DECORATION ART, LLC fraud charge
DECORATION ART, LLC 904-2635578 FL
On another blog post asking folks to comment about small dollar fraud charges, scores of comments were left about Decoration Art, LLC. My first report was by Stacie on Sep 22, 2010. Comment here is it hit you!
Here’s their BBB report:
If it’s like other operations I’ve seen in the past, this business owner may be a money mule not knowing that the charges are actually entered (with stolen credit card numbers) by the same bad guys that Mr. Lee wires a cut of the money to. The owner better be careful, because money mules are a big target of law enforcement. Even though they get such small amounts in, they probably wire amounts just under $10,000 offshore to evade the law.
I’ve gotten my hands on an email from Mr. Lee:
From: Michael Lee
To: xxxxx@sbcglobal.net
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2010 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: Undocumented Billing Received – response neededThis was on on-line ourchase for a screen saver attach is the purchase receipt, settlement report, and refund policy, the web-site is www.thescreenart.com.
Michael Lee
The MO is exactly the same as all these other frauds related to screensavers called DEVBILL:
Received a debit for $4.60 on Bank account.
02/04/11.
Trying to call no answer just a recording.
I have a $7.60 charge on my checking account from Decoration Art LLC on 2/3/2011, and of course it is a false charge. Why hasn’t the state FL. government put an end to this operation? Call their number and you purposely cannot understand thier message. Help!
It’s very simple…it is too small to bother.
Received a debit for $4.60 on Bank account 2/3/2011 this fraudster has been aroun d since 2008 playing this game hacking info for small charges I have termninal cancer and will find him and send him to hell
I had a $4.60 credit charge on my checking account from Decoration Art LLCUS on 1/28/11. The number given 904-693-2471 is of course not in service.
Just went and checked my bank and I have a $4.60 charge from Decoration Art LLC on 2/2/11 and I have NO IDEA what it is. I of course call and the number is disconnected. GREAT. Now talking to the bank to see what we do next.
Had a $4.60 charge on credit card 1/11/11-did not purchase anything from this company. Called the number 904-263-5578 and got a recording of a woman with so heavy an accent she couldn’t be understood and then line disconnected. Definitely a scam.
Had the same $4.60 charge to my checking account via my debit card on 2/2. I called my bank and they are going to remove it (I need to sign an affidavit as well). I had to cancel my current debit card. The exact same thing happened two years ago to my wife.
Just balanced our checkbook for 1/11 and found a $4.60 charge on it from Decoration Art, LLC. I tried to call the number and got the heavily accented lady that said thescreenart.com was closed please call back later. Need to call our bank in the morning and see what they can do.
My account was charged $1.60 on 2/7/11. I am disputing this with my bank. Who are these jerks?
Had 4.60 charge on my credit card 1/10/11 the bank called me I was working and so was my husband we bought nothing
I received a fraudulent charge of $4.60 from Decoration Art LLC on 1/12/11. I of course disputed with my bank and immediately received a new debit card.
In addition, please check your accounts for UPS charges as I received an invoice from UPS for $42.78 for a shipment on the same day out of L.A., Calif (zip code 91721). They used my address as the sender and it went to an address in Ogden, UT. Not sure if it’s related or not, but given that both were done on 1/12/11, it makes me think it is.
I have submitted a complaint with the BBB, sent the info to the UPS Fraud dept. and will file a police report.
I, too, received a fraudulant charge of $4.60 from Decoration Art LLC in January. I disputed the charge and was told to cancel my debit card. My bank charged me $10.00 to do this, but refunded my $4.60. So this ordeal still cost me, which is absolutely ridiculous. When we asked the bank where we should go from here to stop this from happening, we were told that there are alot more expensive charges that law enforcement has to deal with. It is insane that this company can continue to get away with this fraud!! We plan on submitting a claim with the BBB and contacting law enforcement even though the bank said it was pointless.
I received the $4.60 charge on 10-15. My bank gave me an initial credit but put the charge back on after Mr. Michael Lee sent a letter saying it was a good charge. I am going to copy these comments and go to my bank on Monday. My question is how did the shysters get my credit card number in the first place. It was a credit card I only use for USPS click and ship. The card was on my desk.
Pretty interesting how the bad guys can get these numbers (I don’t think Michael Lee is actually doing the charging, but he is collecting the money). As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve had reports on other frauds of folks with charges on a card that was never activated! (Hacking into banks or credit card companies…)
In the last two weeks I have had two different credit card companies call me and ask me about charges that were not mine. Where are they getting my credit card numbers from? One of the cards I have not used in over 1 yr. I am at a lost of what I might be doing wrong. I must be openly sharing my credit cards with someone or something and don’t relize it. I really can not believe this…Think maybe I should cancel all of them and get new numbers.
I’m afraid that many times, there is nothing you can do. If they steal the numbers from your bank or other institution, it’s out of your hands. Just be thankful you don’t have to pay for it.