Date:
Tue, May 30, 2000 1:37 PM We have recently had two incidents of unauthorized disclosure of our credit card numbers by two companies to third party companies that sell travel related discount programs. One case involved Macys and the other company is D-Snore. In neither case did we authorize nor express interest in the products of the third party companies. The release of my credit card number by companies with whom we have a credit card (Macys) or have a credit card Transaction (D-Snore) without authorization consitutes a violation of privacy and is a fradulent practice. I am 68 years old and my wife is 65 years old. We suspect that the companies may be targeting senior citizens using deceptive sales techniques. We have reported this incident to the FTC Consumer Complaint Center by telephone today. The first case involved an unauthorized charge that appeared on our Macy's credit card showing a transaction on May 3, 2000 in the amount of $69.95 cents for the Explorer Club, telephone number 1-888 268-9986. We never authorized this charge to Macys nor to the Explorers Club. This was a misuse of our credit card by both Macys and the Explorers Club. We have taken action with both the Explorer Club and Macy's to have the charge removed from the Macy's credit card, but we are very concerned with the practice of a credit card company (Macys) giving our credit card number to a third party (Explorer Club) to bill us for an item that we never authorized. The second case occurred on May 26, 2000 when we received promotional information in the mail from Nova International Service, PO Box 716, Blue Bell, PA 19422-9668. Enclosed in the packet of information was a one page sheet of paper that informed me that this is a FREE trial membership in the Buyers Reward Program that I recently requested when making a credit card purchase over the phone. The paper went on to say that my credit card will be automatically charged if I dont call 888-229-5730 and cancel my membership. The form did not identify what credit card would be charged nor did it identify the company with whom I had made a prior credit card purchase. It also failed to show the dollar amount that would be charged to my credit card. Had we not looked at what appeared to be just another piece of junk mail, my credit card would have been charged some undisclosed amount. This is a deceptive practice that warrants FTC intervention. I contacted Nova International Service by phone and have received their assurance that my credit card will not be charged. I obtained the name of the company with whom I had the credit card transaction that resulted in my "free trial membership". They informed me that the order came through a company named D-Snore whose mail address is PO Box 800 9991-2854, Thousand Oaks, CA 91359 from whom we had previously ordered a product that was adveritzed in the newspaper and on TV adds. We contacted D-Snore and complained about their actions. They informed us that the script used by their operators asks if you are interested in the Buyers Reward program. At no time during our contact with D-Snore did we discuss nor authorize enrollment in the Buyers Reward program. This is a fradulent use of my credit card and it warrants FTC intervention. Thanks for your efforts in protecting consumers against the growing deceptive and fradulent sales practices. We appreciate your help. If you have any questions or require more information, please contact us by e-mail or phone. Bob and Pat Hollingsworth, Reston, VA |