Complain about a product or service

AOL - Privacy Plus

AOL Shop Direct • Unauthorized Billing • Desk Planners • Mystery "Services"   • Auto Advantage   • Privacy Plus   • Middle/High School Advantage   • Simple Escapes • Billing Errors • Problems Returning Merchandise • Merchandise Never Received • "Out of Stock" Excuses • Other AOL Complaints --- News • AOL Offers to Settle Federal Charges • Class Action Suit Filed

Toni of Joliet IL (12/20/03):
I just checked my statement and found a payment on my debit card to Privacy Plus for 14.95. When I called the bank they gave me the name of the company Privacy Plus is connected to & it was AOL. I did not authorize any transaction. I don't even know what it is. Since this is the first time I have caught it I now have to go thru all my statements to see how many tomes they charged me. Can't they be sued for this? Isn't this illegal? I think I am going to cancel AOL.

Robert of Cliffwood Beach NJ (12/5/03):
Charged my debit card for $14.95 for some online credit report I never signed up for. Privacy Plus was more than happy to give me a refund when I screamed fraud. They said AOL gave my info to them. Who is AOL violate my privacy like that?

Teresa of Federal Heights CO (11/29/03):
I was charged on 10/22 for a service I did not order. I phoned them and they apologized. Then on 11/24 I was charged $14.95 I phoned again and complained. They assured me that I would receive my money back. I phoned again on 11/29 and they stated I couldn't speak to a supervisor until Monday. But my service was cancelled and I would receive my refund within 2 business days.

Carl of Northport FL (10/28/03):
I was charged to my debit card account that only AOL has for an affiliate of their company, Privacy Plus. I have talked with AOL's online Rep who say they have nothing to do with it even they are the only ones with the account number. This is totally an outrage! I am a Disabled Veteran of the United States Military and now I'm being ripped off of my livelihood.

Sheri of Summit, IL writes:
My credit card was billed for two services -- Privacy Plus and Simple Pleasures without my authorization. These two companies both said they had AOL take the charge off of my credit card and that I had given them authorization to do so. When I called AOL fraud I was told they never gave any info out to these companies but they were affiliates and that they were featured on Shop Direct. I was told that I must have given my credit card number to them and authorized it.

I then called AOL cancellation and the man told me that he had the dates and names that the debt was taken from my card he also supplied me with phione numbers. If AOL did not give out my credit info how was it in their computers? I have not yet had a result as this all just came about. However I am in the process of trying to become a home owner and because the ran my credit card over the limit they are now messing with my loan.

I am a single mother and to have a company like AOL give out your credit card number is very disturbing to me.

Dwight of Salem WV (2/27/03):
I received my bank statement and it had a debit charge of $134.95 on it from a company "Simple Escapes." I had never heard of them. When I called the 1-888 number they told me that I had ordered this by a "Pop-Up" on AOL website. I said I had never done that and besides how did they get my checking account number at which they replied "through AOL." Can anybody just give out your bank checking account number to whomever they want? This is very dangerous!

Katie of Tampa (6/27/03):
Unauthorized charge ($14.95) made to my checking account -- MKS*PRIVACY PLUS 877-500-5774 CT. When I called MKS they informed me that I ordered it from an AOL pop-up. I did no such thing. I told MKS I did not authorize it and I wanted the charge removed. They complied and told me I would have it credited back to my account in 4-5 business days.

I called AOL to tell them I thought it was fraud. The lady thanked me for calling and told me she would pass it on to her supervisor. I had called 1 hour prior to cancel my free trial. It's disturbing to know they can make transactions without your consent. Unless you notice it's there to dispute it, they keep getting away with it.

Debra of Raccoon KY (7/22/03):
AOL charged me $134.95 for "Privacy Plus" service that I did not order. Caused an overdraft on my credit card.

Thomas of Lindenhurst NY (9/29/03):
My 7-year-old daughter was able to order from a popup a service called "Privacy Plus" without my consent and I was automatically billed on my credit card. I have parental controls through AOL for my daughter's screen name so how can she order something and AOL automatically charges my credit card without my authorization?

I was billed twice by Privacy Plus for $14.95. I called them and they said they would credit me for this month's bill. Can someone tell me how many other people are getting ripped off like me for a few months before they realize it?

Brian of Gulfport MS (10/27/03):
I saw a complaint on your web site and wanted you to know its not an isolated incident about this company. AOL insists on direct billing my bank account each month. To facilitate this I had to give them my debit card number. I had a guest in my house and set up a separate email addy for them. AOL gave Privacy Plus my debit card information and billed my account when my guest visted this mystery service's web page. I found out when the bill for it appeared on my bank statement.

When I contacted AOL they told me I would have to pursue getting it off my bill on my own. I tried to get AOL to understand what they did (releasing my bank debit card info to another) was at the least a breach of trust and at the most potentially illegal, they just didn't care - at all.

Privacy Plus finally credited my account back with all the money they stole from me, but only after I spent about an hour of my time on the phone at my place of employment because of course they aren't available by phone after hours. The only way I could even find out who they are to contact them is through the 800 number my bank recorded on my monthly statement. To this day I still don't know who they are or what their service is. This is not the first time AOL or its affiliate (the first time was about 2 years ago with AOL Shop Direct) has done this.

Carl of Northport FL (10/28/03):
I was charged to my debit card account that only AOL has for an affiliate of their company, "Privacy Plus." I have talked with their online Rep (AOL) who say they have nothing to do with it even they (AOL) are the only ones with the account number. This is very suspicious to me. I feel that I am now a victim of online fraud through no fault of my own. This is totally an outrage!

I now am getting bank overdraft notices because of this outrage! I am a cisabled veteran of the United States Military and now I'm being ripped off of my livelihood because someone at Privacy Plus decided to access my account number.

Back to the top |