Consumer complaint received 2023-06-24
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
My husband and I were cold called by XXXX XXXX XXXX, a group that pretends to be an advertising/marketing company in XX/XX/2023. That are in fact a telemarketing scam operation out of XXXX, Oregon. XXXX was selling fake advertising space in for a nonexistent homework folder that was to be issued to students at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX. My husband is a XXXX XXXX XXXX  so we commonly advertise within the community. XXXX also claimed a portion of the sales would benefit the school. XXXX took our credit card information by phone. XXXX sent a confirmation email containing an invoice with very small print containing some terms and conditions. These terms and conditions were never discussed at the time of payment and even contradict what was orally discussed on the phone when payment was taken. XXXX waited for this email to be received and opened before actually charging our credit card. After not receiving a request for our logo and art for the ad, my husband requested a refund XXXX week after the payment. The company was not responsive. I had later called XXXX in XX/XX/2023 and spoke with them on the phone. We again requested a refund. XXXX stated they can only refund by check and will be keeping a {$100.00} fee. Frustrated, we agreed but the check was never received. After many, many calls and emails to XXXX, we began to research XXXX online to find numerous negative reviews on XXXX and XXXX in XX/XX/2023. Realizing this was a scam, I called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX who confirmed they do not work with XXXX and there was no homework folder being produced for their students. I have reported XXXX to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Department and notified the XXXX XXXX PD and police departments in XXXX, XXXX and XXXX, Oregon. I have filed reports with the FTC, FBI, DOJ for California and Oregon and XXXX. We also contacted our credit card company, XXXX and XXXX to report fraud and file a dispute. I provided them with all of the above information in addition to a letter from the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX stating that XXXX is not an authorized vendor of XXXX nor given authorization to contact members of the school community for sales. I provided all email correspondence and case numbers for all police reports, FTC, FBI DOJ and XXXX  cases. I also provided them with pages of negative reviews from XXXX 's XXXX and XXXX pages. I clearly showed evidence that XXXX misrepresented the school and had no ability to provide us with a good or service. I documented their pattern of deceptive business practices. We were not provided with terms and conditions before payment information was taken. And we made repeated efforts to resolve the issue with XXXX but they are unresponsive. Yet somehow, XXXX & XXXX credit card company has resolved the " dispute '' ( it is actually fraud ) in favor of the scammers. I even asked the case processor about the decision and he said he didn't even read my statement!! I am absolutely dumbfounded by the handling of my case by XXXX & XXXX Credit Card. Unfortunately law enforcement is not prioritizing my case and I have been told that more reports to the FTC will need to be made before they would take action. I feel no one is protecting the public from these malicious predatory scammers. Even my own bank will not protect me. Please help!!

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation