disconnected
@snet.net
| [Credit Card Fraud] ReservationRewards Norwalk CT $10 Charge App
My wife just informed me that she got an unauthorized charge on her American Express card of $10 from a "RESERVATIONREWARDS NORWALK CT".
Now she's looking at her past bills and has noticed that they've been charging her since September.
I Googled this term and found that there seems to be thousands of credit card and debit card holders who are seeing this charge.
I'm about to call the card provider and report this as fraud. This sounds like another US-based "mule" working for the Russian crime syndicate.
Anyone else getting these charges? |
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disconnected
@snet.net
| ReservationRewards is WebLoyalty.com
My wife's credit statement online traces the company to:
Webloyalty.com
101 Merrit 7
4th Floor
c/o Matt Yurek
Norwalk CT
US 06851
A Google search on them reveals thousands of complaints and a class action suit against the company for unauthorized CC billings:
»www.boston.com/business/articles···an_scam/
"The alleged scheme worked this way, according to the suit: After consumers made online purchases from various Web retailers, a pop-up window appeared on their computer screens promising a $10 coupon on their next purchase. If consumers entered their e-mail addresses to redeem that coupon, their personal information, including credit or debit card number, was automatically transferred to Webloyalty.
Webloyalty then automatically billed the consumer's credit or debit card a $9 or $10 monthly fee for a membership in its ``Reservations Rewards" discount club." |
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Kibbles
Premium
join:1999-07-31
Mission Viejo, CA | reply to disconnected
Re: [Credit Card Fraud] ReservationRewards Norwalk CT $10 Charge
ebworld used to have a "partnership" with a company like that...when I saw it I thought it was part of ebworld..after several calls I cancelled the subscription. |
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pcdebb
RIP dadkins
Premium
join:2000-12-03
Tampa, FL
clubs: 
| reply to disconnected
there's a big one MGD  has been looking at where they favor AMEX cards. I'm sure he'll stop by and see what's up pretty soon.
definitely fraud i'd imagine |
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BabyBear
Keep wise ...with Night-Owl
join:2007-01-11
| reply to disconnected
Re: ReservationRewards is WebLoyalty.com
said by disconnected :
"The alleged scheme worked this way, according to the suit: After consumers made online purchases from various Web retailers, a pop-up window appeared on their computer screens promising a $10 coupon on their next purchase. If consumers entered their e-mail addresses to redeem that coupon, their personal information, including credit or debit card number, was automatically transferred to Webloyalty.
Yeah I saw this on the bottom of a web page receipt on a recent purchase at Petco.com. After clicking on "details of offer" then having a good laugh, I though quite a few people are going to get suckered by this BS. Was only a few weeks ago I caught my dad getting ready to sign one of those BS $9 checks from a "Credit watch agency" to wit when you cash the measly check you sign up for a $25 a mo. "service". Course the "service" is about as easy to cancel as AOL.   |
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MGD
Premium,MVM
join:2002-07-31
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| reply to disconnected
Re: [Credit Card Fraud] ReservationRewards Norwalk CT $10 Charge
said by disconnected :
....... I'm about to call the card provider and report this as fraud. This sounds like another US-based "mule" working for the Russian crime syndicate.
Anyone else getting these charges?
.
Yes, a lot of people. You can certainly be excused for thinking they are related to they mule based crime syndicate. However, this operates on the legal fringe, and why the FTC has not taken action is beyond me. Though merchants are prohibited from giving your card data to third parties, the loophole here is that Webloyalty AKA Reservation Rewards sets up an affiliate relationship with the merchants.
Because of all the negative publicity, if you call them about the charge they will usually refund you all the previous charges, and remove you from the "program". If you dispute the charges with the card issuer, they should rule in your favor.
This niche industry which uses various tactics to "leverage a sale", a term that in my opinion is a euphemism for various practices that contain the word "scam", and is promoted to merchants because it is pure profit. They end up with a healthy cut of the original enrollment and the recurring charges.
Many people become victims because of how it operates. While completing an online purchase you are presented with a pop up that offers you $10 off your next purchase. You are only required to enter your email address to accept the coupon offer. When you take a magnifying glass and examine that tiny text, you will see that you are agreeing to join a $10 a month club with a recurring charge. When you enter your email address the merchant will then hand off the card details from the current purchase to this "affiliate".
It is clearly obvious from the thousands of complaints going back over two years that many people are not aware of what is taking place. This 2005 Consumer Reports article on the subject contains the following quote from the Better Business Bureau
quote:
...."The Better Business Bureau of Connecticut, however, has received enough consumer complaints about Webloyalty to investigate the matter and issue a report stating the company has an "unsatisfactory record" because of "a pattern of complaints concerning deceptive marketing/selling practices." The bureau contacted Webloyalty to discuss its business methods and notes the company provided refunds to the customers who had issued complaints.
But, the Better Business Bureau report adds, "the firm has failed to correct the underlying reasons for the complaints," namely, not making it entirely clear to Web users that they are agreeing to monthly fees, and not making customers enter their own billing information...."
There is even a dedicated website reservationrewardssucks.com
Several big name merchants have ended their affiliate relationship with Webloyalty AKA Reservation Rewards, while others have required the customer to re enter their card data in order to claim the "coupon".
Personally, I refuse to do business with any company who participates in this practice. The laws that regulate the transferring of consumers card data needs to be changed to address this affiliate loophole. The intent of the law was to prohibit the transfer of card data outside of the original vendor or its wholly owned subsidiaries.
I am not a fan of class action lawsuits, however, in this case, lacking any Federal intervention, then suing this practice out of existence is an acceptable alternative.
MGD |
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Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT
clubs: | reply to disconnected
never heard of that place and lived in Norwalk, CT for 5 years. |
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likitysplit
join:2008-01-14
Flagstaff, AZ | reply to disconnected
That address is a rather large office complex. Somehow I got the impression you worked for UPS, Subaru  |
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Subaru
1-3-2-4
Premium
join:2001-05-31
Greenwich, CT
clubs:
 ·Packet8
 ·Verizon Online DSL
| said by likitysplit :That address is a rather large office complex. Somehow I got the impression you worked for UPS, Subaru lol I do but I meant the building it's self I think I know where it is it's on Rt. 7 in Norwalk across from Stop and Stop near the Merritt Parkway.. it's like a 15-20 floor building.
lol I was getting ready for bed when I made my first post.
--
It's NOT Ni-kon It's NE-KON!
Check out my Gallery!
»/pics/dimaging/400265
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Doctor Four
My other vehicle is a TARDIS
Premium
join:2000-09-05
Dallas, TX
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to disconnected
This story is a few months old, but outlines one of the
hazards of using a credit card online. It is known as
the cross-selling scam, and involves a third party (WLI
Reservation Rewards in this case) gaining access to your
credit card information:
»12angrymen.wordpress.com/2007/11···on-line/
--
"The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots." - Doctor Who (from Robot)
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koam
Pink Pecker
Premium
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle
clubs: | reply to disconnected
Re: ReservationRewards is WebLoyalty.com
Your wife signed up for something that had a free trial with the credit card. She needs to cancel her membership if she no longer wants it. It is not fraud. |
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razr
@knology.net
| reply to disconnected
Re: [Credit Card Fraud] ReservationRewards Norwalk CT $10 Charge
Yeah, they got me too with the $10.00 purchase, which put me at a negative balance on my card; therefore, another 10.00 fee was added by the card company. But for all you other folks out there that have been jipped by this Russian scam, I assure you can rest worry-free. I would head up to the office building in CT and take it from there, but I'm sure its an empty office so I'm going straight for the heart of it all: Moscow, Russia. From there I will deploy my superior stealth tactics to not only take down, but to completely neutralize the entire Russian Mafia.
No I'm only kidding, I don't know who is behind it. I was just going off the other threads. Hopefully I can get around this somehow and good luck with you all as well. |
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captokita
Premium
join:2005-02-22
Calabash, NC
| reply to disconnected
said by disconnected :
Now she's looking at her past bills and has noticed that they've been charging her since September.
That's a big problem right there. You HAVE to read your monthly statements, and if the card issuer has online access, monitor the card for activity. I don't see how you can miss 6 months of charges you didn't make yourself.
You're not alone, and I don't want this to come as me being an ass to you or anything like that, but be happy it was a mere $10 charge, and not a $100 one! Keep an eye on your cards! |
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Name
@cox.net | reply to disconnected
That's interesting that I am the only one who was charge 12 dollars for monthly "service" by them twice while everyone was charged for only 10 dollars. Even though I called and got my money back, I still feel stupid for being fool by them. |
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OH BOTHER
@optonline.net
| reply to disconnected
I too have been scammed. They often are having phone maintenance which doesn't allow calls to come in. Yes we should be more careful but with all the debit uses and such $10 dollars can just slip by. Whoever said that canceling with them is like canceling with AOL wasn't kidding. |
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rlking
Premium
join:2008-02-09
Ojai, CA
| reply to disconnected
I had the same thing happen with ReservationRewards. I think it started with a purchase from Carol Wright (on line). Noticed the charge on the next CC bill and called ReservationRewards. They said it was an entry error and that they would credit back the charge. (they did).
Things are not always what the seem. |
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Gerry G
|  reply to disconnected
I was ripped off by theses jerks, but I work for the Justice Dept and no way was I going to let them do this to me. I had no idea how they got my CC info. I contacted the CC Company and cancelled my card. I emailed and phoned these jerks at reservation rewards and demanded a stop to all charges and a full and complete refund of every peeny they have stolen from me. I received an email from them stating that this has been done. Nevertheless I still am going ahead with a Fraud Investigation against these criminals. |
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pillahaug
@myvzw.com
| reply to disconnected
I got my WAMU Visa statement today, and there was the $10 charge. I called the card immediately, and now, of course I have to go through the whole process of sending back dispute paperwork. I think RR counts on this because it is a hassle for only $10. I was told to check my statement daily to make sure nothing else shows up, what a load of BS. So now, I have to keep a constant eye on it? The charge showed up for Feb 17 an entire month after it's last usage. Only thing I charged was a flight on Allegiant Airlines, maybe they partner with the scam? |
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BarbaraB
@direcpc.com
|  reply to disconnected
Ok, add me to the Ripped List too …. Ordered flowers for my mother’s funeral (2/07) through ProFlowers.com and got scammed through Reservation Rewards for $120.00 taken from my bank account! |
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BarbaraB
@direcpc.com
| Here is the website for the class action lawsuit for this scam....Reservation Rewards - AKA Webloyalty (what a joke)Yes it is illegal to take money from anyone's credit card or bank account without giving authorization. Clicking on a coupon is not giving permission to charge someone $10.00 every month thereafter.
»www.classcounsel.com/news/webloyalty.html |
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