Our credit card company told us that there was nothing they could do about it, that we have to contact the company directly. They said that it was not a "FRAUD" matter. How can this not be considered fraud. We are struggling financially as it is and do not need extra stress on our money right now. We immediately cancelled the credit card because of the card company's (Household Bank) refusal to do anything about it.
Consumer Complaints & Reviews
Here is a tiny sample of the complaints we receive about MWI. We receive two to three complaints daily along the lines of the samples quoted below. If this has happened to you, we'd like to hear about it. Please use our complaint form to tell us about your experience.
This is the second time this has happened, the first was 2 years ago when I started to notice charges for $29.95 on our monthly bank statements. I called the company and over a month later they finally removed the charges. This time we received an overlimit notice from our credit card company for a charge of $179.95, which then led to an overlimit fee on our card. I have never, nor has my husband ever authorized these people to charge anything to our accounts. I will never buy anything from an infomercial or online again... it's back to good old-fashioned store shopping for us.
Last month, I received a charge of $14.95 on my credit card bill from something called MWI connections. Because I had recently had to use my credit card to pay for a trip (plane ticket, hotel and rental car), the bill was rather large, and the MWI connections fell in between the other purchases that I recognized, so I didn't really notice it. I thought it was an extra charge on one of my travel purchases.
When I received my credit card bill this month, 8/11/04, I noticed the MWI connections again with a 14.95 charge. Unable to figure out what purchase of mine this was, I looked it up on the internet. Roght away, I got "MWI Ripoff" articles. I then called them , they did not have any of my real billing information and could not find me by looking up my name. Only by looking up my credit card number could they find me on their billing list. So I requested to be removed, and have been promised that I am removed and should receive a refund for the $14.95 charge in 3-5 buisness days.
When I received my credit card bill this month, 8/11/04, I noticed the MWI connections again with a 14.95 charge. Unable to figure out what purchase of mine this was, I looked it up on the internet. Roght away, I got "MWI Ripoff" articles. I then called them , they did not have any of my real billing information and could not find me by looking up my name. Only by looking up my credit card number could they find me on their billing list. So I requested to be removed, and have been promised that I am removed and should receive a refund for the $14.95 charge in 3-5 buisness days.
I was told also that I was put onto their list by checking out items on an internet survey to receive a $25.00 free dinner gift certificate. I do remember starting to fill out an internet survey about two months ago to get a $25.00 dinner certificate, but I never completed it. In any case, this was a scary wake up call to what can happen when using personal informatino on the internet, and I"m glad that I caught it after only 2 or 3 months, rather than a whole year's worth!
On June 30th 2004 I made a purchase via phone for a product offered on an infomercial, I declined all other offers given. On August 9th 2004 I noticed on my credit card statement that there was an unauthorized transaction fee for $139.95, at this point I contacted my credit card company and they replied with the merchants Customer Service Department phone number, which I called.
The customer service representative claimed that I had been enrolled in some "coupon" membership with a yearly club fee. I specifically told this representative to cancel my membership immediately and refund my money...so we'll see what happens IF they give me my money back, if not, you will be hearing from me again.
Service envelope arrived my home in December. It promised to charge me for pending services. I both called them and I used their online connection to refuse all services and ordered MWI Connections not to charge my credit card or it would be submitted for fraud. My husband has also called and the MWI Connections spokesperson said membership was non-cancelable. Again, my husband told them that they were not authorized to charge our credit card. When my husband, Greg, saw the charge on our online statement, he called and the representative, Rachel, said no one cancelled in December and hung up when Greg said he's disputing the fraudulant transaction with our bank.
Since then, monthly, we've been charged for an approximate total of $119. My husband wasn't dilegent checking our statements and discovered the charges just today. This figure has been disputed with my bank. Greg had called MWI Connections at 888.840.6299 to dispute the charges and Rachel refused to provide contact information except for a PO Box 24128 Omaha Nebraska, 68124.
I have a charge of $10.95 on my check card. After reading the other complaints on this sight, I don't understand how they could get my card number. For one, I don't watch television, haven't for years. Two, I would never order anything from an infomertial. The amount taken is small compared to some but it's my money! Really, I'm confused and frankly angry that this happened in the first place. I've never even heard of this place or any of the others that were mentioned.
Today I checked my bankstatement and there was a withdrawal of $9.95 from this MWI Galleria place. I had no idea what this charge was from. I looked it up online to find that this has happened to MANY other people. I called them and supposedly Lynn cancelled my account. She said it was for a service that helps me with my everyday shopping, and that it was from when I used Snapfish. She said I wont be charged anymore. We'll see.
I'm trying to save for college! I can't just have people taking money from me like it's taking candy from a baby. This is too easy for them and its not right. I want my ten bucks back!
MWI Essentials charged my checking account/debit card $11.95 for 4 months, and I did not sign up for their "service" and when I called to have them stop, they amazingly could not find my account. Charged $47.80 to my checking account without my consent and would not stop when I asked.
This is the fourth time MWI has stolen money from me. The last time was about three months ago and it was the smallest amount they have attempted (about $2). On July 29th, they went the other way and took the largest amount of the four "service charges" ($249.95!). My rent check almost bounced because of this stunt.
This is the 2nd time this wretched company has put an illegal charge on my credit card. Once two years ago and again today 3/3/03. I've called my bank where I have the credit card and again, I have to write a letter of dispute to the credit card bank. Like I told them, I've never heard of this company, I've never ordered or bought anything from this company, so how in the hell are they ILLEGALLY charging me like this?
So far, no damage...other than I've been advised by my bank to close credit card account and reopen a new one. Such a pain in the butt! These people have compromised my credit card and I wish someone would STOP THEM!
I have been charged 9.95 from 1/2002 to 12/2002. I have been charged 10.95 from 1/2003 to 2/2003. I am ashamed to say that I did not catch this before now. Mike said he would cancel my account. I never had an account and never bought anything from this company. I don't know where they got my credit card number. They gave me a web site - zealpass.com. This is non existent. I found out about this when I put MWI Essentials in a search engine.
The only damage was that I paid this company $141.30 over a period of 14 months, before I realized it.
I bought a product off an infomercial, it was a product called the Ultimate Chopper . Ever since then I have been getting billed $99.00 a month for some stupid membership that I NEVER authorized. We call them every month to complain, they promise it will never happen again, they refund our money. And then BAM next month same time -- another $99.00. It is a pain in the butt, I have had checks bounce because of this. It needs to stop.
I ordered a "driveway patrol " device from a tv commercial. It works, I was billed for it and paid for it with my credit card. MWI Connections for months afterward charged $9.95 to my credit card. I called and asked them to stop billing my credit card for a product I did not even know. They would not tell me what the charge was for. They said I agreed to it and all the information had been mailed to me. This is not true.
After complaining to the company with no results I contacted the Attorney General's office in Nebraska. All my money was returned by check. I received a copy of a letter that the company had mailed to the Attorney General's office. It was filled with falsehoods.
On 7/17/02 I received a charge from MWI Essentials for $119.95. I called the company at 1-800-313-3540 talked with Ervin TP-429 and told him I did not authorize a charge on my account. He said I had purchased Good Time Videos from an infomercial and I was asked to enroll in a promotional program and should have gotten a packet of information on the promotion. I never ordered or received Good Time Videos or received the promotional information. On 7/30/02 I called the company and asked for the charge to be taken off my credit card and Ervin said it would take up to 60 days. I also contacted my Visa company through the Navy Federal Credit Union and asked them to take off the charge and faxed my credit union the information they needed.
Ordered diet pills from Dr. Atkins off the tv, then not only paid for them but got two additional charges of $98 each for MWI Essentials. Have since put stop on credit card. They should be stopped immediately. It feels like they broke into my house and stole all my possessions. It is just too scary to think this can be done so easily.
For the 2nd time my credit card has been charged w/o my authorization, 1st time 9.95 2nd time on 6/4 for 199.95. They say they will credit my acct. but how are they able to get away with this. It is a scam!
