A member recently notified us of a marketing company — touting advertising with golf courses/associations — who fraudulently charged their credit card on various occasions for amounts adding up to approximately $5,700 for services that were never rendered. The member noted the charges were not approved and any attempts to stop the charges were ignored. Upon further research on the company, the member realized the business had a reputation for questionable financial practices.
We want to warn members of partaking in business with third parties without closely researching the business first. A few methods can be used in protecting yourself against malicious businesses:
- Verify business information. When first contacting a business, confirm any licensing information with corresponding officials, such as the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses.
- Research the company on the Better Business Bureau’s website. Confirm there aren’t any outstanding or consistent claims against the company.
- Consult with consumer reviews. Online reviews can be a great resource for honest feedback about a company’s business practices. Beyond a simple point system, users can leave remarks and detailed information about issues they may have had when conducting business with the company at hand.
NerdWallet notes that using a credit card over a debit card lends itself to more legal protections should you become victim to fraudulent charges. As always, if you notice suspicious charges on your account, contact your bank or credit card company immediately for next steps in protecting your assets.
