Don't Get Got (Like I Got Got)

I have been buying things, banking, booking reservations, and all sorts of other transactions on the Internet for 13 years now. I don't know how many times I have given out my credit card number, and lots of other personal information, trusting that it would be respected. Until now, it always has been. Obviously Internet commerce has thrived, and formed an important part of our economy. But, as our department's computer support person said recently, "the road ahead is filled with marauders". Heh. Not just the road ahead... It all started last January when I was interested in getting a home equity line of credit to do our landscaping project this year. Some of the places I wanted to apply to a specified minimum credit scores - I wanted to know mine. So, I Googled "free credit report" and got a list. I confess I don't remember which one I went to. I do remember though that in order to get my free credit report at a certain point I had to enter my credit card number and authorize a one dollar payment. I was very careful to not sign up for any of the subscriptions or services that kept popping up as I clicked my way to my free credit report. Eventually, I did get my free credit report, my score was great, and a few weeks later and got a really great deal on a home equity line of credit. As it turns out, I chose the wrong credit reporting company, but here is where I screwed up. I often look at my credit card statements each month either online or in the printed bill I get, still, in the mail. But, it's been a busy year and so it wasn't until a few weeks ago that, in checking my credit card statement for something else, I noticed a few strange charges. They were all for either for $29.95, or $1.00. It appeared that there were one or two a month, to payees like AP9*CREDITDIAGNOSIS, AP9*YOURSAVINGSCLUB, and AP9*PMIDENTITY. Online, I could only go back a few months, so I called company right away. They were very helpful, and sympathetic. In fact, the person I spoke with had seen this before. They assured me that if I called the 800 numbers, the money charged to my account (which I never had authorized) would be refunded. Ugh. The people I spoke with tole me that I had been sent an e-mail to which I must reply, declining the subscriptions, or it would automatically enroll me in these programs. I dug through my spam folder which I had not erased since last year some time, and found them. Evil! Nevertheless, I wanted my money back: hundreds of dollars was taken from me without an opt-in authorization! (Yes, I still feel appropriately stupid.) With two out of the three subscriptions, I was able to get through to a human being who very cheerfully said they would refund all the charges back to January, and cancel my subscription to their service. But, with the third one, I was unable to get to a human being using the 800 number and all I could do was cancel my account. I wanted a refund! I did some more online sleuthing, and found that I was not alone: this was one company, who was apparently taking advantage of people who, like me, swore up and down that they never subscribed for these services. One guy posted a list of 800 numbers that you could call, all at the same company: Adaptive Marketing LLC. I called and spoke with a very nice woman, who canceled my account and promised to refund the money. A couple days later, I got e-mails from Adaptive saying that my refund would be processed. I watched my credit card statement, and with one of them it gave me a full refund, and with another only for one month. I called back, complained, and a few days later got a full refund for the second one. Similarly with the third it took a few phone calls but I believe I have now gotten all my money back. No new charges appeared on my card, either. Looking at their online website, this company appears to be legitimate. In fact, some of their services, like Your Savings Club might actually be worth it if you were diligent in using it. Anyway, embarrassing as this is, I relate it to you in the hope that if there are any of you out there who, like me, foolishly have not looked at their credit card statements recently, and have gone to one of these places and gotten a "free credit report", you too can get your money back. Just look for those telltale "AP9" charges on your statement. Good luck... they're out there.