I just received this e-mail from consumerinfo.com, I'm sorry to say they're one of the companies I'm affilated with and they offer the "free credit report."

This USA Platinum card with a $7,500 unsecured credit line, guaranteed approval and NO credit check is NOT a credit card, you have to purchase (probably overpriced) merchandise to use it.

"(B) THE COST TO ENROLL IN THE USA PLATINUM CREDIT PLAN IS $149.95"

That's a hefty fee. They do however report on the credit.

Does anyone know HOW? Do they report the limit?

If you have more info, please post.

Ok so I was dumb and desperate...

In December of 2001 my husband told me a credit card company, Bay Area Business Council, had called with a preapproved unsecured credit card. They would call back.

The catch? $169.95 one time set up fee and $10 per month drafted from your checking account. The $10 would be shown on your credit report as a PAYMENT to the credit card company and you would have that amount available for use on the card. I was supposed to receive my card 6 weeks from the date the bank draft was done (agreed to bank draft on Dec. 15, 2001).

Feb. 2002 rolls around, still no card, still no bank drafts. I call the company. They tell me I still have not completed a signature card that was a new requirement on accounts beginning Jan. 2002. I tell the representative I never received anything requiring my signature and had assumed it would come with my card as part of the activation process. He said he would send a signature card out to me and that as soon as that was received back they would issue the card.

What's today's date? July 25th 2002? As of today's date, still no signature card (after one other telephone call) and still no card. I don't think I've necessarily been scammed, but maybe more than a little bit ripped off. I called the Attorney General's office for the state I live in and they told me to call the company and find what state they are in.

I have not been as diligent in pursuing this as I know I should have. $169.00 is ALOT of money to me. What do you think my chances of getting a refund are? I would not advise ANYONE to utilize these BIG FEE companies, I mean, if I can't trust them to mail me a signature card how in the world can I trust they are going to accurately and diligently report to the credit bureaus?

(LOVE your site and appreciate all the TREMENDOUS work you are doing here!)

Sounds like you got ripped off. There are so many of those scams, lots of desperate people grasping at straws. I don't know the company, they may be legit - it's amazing what all is legal.

I would notify the bank that this was a fraudulent charge and that I need the address for the company to have them investigated and possibly take legal action.

Once you know where the payment went, you can send them a letter demanding your $$$ back, copy the AG, BBB if they're a member, etc.

Chances that you actually get your $$$ back are slim, but, if you got the time to deal with it, what do you have to lose?

If the original amount (start up charge) was "drafted" or taken electronically from your bank account, you can dispute it through Regulation E from your bank. However, you only have 60 days from the date you receive that statement the transaction is on to do this. The procedure for doing this should be on the back of your bank statement. Look where it says "In case of errors or questions regarding your account". I realize this won't help you now however, I thought that others reading this might benefit.