My husband received quite a surprise when he opened his credit card statement and found two unauthorized charges for $19.95 each, one from UMG Buyers Edge and one from UMG My Advisor. He called the phone numbers listed beside the charges and was given a transaction number and a promise his account would be credited. Then, while he called the credit card company to file a formal dispute of the UMG charges, I decided to check the Internet.
I entered the first name on the statement, UMG Buyers Edge, and found 11 results. Nine of those 11 were complaints against the company for both the Buyers Edge and UMG My Advisor. Apparently, the charges are often paired together as they were on my husband’s credit card. The scam is not particularly new, as one complaint was dated November 4, 2004. A discussion from that date on RuneGame.com Forums gave the following information: “UMG* Buyers Edge 4 Help has been involved with internet fraud buy charging your bank account for stuff you never signed up for. They dont [sic] take much…just $9.99 per month or so. But this adds up to quite abit [sic] if you are not aware and this goes on for several months like this person found out :” The post goes on to quote information from the My3cents.com website of a complaint filed after the person’s credit card had been charged $10.00 per month for 11 months.
In a blog found at larseighner.com dated June 2006, the blogger’s account was charged $11.99. Then credited, then charged four times in one month. In the blogger’s own words, “When I went to the detail page I discovered UMG*Buyers Edge had tapped my debit card for $11.99…So I google UMG Buyers Edge, whereby I discovered UMG is United Marketing Group, which googled up revealed that this is a very common scam for them. They work copromotions [sic] with apparently reputable businesses, even banks. You get nothing from them and they suddenly zap you for the $11.99. On the good side, people reported some luck getting the $11.99 refunded. On the bad side, a few months after the $11.99 is refunded, they zap you with four $11.99 charges all at once.” I suppose even on-line scams have to adjust for the rising price of fuel since the charge appears to have gone up eight dollars in a month or two. Other complaints about the UMG Buyers Edge and UMG My Advisor can be found at ComplaintService.com. I was unable to locate any information about the company on the Better Business Bureau’s website.
I then entered “United Marketing Group” in my search engine and found ten pages of material all directed to www.unitedmarketing.com. Just by reading the description of each entry, I was able to determine that UMG concentrates heavily on acquiring contacts through third-party companies by promising them billing services, bonuses and other endorsements. They attempt to attract these companies by offering premium travel discounts the companies can use to reward their clients or employees.
In addition to travel programs, it would appear the UMG Buyers Edge and UMG My Advisor scams are also supporting a high-tech auto hotline, protective dental plan, magazine subscription program, prescription savings plan, financial advice, “one-call” credit card registration, and the list goes on and on. One entry stated that UMG handles the billing and processing for many of their clients. Apparently, UMG Buyers Edge is a “comprehensive program designed to address lifestyle…” while the UMG My Advisor is designed to help members with “common financial issues…” My husband has yet to discover what he is a “member” of and what his “financial issues” as applicable to his “lifestyle” are. I must admit that I did not actually follow the link to the website because I was afraid of what charges I might find on my next bill. I did note that each of the entries had “Copyright 2004” written beside it, which just happens to coincide with the earliest complaint against the company that I found.
At this point, all my husband can do is keep in contact with the credit card company and keep a watchful eye on his billing statement. If you should find these unauthorized charges on your statement, be sure to call both the phone numbers listed beside each entry and your credit card company. Many credit card companies also require that disputes of charges be submitted in writing. And keep in mind that other victims of this scam have discovered that just because you are given a “transaction” number and promise of credit by UMG Buyers Edge and UMG My Advisor, this does not always mean the charges will go away.
Reference:
- The corporate office address appears on-line as: United Marketing Group 929 N. Plum Grove Road Schaumburg, IL 60173 (847) 240-2005
