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Victoria's Secret Complaint - Credit Card Scam - "Angel" Card
"Angel" Card - Complaint
COLUMBUS, OHIO -- 12/09/08 visited Victoria’s Secret and was asked if I wanted an Angel’s Card….I said no. The sales associate then asked again, saying I would get benefits, a catalog and it’s free. I said no…she asked again and I finally said OK. She got my information from my Driver’s License which she already had and then asked for my SSN. I said….what is that for? I don’t want a Credit Card, nor my credit run. She said…no, no….its for our head office only. I got home and in my bag was The Angel Card application, which I never saw, never was informed, never signed and it indeed was for a CC. I called the store in SB on December 10th and C. answered the phone. I asked to have this application canceled and she told me that I would have to come in to cancel it. I went in the same day and was told that Amy told them I would be coming in. They called the CC office and the gentleman on the phone asked my name and asked to speak to the Sales Associate. She was new and didn’t know what to do, but he told her I couldn’t cancel it that I would have to wait for my card or a letter.
December 11th, I spoke with H. at the VS store in Santa Barbara and told her the situation. She gave me the associates name and said that she was new and shouldn’t have presented the Angel’s Card in such a way and she would be spoken to about it. I was then directed to Customer Relations (614 577 7111). I spoke with M. at 2:04PM and she didn’t seem surprised and said I would need to speak to the bank. I was transferred to E. at the bank (1-800-695-1526). She said she had no access to cancel and I would have to find out about the status of the application and transferred me to the Application Center (614 729 7572) and I spoke to K. who told me the application had been denied.
I called corporate again (614 577 7000) and spoke to L. who wasn’t surprised at all and asked if M. had already contacted the bank to have letters sent to the credit reporting agencies to have the inquiry removed from my credit report. I said no. She said would take care of it and copies of the letters would also come to me. She said she was going to call the bank and then call me right back. She called back and said that the supervisor would have to handle the letters and that I would be hearing from K. and gave me a case #. I did not hear from VS., so called December 23, 2008 at 10:07 and spoke with J. she transferred me to the supervisor and L. said that K. was at lunch and that she would call me back.
December 23, 2008. K. called back 10:42 A.M. and said she had indeed put thru the request to have the item removed from my credit report. She had called again today, but felt she would not get anyone so close to Xmas. She said she would call me back when she heard from them.
After four attempt to reach K. (now March 26th, 2009), she finally returns my call (2:43pm) and advises me that she has contacted them, BUT did I give the sales clerk my SSN # or did she run it off of my Driver’s License? I said she asked for it for head office purposes only. Additionally, I told her that it is again the Fair Credit Reporting Act (specifically Act 616)** to run credit or issue a credit card without approval. That I was never informed, never explained, never saw or signed anything pertaining to a credit card. The credit card forms were in my bag when I arrived home.
As you can see by the consumer affairs reporting online, this is not an unusual case and from what I understand the sales associates are pressured to open up new credit accounts by their superiors and some even threatened of being fired if they don’t.
**Civil liability for knowing noncompliance. Any person who obtains a consumer report from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses or knowingly without a permissible purpose shall be liable to the consumer reporting agency for actual damages sustained by the consumer reporting agency or $1,000, whichever is greater."
December 11th, I spoke with H. at the VS store in Santa Barbara and told her the situation. She gave me the associates name and said that she was new and shouldn’t have presented the Angel’s Card in such a way and she would be spoken to about it. I was then directed to Customer Relations (614 577 7111). I spoke with M. at 2:04PM and she didn’t seem surprised and said I would need to speak to the bank. I was transferred to E. at the bank (1-800-695-1526). She said she had no access to cancel and I would have to find out about the status of the application and transferred me to the Application Center (614 729 7572) and I spoke to K. who told me the application had been denied.
I called corporate again (614 577 7000) and spoke to L. who wasn’t surprised at all and asked if M. had already contacted the bank to have letters sent to the credit reporting agencies to have the inquiry removed from my credit report. I said no. She said would take care of it and copies of the letters would also come to me. She said she was going to call the bank and then call me right back. She called back and said that the supervisor would have to handle the letters and that I would be hearing from K. and gave me a case #. I did not hear from VS., so called December 23, 2008 at 10:07 and spoke with J. she transferred me to the supervisor and L. said that K. was at lunch and that she would call me back.
December 23, 2008. K. called back 10:42 A.M. and said she had indeed put thru the request to have the item removed from my credit report. She had called again today, but felt she would not get anyone so close to Xmas. She said she would call me back when she heard from them.
After four attempt to reach K. (now March 26th, 2009), she finally returns my call (2:43pm) and advises me that she has contacted them, BUT did I give the sales clerk my SSN # or did she run it off of my Driver’s License? I said she asked for it for head office purposes only. Additionally, I told her that it is again the Fair Credit Reporting Act (specifically Act 616)** to run credit or issue a credit card without approval. That I was never informed, never explained, never saw or signed anything pertaining to a credit card. The credit card forms were in my bag when I arrived home.
As you can see by the consumer affairs reporting online, this is not an unusual case and from what I understand the sales associates are pressured to open up new credit accounts by their superiors and some even threatened of being fired if they don’t.
**Civil liability for knowing noncompliance. Any person who obtains a consumer report from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses or knowingly without a permissible purpose shall be liable to the consumer reporting agency for actual damages sustained by the consumer reporting agency or $1,000, whichever is greater."
Comments:
Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2009-03-31:
Very interesting. There is a LOT of pressure on retail staffers to push their store's credit product. I wonder if quoting the civil liability statement to them would create enough negative incentive for the retailer to stop the practice?
Posted by littleyaya on 2009-03-31:
When I worked retail, if someone said no to the store card, I would just say "ok" and move on. I never asked more than once. I can't believe the OP gave in after the third time the associate asked.
Posted by Principissa on 2009-03-31:
I can't stand it when I have to repeatedly say NO to an associate because they will not stop asking me and trying to sell me on the store card. I realize that they have to do it, but once a person says NO, that should be the end of the discussion and the matter should be dropped.
That being said, I would seriously keep fighting them on this, become a thorn in their side until you get those letters. Seeing as how this associate just ran a credit card application without your signed consent, they really don't have a choice in the matter.
That being said, I would seriously keep fighting them on this, become a thorn in their side until you get those letters. Seeing as how this associate just ran a credit card application without your signed consent, they really don't have a choice in the matter.
Posted by katie kaboom on 2009-03-31:
I really really really wish you hadn't given in to them like that. This is exactly what encourages corporate to keep pushing for these damn credit cards. They all assume if the cashier wears you down enough you'll give up and apply for the card whether you want it or not. I work retail and if i do bother to ask a customer about credit, i ask one time and that is it. If they say no, i move on. I will not get screamed at all day just to pad the pockets of some greedy CEO.
Posted by BokiBean on 2009-03-31:
I have made a pact with myself that if anyone asks for my SS# they are just NOT going to get it!
Posted by Soaring Consumer on 2009-03-31:
I think the problem is that the person was led to believe that the "Angel Card" was one of those store discount cards, like the "Preferred Customer Card" that Albertsons used to have.
Definitely keep fighting this as it is indeed a blatant violation of the quoted act.
Definitely keep fighting this as it is indeed a blatant violation of the quoted act.
Posted by financiallyfit on 2009-03-31:
I used to work in a retail store where we had to push our store card on people. One of the cashiers I supervised used to do exactly as the Victoria Secret cashier did - tell customers it was a rewards card. He would have them fill out the application and then swipe their credit card, "for head office records." There was nothing I could do to stop it - he got the most applications so management loved it. He knew what he was doing and I'm sure the Victoria Secret lady knew as well. Keep at them until this is resolved.
Posted by Disaster Worker on 2009-04-01:
I was witness to a similar situation this past weekend at Kohl's. Kohl's was having their daily sale and I noticed a woman from my church was a cashier, so I got in her line. Every few minutes I'd hear someone on the PA system say, "Push for 100! You have 5 minutes to push for 100!" The cashier would ask for the customer to fill out the credit card application for an additional 15% off of the purchase. When my fellow parishioner was ready for me, I asked if that intercom message was for the cashier's to push credit card applications, and she said "yes". She said that they have a quota of credit card applications each day and if they don't fill that quota, they'll lose their job.
Posted by LadyScot on 2009-06-18:
During the holidays cashiers and associates are trained to get 3 NOs before they stop card advertising.
Posted by ejack053824 on 2009-06-18:
After the 2nd "No" I would have asked her, "What part of fking NO do you not understand?!"
Posted by LadyScot on 2009-06-18:
You can say that, but it is our job. And as long as I need a job, I will do as I am told. No matter how much you cuss me out. How about cussing out the manager or corporate who makes this part of our job.
Posted by JohnInSoCal on 2009-06-18:
Best answer, Lady. It's annoying to have those cards shoved in our face but the cashiers are only the messengers. Management/corporate are the ones that put the policy in place.
Posted by PepperElf on 2009-06-18:
yeah no... and no again
i dont think i'd be rude per say but.... i'd not budge
i dont think i'd be rude per say but.... i'd not budge
Posted by ejack053824 on 2009-06-18:
Well Lady..I guess your going to be pissing off quite a few people. LOL!
Posted by PepperElf on 2009-06-18:
well i think it's a balance...
i dont believe in being rude to the cashier just because they're forced to offer the cards
however i would expect that they wouldn't actually *lie* about the nature of the cards
or that they would stall a sale until you sign up for one either.
i dont believe in being rude to the cashier just because they're forced to offer the cards
however i would expect that they wouldn't actually *lie* about the nature of the cards
or that they would stall a sale until you sign up for one either.
Posted by lizcolby10 on 2009-07-14:
I agree Lady, we are just the messengers after all. All the customer must do is say no. A corporate office never needs your social security number for anything but a credit card application. I guess you learned this the hard way. At least no account was opened.
Posted by Ttereza on 2009-07-22:
I currently work at VS, where we are told both during training and continuously throughout our working days to ask for a card 3 times. Managers pull us aside after transactions to say phrases like, "It's not no until it's no three times!"
A coworker and I have both refused to harass customers in this way, and as a result every day we are talked down to by management. So if you encounter an employee who actually gives you the inconvenience of having to say no three times! Try not to take it out on the workers, and remember that you'll be walking out of the store with your purchases while we are reprimanded for not roping you in. ;)
A coworker and I have both refused to harass customers in this way, and as a result every day we are talked down to by management. So if you encounter an employee who actually gives you the inconvenience of having to say no three times! Try not to take it out on the workers, and remember that you'll be walking out of the store with your purchases while we are reprimanded for not roping you in. ;)
Posted by ndviper on 2010-11-30:
That is one of the many reasons to not shop at VS. Try going to JC Penny's they sell higher quality cheaper and don't bother you as much! VS is also famous for "fitting" women into a bigger bra size then what they normally wear due to what is called Vanity Sizing. When a woman finds out they have bigger breasts they are happy most of the time and then spend an additional $100 plus on new bras only to realize they are printed a different size, not actually measurably different!
Posted by ript on 2010-11-30:
Actually ndviper, I had the opposite experience. They tried fitting me in a smaller bra size, and I swear they turned blue!
Posted by Bud_the_Bullet on 2010-11-30:
It's no different than the cashiers at McDonald's or Taco Bell that try and offer their latest fruit smoothie, or specialty item. They are REQUIRED to ask. I never hold it against them personally. Fortunately, they don't ask 3-times though, since that would admittedly get on my nerves.
Posted by Bud_the_Bullet on 2010-11-30:
Still scratching my head as to why the OP would be willing to give up their SS# to a cashier, and accepting the response of it just being for the "head office"? I would have either asked more in-depth questions or not parted with my SS# so easily. While the complaint is semi-valid and the hoops that have to be jumped through are endless in trying to cancel it, the initial fault is with the OP for giving the information out in the first place. Even if they weren't comfortable with the circumstances, the OP had the right to ask more questions or simply refuse...which they did neither.
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