I received my monthly e-mail notification of the Director's Choice for the movie "13 going on 30" and immediately declined. Several days later I received the movie in the mail. The packaging did not indicate Columbia House anywhere so I opened it. I found the movie as well as an invoice stating that the movie as well as shipping and handling had been charged to my bank account via my MC debit card. I did not have the funds to cover this transaction therefore my account was charged overdraft fees as a result.
I also had two other transactions outstanding, which I had the funds to cover prior to this transaction and I was charged NSF fees for these transactions as well. My bank also charges $6 per day for each day I am overdrawn. Therefore, by the time I received this stupid movie in the mail, my bank account balance was -137.00.
I immediately contacted Columbia House, and after 30 minutes in Voicemail Hell I finally figured out the appropriate prompt to get in touch with Customer Service (pretending to be a new member interested in joining). It was then that I was told I would have to wait for a label to be received from Columbia House to return the item, then wait for it to be received by them, then wait for it to be processed, then they would refund the original charge. As far as the other charges, I would have to work that out with my bank. I was refused any manager assistance, and I was not permitted any manager contact information.
I asked the rep. If they were not responsible for their errors and she stated "No ma'am. When you provide an account number we are permitted to charge it at any time." HELLO... Isn't that illegal? Do the Visa/MC associations permit that? I have currently submitted complaints to my bank as well as the BBB, but in the meantime, my account is still assessing a daily fee for overdraft which I am in no financial position to remedy at this time. Don't let these people get away with making their own rules and treating conusmers how they see fit.
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