this can be considered for evidence

omg this is insane i just checked my account through my bank online and i saw there was this charge for square enix online los angeles cal. was the describtion; one charge was for $1.00 while another was for $22.36, first off i checked my records to make sure it wasnt me and it wasnt and then i called my husbands sister thinking maybe she bought a game with out telling me and was gonna pay me back but realize she had no way of access to my card nor would she ever do something like this without asking me so i googled the description name online and got a gaming website whom i have never visited nor would i have any reason too me and my husband dont play video games we work alot, so i started reading all these reports and realized i had been taken advantaged of and it's insane i typically dont buy stuff online; the last thing i bought was a cd so i have no idea how these charges occured without my consent...im really concerned an am going to my bank first thing in the morning with all these comments from everyone else to dispute the charges because this many ppl cant be absent mindeldly buying games without realizing it...something bigger is occuring and i refuse to be a victim and i intend to press charge accordingly...

crystal cantrell
lake jackson, tx

I got a charge of $27.00 in my bank. The only purchase I had made the last 15 days is by Paypal. I even purchase the security token code from Paypal and they still got my information. I called Paypal and they came with the story that no one in their company can see the complete credit card number or bank account number. I told them I didnt believe it because you have to inpute the information so the charges can be made, someone is leaking our information and using it. I never in my whole life have heard about SquareEnix I dont even play online, I dont have the time or the money to do that. I had to cancel my credit card and request a new one also I had to transfer all my money to another account in case they wanted to use my bank account information. Usually companies request the three digit number at the back of your card to verified you are the owner but this company named Playonline.com they dont ask you for one. I was put on hold for an hours, finally I hang up at the same time I was using the online chat customer service and the only thing appeared on my screen was:
Wait one moment while you are being connected. To better assist you, please have the following information ready:
PlayOnline ID,
Full name on the account,
Date of birth,
PlayOnline registration code,
First 4 and last 4 digits of the CC.
All agents are currently busy. Please stand by.
If you are calling regarding the status of your previously shipped security token, please be aware that it can take up to 14 business days and that an agent will not be able to give you a package tracking update. We apologize for the inconvenience.
An agent will be with you in a moment. Thank you for your patience.
The next available Agent will be with you in a moment.
All agents are currently busy. Please stand by.
OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THANKS GOD we dont pay for the waiting time online. I will file a complaint with the BBB and everywhere else I can. I have no words to call this kind of persons they deserve the worst of all and also they forgot there is karma and will get back to them one day.
femay1826@gmail.com

Capital One notified me immediately of the fraudulent charges, but I want to respond to the people who are asking those who have these charges if their children did it... I don't have kids. I also have this particular credit card in my freezer at the moment because I lost my job and the rate went up substantially on it (oh, hey, recession!); the only reason I didn't cancel this card sooner was in case of an emergency like car problems, etc. SO, for a card that I haven't used since March, it's kind of odd to have random charges on it. Right? Right.

I wouldn't be surprised if it was PayPal, which makes me a little nervous. I guess only time will tell...?

I get to fill out some nice fraud paperwork. It would have been nice to chat with the person about it a little further, but knowing someone who works in the fraud dept my call was already a little too long (my card being in the freezer, I couldn't easily verify my ownership with the 3 digit security code so we had to play 20 questions) and I was probably eating the nice lady's productivity for the day.

I looked on my child support debit card today and found one transaction that went through from this place for 27.95 (us dollars). There is still one pending from this place and then another unauthorized transaction pending for Apple Online. There is nothing I can do for the pending ones until they fully go through. But the bank is filing an affidavit or something regarding this company as soon as I get my paperwork back to them that they are mailing to me. I tried calling this online gaming place and I could never get through.

Hey guys, I was charged $25.90 from this play online, I do not know about them, i am going to file a dispute and get my money back, i do not know how they got my number, i guess my be from my tele links account. because that is the only place i had used this paticular card.This is not my regular card which i use for net transactions. This was my check card. Should get the crooks behing bars.

I was just notified by my bank this BS company just took out money from my account. I don't have any kind of game box and just updated my PayPal account yesterday with my visa/debit card number. I too am gonna file fraud claim with my local police dept. I also went back in PayPal and deleted my card info. i really don't know if this was necessary because I canceled my card. This company charged my card from Los angeles CA. Someone needs to go buy their office if they have one here in the states and SHUT THEM DOWN in a permant manner. Times are tough enough and I really did'nt need this BS to happenright now.

I would like to disagree with just about everyone here. I, too, had a charge of SQUARE ENIX/PLAY ONLIN on my prepaid credit card account. The amount was for $20.72, and I literally had $0.78 on the card, so I knew I didn't attempt to purchase anything. However, I am a Professional Gamer and very well may have subscribed to something. After researching and reading this website, I realized that it was due to my membership to Final Fantasy XI, that I Rarely play on XBOX 360. Please note that the reason you have a charge on your card is not directly to blame on Square Enix. If you know that you are not a gamer (PC or Console such as XBOX 360), then someone near you is, perhaps a child or friend. Usually the first month to play games like Final Fantasy is free. However after that first month you will be charged. I did not cancel my card for fraud, as I know this was NOT a fraudulant act.

I was charged 27.95. We also had $1 from itunes. The Bank called us a few hours after the square enix was charged on our credit card (even before we could see it online on our credit card transactions) ... so banks are definitely aware that these charges are probably fraud. (Was a chase card). It was an automated call where you click 1 or 3 to say a charge was legit or you did not make it. So we cancelled the card. I kind of suspect PayPal as well ... a few days before this happened i tried to use paypal to buy something and found my account suspended due to what they said was suspicous third party access. Co-incidence?

I got charged $27.95. I read through all the threads above. I went to my bank and resolved it. Still, isn't strange how we're all talking about Square/Enix? They're definitely benefitting from us. Scammers wouldn't go there if it wasn't an easy thing to do for them. I think someone who works for them is trying to submit some doubt to us. Well, like all other crap, it stinks.

Ok, Ok, all you folk who are intent on telling us people who have been ripped off how foolish we are for initially thinking that it was Square Enix who were running the scam ... enough, already. We have already worked out, if you read previous posts, that our credit card details have been compromised by an outsider. What we are currently trying to establish is the way it has been done & how we can avoid it occurring in the future. So, if you have not been affected by this problem, I think you should kindly (yes, kindly) butt out and let we who have been affaceted sort it out amongst ourselves. A lilttle bit of empathy/sympathy would not go astray at this stage.

Wow, a lot of you people are pretty naive. Square/Enix isn't some company that's stealing your money, your credit card got stolen and some thief USED it at Square/Enix for products or services of some kind.

Call your credit card company, dispute the charge, and get yourself a new card. Your account was stolen, and calling and crying to Square/Enix is going to do you just as much good as going down to McDonald's because someone stole $1 from you and bought an order of fries.

Um, do any of you have children? Square Enix is a video game company and they are charging you based on the game final fantasy XI, which charges a monthly fee. They don't randomly charge people, someone has used your billing information and credit/debit number to play this game. They are not a fraud company. Please do some research about it for yourself.

Guys, It doesn't look like square enix stole your information and charged your card... it just looks like someone stole your credit card info and started an account on their video game website. There is a big problem with "Real Money Traders" on the game. These people are crooks who exploit the game and make REAL money selling items and play money from the game... I would make sure that you didn't go to a fraudulent website and put in your information.

Anyway.. it just seems like all these complaints are that someone stole your identity, created an account on the video game, played the game and got items and then SOLD the items for REAL money, and then when you caught on they cancelled the account and then moved onto the next credit card they they stole. These guys make millions of dollars doing fraudulent things like this.

Don't blame the company because someone else stole your credit card.. blame the guy who stole your identity. People need to be more aware of where and how they use their credit card information. As someone whose been a victim you need to take steps to protect your information. Something as small as changing your password or clearing your internet history works as well.

Anyway, these are my two cents. I just don't think it's fair to have this site get blamed for charging credit cards when it's other people doing it.

I received this email from Play Online in response to the complait forwarded to them from ESRB. From the tone of the email, it seems theyre in disbeleif that a card could be fradulently charged through their company. Right now, Im trying to get ahold of these people via Customer Support Chat (through the link in the email), but Ive missed their business hours today. Ive already gotten a refund from my bank for the $27.95, and overdrafts reversed, but maybe this email will help someone else who has been less sucessful disputing the charge(s).

Subject: Regarding your ESRB complaint
From: support@us.playonline.com

I had this brainwave on the bus this morning & I believe clickforgoogle is correct. One little gamer has hacked into all our credit card details and is happily playing games on Square Enix, using a different person's credit/debit card details each time to pay for the games. Now, to find out how he/she has gone about this ... I do strongly suspect they have hacked into paypal. Off to run another spyware check.

>>To answer jmiller's question: I use paypal and my paypal debit card for most shopping online, but this charge was made directly to my Visa check card issued to my from my bank.

check your pc for spyware/viruses, and change your passwords to your financial sites after you get rid of your spyware/virus etc.

its a shame because Square Enix isnt the ones screwing you.

Someone got a hold of your credit card info, and used it to purchase stuff from Square Enix.

Yes with so many scam companies out there, i know you would think that its their fault or they are doing it on purpose with criminal intent.. they are just charging the card # that was provided to them by the criminal..

what a nightmare for everyone, good people and a good company both screwed over

Oh, and I also sent a complaint into ESRB, which was forwarded to Square Enix. We'll see if that goes anywhere. Thank you to Ozziegirl for making that recommendation.

Well, I went to the bank today to file a fraud report and get my card cancelled. Giant pain. Im going to keep trying to contact this company, though Ill be doing that via email rather than the phone. Their customer service number is NOT toll free, and I just dont feel like paying for 45 minutes of hold time.
To answer jmiller's question: I use paypal and my paypal debit card for most shopping online, but this charge was made directly to my Visa check card issued to my from my bank.
I wonder if there is a particular website that we've all done business with, which might be the source of the information leak. Maybe we've all shopped/given card info to the same site, and they're the ones selling the card info.

Hi - I also have a paypal account, but have now removed my card details and will take the advice of Anth and get the plugin. I do suggest that you all bombard ESRB with complaints as, although they say they cannot take much action, they were interested enough to forward my notification to Square Enix (who haven't bothered to respond ... surprise, surprise). See my previous post for website details.

Same here been on hold with these guys for god knows how long... nothing but they don't hesitate to charge you for something you have not been using. I pay for stuff online through paypal... how many others pay with paypal that have complained... just curious about it

The company should be held responsible.

This company should be sued for these thefts.

They have some very insecure system or an employee of theirs is comlicit. I also faced similar type of theft yesterday. And now i have to take trouble to claim it back.

My card was charged for about $28 over this weekend. I have to wait until 9 pacific to call them. I'll see what happens. But reading all these responses it seems that I will have to call may card company again and dispute with them instead. I will update here about what happens.

SQUARE ENIX/PLAY ONLINE1 just charged me $7.09. Confused, I googled it and found this thread. I've spent every waking hour for the last two months remodeling my home. I've NEVER in my life played an online game. I've never owned a game system. I don't play games on my computer. I DO purchase things with the computer though... but not services. Wonderful. I'm glad I saw the charge!

I am right there with you all. Hey Anth we were on hold at the same time, I was on hold for 30 minutes from 4:40-5:20PM EST with Square Enix/Play Online.

-$55.90 04/02/2009 CHECKCARD XYZ0 SQUAREENIX/PLAY ONLINE 85...
-$27.95 03/05/2009 CHECKCARD XYZ1 SQUAREENIX/PLAY ONLINE 85...

If you have the chance to go online and check you online statement search for square or enix and make sure there aren't multiple lines...I didn't even notice the one from last month, will have a call back from the supervisor tomorrow, and will be going to the bank to dispute the problem.

The accounts may be a leak from paypal, a computer generated algorithm or bruteforce (suggesting a flaw in security with Square Enix's Play Online Authorization Process), or possibly (although very unlikely) related to the breach in security with Sony's Playstation Network. Write back if any these may apply to you, lets get this figured out.

Yup, same thing happened to me. A charge for 27.95 from Square Enix/Play Online [protected] appeared on my bank account summary today, charged yesterday to my bank card. I called my bank and am going in to file a dispute in writing tomorrow. I tried calling the company, and after getting a busy signal for 40 minutes, finally got through to their automated system. I was on hold for 30 minutes before I hung up to make some other calls that had to be done before 5pm. Guess Ill be cancelling my bank card now. At least the bank assured me that the overdraft fees accrued by this fraudulent charge will be removed.

Suggestion for anyone doing business online: Get the Paypal plug-in and use only their Secure One-Time-Use cards. They generate a new number for each transaction, and then the card is invalid after that one. Seems the only way to avoid being screwed by evil companies like this one.

submit complaints to the regulatory body Entertainment Software Rating Board at http://www.esrb.org/privacy/contact.jsp. You CAN fight City Hall!1dbf8

I had the smae problem from SQUARE ENIX/PLAY ONLINE and Blizzard.com. Three different payments. I am curious if everyone that got hi by this fraud uses paypal because that is the only website that I have given my digits to. If so then they hacked into paypal and got our card informational from there.

These fraudsters got me too - yesterday I checked my account and found a debit of A$82.97 (US$55.90). I also have never before used their website & am at a loss to understand how they got my details. I immediately rang my bank to report it, then went in and completed a form to dispute the transaction. Like others, I had to cancel my card and now have to wait up to 10 days for a new one. I have been burned and will not use the new card for online transactions again. I hope someone gets these crooks, wherever they may be. I am also in Australia, so it seems they get you anywhere in the world.

It happened to me to...I don't speak English so I was kind of embrassed to claim it...
But I will investigate this and find a guy who sell all the credit informations from websites.
I will haunt them down nice and quick...
I will upload those frauds pictures later when I get them.
Wish me a luck.

$27.95 from SQUARE ENIX PLAY CA/ONLINE. I HAD TO CANCEL MY
CREDIT CARD IMMEDIATELY. Im lucky that i found out the same day
or i would have been charged tons overdraft fee's and probably MORE
charges from these CON ARTISTS AT SQUARE ENIX. MY BANKS WAIVED THE CHARGE AND I CALLED FRAUD WITHIN 15 MINUTES.
This happened APRIL 1 2009. Some april fools day huh. Fraud sent a
form through my e-mail that i have to fill out. The process i just think it's
pretty lame. Those people i hope they get BUSTED QUICK AND HARD.

i live in atlanta it seem's nobody is safe.

I just have this charge for SQUARE ENIX/PLAY ONLINE1 858-790-7529CA ##0309 $26.95 US DOLLAR = $42.66 AU Dollars Last week. Bank cancelled my card, and issued nme a new one.
I had my new one for 1 day, and this charge has come onto this new one. WTF. How can this happen? I also have not heard of them before. Can anything be done about this? I am in Australia.

Thank-you

daniel.levold@gmai l.com

This happened to me, too. Charge appeared as "SQUARE ENIX/PLAY ONLINE 85..." for about $27.

Call [protected] (the Square Enix/playonline business) and tell them you did not sign up for any service from them. You may be asked to provide your name and the first 4 and last 4 digits of your card.

They may ask you if you've ever played "Final Fantasy 11" or created a "playonline ID". You may tell them no. If you ask them for the playonline ID created by this charge, they will not give it to you (only legally empowered investigators can get that kind of info from them; read on).

They may offer to "purge" your credit card information from their system (if they don't, ask for this). Accept this and ensure you are given a confirmation number for this "purge". Who knows if they actually do this "purge" or not, but now you have a record of asking them to remove your info.

Call your bank or credit card institution and report the charge as fraudulent. Cancel your card and have them send you a new one.
In the following days or weeks, complete and return any affidavit they send you.

Meanwhile, file a police report and provide the report number, case number, or whatever to your financial institution's fraud dept. This will legally empower them to get info (like the specific "playonline ID", IP addresses, etc.) from Square Enix that could lead to prosecution.