Yesterday I was looking for a reputable online background check company. When I Googled 'background check' I found a listing titled "Beware of Online Background Check Scams" at (ROR REDACTED LINK FOR SECURITY PURPOSES) and it looks like an article done by a consumber reporting agency and even touts that this information was seen on such places as NY Times, Esquire, CNN, MSN, Yahoo, Forbes and AOL. The information basically tells you that NetDetective is the best and most reliable service out there. (I will find out later that this site is set up by Harris Digital Publishing the Co. Who runs NetDetective and others! Talk about Scam On Top Of Scam!
This should be ILLEGAL! So, after reading this "consumer report" of course I buy it for $29.95. I did a few searches and was immediately disappointed. The site is not able to give you ANY of the information it says it can. You can really only get outdated addresses and phone numbers. All the informtion shown is info I could have found on other FREE sites. Then it says how much more in-depth my information would be available if I buy a 3 day trial of the NetDetectivePlus for $9.95 and then $29.95/mo thereafter. So I do the three day trial. Now I have spent $40 and the info on the PLUS site is the exact same as the info on the standard site! Can you believe what a fool I was? Then of course, within an hour I see them reported here at usacomplaints.com and I panic and call my bank. They said that the charge has already been processed and can't reverse it and then (because they have heard of this co. Before) suggest that I shut down the card and order a new one. So now I am without my card for 5-7 days and out $40. I look all over for a number for the co. And there is none to be found. Ironically, for all the informtion they boast to have, I searched for all their business names (NetDetective, NetDetectivePlus, Harris Digital Publishing, Geneology Detective Etc) and guess what? They aren't in their own database! LOL I finally found the number here as well as the owners numbers. When I call the owner's number she states that she is probably on the golf course! So that's where scam artists spend their day! LOL
Below are all the numbers and contact info I have for anyone else that may have fallen for this trap. Some may see this as a small injustice, however, as someone once said "It is easier to steal a penny from a 1000 people, than to steal $1000 from one person." So because it's such a small amount it seems that they can keep on raking in the $. How is this legal? Aren't there laws protecting people from false advertising, theft, etc? If so, I want to be in on going after companies like this one! What a joke! In the end, I went to my bank and disputed the charges. Hopefully, I will recoupe my money as you will see in other reports about this company, it is joke trying to get a refund. The woman I spoke with said that she would e-mail a refund form. That was like three weeks and four phone calls ago. Also was told that if a company has the ability to collect money from you online (via debit/credit cards) they have to have a way to reimburse you the same way by being able to cancel online. I am going to look into this more, because you can't even get a phone number on any of their sites! Doesn't that sound like a legit co.? Also, if you try to click on their link for Cust. Serv. You get an error! LOL Unbelievable!
Here is what I have on them (all of this information was obtained free of charge and is available to the public and is located in the state of Florida:
Co. Names Alias':
Harris Digital Publishing (ficticious name)
Cyberspace to Paradise, Inc.
NetDetective
NetDetectivePlus
GeneologyDetective
MyCleanStart
System Detective
SystemSupervisor
TurboSurfer
Owner: Deborah J. Stanley
(386) 801-2063
(386) 736-3880
Co. Agent: Scott Adams
Co. Address:
Harris Digital Publishing
1392 S. Woodland Blvd.
Deland, FL 32720
USA
Phone: (386) 736-3881
Fax: (386) 736-3882
I hope this helps someone and someone somewhere respons with something we can do to bring this Co. Down!!!
Jennifer
Penfield, New York
U.S.A.
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