Over $1 Billion in Damages Reported on Scambook

Since the launch of Scambook back in June 2011 we have received complaints totaling over $1 billion in reported damages.

Recently VISA Inc released a statement that they saw an increase of 1% to $3.4 billion in 2011 in online fraud. Unauthorized Charges and Online Fraud costs companies and consumers alike, roughly 52% of current merchant fraud prevention budgets goes toward manual review. On a similar note, based on what our users reported, some of these so called “companies” are just taking their money or “gaming the system”.

We scanned through all reported complaints and compiled a list of businesses who have generated the most reported damage amounts from complaints submitted by our users.

1. Revita la Peau

(At the time of writing, it has gathered 914 complaints and $226,168 reported damages)

According to our users, Revita la Peau is a cosmetic skincare product line offering consumers free product samples and require them to pay only shipping and handling costs. Once consumers submit their credit card information to Revita La Peau, they reportedly find recurring monthly charges of $74.95 to their credit cards.

One Scambook user complained:
“I saw an advert online offering free samples of face cream. I was told to give my bank details for postage and packaging. Without my permission, they took payments of 79 pounds and 51 pounds each month since December. I didn’t notice this until January. They are still taking money out of my account.”

Below are additional companies that have similar user-submitted complaints to Revita La Peau:

– RL Skincare Complaint Group – $79,473 reported damages
– Perfect Radiance Complaint Group – $215,850 reported damages
– Juveneu – $136,426 reported damages
– CreamCareSkin.com Complaint Group – $914,480 reported damages

That is over $1.5 Million Dollars in user-reported damages.

2. $1000 Walmart Gift Card

(At the time of writing, it has gathered 825 complaints and $2,863,962 reported damages)

Our users have reported The Walmart Gift Card Scam as far back as November 2011, but in March of 2012 the frequency exploded to thousands of users nation wide. An SMS Text Message was sent to our users instructing them to either make a phone call to the number listed or visit a website to redeem a $1000 Walmart gift card.

One Scambook user complained:
“I received a text message on my phone stating I had won a $1,000 Walmart gift card. It had a link www.walmart.com.myfreecard.biz/claim. It instructed me to place the word “FREE” as the code to receive my new card. I did not follow it as I felt it was fraud.”

Here are similar Complaint Groups that are reportedly using the same SMS-based method:

– Prize-Patrol.net Walmart Text Spam Group – $175,711 reported damages
– WMartClick.com Walmart Text Spam Group – $15,725 reported damages
– WalmartGift.Mobi Walmart Text Spam Group – $103,116 reported damages

3. BidRack

(At the time of writing, it has gathered 1045 complaints and $147,562 reported damages)

Our users report that BidRack is an online penny auction site featuring a variety of products from TVs, gift cards and iPads. Users have said that they were under the impression that they could register for a free account, but find unauthorized credit card charges for $99 after signing up with the site.

One Scambook user complained:
“Back in June of last year, I lost $99.00 when I signed up for my “free” account. As soon as I saw the charge (within 24 hours) I contacted them and got the whole no refunds blah blah here’s the free bids. It was NEVER disclosed that I was being charged anything…I provided all the documentation about the class action, the letter from the Delaware BBB and 17 pages worth of complaints filed against them prior to them closing the case the first time.”

4. DealFun.com

(At the time of writing, it has gathered 852 complaints and $168,418 reported damages)

DealFun.com is a shopping site hosting online penny auctions according to our users. Our users have reported that they registered thinking they could purchase credits to bid on various items on the site. Most consumers find that after winning an auction, they never receive the items they won or revisit the site to find that the site is no longer in service.

One Scambook user complained:

“To join DealFun and participate, I had to charge money to my credit card to bid. For the past two months I have not been able to pull up their site to bid, and they are not answering their phone number on my credit card. Now their site is down with my little bit of money gone.”

5. NoMoreRack.com

(At the time of writing, it has gathered 202 complaints and $116,081 reported damages)

NoMoreRack.com is an online shopping site selling brand-named products for discounted prices according to some of our users’ reports. Once users have reported checking out and paying for items they ordered only to never receive anything.

One Scambook user complained:
I ordered several items over a two-day period, paid with PayPal and never heard another word about my items and never received them from NoMoreRack.

6. Xdating.com

(At the time of writing, it has gathered 360 complaints and $24,038 reported damages)

Our users have reported that Xdating.com is an online dating site. Upon visiting the site, our users have said that it required them to create a profile and pay for a subscription service to connect them with other people online. Users have reported Xdating.com gives the impression they are making a connection, but that most of the profiles on Xdating.com appear fraudulent with stock photos, and messages eventually stop coming through after users subscribe to the service.

One Scambook user complained: “Visitors to the site as ‘free members’ are lured into purchasing a three month membership at the cost of $59.95 USD in order to be able to respond to some particularly juicy invitations from ‘premium members’ who, it seems, never sleep. Interestingly, there is a very high concentration of the world’s most beautiful young women yearning to meet men like me, in a township nearby, that I know for a fact has less than 800 residents, most of whom are senior citizens.”

7. JustFab.com

(At the time of writing, it has gathered 98 complaints and $8,048 reported damages)

According to our users, JustFab.com, also known as Just Fabulous, is a shopping site selling shoes and handbags for $39.95 in some cases with free shipping and free returns. After registering on the website, our users found recurring monthly credit card charges of $39.95. When they inquired about cancellation and refunds of the monthly charges, JustFab.com offered only store credit according to some reports.

One Scambook user complained:
“I also ordered the first item advertised for $19.95 and now for five months, they have charged my card for $39.95 per month. I have been ill and did not check my account for months because my husband was paying it online and did not question my charges. This is against the law right?”

There is certainly motivation for these dirtbags and wannabe dirtbags to steal under the great anonymous cover of the net. Some simple advice; if you’ve been scammed with a credit card or debit card, go immediately to your bank or call the credit card company-lodge a formal complaint. Many banks will reimburse the pilfered money until they can complete their investigation. Secondly, close the account that is involved and open a new. Order a new card and give the bank the old one and be sure they block any charges to it. We were scammed with a teeth whitening compound called Bellabrite and we got our money back from our bank and let Mastercard go after the the garbage.

Raj Ewa May 29, 2014

I complained earlier about company Relift XS who withdraw 104USD from my credit card without my permission. I phoned them and they admitted that they shouldn´t have done that. They promised to return 104 USD but I am still waiting for my money. I called them first time on 17th of April and after 2 weeks again and after 3 weeks and each time they promising me money but nothing happenes.

Glenn T June 23, 2014

In our efforts to aavoid these scam artists,are they ever prosecuted when they are reported? When we report scam or fishing e-mail what happens?

Bernadette Gray August 15, 2014

UPDATE ON HARRISON PAUL DOLAN; I AM TRYING TO CONFIRM THAT HE HAS BEEN ARRESTED AT THE GHANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 3 DAYS AGO. HE HAD THE NERVE TO ASK ME TO BAIL HIM OUT! I AM TRYING TO CONFIRM IF THIS WAS ANOTHER SCAM OR IF IT IS TRUE. WE DID HAVE A POLICE TRAP SET FOR HIM IN GHANA AS WE KNEW HE WAS HEADED THAT WAY AFTER BEING IN THE STATES. IF THIS IS TRUE I HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION TO COLLECT NOT ONLY MY DAMAGES FOR EVERYONE WHO HE SCAMMED. IF ONLY AN INTNERNATIONAL LAWYER CAN WORK WITH THE US EMBASSY IN GHANA. I HAVE TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEM BUT IT IS NOT EASY.

Bernadette Gray August 16, 2014

If you have been scammed by: beachmaninlove,of Are you Interested or Match.com davegoodwell, williamwallace, of Match.com or Are You Interested, or Harrison Dolan, Harrison Paul Dolan, Harry Dolan, Please contact me, at: [email protected] AND CALL ME, LOVED BY HARRY.

THANK YOU.

TO ANSWER GLENN T.,
THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION! I IMAGINE THEY ARE FAR AND FEW BETWEEN AS THEY ARE USUALLY REMOTELY LOCATED, PROTECTED BY THE COUNTRIES THEY ARE SEEKING REFUGE FROM, AND ARE SO WELL DISGUISED AND PROTECTED IT IS DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THEM INTO CUSTODY. IT SO HAPPENS THAT THIS MAN’S SELF DESTRUCTION HAS BECOME MY LIFE’S PLEASURE. AND I AM BOUND AND DETERMINED TO WATCH HIM BLOW HIMSELF TO BITS WITH THE POWDER WITH WHICH HE IS NOT WORTH TO DO IT. HE IS LESS THAN THE DIRT UNDER OUR FEET. I WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO CLEAN MY FEET.