Our company was contacted by the Merchant Services Protection Plan and I was told they needed to verify our address in order to send an information packet that had been requested by my boss. They had all her information and our address correct so I (wrongly!) assumed it was a legitimate request.
The woman on the line spoke extremely fast and was very difficult to understand. I asked her multiple times to repeat herself and clarify because I had such a hard time understanding her. She told me repeatedly she simply needed to verify our address and contact information in order to send an information packet that was FREE OF CHARGE! She then proceeded to read a lengthy agreement in which she apparently said I was agreeing to pay a $39 monthly fee. Obviously, I didn't hear/understand and she clearly lied when she told me this wouldn't be costing us a dime!
The Merchant Services Protection Plan is offered by the Legal Club of America who has a partnership with the Discover Network. They were extremely shady and misleading about what I was agreeing to and flat-out lied about the terms when I asked about them directly. Had I known exactly what was "agreeing" to, I obviously would not have! Not to mention, the individuals I spoke to initially and when I requested a refund were extremely rude, shifty, and abrasive.
They also try to make your bill as inconspicuous as possible; they take the monthly charge directly out of your merchant account instead of charging your credit card so you never see the charge on your credit card statement like you would on a conventional transaction. It's just another SHADY way to take your money!
Beware of Discover too - they will sell your merchant information! That's how Legal Club of America got our information in the first place! We've never had that problem with any other credit card issuer! I asked if Discover sold them our information and they were extremely shady and wouldn't deny or confirm it.
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