In early January, I was contacted on my cell phone (which I still don't know how they got the number) by a gentleman from People's Rebate Association. He brought up the fact that I had applied for a credit card over the internet a month before (which I did), and that he was offering me a credit card with a $2500 dollar credit limit. However, I would have to pay a one-time fee of 299.95 as a processing/shipping fee. I had dealt with card companies before such as Visa and Discover where they ask for a processing fee, so I thought nothing of it. I set up the charge through my bank account, and the money was debited from my account. I was told by the gentleman that I would receive my card within 10 to 15 days.
On the 16th day, I had not received my card, so I called the customer service number, and they told me it was 10 to 15 business days. So I waited another week, and I received a cardboard box in the mail filled with coupons, pamphlets, and other useless garbage. It said on the bottom of the cover sheet that it could be returned for a refund within ten business days, so I called the number. They told me that I had to wait for the manilla envelope to come in which had my card before I could get a refund. So I waited again, until the manilla envelope came in which only contained 2 applications for a secured and unsecured credit card, no actual card was ever sent to me.
So I called back, stating I received the manilla envelope, and I would like a refund. They told me it would take 5 days to process, and to call back. I called back the next week, and they told me I was denied because I hadn't received the manilla envelope yet, after I had told the original person that I had received. He put another refund order in, and I had to wait another 5 days. I called back the next week again, and I was denied due to the fact that I was allegedly sent what was explained to me when I did my verification process. I asked to hear the verification, and they somehow couldn't find it. It has been a couple days since then, 3/17/05, and I have attempted to get a return from my bank to no avail due to it being over 60 days.
I've contacted the BBB, but they won't know what is going on for at least 30 days, and the FTC, which they weren't helpful at all. I will probably never see my $300 again, and there's probably nothing else I can do about it.
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