Shopping Essentials, Passport To Fun Shopping Essentials (aka Passport to Fun) ripped-off my checking account for 8 mos before I caught the transactions. At first, they charged my account a $1.00 fee then each month consecutively charged my account $14.95. Ripoff Internet

I was checking my banking account in January 2007 and noticed two charges of $14.95 (Dec 19 and Jan 17) from a "SHOPPINGESSEN" and immediately called the bank to ask if they knew who this business was and why they were debiting my account. The bank gave me a name as "Shopping Essentials" and a telephone no. 1-888-243-6180. So, I contacted this company and asked them point blank, "what kind of business is this establishment" and "why are you debiting my checking account of $14.95/mo because I gave no one authority to debit my checking account and how did you get my account number." I spoke with Leila (Employee No. 26167)and she advised me that they were a "membership service" and had sent me a $50 gift certificate from Wal-Mart. She stuttered along and would not tell me how they received my account number. Well, I told them that I certinally did not receive such a gift certificate nor gave anyone on the phone or in writing any permission to charge this "membership" to my account. She said the only thing that they could do was to cancel my account. I told her that I wanted these charges credited to my account, and she said that she would refund "only" two payments of $14.95 to my account and were credited on Jan 29. They still owe me $90.70.

Paula
Blacksburg, South Carolina
U.S.A.