Premium Savings Group credit card telemarketing fraud New Lebanon New Hampshire

On 8/20/04 I was solicited by Premium Savings Group for what I thought was a credit card but turned out to be the scam of the year!! I was called by a representative named "Barry" on 8/20/04 and was solicited for a credit card through Premium Savings Group. Per Barry I was pre-approved for a visa credit card with a credit limit of $2500. I asked numerous questions to verify that this was actually a credit card and that the card would be able to be used for regular purchases like any other card. I specifically asked was I being issued a credit card or a debt management package. Barry stated that I would be issued a credit card. He stated that there was a one time processing fee is $299.50. I asked what this is for and he stated that Premium Savings group is a credit education company which assists consumers with bad credit in getting reestablished.

Barry assured me that this was not a gimic of any kind and I will be getting a credit card in the mail 10-15 business days after the processing fee is paid. I again asked for clarification about the services and Barry reassured me that I was receiving a credit card nothing more, nothing less. Based on this reassurance, I agreed to pay the processing fee in exchange for the Visa or Master Card credit card.

Barry then transferred me to a verification representative Stephanie Michaels and she asked me if I had any questions. I asked her the exact same questions concerning if this was really a credit card offer. She too reassured me that I was going to receive a standard visa or master card credit card in the mail within 10-15 business days. I then agreed to do the transaction and gave Stephanie my information to process a check over the phone postdated for 8/23/04 in the amount of $299.50. Stephanie then asked me to verify the information with her again over the phone in a recording which she explicitly said is just to make sure the bank information is correct. I agreed and we again verified all of my personal information.

After doing this transaction, I was given a verification number which could be used to access my account at any time. I was also given the customer service number 1-866-794-1518 of which I was told would have my account updated with status in 5-7 business days. I proceeded to call the customer service office after the 5-7 business days and spoke to Barry who then claimed it takes 10-15 days after the payment is processed before they know anything. He also now stated that processing payments can take up to 3-5 business days after it is taken from the customer's checking account to show up in the system.

I then called back to request a refund and was told a supervisor whom I could not speak with would have to approve the request. I was told the supervisor who would be calling me back was Jeffrey and that he only returns calls from 5:30-6:30pm nightly. I waited and waited for 2 days to hear from Jeffrey and to no avail. I finally called back 3 days later to complain again and insisted to be put on hold until a live supervisor was free. The representative kept me on hold for 85 minutes when I finally decided to hang up.

This company is a complete scam/fly by night operation who is there to rip off the consumers!!! After resolving things through my bank still with a $10 fee to return the ACH, I finally received their package yesterday 09/29/04 more than a month after this process began. And guess what... It is not even a credit card offer, but rather a bunch of useless coupon vouchers which you still have to pay to use???!!! I am filing a class action suit and attorney generals complaint against this company and I hope someone if not me nails them to the wall!!! They deserve the works that the law will allow for fraud because this is the biggest scam I have ever seen!!! To file an attorney generals complaint go to

http://doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints.html

Good Luck!!

Nicole
Normal, Illinois
U.S.A.