Pool.com fraudulent charge - chargeback repercussions?

JuniperPark · Sep 23, 2004

I've been using Pool pretty much since they opened, but used them very little over the past few months because of my strong suspicions of shill billing, and more recently the now "2nd auction" business. Recently, this happened. I log in a couple of times a week to check their pending listings, and that's about it.

1) I get a "you've entered the challenger round" for a domain name I've never heard of, never ordered, and do not want.

2) I immediately reply to support that I never backordered the name. I also note that I see my "backorder list" a couple of times a week, and this name was never on it.

3) They reply that it was backordered in early August, and gave me a specific date. The date they chose was ironic, because probably it was the ONLY date that I had absolutely no internet access. On that day I traveled early morning from Belize to Guatemala, toured the Mayan ruins of Tekal, and returned late that night. The main roads are unpaved must of the way, and electricity is a luxury there.. forget internet! I tell them this in my reply.

4) They reply they will "look into it". No reply to my question of "assuming my account was hacked, why was this name NEVER listed in my backorders?". No further response after about 2 weeks and my card has been billed $60 for something I never ordered and do not want. a credit card chargeback is my only recourse.

I consider this "fraud" because they KNOW they are improperly charging my credit card, so I'm considering the extra step of a formal fraud complaint to Visa. Their own system showed that I did not order the name; they billed me anyway and ignored my complaint submitted BEFORE they charged the card.

Anyone else had this problem with Pool? Anyone charged back a name? Do they cancel entire accounts for that (I've spent a few thousand there).

Thanks!

Mr Webname · Sep 23, 2004

Not the same but there was a spate of "unordered backorders" reported by members maybe a year ago. I found one had been assigned to me so I just removed my card details and told them to go take a walk. They eventually backed down and I reinstated my card details, however I no longer use them and they no longer have my card details.

Whois-Search · Sep 23, 2004

try asking [email protected] or [email protected]

Biggie · Sep 23, 2004

Whois-Search said:
try asking [email protected] or [email protected]

Whois-Search .....always seems to know, "Who-Is" or What-Is or Why-Is

thumbs up 2 ya!

Steen · Sep 23, 2004

Mr Webname said:
however I no longer use them and they no longer have my card details.

I would imagine everything except the CV2 is stored.

Mr Webname · Sep 23, 2004

Steen said:
I would imagine everything except the CV2 is stored.

For the cancelled card maybe but not for the new one :-D

Steen · Sep 23, 2004

Mr Webname said:
For the cancelled card maybe but not for the new one :-D

:cheesy:

Nameable · Sep 23, 2004

Give them a "fair" amount of time to resolve the issue, then call the CC issuer.

I consider a fair amount of time to be up to 30 days. Keep all your emails so you can show the bank.

Pool is no different from any other merchant. If you don't get satisfaction quickly, tell them they need to escalate this to the right people to get it taken care of or you will call the bank. Give them a reasonable deadline - a week perhaps - then call the bank if they don't fix it.

I know pool is hated by many and loved by few on this board, but the fact that it's pool doesn't change how you should deal with the situation.

Steen · Sep 24, 2004

Nameable said:
Give them a "fair" amount of time to resolve the issue, then call the CC issuer.

I consider a fair amount of time to be up to 30 days. Keep all your emails so you can show the bank.

Pool is no different from any other merchant. If you don't get satisfaction quickly, tell them they need to escalate this to the right people to get it taken care of or you will call the bank. Give them a reasonable deadline - a week perhaps - then call the bank if they don't fix it.

I know pool is hated by many and loved by few on this board, but the fact that it's pool doesn't change how you should deal with the situation.

Many credit card holders cannot start chargebacks after 30 days.

Nameable · Sep 24, 2004

Steen said:
Many credit card holders cannot start chargebacks after 30 days.

So call your bank and ask what the restrictions are.

The few times I've needed to do it they've said the time limit was 90 days.

VISA (you said it was on a visa card, right?) has all this online fraud protection bs in their advertising - take them up on it!

David G · Sep 24, 2004

Nameable said:
The few times I've needed to do it they've said the time limit was 90 days.

I recently had a credit card bank say the limit for charge-backs was one full year and there was a chargeback actually done 12 mos after the purchase.

actnow · Sep 24, 2004

RealNames said:
I recently had a credit card bank say the limit for charge-backs was one full year and there was a chargeback actually done 12 mos after the purchase.

Realnames, I am sure that is not the "norm". Probably, only if you can prove
"fraud".

Deleted member 4749 · Sep 24, 2004

Pool moved from auction fraud to credit card fraud?
These crooks should be jailed!
FTC is sleeping on the job!

Nameable · Sep 24, 2004

Blink said:
FTC is sleeping on the job!

They're in canada: http://momentous.ca/

Call the mounties!

David G · Sep 24, 2004

actnow said:
Realnames, I am sure that is not the "norm". Probably, only if you can prove "fraud".

No, only that they were simply not happy with the service or product, or did not authorize the charge. I have also seen others done 4 to 6-mos after the purchase date and for basically any reason, not fraud.

In fact, the buyer can even *keep* the service or merchandise and the credit card firm does not even ask if it was returned to the merchant, let alone require it be returned.

If they do not want to pay you will lose 98% of the time.