Home Benefits Services
Ripoff This company got me for $298, but I got it back!

Sometime in Mid - November Libby from Home Benefits Services called and told me that I was approved for a Master Card with a $2,500 limit. I couldn't believe it, I was hoping to go on vacation in December and I was having money problems.

I was skeptical at first, but Libby assured me that they were a legit company and that they had received my information from a credit application I must have filled out in the past and was not approved for. Libby also told me that I would receive the credit card in 10-14 days. I didn't have the money at the time and Libby told me that I could take advantage of this offer until Dec. 5th but I had to schedule a debit from my account at that time. So I did.

Home Benefits Services recorded me saying that I would pay the $298 dollar fee and this recording was suppossedly for the banks security. The fact that they couldn't tell me which bank I would have my Mastercard through raised a red flag but, I still gave them my money.

Unfortunately, I also moved up the date of the electronic debit from my account from December 5th to November 26. When I called to reschedule the electronic debit, I was told that I would receive the MasterCard in 15-20 days. I questioned this because Libby had said 10-14. I was then told that they had to hold the money for 5 days in the event I was attempting identity fraud. The money came out of my account much faster than most debit transactions and that made me uneasy.

So, I called Home Benefits Services and verified that I would be receiving this credit card and so forth. I was assured that I would receive a MasterCard. However, the 19th comes and goes and no package. Right before Christmas I received a letter telling me that I hoped I was happy with my $2,500 merchant line of credit. This letter was mailed from Canada.

Somewhere during all of this, I was given a tracking number where I could check the status of my package. After days of the online update being the same, I called the post office and was told that this package had been sent through the slowest moving mail that there is: bundled mail. This confirmed my suspicions, I had been had. My fiancee then found this web site and the complaint from North Dakota. I also found complaints on the Better Business Bureau.

I called Home Benefits Services and spoke with what sounded like a caucasian woman. I confronted her about the letter I had received and told her that I didn't want any type of merchant line of credit. She assured me that this was in addition to my credit card. Her computer supposedly didn't indicate which bank had approved this card. She told me that my package would come and when it did, if I wasn't happy that I could call them and they woudl right the situation. I then told her of my Internet findings and she again assured me that everything would be fine and these worries were common. This time I taped the conversation.

So about a week later I receive the package and it contains a merchandise catalog, a merchant account card with a limit of $2,500, numbers to a bank and a letter asking me to fill out another paper to receive my MasterCard in 25 days.

I call HBS and a man with an unusual accent tells me that I will have to call back after Jan. 5th because everyone is on vacation. I try to make him let me talk to someone but he tells me how he only makes $8 and the supervisors are gone. I also tape this conversation.

So, I call on January 5th and I speak with a man who sounds caucasian. He claims to be some sort of answering service or something. He takes my complaint and suppossedly fills out a request for a refund. He tells me that this company has received prior complaints and that this should qualify for a refund. He then instructs me to call in 3 days to see if my refund is approved.

When I call on Thursday I get the man with the unusual accent. He tells me that my refund is declined. I tell him that I have recordings of them lying to me and that my lawyer is going to get my money back. He takes my number and tells me that someone/supervisor will call me back. I want to also mention that this same guy with the heavy accent has also told me that he was a supervisor in previous.
Conversations.

I call back ten minutes later and get a gentleman that sounds caucasian and tell him my situation and that I want to talk to someone who can fix this situation. The caucasian woman got on the phone. I told her that I was upset and wanted my money back. I also told her that I had tape recorded conversations and that either they would willingly give me my money back or my lawyer would take it back. She asked me if I knew it was illegal to tape record a conversation with out the knowledge of the recordee.

I told her my lawyer thought it was neccessary under these circumstances. She coaxed me into playing one of my recordings after letting me know that she could refund my money after she heard the tape. I played the one which was of her. After hearing the recording she wanted to hear the other recording. I told her it was in a seperate location. She tried to determine if I really had another recording. She did decide to refund my money and schedule for 8 days later. Suppossedly the refunds can only be authorized for fridays. She warned me that the money may not show in my account until the following Monday.

The next Monday the money was not there, because it was Martin Luther King Day. I did receive the money in my account on Tuesday. I then closed that checking account.

Monica
Bowling Green, Ohio
U.S.A.

Company: Home Benefits Services
Country: USA
State: New Hampshire
City: West Lebanon
Address: 322 Lehman Avenue
Phone: 8663425619

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