ComplaintsforPassport & Visa Express

• Initial Complaint

  09/09/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We needed urgent passports so I called this business (Madan G****). I was told over the phone that the merchant will accept our passport applications and we will not have to go anywhere. I had an appointment for the whole family with US Post office but it was 45 minutes drive. I thought this service is close by so I decided to use the them. When we showed up at their office, Madan had us fill out the passport applications ourselves and said take these applications to the passport office and made us pay $120 per person ($480). So we ended up going to passport office and standing in line so this business scammed us of $480. I disputed $425 with my credit card company. After weeks of investigation, my credit card company determined that the services promised were not delivered and they reversed $425. Now this business is harassing me to repay them along with collection fee of $45 on top. Or else they will have a collection agency come after me

  Business response

  01/04/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/09/11) */ The fees and process was clearly explained in detail, before we started any work and took any fees. Customer accepted it voluntarily and then we started the work. There was no mention of any scam at the time. Customer disputed the charge with the Bank, after having fully enjoyed the service from us. We can only consider refund if a mistake on our part is shown. Finally customer has threatened to destroy us and give bad and scam reviews. Seems that is what has been done in anger. But there is no truth to it. We stand by our service and thousands of satisfied and appreciative customers. Customer simply wants to get out of paying for just service. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2021/09/13) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I would encourage BBB to review Google reviews specially last few ones that talk about similar issues. Business kept changing the story all along. Over the phone, Mr. G**** told me and my wife multiple times that he will ship all of our passport applications and we will not have to go anywhere. As soon as we checked in, I asked Mr. G**** about the plan. He changed the story that he will not be able to ship applications for my kids but will get us an appointment in close by passport office so I agreed to move forward. After I made the payment, Mr. G**** told me that he will not be able to get us an appointment and we will need to stand in line. I hope BBB sees how Mr. G**** is taking advantage of customers needing passports to see their loved ones one lie after another. I knew how to fill passport application and where to drop off applications. Why would I pay Mr. G**** $120/person for something I already know. The only reason I hired him was that he promised to ship our applications directly to passport office. We ended up waiting one hour in his office, filled all of our applications and ended up standing in lines. So we basically got totally scammed. My stance remains the same. Mr. G**** did not deliver the service he promised. I have paid him for taking pictures etc. but have reversed $425 after filing a dispute with my credit card company. My credit card company, Chase spent weeks investigating this issue. They reversed the charges after they found that the business did not deliver the promised service. Now the business is threatening me to have collection agency pursue the charges. If business moves forward with this, I will hire an attorney in collaboration with other victims from Google Reviews. If Business provides a statement that they will stop harassing me for the charges or submitting to credit companies, I am willing to settle this matter with help of BBB. Business Response /* (4000, 11, 2021/09/30) */ Merchant is entitled to $45.00 as specified in section 10 of the agreement signed by customer. "10. $45.00 fee is imposed on returned/unpaid check or denial/reversal card payment, irrespective of the reason. Additional collection fees and legal charges may be applicable if appropriate." Merchant can consider waiving this fee, if the customer pays $425 by cashier check/money order, and takes back & deletes all derogatory comments at all places, and refrain from any further negative remarks orally or in writing in any form, in future. If this is agreeable to Customer, Merchant can stop all further collection activity which would save all additional legal, attorney and court costs; on receipt of the payment. Thank you. Consumer Response /* (4200, 13, 2021/10/10) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Ironically the merchant continues threatening for payment and continues overlooking the real issue of falsification and failure to deliver services promised via phone and on their website. Let me share some documents to make my point 1. Chase credit card company went through weeks of investigation to issue credit of $425 after figuring out that their client was not given the services promised. Doc 1: Dispute submitted to Chase by ******** **** Doc 2: ******** **** response to Chase regarding dispute Doc 3: Chase issuing credit of $425 after reviewing the response 2. Please take a look at Doc 1, page 3 point 6 under terms and conditions from the merchant. The merchant states that it will act as courier. The merchant did not provide this service to us. Instead we were asked to take our applications to passport office. So the merchant not only told us over the phone that you will not have to go to passport office to drop your applications, it's own terms and conditions state the same 3. Please look at Doc 4, page 1. This is a printout of merchant's website. It has misleading slogan "Passport And Visa Expedite Services Get A Passport For Domestic/International Flights @ Express Speed To YourDoorstep". If the customer is having to go to the passport facility on their own, getting passport delivered to your doorstep is total misrepresentation. Merchant website ishttps://fl yingpassport.com/. 4. Doc 4 page 2: This is directly from merchant's website "What We Do? We have the expertise and know-how to provide you information, guidelines, and the ability to present your documents to the US State Department or foreign consulate on your behalf, as well as to retrieve your documents or their decisions in your process". Again, the merchant is clearly stating that they represent client's documents to state offices. This did not happen, merchant did not represent our documents to passport office. Instead, the merchant had us fill out the passport applications and asked us to take them to passport office. Again, the merchant not only misleads clients over the phone, it is doing same thing on it's website 5. Please note, I shared same facts with Chase credit card during my dispute. They issued the credit based on this information. Chase is a totally independent third party, if they decided to issue credit, they must have seen some sound/concrete evidence Business Response /* (4000, 16, 2021/11/06) */ We appreciate Client's response. We do not agree with his interpretation and applicability of various sections of the agreement. It is a well established fact the credit card issuing companies routinely favor their cardholder, in a dispute. This way they keep their customers happy, at the expense of a merchant. Many studies and surveys have shown it. They do not use any kind of investigative resources. Many merchants give up on denial, and customers have learned this way to getting out of paying. We intend to collect our just payment. It is in no way a threat of any kind. It is simply a statement of business transaction facts. We provide many varied services and all services do not apply to each and every client. Services cited by the Client may not have applied in this situation. Clients' attachments did not open, but we got the gist of it from their response. Error message from Adobe said 'email attachment not created properly'. This kind of denial of payment has happened to us in the past some time ago, even though rarely, over 35 + years. We got full reimbursement including all our costs and fees incurred in the process. We just did not get paid for the additional management time spent in collection. That management time is the main reason, that merchants cite for not pursuing a denied dispute. We will still honor our last offer for the next two weeks. It will be withdrawn and void after that date. We are happy to resolve and save client the additional legal expense; and save ourselves unproductive management time for us. Thank you. Consumer Response /* (4200, 18, 2021/11/14) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Let's be very clear here. I hired the Merchant for only one thing, that is to get my children passport applications mailed and passports delivered to our house. Merchant promised this over the phone and in their office, their website makes same claim. Merchant failed to deliver services promised and hence does not deserve the payment. Please note, I have paid the merchant fairly for taking pictures, my passport fees and for Fedex shipment of my passport application. I could have mailed my application, why would I hire someone just to ship documents? Along the same lines, the merchant did nothing for my kids. We filled our kids applications, went to passport office and stood in line to submit their applications. It is a pity that the merchant wants to get paid for doing nothing. This is a matter of principles. I am not going to pay anything to merchant. If that means taking this matter to court, let it be. I am fully determined to expose this merchant. I can open all the attachments just fine. I am including the verbiage from my previous response and attachments one more time. 1. Chase credit card company went through weeks of investigation to issue credit of $425 after figuring out that their client was not given the services promised. Doc 1: Dispute submitted to Chase by ******** **** Doc 2: ******** **** response to Chase regarding dispute Doc 3: Chase issuing credit of $425 after reviewing the response 2. Please take a look at Doc 1, page 3 point 6 under terms and conditions from the merchant. The merchant states that it will act as courier. The merchant did not provide this service to us. Instead we were asked to take our applications to passport office. So the merchant not only told us over the phone that you will not have to go to passport office to drop your applications, it's own terms and conditions state the same 3. Please look at Doc 4, page 1. This is a printout of merchant's website. It has misleading slogan "Passport And Visa Expedite Services Get A Passport For Domestic/International Flights @ Express Speed To YourDoorstep". If the customer is having to go to the passport facility on their own, getting passport delivered to your doorstep is total misrepresentation. Merchant website ishttps://fl yingpassport.com/. 4. Doc 4 page 2: This is directly from merchant's website "What We Do? We have the expertise and know-how to provide you information, guidelines, and the ability to present your documents to the US State Department or foreign consulate on your behalf, as well as to retrieve your documents or their decisions in your process". Again, the merchant is clearly stating that they represent client's documents to state offices. This did not happen, merchant did not represent our documents to passport office. Instead, the merchant had us fill out the passport applications and asked us to take them to passport office. Again, the merchant not only misleads clients over the phone, it is doing same thing on it's website 5. Please note, I shared same facts with Chase credit card during my dispute. They issued the credit based on this information. Chase is a totally independent third party, if they decided to issue credit, they must have seen some sound/concrete evidence

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