BBB Receives Thousands of Complaints on Suspicious Credit Card Charges
Marketing company is charging online shoppers every month without their knowledge
Anchorage, AK – July 15, 2008 – Your BBB wants to warn consumers to closely check their credit card statements for suspicious charges. Thousands of consumers have filed complaints with their BBB. Upset online shoppers have contacted their BBB about suspicious credit card charges. The charges are traced to a Connecticut-based marketing company, Affinion Group, who recently changed its name from Trilegiant.
In the past 12 months, BBB has received almost 1,800 complaints regarding Affinion Group. Most complainants state that they were shocked when they discovered unwanted charges on their credit card for membership services such as “Shoppers Advantage,” “Privacy Guard” or “Great Fun.” Charges ranged from $12 to $59.99 every month. Some consumers were charged by Affinion Group every month for years, resulting in hundreds of dollars being paid for services they never took advantage of or realized they had signed up for.
Consumers who are signed up for Affinion’s programs usually don’t provide their credit card information. The large volume and pattern of complaints many BBBs have been receiving indicates that Affinion is not taking the appropriate steps to ensure consumers understand exactly what they’re getting into when they click on enticing pop-up ads—and that’s why they have a longstanding unsatisfactory record in their BBB.
Some complainants were able to retrace their steps and find out how they were inadvertently signed up for membership services that resulted in the monthly charges. Typically, consumers had purchased items online, such as movie or airline tickets, from a reputable Web site. At some point in the transaction process, pop-up ads or chat boxes appeared offering incentives, such as $20 rebate cards for the Web site or claims such as, “Click here for your 10% savings.”
Complainants allege they were signed up for unwanted services simply by clicking on pop-up ads or replying to chat windows, even though they ultimately declined the offers. Complainants never provided their credit card information to ads or chats because the company with which they had just made their online purchase had a pre-established agreement with Affinion Group to automatically transfer consumer information when they clicked on the ad or chat.
Most complainants report to BBB that they have no idea how or why they were being charged and were extremely angry when they discovered how much money they had lost through affinity marketing practices. Unfortunately, many credit card holders are learning the hard way about the value of reviewing their financial statements every month.
BBB has also received complaints from consumers who knowingly signed up for the memberships or services with the promise that they could cancel after a month and pay nothing. In the end, they never received the promised rebate cards or incentives, or were given the runaround when they tried to cancel their membership.
In 2006, 16 state Attorneys General reached a settlement with Trilegiant Corp. and Chase Bank totaling $14.5 million, to resolve allegations that the two companies partnered to deceive consumers into paying for membership programs. According to BBB records, Trilegiant is now doing business as Affinion Group.
For more information on Affinion Group and to see the more than 50 names the company is doing business as, click your BBB’s free reliability report.
To find trustworthy businesses in thousands of industries, search BBB’s database of more than four million reports free-of-charge at www.bbb.org.
About the BBB serving Alaska, Oregon, and Western Washington
Your BBB is a not-for-profit organization funded by BBB accredited businesses. The BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. For more information about the services and products provided by your BBB, call 206-431-2222 or 253-830-2924 in Washington, 503-212-3022 in Oregon, 907-562-0704 in Alaska, or visit our Web site at www.bbb.org.
Anchorage, AK – July 15, 2008 – Your BBB wants to warn consumers to closely check their credit card statements for suspicious charges. Thousands of consumers have filed complaints with their BBB. Upset online shoppers have contacted their BBB about suspicious credit card charges. The charges are traced to a Connecticut-based marketing company, Affinion Group, who recently changed its name from Trilegiant.
In the past 12 months, BBB has received almost 1,800 complaints regarding Affinion Group. Most complainants state that they were shocked when they discovered unwanted charges on their credit card for membership services such as “Shoppers Advantage,” “Privacy Guard” or “Great Fun.” Charges ranged from $12 to $59.99 every month. Some consumers were charged by Affinion Group every month for years, resulting in hundreds of dollars being paid for services they never took advantage of or realized they had signed up for.
Consumers who are signed up for Affinion’s programs usually don’t provide their credit card information. The large volume and pattern of complaints many BBBs have been receiving indicates that Affinion is not taking the appropriate steps to ensure consumers understand exactly what they’re getting into when they click on enticing pop-up ads—and that’s why they have a longstanding unsatisfactory record in their BBB.
Some complainants were able to retrace their steps and find out how they were inadvertently signed up for membership services that resulted in the monthly charges. Typically, consumers had purchased items online, such as movie or airline tickets, from a reputable Web site. At some point in the transaction process, pop-up ads or chat boxes appeared offering incentives, such as $20 rebate cards for the Web site or claims such as, “Click here for your 10% savings.”
Complainants allege they were signed up for unwanted services simply by clicking on pop-up ads or replying to chat windows, even though they ultimately declined the offers. Complainants never provided their credit card information to ads or chats because the company with which they had just made their online purchase had a pre-established agreement with Affinion Group to automatically transfer consumer information when they clicked on the ad or chat.
Most complainants report to BBB that they have no idea how or why they were being charged and were extremely angry when they discovered how much money they had lost through affinity marketing practices. Unfortunately, many credit card holders are learning the hard way about the value of reviewing their financial statements every month.
BBB has also received complaints from consumers who knowingly signed up for the memberships or services with the promise that they could cancel after a month and pay nothing. In the end, they never received the promised rebate cards or incentives, or were given the runaround when they tried to cancel their membership.
In 2006, 16 state Attorneys General reached a settlement with Trilegiant Corp. and Chase Bank totaling $14.5 million, to resolve allegations that the two companies partnered to deceive consumers into paying for membership programs. According to BBB records, Trilegiant is now doing business as Affinion Group.
For more information on Affinion Group and to see the more than 50 names the company is doing business as, click your BBB’s free reliability report.
To find trustworthy businesses in thousands of industries, search BBB’s database of more than four million reports free-of-charge at www.bbb.org.
About the BBB serving Alaska, Oregon, and Western Washington
Your BBB is a not-for-profit organization funded by BBB accredited businesses. The BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. For more information about the services and products provided by your BBB, call 206-431-2222 or 253-830-2924 in Washington, 503-212-3022 in Oregon, 907-562-0704 in Alaska, or visit our Web site at www.bbb.org.
posted by Delta News Web at 7/15/2008 10:49:00 AM
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