Nielsen
Complaint 163570 Details

I replied to a part time job via internet and was sent a contract to sign & fax back to Nielsen Company which I did on 9/25/2012; I was then instructed to deposit a check that was mailed me on same date in the amount of $2,350 to be used to conduct their business and to call back the next day to receive my 1st assignment as a Customer Services Evaluator. On 9/26/2012 I went to my bank and asked if the funds I had deposited the day before were available and was told they were so then was instructed by Nielsen Rep to withdraw $2,300 to conduct 3 assignments as follows: 1) WalMart where I was instructed to spend 45 min in 3 separate departments and purchase items costing between $70 - $80. I spent a total of $73.48 as which time I was told to act like a normal customer & evaluate service, courtesy, security, safety, etc & fill out an eval. form to send back to the company. I was to receive $180 per assignment as my salary. I was then instructed to go to a Western Union at the local Food Lion & wire $970 to a fictitious name in Madrid, Spain & was charged an additional $68 fee; I was told that employees had been shortchanging customers when they returned for a refund on monies wired when they asked for a refund & I was under no circumstances to alert staff I was not a normal customer; I was to return the following AM & say my family member no longer needed the money & would like a refund then redeposit the money in my checking account, pay myself $180 for salary & wait for further instructions; the 3d assignment was the same as the Food Lion assignment except I was to go to the Bi Lo Store in the next block & wire $960 to another fictitious name which I did. I was instructed not to try & get the refund until I talked back w/company rep the following AM. Around 1130 on Thursday, 9/27/2012, I tried calling the same cell phone # on numerous occasions until around 3 pm that day; there was no voice mail available so I found another phone # @ top of contract & a recording came on and was asked my name and then was directed to the voice mail of "Sam Smith" & left 2 voice mail messages on Thursday, one on Fri and again Mon am (10/1/2012). Upon signing into my online banking account 10/1/2012 discovered my account was overdrafted $1800. I proceeded directly to my bank and when inquiring why I was given the funds was told since I had been such a good customer & never overdrafted my account and had several accounts w/them they allowed me to withdraw the funds. When the bank tried to withdraw the funds from "Tropical Financial Credit Union" they refused payment therefore resulting in overdraft in my personal checking account. I've been to the Newberry County Sheriff's Dept & filed a police report and have check w/all departments @ my bank including Privacy Assist & Check Fradulent Claims Department & told I have no recourse to recoup those funds.