My Freedom Smokes & Unauthorized Transactions

[eblazemc]

I made a purchase the other evening through myfreedomsmokes.com and that same night shortly afterward I had 6 unauthorized transactions put on my Pay Pal Mastercard which I had used on their site to make my purchase. I have never before had this happen. It was extremely difficult to get in touch with someone in their company and had to just keep leaving messages in different departments till someone finally called us back. My husband told them what happened but seemed to get nowhere with the person who seemed to only blow him off with excuses attempting to move away any blame their way. He asked to speak to someone in charge but continued to get more excuses on why that person wont speak with him and probably wont get back in touch with him either cause he's too busy. I thought that whole short lived conversation was in extremely poor taste and showed very poor customer service.

Has anyone else had a bad experience with this company or noticed strange charges on their account after purchasing with them?

 

[sisu]

I made a purchase the other evening through myfreedomsmokes.com and that same night shortly afterward I had 6 unauthorized transactions put on my Pay Pal Mastercard which I had used on their site to make my purchase. I have never before had this happen. It was extremely difficult to get in touch with someone in their company and had to just keep leaving messages in different departments till someone finally called us back. My husband told them what happened but seemed to get nowhere with the person who seemed to only blow him off with excuses attempting to move away any blame their way. He asked to speak to someone in charge but continued to get more excuses on why that person wont speak with him and probably wont get back in touch with him either cause he's too busy. I thought that whole short lived conversation was in extremely poor taste and showed very poor customer service.

Has anyone else had a bad experience with this company or noticed strange charges on their account after purchasing with them?

PayPal does not cover items used for vaping. So, it seems unusual that PayPal would be used to make a MFS purchase. MFS is a reputable vendor with excellent customer service. I have ordered from them with no problems.

- Were the unauthorized charges in the name of My Freedom Smokes?
- If not, what are the names of the companies where the card was used and what was purchased?
- How did you know the charges had been made?
- What are the "excuses" made by MFS?
- Did you get the name and title of each employee you spoke with?
- Did you contact the credit card company?
- If so, what was the result?
- If not, why not?

In a separate post please tell us a little about you and your husband, your smoking history, and experience with vaping. It is also helpful to have your location, at least the state, in your ECF Profile.

 

[glointhedark]

Did you have any problems placing the original order? Were all the transactions for the same amount, the amount of your order?

I have not ordered - yet - from this vendor. However, I did have a problem with another vendor about a month ago. When I tried to place an order, I kept getting a message that the order could not go through, there was a problem processing the order and to try again. I did not get an acknowledgment that the order had gone through, or an order number. I double checked all my information, and triple checked it, and kept trying. Six times. I even called the company and left a message (they were apparently busy with customers) to try to find out what was going on, just before my seventh attempt to order finally went through. Finally the order went through, and I got an order number and confirmation, and I thought everything was fine. I got emails a few days later from the company's transaction processor, stating that credits had been issued. Apparently, for some unknown reason, every time I tried to place the order, the company I was dealing with never got the order, but my card was charged. Luckily for me, management at the company was checking transactions and caught the discrepancy, and issued refunds for all but the one order that they actually received and processed for me. I am thankful that they put the customer first, and immediately issued credits for the charges. I have no idea what the problem was, and apparently the company representative I spoke with on the phone did not either, but the issue was resolved and I would definitely order from them again.

 

[Rickajho]

You may wanna go read this one and test your browser. Stop the azz-u-me stuff - there are a lot of reasons why this could have happened - including it being your fault based on the browser you are using. ~> http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...93-warning-freak-vulnerability-ecommerce.html

 

[eblazemc]

As I stated it was a Pay Pal Mastercard so with that im able to make purchases anywhere that accepts credit or debit card information. Then from there it is ran through my bank account.
Excuse me if i'm a bit weary of answering ALL these detailed questions over a public forum. Do you work for this company? If thats the case I would feel more comfortable and would be abliged to discuss these issues another way. Its not that I cant answer them or wont answer some but your seeming to me to be in defense of them by asking so many detailed questions and keep in mind im currently dealing with a very disturbing and stressfull situation now due to these fraudulent charges.

 

[eblazemc]

You may wanna go read this one and test your browser. Stop the azz-u-me stuff - there are a lot of reasons why this could have happened - including it being your fault based on the

I dont know what azz u me stuff is. However I think if individuals have problems with purchasing from a company one way or another we should be able to share our experience as to further educate the public so that they have the information to make a better informed decision when they are going to choose from who to put their trust in when they go to make a purchase and then let them decide whether they want to take that risk or not. Also companies should not get away with poor treatment of their customers, customer service has drastically gone downhill and we as consumers shouldnt just accept that as the way it is. When someone comes on here and tells of having something bad happen to them its cruel to criticize and be critical when they are just looking for help or understanding.

 

[eblazemc]

Did you have any problems placing the original order? Were all the transactions for the same amount, the amount of your order?

I have not ordered - yet - from this vendor. However, I did have a problem with another vendor about a month ago. When I tried to place an order, I kept getting a message that the order could not go through, there was a problem processing the order and to try again. I did not get an acknowledgment that the order had gone through, or an order number. I double checked all my information, and triple checked it, and kept trying. Six times. I even called the company and left a message (they were apparently busy with customers) to try to find out what was going on, just before my seventh attempt to order finally went through. Finally the order went through, and I got an order number and confirmation, and I thought everything was fine. I got emails a few days later from the company's transaction processor, stating that credits had been issued. Apparently, for some unknown reason, every time I tried to place the order, the company I was dealing with never got the order, but my card was charged. Luckily for me, management at the company was checking transactions and caught the discrepancy, and issued refunds for all but the one order that they actually received and processed for me. I am thankful that they put the customer first, and immediately issued credits for the charges. I have no idea what the problem was, and apparently the company representative I spoke with on the phone did not either, but the issue was resolved and I would definitely order from them again.

I did not have any problems placing the order. Sounds like your experience was frustrating but im really glad for you that in the end you were able to get i worked out.

 

[eblazemc]

PayPal does not cover items used for vaping. So, it seems unusual that PayPal would be used to make a MFS purchase. MFS is a reputable vendor with excellent customer service. I have ordered from them with no problems.

- Were the unauthorized charges in the name of My Freedom Smokes?
- If not, what are the names of the companies where the card was used and what was purchased?
- How did you know the charges had been made?
- What are the "excuses" made by MFS?
- Did you get the name and title of each employee you spoke with?
- Did you contact the credit card company?
- If so, what was the result?
- If not, why not?

In a separate post please tell us a little about you and your husband, your smoking history, and experience with vaping. It is also helpful to have your location, at least the state, in your ECF Profile.

Ill try to be fair and answer some of these to the best of my ability.

This was my second order through the company. My first order shipped so quickly is the reason I made a repeat purchase- second order was not as prompt.

First order charged to the same card came up as My Freedom Smokes the second one came up as Cris Yelton at first while it was pending and now says My Freedom Smokes.

One of the charges was for Mcaffe intel security, video stripe, real player, gold my score and some kind of college sports thing. Other then Mcafee I dont know what these things are.

Besides the fact that check my accounts several times a day Pay Pal which is the card i used also lists the transactions and if you ask them they can give you a little more detail. Which is also the answer yes i did I contact the card company.

Yes my husband did get the name of the person he spoke with.

As far as telling you more about me and my husband personally and our habits and where we live, I have to ask why do you want to know such detailed information about us?

 

[glointhedark]

Yes, it was frustrating. However, truth to tell, the vendor caught it before I did. I had placed other orders with them, and so did not immediately check my account. I am very thankful that they took care of the matter.

I have had problems with my bank card and fraudulent charges several times in the past. The first thing I usually do is to call the bank to try to find out what the charges are for. A few years ago, I got hit with "foreign transaction" fees attached to orders from vendors (not ecig related) that I had used for several years. Once I got information from the bank, I contacted the vendors. One vendor was very apologetic, stating that their card processor had recently changed a few things, started processing orders through a bank in another country, and they refunded the "foreign transaction" fee. A short while later, they changed their card processor. The other one (again, not ecig related) just gave me a line of BS. I use PayPal as much as possible with that vendor.

I have only had one problem, so far, with ecig related charges, as illustrated in my previous post, and the vendor resolved it. My Freedom Smokes is a pretty well regarded vendor here, and I would think they would want this resolved to your mutual satisfaction. Keep after them.

Did you contact My Freedom Smokes or PayPal Mastercard regarding the fraudulent charges? Personally, I would keep after both of them until you are satisfied. Most of us are asking questions to try to help you resolve the matter. We try to be a helpful bunch, and the more information we have, the better we can brainstorm to try to help you resolve the situation to your satisfaction.

 

[Cullin Kin]

MFS has been nothing but great for me! I'm sorry you had this experience.

 

[RamShot Rowdy]

Ill try to be fair and answer some of these to the best of my ability.

This was my second order through the company. My first order shipped so quickly is the reason I made a repeat purchase- second order was not as prompt.

First order charged to the same card came up as My Freedom Smokes the second one came up as Cris Yelton at first while it was pending and now says My Freedom Smokes.

One of the charges was for Mcaffe intel security, video stripe, real player, gold my score and some kind of college sports thing. Other then Mcafee I dont know what these things are.

Besides the fact that check my accounts several times a day Pay Pal which is the card i used also lists the transactions and if you ask them they can give you a little more detail. Which is also the answer yes i did I contact the card company.

Yes my husband did get the name of the person he spoke with.

As far as telling you more about me and my husband personally and our habits and where we live, I have to ask why do you want to know such detailed information about us?

I think Sisu just meant post an introductory thread about your smoking/vaping experience, as most new users do. Some users will be somewhat sceptical of a new user who joins, has limited profile info, and whose first 5 posts seem to be blaming a vaping company for unauthorized credit card charges. Just FYI.

 

[eblazemc]

Thank you for that. I sincerely appreciate it. I truly am glad that your experiences with them thus far have not been negative ones. I truly wouldnt wish that on anyone. I really try to be a good natured person and im mother of four and i like to think im a sympathetic individual as well but I dont like to be done wrong or taken advantage of cause I look at it as whats done to one of us (me, my husband or my kids) your doing to all of us and everytime someone cheats us they are taking money away from my kids and thats unacceptable to me.

 

[eblazemc]

I think Sisu just meant post an introductory thread about your smoking/vaping experience, as most new users do. Some users will be somewhat sceptical of a new user who joins, has limited profile info, and whose first 5 posts seem to be blaming a vaping company for unauthorized credit card charges. Just FYI.

Oh ok. Well as just posted im a mother of four ages 19 yr old. boy, 10 yr old boy, 4 yr old girl and 2.5 yr. old boy. So I dont actually get the extra time to post as much as I would want but this was an important matter that has been affecting us so I exchanged my time for sleep to address it here.
We havent been vaping too long but its changed us. I was an extremely light smoker. I rarely even kept my own pack of cigarettes but I liked to smoke at night when the kids were in bed and the house was finally quiet or with my husband or socially. My husband was a long term die hard smoker who loved to smoke. He doesnt. carry cigarettes anymore and the other day at work his tank was messed up and he bummed a cigarette from a co-worker and he didnt like it- I was thrilled he felt that way.
I hope that helps tell you a little more about us. We live in a small southern town out in the country. We enjoy having a fire out in our yard with the kids, friends & family- roasting marshmellows & hotdogs. We have two dogs, one big, one small and a cat.

 

[rolygate]

Also it is useful if you know what antivirus you are using and how it scores for security. You can check this out in several places but the easiest I know is this one, it's set up to be simple, and you can go through them to run HijackThis tests or whatever if you are into that (complex searches of the hard drive for rootkits).

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-anti-virus-software.htm

Best advice is to go there and see how your a/v checks out. These are all free a/v apps as the best freeware and open-source security apps always score at the top of expert tests.

Run the tests they have near the top of the page. Take special notice of his article on how to check for an infection. The symptoms you describe are almost always a malware infection on your computer.

Gizmo's is a really excellent site and 100% independent and honest. It's the ECF of open-source / freeware.

 

[eblazemc]

Also it is useful if you know what antivirus you are using and how it scores for security. You can check this out in several places but the easiest I know is this one, it's set up to be simple, and you can go through them to run HijackThis tests or whatever if you are into that (complex searches of the hard drive for rootkits).

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-anti-virus-software.htm

Best advice is to go there and see how your a/v checks out. These are all free a/v apps as the best freeware and open-source security apps always score at the top of expert tests.

Run the tests they have near the top of the page. Take special notice of his article on how to check for an infection. The symptoms you describe are almost always a malware infection on your computer.

Gizmo's is a really excellent site and 100% independent and honest. It's the ECF of open-source / freeware.

Thank you for that advice. My husbands a little more tech savy then me so ill probably have him check all that out when he gets a chance.
I do most of my online 'whatever' on my tablet or phone. Do those same recommendations apply for those devices? Or do you have any advice or recommendations in regard to using them?
Thanks again

 

[Cullin Kin]

Thank you for that. I sincerely appreciate it. I truly am glad that your experiences with them thus far have not been negative ones. I truly wouldnt wish that on anyone. I really try to be a good natured person and im mother of four and i like to think im a sympathetic individual as well but I dont like to be done wrong or taken advantage of cause I look at it as whats done to one of us (me, my husband or my kids) your doing to all of us and everytime someone cheats us they are taking money away from my kids and thats unacceptable to me.

Just keep on them. These things take time. Honestly, I'd say you be better served pursuing your card company and telling them they were fraudulent charges. Just like the recent Anthem hack, many companies never respond to these things leaving your information vulnerable despite being secure sites. I would immediately suspend that card if you haven't already and tell you card company to freeze any funds that were sent out since the first order. Good luck. Please keep us updated.

 

[rolygate]

...........
I do most of my online 'whatever' on my tablet or phone. Do those same recommendations apply for those devices? Or do you have any advice or recommendations in regard to using them?

The advice is the same, regardless of the local device. Also see this page:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...93-warning-freak-vulnerability-ecommerce.html

 

[kartoffelfaust]

The advice is the same, regardless of the local device. Also see this page:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...93-warning-freak-vulnerability-ecommerce.html

The Freak vulnerability is only a CVSS score of 5.0. It allows MITM attacks by downgrading certificates to export quality (as defined by the US). Last I heard (friday) it was not being actively exploited in the wild.

Its more likely the vendor was compromised if they store credit card information (good vendors will not do this unless they have a hardware encryption device), or something local on your device caused the theft on credit card (e.g. malware). Most commonly, folks get phished/tricked into providing confidential data to an attacking web site instead of a legitimate one.

Disclaimer: I work at a security software company.

 

[retired1]

Generally, fraudulent charges aren't due to vendor compromise. In the vast majority, it's either an issue at a place where the card was used in the past (copying credit card information, skimmers, etc.) or malware on the computer. Very rarely is it due to e-commerce vulnerabilities within the software/server.

 

[kartoffelfaust]

Generally, fraudulent charges aren't due to vendor compromise. In the vast majority, it's either an issue at a place where the card was used in the past (copying credit card information, skimmers, etc.) or malware on the computer. Very rarely is it due to e-commerce vulnerabilities within the software/server.

vendor compromise is much broader than vulnerabilities in e-commerce software. Imagine all the online retailers that don't follow security best practices, store credit card info in plaintext or obfuscated/munged with an MD5 (if anyone's still using that) of the password. Consider a small time vapor store gets their commerce site admin password phished, and there's a wealth of data to be exploited. Targeted attacks, spear phishing, are common, and not just against consumers, but businesses as well.

Social engineering is becoming a more prevalent exploit path as the operating systems, services, and browsers become more secure.

What do I do with untrusted vendors? By untrusted, I mean it is not clear how they handle credit card info? I go buy a pre-paid card and use that. not all accept pre-paid cards though, but most do.