I fell under the same fraud as many of you, not realizing about the initial monthly charge after filing a $1 credit report. As its in their Terms of Service, and I accepted it, they had no legal obligation to refund that first month. Fool me once, shame on me. This was September.
So in early October, I try to have them cancel the account. They practically force me to take a free month from them, as the lady on the phone wouln't take "Ma'am, I don't care, cancel the account" as an answer. She tells me the next charge will be early December, as the month won't start until my paid month ends. Whatever, maybe I'll use it, maybe I won't.
Forward to Nov. 29 (Tuesday). I call once more, having them successfully cancel my account this time. I felt like I was going to be done with this sordid business, as I had called before the next charge was supposed to occurr. Remember, as of Nov. 28 (Monday) I still had paid service, according to them.
Dec. 1 (Thursday), my bank's fraud dept. Calls me, alerting me of two fraudulent charges occurring on Nov. 27 (Sunday). I pull out cash for the next few days, have them cancel the card number, and request a new one. Unfortunately, I live in Riverside for school, but bank in my home town of Cathedral City, and it was the first week of finals; I couldn't reach home until Dec. 4 (Sunday).
So on the 1st, I go to my online bank statement to print a copy for the bank for my planned fraud dispute, when, lo and behold, I have a charge from ScoreSense, having been made on the 28th. This was before the deadline I was told!
So today is Monday to 5th of December. I call them yet again, asking why they charged me, and telling them I had fraud and demand payment for it (as according to their "Fraud Protection" and "Fraud Insurance" programs). The agent tells me that he can't help me, because I had canceled my account. I tell him the charges happened while I still paid for their service, and the fact that I canceled my account should not matter. He again repeats that he can't help me because the account has been canceled. So I ask for a refund, which he forwards to his superiors (supposedly), and we conclude our conversation.
Based on others' accounts here and elsewhere, I fear that I may never see that refund. To be honest though, they should owe me the full amount of the fraud, as the fraudulent charges were made two full days before my account was canceled.
I'm taking this all to my bank today, to not only take care of the original fraud, but to report ScoreSense and its fraud to the bank (and therefore the FDIC) and the SEC. Wish me luck.
0 comments