I was trying to locate and purchase a hard to find video. After searching for some time, the video popped up on a website PURPORTED to be baydownloads.com. It stated that they had the video and that for about $5 I could apply for a membership and then purchase the video. Once I signed up for the membership (using my credit card), I received a "Signup Successful" message that said I had now signed up for three different memberships with stiff monthly fees:
Megadownloadpass.com
vipbookmark.com
discountvideopass.com
Worse still, the website required sign in to purchase the video. Once you sign in, the video wasn't in stock. Thinking I had made a mistake, I went through this cycle two or three times (sign out, the video is available. Sign in, it is not).
Of course, this made me suspicious so I did an Internet search for Baydownloads. Consumer complaints popped up with very similar stories. Too bad I didn't do this search BEFORE I signed up.
I cancelled all the memberships. My bank called me the very next day inquiring about suspicious charges on my credit card. THESE charges were for
Lookupmybill.com
billing-aid.com
(these were both international transactions which resulted in additional transaction fees by the bank). I am absolutely certain these fraudulent charges came as a result of baydownloads. (Interesting, though that if you try to go to "baydownloads.com" it doesn't seem to exist.)
I'm sure this is the type of company which will just change names, set up a new website and continue these fraudulent practices.
Thanks, complaint. Keep up the good work. I'm going to check with you before I purchase from unfamiliar internet sites.
How do we get the authorities involved in such an obviously fraudulent organization???
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