I was contacted in early April from a man with an asian or indian accent calling on behalf of "Premiere Benefits of Home Depot". I was told that I was one out of 15 people who had won a 200 dollar gift card to home depot. He somehow knew that we had shopped at home depot the day before. I didnt want to get involved but he made it sound very legit and secure.
I asked if I could use my visa check card for the "one time fee of $3.95 and he said no, I had to give my checking account number because it was more secure. I would also be getting something from Premiere Movie Passes and something else but all I had to do was call and cancel when it came in the mail and I would still recieve the $200 dollar gift card.
I got some passes from Premiere Movie Passes a few days later and I called and cancled it. I also told the indian/asian woman, named Althea, to cancel EVERYTHING that had to do with Premeire Benefits of Home Depot and she said she would.
Last month $119.00 was taken out of my bank account by Buyers Union. I thought that I had paid a bill and forgot to record it so I let it slide. Then on May 17th I was billed again by Buyers Union for $119.00. I was also told by my bank that I was charged the "one time only fee" of $3.95 THREE times instead of just once.
I called and talked to another asian/indian woman and asked what was going on and was told that I had not cancled my account. Then was told that I had to call three seperate places to cancel with each even though they only gave me one number to call to cancel (but I found out they are all the same company) She told me I would not be getting my money back and that there was no way to get it back. I told her to let me listen to the recording of when I cancelled or agreed to $119.00 and the only thing she played back was my voice giving my checking account numbers to a recording. I told her that was very convienient that they only record that and not when we call to cancel or complain. While I was waiting for her to start said recording she started singing badly into the phone. I assured her that I didnt care to listen to her sing, so she stopped... And started humming.
After arguing with her for a half hour telling her to let me speak to her higher-up she finally put another accented woman on the phone, who told me her name was Kirsten Windree and that she was the only higher up I could talk to.
I gave her my cancellation number that I got when I called to cancel and she told me it wasnt even the right cancelation number, and that they had no records of me calling to cancel. I told her she was wrong and gave her the date I called to cancel and she then laughed, told me I was a liar and hung up on me.
My bank was able to bounce back the most recent $119.00 back into my account but I couldnt get the rest back. There is an investigator who will be calling me tomorrow and I have filed with the BBB in Orange, Ca and also with the Federal Trade Commission. And I joined the Do Not Call list.
Now I have to put a hold on my account and open a new one.
I should have gone with my gut instinct on this one..
Belinda Dawn
Leander, Texas
U.S.A.
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