Consumer complaint received 2026-03-11 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: DISCOVER BANK
State: MS

Complaint narrative:
I am disputing a recurring 'VIP program ' membership charge that I never authorized or knowingly enrolled in. While I did purchase medication from the merchant, I was never presented withnor did I agree toa separate paid membership. I have made a good faith effort to resolve this with Discover Bank ( see my letter to them below ), but they have failed to conduct any reasonable investigation under the Fair Credit Billing Act ( FCBA ). Their letter states simply " After considering all information you provided, we're unable to change the outcome of your dispute. Your dispute is resolved. and the transaction is valid. '' Instead of requiring the merchant to provide proof that I enrolled, Discover has issued a blanket denial and is now threatening to report this disputed amount to XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. This practice of 'negative option ' enrollment ( charging for a service unless a consumer opts out of something they didn't know they were in ) is deceptive. I am requesting that Discover : Remove all charges related to this unauthorized program. Cease all negative reporting to credit bureaus regarding this disputed amount Date : XX/XX/XXXX Account Number : XXXX Total Disputed Amount : {$170.00} To the Discover Resolution Department, This letter serves as my formal and final notification regarding the disputed charges from " XXXX XXXX '' totaling {$170.00}. I have closed my Discover account and paid my balance in full, excluding the aforementioned amount, which I will not be paying. I am withholding payment based on the following facts : Unauthorized Enrollment : In XX/XX/XXXX, I made a one-time purchase for dog medication ( {$120.00} ). I never authorized, requested, or signed up for a " VIP service. '' Merchant Bad Faith : When I discovered the {$29.00} monthly charges in XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted the merchant. The agent refused a refund and hung up when asked for identification. Fraudulent Claims by Merchant : XXXX XXXX claimed to you that I never contacted them and that they attempted to reach me. I provided Discover with a phone log providing a XXXX call to them, which directly refutes their statement. Lack of Evidence : Discover has accepted a " refund policy '' as proof of a valid transaction. A refund policy is not a contract of enrollment. Discover has failed to produce a signed agreement or a recorded verification of my consent to this subscription. XXXX XXXX is a known predatory actor. Public consumer reports and forums ( such as XXXX and XXXX Scam Tracker ) reveal a consistent pattern of 'Negative Option Billing ' by this merchant. Numerous other pet owners have reported being automatically enrolled in this exact {$29.00} 'VIP service ' without clear disclosure or consent. By siding with a merchant that has a public history of deceptive enrollment and proven false statements, Discover is failing its duty under the Fair Credit Billing Act to conduct a reasonable investigation into unauthorized charges. I have contacted Discover several times concerning this matter without fair resolution. I provided evidence in uploaded documents in the course of my dispute ( order receipts and phone log ) to disprove the merchants lies, yet Discover chose to side with a predatory billing practice. I understand that my decision to not pay for the {$170.00} XXXX XXXX charged me may result in this balance being sent to a collection agency or impacting my credit score. Given the principle of this matter and Discovers failure to protect me from documented unauthorized billing, I am willing to accept that outcome. I will not be bullied into paying for a service I did not request/authorize. I will additionally file a complaint with the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau at the appropriate time. Do not contact me further regarding the " validity '' of these charges unless you have a signed enrollment form from the merchant. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX Discover already has uploaded documents, but they don't matter. The Merchant has to provide evidence that I ordered their subscription.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation