Consumer complaint received 2024-03-26 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card
Company: UPGRADE, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
This document delineates several instances of suspected fraudulent activity or the intention to commit fraud : On XX/XX/XXXX, an unconnected debt of {$2600.00} inexplicably appeared in my account. 

Between XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX, approximately 150 to 300 charges were recorded. Despite my approval of a {$1.00} charge for XXXX storage and an additional {$2.00} charge for previous months ' XXXX storage, totaling {$1000.00} to {$1200.00}, the sudden surge in charges within a short timeframe raised concerns of fraudulence and accountability. 

Despite my constant contact between the end of XXXX and about XX/XX/XXXX where i spoke with at least 2 people each day for hours on end, when i needed to focus on work the moment my attentions were elsewhere this other form of fraud occured and they sited that on XX/XX/XXXX when i contacted tham about the massive amount of suspicious charges, i had to call back again the following monday because the charges persisted until XX/XX/XXXX, DIrectly siting a lack of diligence in addressing the issue promptly and care for my financial wellbeing. 

Subsequent interactions with representatives over the following three months portrayed a diminishing relevance of each instance raised, eventually leading to a perception of evading payments. 

Moreover, I have come to suspect the concoction of the very first fictitious debt was orchestrated to initially obstruct my direct access to additional accounts and loans, contradicting Upgrade 's earlier proposition of opening multiple financial accounts and extending a line of credit, potentially reaching $ XXXX in credit lines with access to $ XXXX by XX/XX/XXXX. 

This suspicion arises from the sudden appearance of the {$2600.00} deficit on XX/XX/XXXX, and the letter of denial of benefits that was dated XX/XX/XXXX. 

I initially attempted to report this issue here when it happened but i, myself had deteriorating health and my focus was completely lost when in XX/XX/XXXX my account was frozen and i no longer had access to any of the site. 

Early XXXX i was contacted by a debt collector holding the Upgrade debt, after explainging the story she briefly put me on hold and when she returned she said that after 24 hours i could sign back into the account. 

it was at this time that i saw the very hasitly thrown together altering of the financial records. Especially in the month of XX/XX/XXXX where there were now a gross amount of charges equaling the XXXX debt, but in the hastiness the original purchase dates remained on the bylines and as seen in the financials all these debts were paid for in the previous months. 

From here i will explain the situation in a much more meticulous manner. 



On XX/XX/XXXX, while in XXXX XXXX for a television shoot, I experienced fraudulent activity on my Upgrade card. Prior to the incident, I ensured a XXXX balance on my card, which had a {$2000.00} limit. However, during a purchase at XXXX, my card was declined despite sufficient funds. Upon investigation, I discovered a balance of {$2600.00}, {$680.00} over my limit, due to unauthorized charges. 

I immediately contacted Upgrade, who assured me they would rectify the situation. The first representative worked with me for about 5 days and after two failed attempts of fixing it she refused to take my call and I as passed to XXXX. Again i asked to have my account closed but they guarenteed this wouldnt become my problem. Despite initial reassurances, the issue persisted. XXXX the next Upgrade representative, made a small victory on XX/XX/XXXX or XXXX and contacted me about figuring out the issue and that she would contact me the following day which was good because XXXX was almost upon us and i was afraid that they would report me to the credit buero and i still didn't know i had been rejected of the other account so i was holding out hope because initialy i wanted to use the funds for recreation but my health was steadily declinign and medical costs were growing rapidly. 

I never heard from XXXX again and only after bothering multple reps in the resolution department i was told she was fired. 

Concerned about my credit, I paid off {$1600.00}, as advised by another associate, and subsequently an additional {$1000.00} due to further unauthorized charges, totaling {$2600.00}. Upgrade at this point still promised to reimburse me and even tho I spoke with an agent every day for another 3 weeks no one seemed to be able to even understand what was happening or happened to the account. 

It was around XX/XX/XXXX when i needed to focus on working and my legs had started to be very painful due to the XXXX XXXX so i had taken my eye off the account for less than a week when i returned to the app on XX/XX/XXXX there was hundreds of charges. I told them about the fraud and thought that would be the end of it but through the weekend the charges kept going and they are unavailable over weekends or used to be and monday morning the XXXX i had to again contact them to stop the charges that had now doubled and brought my account back up to about {$1200.00} of debt. 


Between XXXX and XXXX, I was forced to use the UPGRADE card to help pay for medical procedures and I also noticed that there are charges from companies that are either incorrect and over charges or are a part of the financail coverup Upgrade started. I also noticed that the front covers of each month didnt " reflect the financials roll overs that supposedly were occuring. - with my last bit of energy i made a formal investigation into the XXXX  charges myself contacted XXXX directly and even checking with XXXX  to see if maybe someone could have accessed my wifi and gotten into my account somehow, and although there was a breach in my wifi around a date that might have worked, it turned out that XXXX had NO RECORD of these charges being made through my account, or even through their own and i have submitted the transcript where this infomation is shared and my own account where just the XXXX charges occurred every month. I later learned from a XXXX  XXXX XXXX rep that companies made deals with banks allowing them instant charging of clients account for anyone who had subscription based payment plans, but this left fraud and theft wide open to get guarenteed charges if they were clever enough to include a name like XXXX in the title of their business. 

After my findings i quickly faxed them to Upgrade, they still had not made a decision as to who was ultimately responsible for the 2nd fraud but it turns out they didn't even look at the materials or care. I had many a very insulting conversation where the person on the phone was intentionally trying to say things with the goal of harming me emotionally or mentally. I found this to be the popular culture at Upgrade and it seemed passed along like candy where in the beginning when it was not my fault i was treated very kindly but if they thought that i owed the money they were quick to be mean and happy to spread around the bitter cold world that they were existing in. 

It was right around XXXX when i had to quit working and because of this scneario I was unable to get more credit or loans or even use open funds because this was now in the XXXX month of delinquency of a large balance and the last 5 years of meticulous credit building was completely lost. No credit and no credit cards with available funds i quickly was unable to deal with them and attempt to rectify the account which only exacerbated both my financial strain and failing health. Despite my continued efforts to resolve the matter, Upgrade ceased communication and locked my account leaving me unable to even look at my own financial documents. 

It was just recently I was contacted by a debt collector who i told this story to. She said that it was not legal to not allow me access tot he account and after a brief hold told me i would be able to access the account after 24 hours. 

It was then that i found the financials that look like they have been poorly photoshopped in the attemptto ac Actions Taken : Contacted Upgrade immediately upon discovering fraudulent charges. 
Engaged in ongoing communication with Upgrade representatives. 
Made payments totaling {$2600.00} to mitigate negative credit reporting and offset the unauthorized charges and invented debt. 
Sought reimbursement from Upgrade, to no avail. 
Continued efforts to resolve the issue despite health challenges. 


The unauthorized charges and subsequent lack of resolution by Upgrade have caused significant financial and emotional distress AND damage to my life. Despite efforts to address the issue, I have been unable to secure reimbursement or resolution. This was a the first through XXXX card that was pulled clumsily from the bottom of the card house that was my life, toppling what at one time was a life i was proud of that help hope for a promising future that is now a dumpster fire of diapers that continues to bellow black blinding clouds of smoke and burns down to my soul. 

I seek assistance from law enforcement and relevant agencies to rectify this matter and prevent future occurrences.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation