24 Protect Plus charged my VISA without authorization

24 Protect Plus charged my VISA without authorization

October 28, 2005

I see a number of people with similar complaints about this '24 Protect Plus' company, so I'll give you the info I have. Today, I found a $250 charge on my credit card that I never authorized, and from a company that came up as 'AP9*24PROTECT PLUS' on my bill. But my VISA bill had a phone number attached to the transaction: 800-211-9749. (They also have a web site, www.24protectplus-

program.com).

I phoned the 800 number, and was told that I had placed an order from my home phone in response to an informercial for some mysterious 30-day trial subscription. I have no idea what this is, certainly never

received

anything in the mail, and so after this suppposed '30 day trial period' which I knew nothing about I got whacked with this charge. Well the good news: the lady I spoke to at 800-211-9749 agreed to stop my "membership" in whatever-this-is, and refund the money. I will be watching my bill like a hawk to make sure the charge is removed. But this is disturbing, and I see a number of people have posted similar complaints. What are these people up to? By the way, I also see that a number of people found their problem related to AOL, but I have no association with AOL at all. Good luck getting your refunds,

Naomi Click this link to e-mail the message author: Email User

Comment On This

Keep a close eye on your statement. I too was charged by this company in April, I called said I never had an account and they agreed to refund my $19.95. Here comes May, and they charged me again! I called and told the lady that I had already went through this last month and she said they have many different divisions, that it was another division of their company charging me. I said again, I do not want your service, any of them! Stop charging my card. She did agree to refund the money within 2 business days. So we'll see when June comes, if I get charged again.

Comment On This

I wanted everyone on this website to know I have contacted the Better Business Bureau and this is my complain number #22157698. Feel free to go to http://welcome.bbb.org/

and file your own complaint on Intelius.com!!!!!!

Comment On This

Sure is a ripoff I had $19.95 charged to my account I had used search engine for the number next to the charge and found all these comments and saved me questions and was able to get refund for this thanks alot.

Comment On This

I just got off the phone with an agent from the same company, who said when I did a search on Intelius.com it automatically signed me up for a 7 day trial peroid for 19.95- which caused my account to be overdrafted. they said they will refund it within 2 business days but how to these people conduct business like this? what are they trying to pull? she was very nice and helpful but what the hell!

Comment On This

I was also charged for $14.95 by this same company. When I called the 1-800 number the lady (who was very nice and helpful) said that the charge was related to a search that I had done on Intelius.com. She had the subscription cancelled and said that I would get my refund within 2 business days, but yet it is pretty scary that they were able to charge my card to begin with

Comment On This

See my blog about these thieves and leave a comment there for others to see. http://24protectplus.blogspot.com

Comment On This

I just got off the phone with the 24 Protect Plus people, as I saw a pending charge of $19.95 on my Visa online account. I know it must of all happened when I signed up for Intelius, because I remember their Ad kept invading my page when I tried to sign up for Intellius. Yes, shame on Intelius. Wondering if anyone has made a formal complaint to the BBB on the 24 Protect Plus, or to the entity/ government body that handles this sort of thing for computer communications.

At least the woman was nice and said she would cancel it and the charge would never go through. This all seems like the "Opt out" thing with credit cards. They have the right to sell your info, UNLESS you make the effort and take the initiative to contact them to cancel it/or opt out of it. Guess now anyone who wants can charge our credit cards and it is our responsibility to take the initiative to say NO, take it off.

What crap! What have we come to?!

Comment On This

This happened to me to. They took 14.95 out of my account without authorization. I called. They said they would cancel my membership. I asked them how they can cancel something that I did not have and requested that they mail me all the information about my membership. They said they couldn't do that. Hummm go figure.

Comment On This

They are still at it. I used your phone number for 24ProtectPlus and after a substantial wait, I got a person on the phone. I had to be firm and repeat what I wanted. I wanted all charges to be refunded within 3 business days, any "memberships" to be canceled, all of my personal information in their records to be deleted and no more charges to my account. I then stated that if this was not done that I would file a consumer complaint with our State Attorney General's Office. The person on the phone "Veronica, Employee no. 9564" then agreed to all of my stated requests. Good luck and DON'T purchase anything from Intellius.com!

Comment On This

They're still at it...

Comment On This

They got me too. This was almost a year ago.

2 charges of $14.95 after using peoplefinder.com

before I got to spend another $15.00 to stop payment on this

scam. Hasn't anything been done yet? I see they're still operating in full swing online. WTF?

This company is also affiliated with Bank of America.

So, Let's band together and close all BOA accounts and bank elsewhere.

Peace out good people.

Comment On This

Yep, I too have been a victim of 24 Protect Plus, and it was from me performing a search on Intelius. I had been getting charges for actually a very long time - each was $14.95 and by the time I caught it the charges had probably amounted to well over $100. I had to call the 1-800 number provided, but the lady and supervisor who assisted me were very nice and easily cooperated. I'm hoping that this was really as making a phone call to fix, but I guess we'll see in the next few weeks when I'd apparently receive another bill...

Comment On This

The same thing happened to me. I never subscribed to protect plus. After using the intelius service which was no help at all, i seen a charge of $19.95 from 24protect plus. Just by clicking on a link that said recieve a $10 rebate, my card was charged without my authorization. This intelius site it a "RIP OFF", seriously. I was thankful to find this site that offered an 800 number so i could request a refund and cancel the membership that i mysteriously subscribed to, otherwise i would continue to have monthly charges taken from my Visa card.

Comment On This

They got me too.

Comment On This

Same thing happened to me. Apparantly, after you complete a transaction on Intelius. It will pop up a $10 dollar rebate ad. If you click that add, you enroll in this monthly charge. I did not fill out anything. These are just scams to get money out of people. I will now cancel my membership with Intelius as well.

Comment On This

This happened to me too.

Shame on Intelius! I have used them for two years to do background checks for new employees at my company with no problems. Then this month I get two unauthorized charges on my credit card statement from PMIDENTITY and 24PROTECTIONPLUS for $19.95 each. I found on line that the two companies got my card number from Intelius. I called the 800# and could not speak with a live person. One prompt in the recorded message wanted me to enter my credit card number to access my account!

This is a total scam. I have emailed Intelius with my complaint and canceled my account but have not heard back. Fortunetley I will get a credit on my statement from the bank.

It looks like this has been going on for several years. Wonder how many out there have just paid their bill every month without checking?

Comment On This

I was also charged for $14.95 by this same company. When I called the 1-800 number the lady (who was very nice and helpful) said that the charge was related to a search that I had done on Intelius.com. She had the subscription cancelled and said that I would get my refund within 2 business days, but yet it is pretty scary that they were able to charge my card to begin with

Comment On This

Me Too! I used PeopleLookup.com one time in December and noticed I was charged $14.95 in January and February. I am calling their telephone number first thing in the morning to demand a refund. Funny thing is that the PeopleLookup.com website makes it very difficult to delete any credit card and account information. You need to call them up to have your account closed. what a hassle!

Comment On This

Same thing happened to me...using this Intellius crap and now I have a $19.95 charge on my card which is my checking account.

Comment On This

OMG!!!!

I used Intelius too recently and one week later, the charges started! Damn thieves. Thanks for the info. You solved the mystery.

Comment On This

I have a paypal virtual debit card I used on intellius to find an address ONE TIME, I keep getting emails from paypal now telling me "AP9*24PROTECT PLUS 800-211-9749 CT on 021070" has attempted to use the number again, it's a one time one use # so they can't. I've been asking paypal to investigate, they won't. Is there a government agency that takes this sort of complaint? I'm not being charged, but obviously something fradulent is going on here. I don't have AOL either, but I noticed someone else has linked intellius to these frauds.

Comment On This

Same thing happened to me! I called and they are going to give me a refund, but I will NEVER USE INTELIUS AGAIN.

This is the company I am most upset with. If not for making an authorized transaction with them, this 24 Protect Plus would not have my account information.

SHAME ON INTELIUS!

Comment On This

This happened to me too -- I just saw a Ap9 24 Protect Plus unauthorized charge of 14.95 in my bank account and I didn't purchase anything nor authorize this -- WTF? You have GOT to be kidding me that this sort of criminal activity is LEGAL? I then went back through my account records and see another charge of 14.95 in November, coincidentally just after having purchased a 24 hour pass to People Finders.com

To say I'm livid is an understatement -- this is theft, dishonest, unethical and I could go on and on! Visa will refund me, but still, what a violation! If you look up "Ap9 24 Protect Plus" on aol search, you see entries for Ripoffreport.com but the links no longer work/take you to an error page -- so THANK YOU everyone who posted here -- it's the only way I could find out what this was all about!

Comment On This

Thanks for the 800#. My husband and I had used inteluis to find some info on someone, but it was a while ago back in oct 07, and today I look at my account ang there is a charge for 14.95 from this company that I had never heard of. How illegal is this? Isnt this stealing? I nor my husband offered such a transaction. Thank youso much for being a caring person and jus not letting it slide. I see that you have helped so many people. I will call them tomorrow and see what happens from there.

Comment On This

I used Intelius.com a couple of weeks ago and found myself to be charged $14.95 two days ago. I had never heard of 24 Protect Plus. I did call however and the gentleman on the phone quickly offered to cancel and refund the money they charged me. He did also say that Intelius had signed me up for us.

How is this even legal for a company to do that?

Comment On This

Be careful with them...They charged me once (a month ago) and then charged me yesterday, after I had cancelled and got refunded the first time....Now I had to do it all over again, because thos idiots tried charging me again.

Comment On This

I had a similar experience. Found that I was subscribed for a "free 7 day trial" when I used a service called Intelius to get some public records information that they'd collected from county records (I was trying to get mailing address and phone number of a guy with an unlisted number). Intelius gave me the requested info (for which I paid $7.95), but they also subscribed me to 24ProtectPlus.

No more business to Intelius!

I talked to supervisor at 24ProtectPlus and got "membership" terminated, and a refund of fees paid.

Comment On This

Yes, same here. I bought NetDetective and got the AP9*24PROTECT PLUS $14.95 charge. Thankfully I always use a real credit card online so I have protection, not use my checking account. Thanks for the info to track this.

Comment On This

The same thing happened to me yesterday. These people are scammers and should not get away with these unauthorized charges. Maybe a class action law suit is in order.

Comment On This

This isn't the only site discussing this company using credit card information without authorization; http://www.ripoffreport.com also has many complaints regarding 24protectplus and Intelius. I used Intelius and a few days short of a month later, I see 14.95 out of my checking acct. I did research, called the company, complained and the girl (chloe) in a pleasant manner said it would be refunded, but first tried to talk me into a year's worth of the service (the service I still have no clue what it does) yada yad, to which I replied, 'I'm telling you I want my money refunded, as I never authorized this sale. Why the hell would I now want a year added?!'

So, supposedly in 2 days I receive my refund; however, I'm going to the bank and explaining there has been fraudulent activity on my acct, and that I wish to file a dispute and demand that they assist me in accordance with Federal Regulation E.

After that (if I am not refunded) we'll see if I wish to take it a step further with Illinois and Washington State Attorney's Office etc.

I'd really enjoy feedback from others to know if you have been refunded.

Comment On This

The same thing happened to me this morning. I checked my bank account statement this morning and saw this random 14.95 charge from 24 Protect Plus.

I knew I had not signed up for anything and used that 800 number. The lady was very polite and canceled my membership right away and said that the money will be refunded within 2 days. It better be. She said that I had clicked on a $ 10 dollar rebate from an Intelleus website and they automatically signed me up for this service.

I just can't believe a company can charge my card without my consent. That is so wrong.

Comment On This

More info on 24protect Plus: Their parent company based in Nebraska has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB. To make a long story short, they e-mailed me a confirmation after I canceled my membership through their automated phone system at 800-211-9749. They said I clicked on their free trial membership offer when I (stupidly) bought one of those "find your classmates" services online. Here is their final response (which includes their e-mail address):

This email confirms that a refund/credit of $44.85 was processed for your 24Protect Plus membership. Please note that you will see your refund on one of your next two statements, depending on your billing cycle.

We thank you for your interest in 24Protect Plus, and we hope your membership experience was a positive one [ha ha - me].

If you have any comments or suggestions that might help us better serve our members, please feel free to email us at membershipservices AT 24ProtectPlus123.com.

Sincerely,

24Protect Plus

Member Savings

I believe they will make good on this offer, because they seem to be a pretty big operation operating under a variety of names, and would want to stay clear of litigation and regulatory complaints. Hope this information helps somebody.

Comment On This

I found out that my "membership" was enrolled via Intellius information services. I've since had this canceled and the $49.95 was refunded within 3 business days. The 800 number was a huge help, thanks.

Comment On This

Have you recently purchased either LifeLock or NetDetective online? I did business with both of these entities on the same day that the AP9*24ProtectPlus appeared on my bank account. Thanks for 1-800 number; all three of these entities will be hearing from me today.

Comment On This

The same thing happened to me 10-01-07. I have never even heard of this company and googled it as well. Thanks again for the 800 #.

Comment On This

I found a charge from this AP9"24 Protect Plus on my bank account today. I had to Google it to find out what it was. I'm grateful for the post above because I used the 800 number to call the company.

What a rip off. When I called, the woman (Diana) offered me more services!

I'll be waiting and watching for the money to be returned.