After being contacted by phone by a salesperson of BankCard Empire, I had a long telephone conversation with with a junior sales person regarding becoming an affiliate to promote bank card proccessing equipment for Bankcard Empire on Dec 16. Being that it was close to the Christmas Holiday season I told the sales person that I could not afford to spend close to $800.00 before Christmas.
The junior sales person then transfered me to a senior account representative who said that he was authorized to pass on a "one time offer " of $195.00, if I signed up as an affiliate to represent their "products as he described their services", on that evening. I kept telling him that I had to do my "due deligence " and research their company's track record on the Internet. His next argument was that representing the major credit card companies, all their activities were beyond reproach because if there ever was a "charge back " this would result in a negative report in regards to BankCard Empire. After outlining the renumeration plan of a successful marketer and after numerous demands to signed up now as this was "a one time offer" I was Bullied into giving him my Visa number. Again he mentioned the fact that being a company that proccesses credit card transaction my Visa card info was safe with them. After being welcomed as an affiliate of such a highly regarded card proccessing company I was told that my welcome package and information in regards to the Website I was suppose to promote would be mailed to me before Christmas. He wished me a happy holiday and gave me a name of one of their "mentor" who would be calling me within the next few days.
The "mentor" called me within a couple of days and again the same rethoric started, saying that what I had joined was a "business " and as a businessman I was responsible to advertise their product. He then proceeded to outline how they collected their "leads" and that those were available to me at $3.00 each. I told him that I would not do anything till I got my Info package, he acted surprised and said that he would personally ensure that it would be forwarded to me by overnight expedited mail. This time I did not back down to his demands of $9000 for an advertising blast to be done within the next week. I replied that nothing was going to be done on my part till I got the Website package info and my welcome package. Again he tried to get money from me by saying that he realised that $3.00 was a little steep but that he personnally had another source of leads that would cost only $1.00 each if I could give him permission to bill my Visa again for $3000.00 to start my "business " now. I did not authorise any more charges and decided to wait for my info package and affiliate website. This phone conversation transpired around the 20th of December.
To make a long story short, it is now Friday January 30 and I have not received my welcome package and affiliate website yet, even after contacting their customer support department numerous times. My next step was to contact my Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Visa card supplier and explain to them what had transpired. The Visa card representative then informed me that this was not the first time someone had complained about BankCard Empire and that the charges would be reversed and the funds would be back in my credit card account within 48 hours.
I know that most transactions on the internet are "buyer beware" however if anyone is scammed like I was, their remedy should be to contact the credit card Companies as soon as you nrealise that you might have been scammed. Most of the credit card companies have a policy in place that favours their card holders over companies that try to scam you!!!
FrankEdmonton, Alberta
Canada
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