March 23,1:16: 20am. My bank account was charged for a service I never ordered nor knew even existed. That morning I went to my bank, cancelled my card, filed a tracer form and a fraudulent use of a credit card claim.
Through the tracer form I was able to ascertain the telephone number of the company that ripped me off. Having spoke to a receptionist who seemed to insist that I made the order, or that I was a victum of identity theft (which I obviously knew). Realizing I was wasting my time, I ended the call.
Thus began a series of e-mails to the company. A man named Brad was my contact. He too, in the 1st e-mail, said that I was an apparent victum of identity theft if indeed what I claimed was true - namely that I had never visited their website. I asked him if I was, as you say, a victum of identity theft why would the thief not use my card for more profitable ventures rather than go to your company with my bank info and then only charge me $2.95? He had no response except to say that they would refund the money to my account.
I closed with Brad and contacted my local Sheriff's Office and filed a complaint. (Martin County Florida Sheriff's Office, Case # 0903395) I then called the Better Business Bureau in Utah and filed a complaint there. Case #22071626. I then contacted the State of Utah, Dept. Of Commerce, Consumer Protection Division and guess what, I filed a complaint there too. Then I contacted the FBI and made a complaint there. (No case number. The FBI does'nt like to talk to people I guess. They have not returned comment on my complaint yet) Then I contacted the States Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City and filed a complaint there. They referred me to local law enforcement. I began to laugh.
So... What I did next was to do a search on the business reputation of PacificWebWorks. During my investigation of their IP, their domain, I realized that they have 362 domains registered under their IP. Another 700 I think under their support domain. We'll get back to this in a minute.
The problem I was having was getting an answer to how they got my banking info to begin with. They would not reveal to me the source which gave them my info. I knew that I had only one time in my life used my card on-line and that was when a few weeks earlier I used my card to get a free credit report from Experian. (watch out though... It's not really free if your not careful but that's another story.)
So back to their domains. I suspected, due what I had discovered in my reasearch, that PacificWebworks was somehow procuring citizens personal banking info, either through a 'list' they pay for, or a list they get for free, such as one they may get from another company who sells personal information or perhaps SHARES info.
During that IP investigation... Remember that... I discovered that PacificWebworks has a subsidiary with the domain name of IntelliPay. Now, of course my wheels are spinning here because I am beginning to wonder if IntelliPay is the source of the list. And that's as far as I have gotten. Experian will not confirm if IntelliPay handles their on-line charges. Hmmmmmm
But clearly I want more than just a measley $2.95. I want someone's ass! Now... To be sure, I will pursue this but I suspect I will need some help from someone more computer savvy than me. So I file reports everywhere and anywhere I am allowed.
I am also working, or going to be working, with my both my State Senator and my Congressman (I have already spoken to both), and try to push them to pass legislation here in Florida addressing internet disclosure laws or the lack of them. We have a lack of them unlike Utah. Then I will ask that they push for revision of internet law, and begin to enforce those new laws. It is trememdously difficult, they tell me, to go after these guys. Fine. I'll just keep submitting letters to the Editor of the Salt Lake City Tribune (like I have already done) warning citizens of this company's treachery.
Incidently, when I first contacted the Division of Consumer Protection in Utah, the internet crimes investigator was very familiar with PacificWebWorks. They have been fined extensively in the recent past for having such fine business practices. They are, I have discovered, a hugh international internet company. I will need help to bring these bastards down
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