CIC Credit Monitor SVC A/k/a Consumerinfo.com Charged $79.95 For a Credit Serivce. I called 800-220-2626 and got some money back. Nationwide

I noticed a $79.95 charge on a credit card I never use. The charge was made by CIC*Credit Monitor SVC.

I apparently signed up for a "free" credit report in 2003. Like so many others who did this, I apparently didn't notice the fine print that they would charge me $79.95 for a yearly membership.

I was charged $79.95 in Feb 2004. After doing research on websites like this one, I found a phone number to call for the company. In May 2004, I called 1-800-220-2626 and talked to customer service representative. He told me that I signed up for a "free" credit report in 2003, and that at the time, I had 30 days to cancel my membership. Since I didn't, I was charged for an annual membership. He also mentioned that the company was a subsidiary of Experian.

I asked for him to:
1-immediately cancel my membership, and
2-refund my $79.95.

I rejected repeated efforts and offers to have me keep my membership, interrupting him a number of times (these out-of-country phone centers really train their employees to stick to a script!).

My membership was finally cancelled.

I also told this representative ("Richard") that I wanted $79.95 credited back to my credit card. He said that they had a 6-month money back policy, and that he would be able to give me a pro-rated rebate. Almost $60 was credited back to my credit card.

I'll still fight for the rest of the money, but for now, I'm happy to have cancelled the membership and to have gotten some money back.

Jay
Raleigh, North Carolina
U.S.A.