I have been getting a lot of pop up ads lately and I fell for the free digital camera.
As I understood it, I just had to place an order from one of the products that they advertised, so I ordered the coffee (which was the cheapest and I have to order from them 2 more times also).After I did that
I was suppose to get some more info in my e-mail about getting the camera.
Well ,nothing showed up in my e-mail.
So now I feel sooooooooooo stupid.
Well, hopefully it`s good coffee.I haven`t told
my Dh yet. Yikes !
I should have known something was up when they noted in the pop up add that the advertisers did not know anything about the free camera offer.
I think I learned my lesson.
Thanks for letting me vent.

By Feona on Saturday, May 1, 2004 - 09:16 am:

I saw that ad someplace (not on my site)... You can cancel the purchase can't you?

By Amecmom on Saturday, May 1, 2004 - 10:19 am:

If you paid by credit card, call the company RIGHT AWAY and tell them to decline the charge, that this was a scam. They have a system for this sort of thing.
Don't feel stupid. It happens to the best of us. I know someone who knew the roof needed to be fixed and fell for con men posing as repair guys doing another job in the neighborhood. She let them do the work, had them in her house and they conned her our of $12,000, plus stole jewelry. The police were not helpful at all! This was a smart woman, who just didn't think at the moment.

By Momaroze on Saturday, May 1, 2004 - 11:34 am:

If it was a credit card purchase difinately call the credit card comp. right away!

By Ginny~moderator on Saturday, May 1, 2004 - 03:39 pm:

When you call the credit card company tell them you may have been the victim of credit card fraud or a device for identity theft - this will notify them to "red flag" your account for charges. But, don't just call the credit card company. Write to them. They are legally only required to respond to written complaints. Look on your credit card bill and find the address for complaints and write to them immediately. Give them all the information you have, including the name and contact information you have for the advertiser, and tell them that you did not receive the promised premium. Tell them you want a credit to your account. They must investigate and respond to you in writing within, I think 30 or 60 days. I would, however, call them

Also write to the advertiser. They may be denying knowledge of the ad but it was offered as a premium for ordering their product. They should have some responsibility. Send them a copy of the letter you send to the credit card company.

I would also complain to the Federal Trade Commission. Their email address is uce.ftc.gov. And if you call your local congressman's office they can give you the address of the FTC to write to and possibly a name. (I firmly believe in doing this like this in writing - telephone calls do not leave a paper trail and emails can be too easily deleted or altered.)

Finally, go to this website:

http://101-identitytheft.com/checklist.htm

Use the information on this site to report to the credit reporting agencies that you may be the victim of credit card fraud / identity theft. This popup ad may have been a device to obtain your credit card information.

By Amy~moderator on Saturday, May 1, 2004 - 04:26 pm:

Definitely do as Ginny suggested. I have just recently gone through a situation with GMAC where I am now at risk for identity theft. Call Equifax, Experian, and Transunion and have a "security alert" put on your reports. Then write to them and supply any necessary identification to have the security alert extended to 7 years. This makes it so where creditors have to verify that it is really you requesting the credit.

And don't feel stupid, it does happen to the best of us.