My Experience with "Plimus" e-commerce middleman

[ShakenBaby]

I am reasonably IT-security savvy however learned a lesson about e-
commerce safety very recently. I have had my current charge card for 7
years without incident. Just recently I went to cnet / download.com to
research a shareware utility. I tried it, liked it, bought it (about
$40). Payment to the author was through an e-commerce middleman called
Plimus, Inc.

I had requested a refund on one of two utilities I downloaded and paid
for. First Plimus said I must "argue my case with the vendor". I
emailed the vendor and about a week later I get a reply from Plimus
saying that the refund was approved. Two days later it appears on my
card. However, that wasn't all that appeared on my card, starting that
day. Also appearing were four charges totalling over $700, and upon
calling my bank, they had at least 2 more approvals for additional
charges totalling an additional couple hundred. Needless to say we
canx'd the card and they will remove the fraud.

A little more investigation on my part revealed that there were indeed
multiple complaints on various sites describing almost the same exact
problem I was having with Plimus. Some of them involved the customer
complaining or requesting a refund, some did not state whether there
was any post-transaction communication with Plimus regarding the
transaction. Moreover, the physical address in San Diego Plimus lists
is really a Post Box Rental location; and furthermore, Plimus lists
other locations in Ukraine and Israel.

I had began my search for this utility on a well known (and trusted)
domain, C-Net. C-Net often gives some sort of indication that the
product is "Safe". They should also do some checking on any e-commerce
middlemen to see if there are problems with their trustworthiness. I
believe any reasonable person would agree, after finding out what I
did about Plimus, that you should not do business through them.

I repeat, do not do business with Plimus unless you are willing to
sacrifice your financial device. What if their "R&D" centers in Russia
and Israel are really malware factories? There has to be a better way
to find trusted downloadable shareware / try-before-you-buy software.

Regards,

"SB"

[Tal Moshaiov]

Hello "SB",

My name is Tal Moshayov, VP Engineering of Plimus.
Plimus is an online e-Commerce provider since 2001, and much like any
other online platform, Plimus is exposed to fraud. I regret to read
that you were a victim to such an act.
Since you posted no name, or other reference to the product in
question, I cannot supply you with a proper answer to the additional
charges. However, let me assure you that Plimus will never charge
without your consent. I can only assume you are a victim to some kind
of fraud.

I will email you privately in order to receive some more information
in regards to this case, as Plimus reports fraudulent activities to
the proper authorities.

Regards,
Tal Moshayov, Plimus VP Engineering

P.S - You are hereby invited to visit our Californian, Israeli,
Ukrainian and soon UK offices. I guarantee you will find more than a
mailbox :)

[mark...@gmail.com]

I too have has a similar problem as ShakenBaby. I bought some software
(TopDesk/DeskSpace) from Otaku Software, a reputable company. Plimus
charged my credit card and delivered the software, with the name:
PLI*OTAKU software appearing on my statement. Four days later, another
charge for $164.83 appeared out of know where, with the name
PLIMUS.COM ONLINE SAN DIEGO CA. I never use the card, so it seems
pretty strange that only 4 days after I use it some strange unrelated
charge comes through.

I had to cancel the card, which is a pain because it's the holiday
season. I contacted Otaku Software, sent Plimus Support an email, and
if it's not resolved, I plan to tell everyone I know to USE EXTREME
caution with Plimus!

[mark...@gmail.com]

In the long run - Plimus kept the transaction from going through.
Their fraud department stooped the transaction - nice work Plimus!

[Sherrkaan]

I am having a problem with Plimus. I am on the phone right now with
my bank and may have to cancel my credit card. I will post again soon
and let you know what happened.

[Sherrkaan]

Okay, so I bought two products online. Each one cost approx $200.
They were both from the same merchant. The first product went through
no problem. When I was processing the second one a warning came up
that warned me that a transaction had already gone through. It asked
me if I wanted to authorize a second transaction from the same
merchant to avoid being double charged for the same product. I said
checked off "Yes" since it was a different product.

I received an email today saying my second transaction did not go
through due to it being a duplicate order.

I emailed the merchant directly and he told me that the first one was
fine but there was no transaction on the second one. He asked me to
place the order again.

I tried to place it again twice but it didn't go through.

I called me credit card company.

They told me that my original two transactions went through and that
Plimus tried to authorize two more transations today but they didn't
go through because I had reached my limit.

I'm reading the post from Tal Moshaiov above. Tal you system appears
to be having a problem with secondary order authorizations from the
same merchant. The initial transactions went through - I was charged
for both pieces but your system didn't get me my product because it
thought it was a duplicate. Even after I authorized the order to go
through. If you read this please contact me at sher...@aol.com.

Right now I am stuck without the second product that I was charged
for. It's an artistic piece that I will not get once it's sold. I
would like my issue recitified. I will post again and let everyone
know how things turn out.

[ShakenBaby]

Their system sounds really AFU. Are you sure it's not your bank that
flagged this as a dupe? You've kinda hosed things yourself by doing
things twice. Time to get a second credit card for such times. Of
course if you're one of those people who keeps their card charged to
its limit.... you've got other problems bigger than just this one
issue with Plimus. Good luck. SB

On Dec 30 2007, 2:55 am, Sherrkaan <sherrk...@aol.com> wrote:
> Okay, so I bought two products online. Each one cost approx $200.
> They were both from the same merchant. The first product went through
> no problem. When I was processing the second one a warning came up
> that warned me that a transaction had already gone through. It asked
> me if I wanted to authorize a second transaction from the same
> merchant to avoid being double charged for the same product. I said
> checked off "Yes" since it was a different product.
>
> I received an email today saying my second transaction did not go
> through due to it being a duplicate order.
>
> I emailed the merchant directly and he told me that the first one was
> fine but there was no transaction on the second one. He asked me to
> place the order again.
>
> I tried to place it again twice but it didn't go through.
>
> I called me credit card company.
>
> They told me that my original two transactions went through and that
> Plimus tried to authorize two more transations today but they didn't
> go through because I had reached my limit.
>
> I'm reading the post from Tal Moshaiov above. Tal you system appears
> to be having a problem with secondary order authorizations from the
> same merchant. The initial transactions went through - I was charged
> for both pieces but your system didn't get me my product because it
> thought it was a duplicate. Even after I authorized the order to go

> through. If you read this please contact me at sherrk...@aol.com.

[ShakenBaby]

All in all -- this makes the e-commerce middleman look suspicious, I
think every reasonable person would agree. Even if its the case that
the top management doesn't know what some insiders are doing, and
they're trying to fish them out - - the whole thing smells like a
rat.
SB

On Dec 21 2007, 6:16 pm, "markmo...@gmail.com" <markmo...@gmail.com>
wrote: