Consumer complaint received 2023-01-14
Company: Bread Financial Holdings, Inc.
State: NY
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:
Last year, I called XXXX to start a free 3 month subscription for XXXX XXXX that came with my new vehicle and the representative said rather than just 3 months free, they would give me an additional 6 months for a total of 9 months for only {$6.00}. I authorized a 1 time payment with XXXX XXXX for {$6.00} on XX/XX/XXXX which I was told would be payment in full for 6 months of service. This was done by verbal authorization on A RECORDED LINE with XXXX, and during this recorded conversation, I purposely told the representative that I was only authorizing this one time charge and I DID NOT want my credit card on file and told them to make sure it was removed from my account while being recorded. I purposely do this so the company has to contact me once the subscription is over to renew it, which I will only allow if I like the service or they are offering an incentive to renew. Again, this conversation was recorded by them, and I was recorded telling them that I did not authorize any other charges other than the one time charge of {$6.00} and that I DID NOT authorize them to keep my credit card on file. 

Unbeknownst to me, XXXX XXXX totally disregarded my instructions and decided to start charging my credit card starting XX/XX/XXXX for {$21.00} and did so every month since on the 2nd of each month despite my calls demanding it be stopped and requesting my card refunded. The unauthorized fraudulent charges consist of 9 charges for {$21.00} each, totaling {$190.00}. I didn't notice the charges they were making until XXXX as I bought a 6 month plan and didn't think to look, but once I noticed, I immediately called XXXX to get the charges reversed. I called XXXX XXXX at least 6 times attempting to resolve this and no one there could speak English well, they lied to me for several months, promising to reverse the charges AND remove my card, but they never did, and continued to charge my card. I couldn't get a single person on the phone that could speak or understand English well and couldn't get anywhere with them and was finished being lied to. 

I called Comenity Capital bank on XX/XX/XXXX, the servicers of the XXXX to dispute the unauthorized charges and this company also had no one that could speak or understand English well until I finally got a supervisor on the phone. They essentially refused to help me and actually protected the fraudsters! 
I explained to the supervisor at the bank that I verbally authorized XXXXXXXX XXXX  on a RECORDED LINE, to make a ONE TIME CHARGE of {$6.00} for 6 months of service, and explained to the supervisor that while I was being recorded by XXXX, I CLEARLY TOLD THEM THEY DID NOT HAVE MY PERMISSION TO KEEP MY CREDIT CARD INFORMATION ON FILE AND THAT I WAS ONLY AUTHORIZING THE ONE TIME CHARGE OF {$6.00}. There were no contracts, terms and conditions explained, just a one time verbal authorization for {$6.00} for 6 extra months of service in addition to the 3 free ones. Comenity Capital Bank is blaming the victim & protecting the perpetrators of the fraud. They are not abiding by the rules according to XXXX policies and they REFUSE to request that the merchant ( XXXX XXXX provide proof that they had my authorization to make these charges that I explicitly stated they did NOT have on a recorded line. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Instead, XXXX  has no one that can speak English in customer service, and Comenity Bank is requiring ME to provide proof that I cancelled a contract that never existed. This is akin to a customer buying a 1 month, non-recurring service online for {$6.00} to try it, and the seller just decides to start charging them {$22.00} per month because they want to, and when the customer disputes it, the bank ( Comenity ) requires the customer to provide proof that they cancelled their contract or the charges will be considered valid. YOU CAN NOT PROVE A NEGATIVE, and you cant prove a contract didn't exist, HOWEVER, XXXX SHOULD be able to PROVE THEY HAVE MY AUTHORIZATION - IF IT EXISTS... This is what I am being told, We are not asking XXXX  for proof of authorization. I placed my trust in XXXX they advertise their consumer protections clearly on their website XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  ) and Comenity Banks conduct is clearly not in accordance with XXXX 's XXXX Liability Protection in fact, they flat out refused to even contact XXXX about it! I have never had a credit card company treat ME like the fraudster when asking for their help as a victim, especially when I have a flawless record with them. Any other credit card company Ive ever dealt with instantly protected me when I needed help, they protected their client, not the perpetrators of the fraud. 
I am formally requesting in writing, for Comenity Capital bank to REQUIRE that XXXXXXXX XXXX  provides proof that these charges for $ XXXX were authorized by me. When they do, they will CLEARLY hear me state on the recording that they only have authorization to make a 1 time charge of {$6.00} and did not have permission to keep my card on file. I have no choice but to report their actions to the XXXX, the Attorney General & will request arbitration from XXXX if need be. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP! I DONT WANT TO DO THIS, BUT THEY ARE LEAVING ME NO CHOICE. THIS BANK IS PREDATORY IF YOU ASK ME- I KNOW OF 2 OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief