store digs in my bank account

[sharnese]

Ok today I was due to make a furniture payment of 160.81.I check my bank account online this morning and see 165.81 deducted from my checking.After checking account online all day we decided to call the bank.The bank informs us that the store has took this money from our account.We never signed a authorization nor did we give them any bank account info.

 

We go to the store and the first thing I ask is to see the original contract with our signatures.They couldnt produce that however they printed out the contract from a computer.We found out that when we made some payments in cash and some in a debit visa check card this employee took it upon himself to go through previous payment slips and use our debit card number to debit our payment out.

 

In 3 years we have never had this problem and we always either paid the loans off before the contract was up or paid them regular.After telling them about this issue we had managers running around the store worried because I said I was going to the police to file a report.They could have took this money out and made our account drop to overdraft status cause all sorts of fees.

 

I was furious because if our account would have gone negative it could have damaged our chances of closing on our home in august because we have to show bank statements for each month until closing.My question is if this happened to you what would you do?What legal recourse do I have?The company was careless with my persoanl info and the card that they did the debit was attached to our checking account and 2 savings accounts well over 4000.

[GEORGE]

THEFT

[sharnese]

Yes THEFT is the word that comes to mind.One manager tried to arrange for the 165.81 to be refunded back into the account and consider this month's payment paid.I dont think so for the simple fact that if I went into their register,they caught me,i arranged to put the money back,I know Im still going to jail.

 

Same thing in this case and they know I am 100% right in this matter.They breached the contract with me and I feel that I should be compensated more then what they stole from me.Here's another thing,after we left the store about 2 hours later they phone us asking us to give them the card number again..wtf???

 

The same way they used my account number is the same way they can refund it back.I will see what the GM has to say about it and if he dont make me happy SOMEBODY is in trouble.By the way the response when me and DH came there was "I have no idea how that happened!" and "I don't deal with that area,it must of been a person in training!".My response was well a trainee has a trainer...to be continued

[fadlan12]

thats justification for a butt kicking, press charges.

[sharnese]

oh yeah@butt kicking!This "trainee" couldnt have been so new to dig up my payment history and get my debit account number.I was looking on the monitor and all it said was either the word "cash" or "visa",no numbers or anything.

 

That's when the manager that was trying to handle the situation says how someone had to look up the financial files and pull up the debit number.How dare them not protect my personal info and put my family's money in the hands of "whoever".I cant trust them anymore and I think I will go with my plan of pressing charges.

[breana902]

I would press charges also. Anyone with a bit of common sense would have known better than to take the money out of your account. Unless they wanted to furnish my entire house, I don't think they would be able to make it up to me.

[sharnese]

oh but just you wait,lol.I owe alittle over 500 on this bedroom set and we just made a new contract for some brand new tables and lamps.Oh yeah Iwe are going to tell them to write those contracts off due to somebody getting our bank info and stealing.I might even as much as tell them to give me what I want in that damn store.I know its way cheaper then to have their names in the paper and have the company fined for fraud and credit/debit theft.

[travelgrl]

I bet the local news would find that interesting don't you think?

A little bad PR always works wonders.

[sharnese]

I am loving your "everything happens for a reason" statement.Maybe this is the will of God because we are buying things for the new house and I prayed for us to have all the furnishings by the time the house is finished.We know for sure it's classified as a crime serious enough for jail time.

 

I am going to tell the GM he better work something out or be subject to emotional and financial stress lawsuit,not protecting my personal info resulting in i.d. theft and putting our closing to the house at state.I will not go lightly on them because they have money and I bet they screw customers over all the time.

 

Bottomline is this,we can't trust the management of the store so the company can eat up all the loses.

[georgiaboy]

Thats the kind of stuff that pisses me off. If you or me did something like this, it would be called....... Bank Robbery, Fraud, swindeling,etc.

 

But companys get away with it all the time,, when companys do it its called.......... a MISTAKE

[sharnese]

Mistake my a**!They did not make a mistake.I am a customer of 3 years and have paid off at least 4 contracts with them.The manager that tried to "give" us a free month paid was saying things like "I have no idea how that could have happened!".

 

I tell you this its total robbing and they will have to do more then not have me pay for this month,but next month start paying again,please!I checked my account this morning and they credit the amount back in but at the same time it shows they took the money out in the first place.

 

My bill was due on Mar 1 but they made that debit on Feb 28 because it was after 3:00 and all debits/deposits didnt kick in until the next day.BTW this is Aaron's Sales company.I wont be surprised if they did some other customers like that too.

[BlaqueTreasures]

Aaron's? Isn't that a rent to own place? I hear all of those companies are shady.

[sharnese]

Oh yeah but what we do is find the items cheaper there,get it then pay if off in full in like a month or so.We spoke with the manager of the store and he gives us a sad story about how he is sorry and that the 160.00 they returned to us came out his own pocket.I let it go but if I catch it again!!!!!

[SassyinAz]

They already returned to you the payment that was deducted in cash? And, it was from the Manager's own pocket?

 

Sassy

[pryan67]

I doubt they REALLY took it out of the Manager's pocket...

 

but I REALLY wouldn't have let it go....this is VERY serious....think of how many other people they've done this to...

[mainewmn]

Never worked at Aaron’s but I’m always surprised by all the things that I can get refunds from my boss for. I doubt the manager had to dip into his own pocket.

[littlelurker]

There is no way it came out of the manager's pocket...I think you deserve more than what you got...Im not talking about a lawsuit...but you for sure have rights...think about all the other people who have probably turned their heads to this sort of thing with them.

We are moving cross country, I was thinking about using Aarons for short term....that is how I found this post. I think I will think twice about it!

[sharnese]

Yes I know and now our payments are all messed up now.They were harrassling for the next month even tho they were wrong.Now the manager has a slight attitude with me and DH these days.I really dont care and if i was really mean enough they would have been giving me these items for free.

[Uncle Leo]

I agree with George, this was theft. Financial theft and identity theft. How do you know the employee didn't keep the information for himself for future use? Here's what I believe is the best course of action:

 

1) file a police report, regardless of whether or not they refund anything

 

2) report to the BBB

 

3) write letters to legislators stressing the need for stricter laws regarding protection of our personal financial privacy and what companies do with old receipts, etc., using my real-life example to highlight the point

 

4) word of mouth

 

5) never buy anything from them again

[genseeker]

I would als oask my bank to do open a new accoutn just l;ike the one that was illegally accessed and transfer all funds into it. If you file a police report the bank should be more willing to close that account ans open a new one. That way, 1) Aarons can't do that again & 2) if the employee kept the info for themselves, you are still protected

[Uncle Leo]

I would als oask my bank to do open a new accoutn just l;ike the one that was illegally accessed and transfer all funds into it. If you file a police report the bank should be more willing to close that account ans open a new one. That way, 1) Aarons can't do that again & 2) if the employee kept the info for themselves, you are still protected

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Good suggestion. I had forgotten about that. My bank did this for me last year after my step-daughter stole checks from my checkbook and used them. It was their suggestion even, not mine.

[Caramel_Pinay]

Any new updates on this? BTW, you boy is getting BIG!! he so cute!

[righteousbabe]

I'd like to know what happened too! I'm all riled up from reading it. I am so sick of this kind of crap happening to people, and it's always a "mistake".

 

I won't go to Blockbuster video anymore because of something like this. It was my fault for not reading what I signed, but when I used my debit/check card to sign up for an account and then kept 2 movies out 3 days past the due date, when I had a friend drop them in the drop box, Blockbuster automatically charged me the $18 in late fees that next day, charged it to my card. I realized (after) that I'd agreed to this in the membership contract, but what a crock! The $18 debit caused me to bounce 2 checks.. and it was not like this was an unpaid late fee that I'd ignored for weeks, or even days! Never in my life had I dealt with a video store that didn't at least send a courtesy postcard or something before getting nasty about a late fee. So, I closed the account and haven't dealt with them in years. My kids will say "Blockbuster is EVIL" when we drive by there.

 

Recently, it was the post office.. the online USPS "click & ship" thing. I use it for eBay shipping, and they recently upgraded their software, which means they screwed it all up. I tried to print 3 different labels and it printed the same one about 8 times! There is a cancel option and an option where it asks if your label printed correctly, and I did both, telling it "no" and cancelling, and over and over again it tells you "your card has not been charged for this transaction".. but they lie! They charged me double, and when I squawked about it, they reassured me that the charges were only "pending" and would be returned to my card within XX business days. What a crock! They screw up, and I am out $30.00 for four days. May not seem like a lot of money to them.. but it hurt me, and during the four days I didn't have enough money to cover an auto-payment for my auction photo hosting service, so that bounced and was automatically cancelled, which means I have to re-upload all those photos and start a whole new account with the hosting service. The USPS response? "Sorry for any inconvenience". UGH!

 

Sheri

[sharnese]

Oh let me tell you...I have a payment due right now that I am taking my sweet time about paying.They are harrassling everyday and even have the nerves to charge me late fees the last time I came in to pay.Talking about "You were due a week ago and today is...".Like they have their nerves!!!Im down to my final payments with them but like I said,they are not reporting on my credit report nor will they ever unless I just skip town for good...sooooooooooooooooo I will repay them when I think I feel like it.If they pull a rabbit out the hat again I will give them a friendly reminder on how they broke not only one law but a few.

[orangecrush]

Sharnese that is one handsome fellow, you have there.