On 7/10 I received a text message about a charge for 26.01 and it said it was from NATIONAL EXPRESS BIRMINGHAM GBUS. I did not recognize the charge and called them immediately and reported it. While I was on the phone reporting it, I received two more charges. One for $55.38 from the same company and another for $310.26 from BT BILL PAYMENT 2 NEWCASTLE UPOGBUS. Again, these two charges happened while I was on the phone reporting the first charge I did not do.
I was told by NetSpend that they would turn off my card and I needed to wait until the charges actually posted to my account to be able to file a dispute because at that time they were just pending. I asked how long could that take and they said up to 3 days, but if I contact the companies and let them know it was not me, then they may not process the charges. I immediately looked up both companies. Both were companies in the UK that I have never even heard of. One was for a Bus Company and they other a Telecommunication company. Neither company had a phone number that I could call. I emailed them both.
I received an email response back from National Express saying they received my email and someone would contact me. That never happened. The other company NewCastle, is a British Telecom company that I never got any sort of response from. I have had my NetSpend card for over 4 years and never had an issue like this. I trusted that they would take care of it. I filed the dispute the moment the charges were processed and I began getting the run around. First I was told it would be 10 days. Then I was told it would be 30 days, then I was told 3 months because they were International charges.
Then I was told Visa was handling these charges themself. I called Visa directly and they had no information and told me to call Meta Bank, the card issuer. I called Meta Bank and was told to call NetSpend. I spent at least 7 hours on the phone trying to find out what was going on. $310.00 is a lot of money to me to just be left hanging.
Then On 7/20 the two charges for the Bus Tickets were refunded. But the bigger charge of $310.26 was still under investigation. I kept calling and trying to figure out what was going on. On 7/25 I received an email from NetSpend saying the charge for $310.26 was valid and I had to pay it. I immediately started calling to figure out how or why. I kept getting the run around and was transferred from person to person for over an hour. No one could tell me anything. Finally a guy came on the line and told me that I would receive something in the mail abut my dispute.
A few days later my response was there. It said the charges were valid and they appreciated my effort in providing them with appropriate information. At this time, the claim is closed. I looked at the information that supposedly "validated" the charges and it was a joke. Nowhere was my name, address, phone number. Nothing at all that said it was me. The only thing I saw was my card number on the Transaction Details. I called NetSpend and again spent hours on the phone being transferred over and over and over again. Finally got a supervisor "Doug" who said he would have the dispute department call me back. 3 days later I had a Voicemail from a lady saying she was returning my call and to call the toll free number if I still had questions.
Again I started calling and getting the same run around, so I went to the contact us on the website and started emailing. Getting same Generic response, Thanks for my inquiry, my dispute was closed because it was valid. I don't understand how this claim could be valid. Not only was I on the phone with the company when the charge went through, I have never made any international purchases on my card. The Transaction Details they sent me just scream scam and no one in the company wants to help. I have paid over 700.00 in fees to this company since I have had them and they cant even look at a $310.00 charge for me and give it any serious thought or attention.
After all this I started looking at the scam reports and it is funny how all these charges end up being validated that are out of the UK where the representatives are actually located. I have never spoken to any one that was actually in the US. I asked them on my last call if I needed to file suit against NetSpend for Fraud and the rep hung up on me.
I am just amazed that they are getting away with this and it seems like they will continue to get away with it.
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