Consumer complaint received 2024-06-29
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: DISCOVER BANK (AZ)

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  

Consumer Financial Bureau 

RE: Discover Case XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  


Dear CFPB Officer, XXXX 

I am writing to you today because I need your help and involvement regarding Discover Cards failure to adhere to their written dispute policies and procedures. Unfortunately, I experienced their XXXX and lack of willingness to investigate my XXXX dispute at XXXX XXXX XXXX, that is a XXXX XXXX  at a XXXX XXXX!  The merchant is currently rated F with the XXXX  and most complaints remain unanswered.   

With this complaint, I will provide video and audio evidence showing the merchant XXXX XXXX XXXX  refusing to honor their 14-day return policy.  Video and audio evidence where I confront the sales associate at XXXX XXXX XXXX about her signing the ACH transaction.  I also have text messages and statements from neighboring businesses to prove that this business was closed consecutively days after thXXXX XXXX ACH transaction when I was coerced into the purchase.  I also have the XXXX  documentation of the procedure I had undergone the day of the purchase.  Finally, Discovers a one-page reply to my verbal and written dispute.

As I write this complaint, I realize that what the employee of this company did to me is probably criminal. The fact that I was taken to the back of the store, behind the register, behind a wall, and my purse and phone were strategically taken away from me feels criminal. However, Discover failed to take my dispute seriously or even investigate my complaint. The people at XXXX XXXX XXXX seem to know exactly what they are doing. This level of criminal activity, in my opinion, is sophisticated, they are methodical with every action and statement they make. The fact that all this information was related to Discover and they didnt even do the bare minimum to investigate anything I have told them is extremely alarming to me. 

The merchant dispute began on XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, at XXXX XXXX XXXX, an outdoor XXXX in XXXX XXXX. I was at the XXXX after having a XXXX  procedure earlier that day (I can provide XXXX  documentation to support this) I was approached by a young lady standing outside the store, offering free samples of XXXX. We have all seen these salespeople, usually while on vacation or at the XXXX, stand outside their store offering certain people free samples of XXXX. I was approached by a young lady standing outside the store, offering free samples of XXXX. We have all seen these salespeople, usually while on vacation or at the XXXX stand outside their store offering certain people free samples oXXXX XXXX. 

I allowed her to sample some XXXX on my wrist. She gently held my hand and lured me into the store, which was set up like a spa or hair salon. She was very friendly and insisted I sit on one of the chairs in front of a mirrored vanity.  She asked me a question about my beauty routine, and when I told her, she said, Clearly, its not working, we laughed, breaking the ice.  She then started demonstrating and selling her products. I felt comfortable with her, or maybe it was the ambiance of the spa-like setup at the store, but I opened up, and we talked about my personal life. I remember telling her I was a XXXX XXXX of four who worked for the same XXXX XXXX that all my XXXX attended, and now the XXXX  had just XXXX  I remember telling her that I had an XXXX early that day and was given a volume because I suffered from extreme XXXX  She was engaged in the conversation; she seemed genuinely eager to help.  I ended up buying a single facial serum she was selling, and sampling the serum on my face cost about XXXX.  She claimed the serum would last many months and my face would tighten and rejuvenate. 

As soon as I made the XXXX purchase, she said, "Wait, I want to try something on you that I know you will love.  As she was holding the bag with the serum I just paid for, she walked towards the back of the store and said, Come, its okay. I want to try something on you. In her beautiful foreign accent.  She then took me behind the register to a separate part of the store with another vanity mirror and chair like the one in the front, a sofa, and a massage table.  She asked me to lie on the massage table, saying she would give me a facial and sample a new product. I was a little reluctant, but because I was still feeling the medication from the medical procedure I had undergone early that day, I sat down on the massage table. She then went for my purse and said, Here, relax, I told her no, that I wanted to hold on to my purse. Then she said, What? You dont trust me? I will just set it here, pointing to the vanity.  I agreed and allowed her to set my purse on the vanity. After all, I could see it. As she had me lay on my back, she was talking about this new small hand-held infrared machine she would use on me; she said, This is just like the one the dermatologist uses. she said the infrared light would peel the dead skin.  At this point, I was starting to feel extreme XXXX  the way she was working on me was very intrusive, as she had her entire body over my personal space and pretty much my whole face.  She was on the right side of me and was applying serums and using the miraculous  hand-held infrared machine on the left side of my face; she was very intentional in using her face and body over my face. All the while, she was whispering in my ear, she just kept talking and talking and trying to get me to agree to buy the machine.   She kept saying it was a XXXX dollar machine, but she was going to give it to me for XXXX.  This entire experience was very intense and scary. 

This went on for what seemed like an eternity!  I couldnt get her to stop; she wasnt taking no for an answer.   This was one of the worst feelings I had ever felt. I didnt even know how to process what was happening.   I was in complete XXXX mode and almost near a XXXX XXXX My only option to get this lady off my personal space and for her to allow me to get up was to agree to the purchase.  At this point, I think I would have paid the XXXX  she wanted, anything to get up and out of this horrible situation.

"I mentioned that I would pay, and then she helped me sit up and handed me my purse. I reached in and took out my debit card, but something told me to use my Discover card instead. I handed her my Discover card because I felt it safer.  She immediately took the card and walked to the other side of the wall where the register was.  I was left on the table with my face full of lotions and potions.  She came around the corner and told me the card was declined; as soon as she said that, my phone went off in my purse.   I reached into my purse to look for my phone, and she stated, Its probably Discover; they just need you to approve the purchase, get your phone, get your phone.  As I grabbed my phone, she stood behind me, telling me that it was probably Discover,   I told her I couldnt see because she had left all the serum on my face, and I didnt have my glasses; she was now standing behind me, and she then reached over me and with her fingers started scrolling through the messages saying   here, here, just reply yes they just need your approval, JUST REPLY YES  She kept insisting while standing right behind me, touching me with her body, the last thing I wanted was her near me, so I replied YES, approving the Discover transaction.  She then returned to the other side of the wall, ran the card, and returned with a bag full of serums, the device, and the receipt.  

I never signed the transaction on a machine or paper. Absolutely nothing was signed by me. I was sitting on the massage table behind the wall, behind the register with a ton of serum on the left side of my face in the back of the store without my glasses, and in complete shock as to what had just happened.  

At this point, she couldnt get me out of the store fast enough; her entire demeanor towards me changed.   She was rushing me out of the store with the bag full of what looked like the same XXXX  serum I had just paid for.  She didnt even whip my face! 

As she was now escorting me out of the store, she stopped and said wait; you must open the box, referring to the small hand-held infrared XXXX machine.   She said she needed the serial number. She grabbed the bag, placed it on the closest mirrored vanity in front of the store, and opened the box; she said you must register it.  She then walked back towards the register and grabbed a paper and wanted me to sign it.  I told her I didnt have my glasses and I couldnt see.  She said, Its just so that you dont sell it on eBay.  I told her I could see and wouldnt sign.  She kept saying it was so that I wouldnt sell on eBay, but at this point, I didnt trust her. I couldnt see, I had tons of serum on my face, and I just walked away. 

The very next day, after realizing everything that had taken place, I immediately called the store, and they referred me to the corporate office; I called the corporate they referred me back to the store, and games began.  I then drove to the store after work the next day, and the store was closed; I called and emailed corporate and didnt get a reply.  I drove to the store almost every day for the next XXXX days until I finally spoke with one of the neighboring businesses and asked them to call or text me when they saw someone at the store.  And so they did, XXXX XXXXays after the XXXX  purchase, I got a text from the XXXX at the clothing store next door, and my XXXX and I immediately drove to the location.  I immediately saw the same lady who had sold me the XXXX handheld machine, and I confronted her. 

This encounter was videoed by my XXXX and I am more than eager to submit it as evidence.  

The first thing you will see in the video is the same sales associate at XXXX XXXX XXXX uses her body to intimidate us; she immediately moves her body so close to me that her body touches mine.  She starts whispering just like she did during my first encounter with her.  In the video, you will see her state she couldnt return the item per their own written policy because the device was open; she made this statement without even looking in the bag or verifying what was being returned.  You will also hear me confront her about not signing anything that day and telling her that I couldnt sign because I didnt have my glasses and couldnt see.   


The problem here isnt just the lies she told about what the machine would do but also the tactics she used and the fact that she wouldn't let me get up. Every time I said I wasn't interested in paying XXXX she would apply more serum and use the machine even more. I was lying on my back, she was sitting to my right, and she was applying serums and using the machine only on the left side of my face. For her to apply the serums and use the machine, her entire body was over my face, and her face was almost on top of mine. The way she was talking to me was very strange; she clearly had a motive to whisper in my ears, apply serums on my face, and invade my personal space, making me feel confined and restrained. I felt like I had no choice but to say yes, or she would never let me get up. I was in a complete XXXX

It's is also important to know that from my reseach, the XXXX device is not an authorized product that is sold in this franchise.   This product is not listed as an authorized product oXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX.  More reseach is needed as to how and why is someone at an authorized franshise is selling unauthorized merchandize. 

All this information was given to Discover, and Discover did absolutely nothing to help me.  As of today, I have nearly paid off the entire amount I owe to Discover, as this is my ONLY debt.  

As I relive what happened to me at XXXX XXXX XXXX, I am strongly considering filing charges for what they did to me.  They need to be stopped and held accountable. Something doesnt feel right about this company.