
Alan of Largo, FL on Aug. 10, 2009
I use my credit cards for business online as many of you do. About a year ago I got a FREE offer from Vistaprint for business cards, flyers etc. Backing Up: With a little backtracking and phone calls, many here at Fred Miranda (Online photographers forum, well respected) got the offer too. Since I know professionally many of the photographers at FM, a few phone calls confirmed they got the same deal. Thus, perhaps, they were gleaning the email addresses from FM. I know Fred (site owner) doesn't sell email addresses like some sites. I ordered cards, they came, I was very happy with them, good quality as ordered, and then reordered some other stuff. That was OK too. Life was wonderful.
Since March of this year, they, through a fulfillment company, they have whacked my Discover card for six months at 17.95 for "Passport for Fun". This is an offshore based credit card coupon company that by accepting 10% off on Vistaprint they enroll you in, and thats the fine print. Since most people just pay their bills either in full or partial payments you don't notice the $9.95 to $17.95 charges. Hey it was for "FUN", I don't mind paying for fun but I wasn't having any.
So I tracked them down through a phone number on the statement coded into the "receipt". As soon as I typed in the phone number @Google 1- 800-, the computer popped with "Who's calling you. com and other fraud and scam alerts. Following some (manY) links typing in "VISTAPRINT SCAMS" opened pandoras box. I contacted DISCOVER CARD and after three agents they turned me over to their FRAUD division. I had been charged 18.00 x 5 = 90.00 dollars. Thats dinner for two at Ruth's Cris Steak house! OK maybe just a hamburger and fries at Ruth's C. for $90.00.
I filed a dispute, was told this was getting common also through TRAVEL DEALS (which we photographers do, we travel) and many coupon companies through legitimate enterprise got greedy. The lady told me they had other reports on this account and TRAVEL companies (heads up) which start with coupon numbers. To wence (old English) I replied, if you know about this why do you (Discover Card) not alert your consumers? She could not legally answer. So I'll make one up, since all this stuff is automated, no one probably sees what going on. Works for me.
Digging further one of the reasons I suppose you get good deals from VistaPrint is because they get a kickback for the "healthy names" from "Passport for Fun". At first I thought VistaPrint was not aware. How naive of me. Type "VistaPrint Scams" and they are in it to the hair roots, cranial through testicular. Discover did agree to temp credit my account the 90 dollars and they will attempt to collect back from "Passport for Fun". A dispute is filed and I can't sleep. So I type. It's four AM.
Next day: Since last night I have been busy, I have contacted (via email) and am sending registered letters to VISTAPRINT, PASSPORT FOR FUN, State of Florida Consumer affairs, the BBB, and my attorney nephew who works for the SEC in consumer fraud. I have posted them on every board and organization I belong to including the PMA, Photo Marketing Association, BBA, Battery Buyers of America (OEM Battery companies like myself) All five of the procurement Offices of the Military who pay with credit cards. The Sec of Consumer Affairs for Florida, aka our Attorney General, and the FTC. the list will grow.
Scam sites: Advise is posted as follows: In addition one of the sites reporting this scam is shooting for a class action suit. If the charge was to your credit card (not debit card, check card, or checking account), contact the credit card company as soon as possible to request a dispute form. Consumers usually have a little longer to dispute fraudulent credit card charges (up to 6 months), but it is better to act right away.
In this type of situation, credit card disputes are usually successful since fraudulent companies often won't contest the disputed charge. In rare cases, credit card companies will review disputes, but refuse to reverse the charges. If this occurs, complain to a manager and let them know you will be filing a report with one of the consumer hotlines like Ripoff Report. They are on all of them. On your credit cards (this is DISCOVER) check under Merchandise or Retail: Code looks like the following. If you find it go back over your last year and see how far they tagged you. They start with MVQ. Passport for fun may have other names
What did this teach me: Read your statements, match receipts to the statement, dispute or call the credit card company about this ASAP. Get the operators name and company number. I have now added a tape player to my phone and will (notify) any of these companies they are on the record with conversations (as required by law)
VISTAPRINT and PASSPORT FOR FUN are on my [bad] LIST. I will join the class action suit. DISCOVER card jumped right in, so far, and I advised them after being with them for twenty years, our future relationship is based on this incidents outcome. Not that they care about a single account, but having their name tagged they don't care for. Shutting the account voids any further charges. I wish you all well. In this day and age of tougher times last thing we need is another pack of thieves.