Scam alert! Beware of Privacy Matters/ PM Identity

targa911S · 02-11-2009, 06:22 AM

They offered me a credit score for $1.00, limited time only. Thank God I gave them my Amex card, as they eat crooks. I did authorize a one time, $1.00, charge to get my score. Now I get my Amex bill and it has 2 charges of $29.95 on it from two different companies, PM identity, and Privacy Matters. Amex took them off my bill, but when I looked at my account this morning there were two more charges for the same amount. Again I call Amex and they once again took them off my bill and they blocked them from any other charges.

I feel SO stupid. I hope I save someone the same embarrassment.

stomachmonkey · 02-11-2009, 06:39 AM

I absolutely never ever authorize an automatic hit on my CC's for any "offer".

It's an automatic NO, bye.

targa911S · 02-11-2009, 06:41 AM

That's the point I only authorized a one time, one dollar charge.

Schrup · Schrup's Garage

It appears these guys have a long history of this sort of thing.
http://www.ripoffreport.com/searchresults.asp?q5=privacy+matters&Search=Search&q1=ALL&q4=&q6=&q3=&q2=&q7=&searchtype=0&submit2=Search%21

stomachmonkey · 02-11-2009, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by targa911S

That's the point I only authorized a one time, one dollar charge.

Those offers are almost always without fail specifically designed to either legally soak you or to, as in this case, scam you.

Either way they operate on the principal that the majority of people do not scrutinize their bill they way they should, (as you correctly do,) and hit them with charges small enough to generally go unnoticed or not cause a big enough concern that you don't deal with it immediately and they may get 2-3 months out of you before you take care of it.

Think of the revenue of thousands of people at 29.95 per month and 90% of them will never notice it.

That's why I always without fail say NO.

Steve Carlton · 02-11-2009, 08:27 AM

I can't understand why businesses like this are allowed to operate for more than five minutes.

stomachmonkey · 02-11-2009, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

I can't understand why businesses like this are allowed to operate for more than five minutes.

One of em got one of my VERY junior guys at the office.

They called up offering to send us a Free B2B directory.

He took it then the bill showed up.

I called the company to dispute it.

Woman says the charge was authorized.

I say no it was not as I would have had to sign off on it.

She claims my guy said no RFP (request for purchase) was required and she has the recording of the call to prove it.

So I say play it for me.

As they are getting the info they ask "what is the shipping address OR do you use PO's".

He responds no PO, here's the address.

The question was specifically designed to give the impression that they were asking about a P.O.B. not a PO, purchase order.

I lit into her, called her out, told her to F'off and then gave her the corp attorneys contact info if she wanted to pursue.

Never heard from her again.

scottbombedout · 02-11-2009, 11:45 AM

So how was your credit score?

targa911S · 02-11-2009, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottbombedout

So how was your credit score?

Good actually.

stomachmonkey · 02-11-2009, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by targa911S

Good actually.

Not sure I'd rely on it considering......

targa911S · 02-11-2009, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Not sure I'd rely on it considering......

yeah I said that kinda tongue in cheek.

pwd72s · 02-11-2009, 01:48 PM

Ha-ha...glad AMEX got 'em! I've often wondered what our credit score is, just curious. But never bothered to go with any of these offers. Cindy's right...why do we need to know? We'll never fiance anything...and all we have is paid for. I suppose our bank could tell us, if we were curious enough.

DARISC · 02-11-2009, 02:06 PM

I found out from my bank a couple years ago that my FICO was 848 (850 is max). I wanna know WTF the 2 points they docked me were for!

vash · vash's Garage

[QUOTE=stomachmonkey;4478970]
IAs they are getting the info they ask "what is the shipping address OR do you use PO's".

He responds no PO, here's the address.

The question was specifically designed to give the impression that they were asking about a P.O.B. not a PO, purchase order.

QUOTE]

stomach, can your explain this part again? my mind is feeble.

targa, thanks for the headsup.

stomachmonkey · 02-11-2009, 02:30 PM

[QUOTE=vash;4479581]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

IAs they are getting the info they ask "what is the shipping address OR do you use PO's".

He responds no PO, here's the address.

The question was specifically designed to give the impression that they were asking about a P.O.B. not a PO, purchase order.

QUOTE]

stomach, can your explain this part again? my mind is feeble.

targa, thanks for the headsup.

The recording was interesting, they basically rattled off a bunch of questions relating to delivery, name, phone, title etc and purposely asked about the shipping address last but combined it with a question regarding the PO, purchase order, making it sound like they were asking for a PO Box number.

When he said no to the PO question they claimed he verbally authorized the purchase.

The original offer was, "we'll send it to you for free". Again the wording was crafted to sound like the whole thing was free but in reality they were only shipping it for free.