Benefits America
Queja 219721 Detalles

An agent from a company named Family Club or Family Savings Club (not heard clearly) called on 02/27/2013 morning. They called twice. The female on the other line had a thick accent.

The conversation started like this. She said she wasn’t selling anything. She claimed I had won a $200 package from Walmart or Target. All I needed to do was pay for the Shipping and Handling of the package for $4.95. Plus this also entitled me to a $100 gift card. Was I interested? I thought I had just purchased some items from Walmart so this was Walmart’s way of rewarding loyal customers. I asked how she got my contact information and she said she wasn’t sure but they were a 3rd party that only handled the promotion. Hmmm … Then I asked, why she needed to charge me $4.95 when all she was going to send me was essentially a letter with a gift card. Shouldn’t that be less than a dollar? She said it was a package not just a letter.

I needed to establish legitimacy so I asked what the name of her company was. She said it was Family Club.

So I played along and agreed to go ahead and process the reward. She asked me how I wanted to pay for the shipping charges. I said why not just deduct the $4.95 from the $200 you are already giving me. She said she couldn’t do that.

She stated my address and asked if I still lived there. I said yes. She said this conversation was being recorded for their records. Then she asked how I wanted to pay for this — with my debit card or prepaid card. I said my credit card. I gave her my credit card number, the security code, the expiration date and the name on the card.

Then she asked me to hold because she was going to pass me to this processing center. A recording came up — a shoddy sounding recording. Perhaps this was time they needed to verify that the information I gave was legit. Then a live person (with an American accent) came up. And I had to repeat my Credit Card info again.

Then she asked me how I wanted the $200? To be used by Walmart or Target? She said I could also divide the $100 for each store. I said $200 for just Walmart. She asked me what year I was born. I gave her a year. And she said she needed that to verify that I was above 18 years old.

The other person said agreeing to this, I had 30 days to cancel my membership. If I don’t, they would bill me $29.95 every month. That surprised me so I asked how I could cancel and they told me that everything(details) will be mailed to my e-mail. Then two $4.95 transactions have been posted each for two cards with payment method as "At keystone seo marketing ll in 866-7439127 USA". When I called that number it does not ring and appears to be a fake number.

On the next day, 02/28/2013, I received a mail from benefits america company stating that membership card is enclosed but there is no such card in that mail. I became doubtful but waited to receive any further mails. Then on 03/07/2013 I received another mail stating that -

"Congratulations! You have been accepted to Advantage Care.Your benefits are available to you within 24 hours. Please print out these convenient ID cards so you'll always have quick access to your benefits. Please make sure to use your $100 retailer rebate certificates which will come in a separate e-mail. Your trial membership payment of $4.95 has been charged to the credit card you provided us on February 28, 2013. You next membership fee of $29.95 will not be processed until March 10, 2013 and will appear on your statement as "ADVANTAGEP*8667439127"

I called them to the number provided for about 10 times now but it never ringed even.

That was it.