I ordered from Mpix for the first time the other day. We had a fairly large order. The next day, we saw a charge on our card, the same on we used for Mpix, for a little under $10. It was from picture Globus, a company we have never heard of. We tried contacting the company, but to no avail. It really does seem like one of those fake businesses. When you call the number, it rings a couple of times, then says go to the website and someone will contact you in 30 minutes. All the links on their website don't work.

Has anyone had problems with their card getting stolen after using Mpix?

This is the website for the so called coompany...

http://pictureglobus.com/

 

Thanks,

Rhia

I have ordered from Mpix (and Millers) SO many times, and have never once had a problem or been charged incorrectly.  I have never seen an inaccurate charge or a charge from a company that I did not approve.  Mpix is a very reputable company, and I don't see them doing something like this. Maybe you should call your cc company.

I placed an order with Mpix this morning, for $352.46, and that is the only order I see on my acct as we speak.  I looked back and nothing out of sorts seems to show.

Thanks for replying. I don't think it was Mpix, but that was the only recent thing we had used our cc for. On a side note, I ordered 344 4x6 prints and am super excited about how they turned out!!

Owell, hopefully it will all work out. We called out cc company as soon as we saw it this morning. They canceled our card and are sending a new one. They are investigating it. It just sucks. $10is not a lot, but it is when they might do this to a 1000 other people...

contact your CC credit away.. sounds like a fishing scam. I would also scan for spyware and keyloggers

I would TOTOALLY allert MPIX of this, just incase there was a breach with their system....I never go to TJ MAx, but the one time I did and used my debit card there, I got a phone call the next day saying there had been a security breach (breech?) and my bank had to cancel my card and send me a new one....YOU NEVER KNOW!!!!

Jen

Okay, So i have one of those nifty options for my card to get a "temporary" card number for online purchases. I paid the $2.99 to see if the site was a scam. Sure enough it is. they claim to be a stock photo company. You pay a monthly fee and download as many images as you want. the charge is $9.99 a month so that is what they charged you for, 1 month of service. However (and this is the funny part) They are letting people register and sign up for subscriptions but they do not have a SINGLE image available. nothing, nada, zilch. So I would recommend staying away from this site and if you do decide to PLEASE DON'T GIVE THEM YOUR REAL CARD NUMBER AND INFO.

 

hope this helps save some of you some headaches.

JDDD,

Just make sure that your "temporary card number" is a single-use number.  With Discover, and, perhaps others, the virtual numbers can be used multiple times for the same vendor (for recurring billing).  I found this out the hard way, but I thought I'd just let you know.  If it's truly single-use and expires after one use, you don't have anything to worry about.

Joel

I had something similar happen to me when I placed an order with VistaPrint.  I got 8 charges supposedly from VistaPrint (when I called vistaprint they said they didn't see those 8 extra charges in their records) plus several other small charges from companies I'd never heard of.  My bank was really on top of things.  I didn't even notice it until the fraud department called me and asked if I had made those purchases.  It was really easy to get my money back, but it was a pain in the butt having to cancel my card and wait for a new one. 

We had a charge on a CC a while back from a reputable company for items never purchased.  They were amateur grade photo products that we wouldn't have purchased.  The odd thing is, it was on a CC that we had never activated. 

Through the processes of getting it all straightened out we learned something - even if you don't activate the card, it will "self activate" in about 3 months. 

I believe the scammers got this number when there was a security leakage through a reporting company about a year of 18 months earlier.  It was one that made the papers.  Likely with over a million numbers compromised, it took that long to come to ours.

The company the charges were on (Adorama) was super about getting them off right away and making sure we had no problems.  Dealing with the major CC company however was an unnecessary hassle but due to company levels inavoidable.

Just something to think about.

 Rhia,

I had a pictureglobus.com charge appear on my VISA account in the amount of $9.87.  I never heard of pictureglobus either.  I sent them an email off their website demanding a credit back.  I also informed VISA of a disputed charge.  I didn't get an answer to my email.  So, this morning I sent pictureglobus.com a second email telling them that if I didn't receive a response, I was going to report them to my local police and the FBI.  Within ten minutes I received this reply:

 From:     MALLISON@HERMESELECTRO.COM
    Subject:     PICTUREGLOBUS.COM Customer Receipt/Purchase Confirmation
    Date:     December 13, 2007 8:34:35 AM PST
    To:     (my email address redacted)

 ========= GENERAL INFORMATION =========

Merchant : PICTUREGLOBUS.COM
Date/Time : 13-Dec-2007 09:34:34 AM
Transaction ID : 1657880268

========= ORDER INFORMATION =========
Type : REFUND
Invoice Number :
Description :
Total : 9.87 (USD)
Payment Method : Visa

==== BILLING INFORMATION ===
Customer ID :
First Name :
Last Name :
Company :
Address :
City :
State/Province :
Zip/Postal Code :
Country :
Phone :
Fax :
Email : (redacted)

==== SHIPPING INFORMATION ===
First Name :
Last Name :
Company :
Address :
City :
State/Province :
Zip/Postal Code :
Country :

 

So, you see that this new outfit, hermeselectro.com, claims that a refund has been ordered.  It hasn't appeard on my VISA yet.  I'll be watching for it and let you know what happens.

 What a bunch of crooks!

 

 

i'm really interested to know if you guys have used your cards at the same places online to purchase something?

jen

Well, I haven't bought anything picture or photography related online for months.  I have been buying stuff for my new Toyota FJ Cruiser, and for my shooting hobby.  My wife has purchased some drugstore type items within the last two or three weeks.  Neither of us engage in any "high risk" type transactions online.

I have two VISA cards, one from Schwab, and one from Macy's.  I first noticed the pictureglobus charge on my Schwab account.  I was going to complain, but it disappeared within a couple of hours.  I have no idea why.  Then, the next day, the same charge appeared on my Macy's account.  That's the one I'm dealing with now. 

Now, I just received this:

 

From:     support@pictureglobus.com
    Subject:     Refund from www.pictureglobus.com
    Date:     December 13, 2007 8:34:37 AM PST
    To:     (email address redacted)


Dear GEORGE,

The reason you were charged is because an account has been created on our web-site and was paid with this credit card. Since you did not make and/or authorize this purchase, then apparently someone got a hold of your credit card information.

I have contacted our accounting office and I confirm we have issued a full refund, so the money should be back on your card within 5-7 business days (depends on your bank).

I have also passed a note to our security department asking them to lock this account as well as asked them to find out more about
the user who used your card. I will get back with you as soon as I receive any information from them.

Bellow is the only information I currently have available about this account:

username: vegasgeorge
password: ZymPJrv
IP address: 63.86.144.238
Registration date: 2007-12-05
First name: GEORGE
Last name: ROBERTS

Please accept our apologies and thank you for an on-time provided information.

Just like any Internet company we do suffer from online fraud and I appreciate you taking the time to help us fight it.

Once again thank you for your assistance and we hope on your understanding of the situation.

--
Regards,
Eric Robertson
(210) 807-4272

 

OK, I am almost persuaded to believe him.  If the exact same thing hadn't happened to  Rhia, I would think he was telling the truth.  As it is, it is just too much of a coincidence.  By the way, the amount charged in both our cases isn't even the correct amount for a pictureglobus subscription.

 

George

 

 The email I have received is almost identical to yours, I will post it when I get back to work on monday so everyone can compare.

I found this website/thread through google search of "PICTUREGLOBUS.COM" because I had a $9.87 charge appear on my VISA check card statement under that description that was processed on 12/10 but charged on 12/8.  I sent the contact form on their website and received the exact same email that was copied here above but I don't see how they can refund it when they don't know account details and information.  I have not ordered anything online except from Amazon with that card and use it to eat out but not much else.  I wonder if there is a common thread that we're missing in terms of where the card has been used, but I had never heard of mpix.com before so it's definitely not this.

 Good luck getting the money back, with a credit card it's easy but mine is with the bank so there is a 2 month process basically to get even that little amount back. 
 

 

Hi. I just joined found this forum when I did a Google search for "pictureglobus". I too was charged $9.87 on my Visa check card from this "company". I've never heard of them and I have no idea how they got my information. I've been taking a Photoshop class this semester, but I haven't paid for any images. I'm into photography, but I haven't bought any new photography equipment in several months. I do a lot of online shopping but through reputable sites. (I think...)

 I also got the refund email after I complained, but I did not reply to them. I cancelled my card of course. I'm really worried about how they got my information. I scanned my computer for viruses, but I'm afraid that there may be something on my computer that records key strokes?

 inmyeyez... if you complain about an amount that is charged to your DEBIT card (bank card) it shouldnt be that hard to get the money back...my bank does a chargeback. where the money is put back in your account untill the company can prove it was you who used the card...if they cant prove it, then you keep the money! Thats what my bank does!

 Yesterday I received a $9.87 credit from pictureglobus on my VISA account.  That squares the matter as far as my problem is concerned.

 

I've been watching my VISA account carefully ever since this pictureglobus thing happened.  I haven't seen any other bogus charges on the account.

 

This entire episode is weird.  If pictureglobus were a phony company trying to defraud lots of people and get away with the money, I don't think they would have responded as they did.

 I'm actually surprised that you got a refund. I still think they are scammers, though. How many people don't even notice such a relatively small amount? Probably more than you'd think.

VegasGeorge, did they ask you for the last four digits of your card when you requested a refund? How did they know how to credit your account? They asked me for that info, which I refused to provide. (See copy of email below.) Also, I find it odd that they show an account under this particular email address, as I purposefully gave them a old email address that I haven't used in more than a year just in case they decided to start spamming me. I submitted their web form my work computer, which is behind a secure firewall. I think they took the information I provided on that form and created a bogus "account". The IP address they supplied just happens to be my work ISP. Something is definitely fishy here. I think they are are ripping off hundreds, if not thousands of people. They may be staying one step ahead of the law by issuing refunds to the folks who complain.

 

Copy of email:

 Dear Lisa,

The reason you were charged is because an account has been created on our web-site and was paid with this card. Since you did not make and/or authorize this purchase, then apparently someone got a hold of your credit card information.

I have passed a note to our security department asking them to lock this account as well as asked them to find out more about
the user who used your card. I will get back with you as soon as I receive any information from them.

Bellow is the only information I currently have available about this account:

username: lisaxxx1062
password: V9BHdlG
IP address: 65.222.36.176


In order for us to issue you a full refund please send over the last four digits of the card, which was charged, so I can pass this our accounting office. They will locate your order and will issue you a full refund immediately.

Please accept our apologies and thank you for an on-time provided information.

Just like any Internet company we do suffer from online fraud and I appreciate you taking the time to help us fight it.

Once again thank you for your assistance and we hope on your understanding of the situation.

--
Regards,
Eric Robertson
(210) 807-4272

Here is the email I received and it did not ask for 4 digits or anything about the account is why I find it hard to believe that they issued VegasGeorge a refund or that they would be able to issue me a refund.  My account shows my debit card dispute refund for $9.87 so it did not take the 2 months time to get the money back but I still have to be mailed a form and then fill it out and then mail it back so they don't take the money out after a certain amount of time.   I canceled my card so I hope this won't happen again.  Still wondering how it happened, any ideas?

Copy of email that I received:

Dear ARSHIA,

The reason you were charged is because an account has been created on our web-site and was paid with this credit card. Since you did not make and/or authorize this purchase, then apparently someone got a hold of your credit card information.

I have contacted our accounting office and I confirm we have issued a full refund, so the money should be back on your card within 5-7 business days (depends on your bank).

I have also passed a note to our security department asking them to lock this account as well as asked them to find out more about
the user who used your card. I will get back with you as soon as I receive any information from them.

Bellow is the only information I currently have available about this account:

username: arshiakhan
password: EHmB2RF
IP address: 12.28.46.56
Registration date: 2007-12-07
First name: ARSHIA
Last name: KHAN

Please accept our apologies and thank you for an on-time provided information.

Just like any Internet company we do suffer from online fraud and I appreciate you taking the time to help us fight it.

Once again thank you for your assistance and we hope on your understanding of the situation.

--
Regards,
Eric Robertson
(210) 807-4272

 The more I read about pictureglobus, the fishier it sounds.  I don't think I can file a complaint, because I already got my money back.  But, I think you're right, this outfit is probably cheating thousands of people who simply don't notice the small charge on their credit accounts.

Why don't some of you who are still out of pocket file a complaint?

 Got to http://www.ic3.gov/ and file.

 Let us know what happens.
 

 Now, a charge of $24.99 from "Roadrunner Club" has appeared on my VISA statement.  I never heard of roadrunner club.  I'm wondering if this is the next attempt by the same crooks to slip a small charge in and get paid.

 

Do any of you have a bogus Roadrunner charge too? 

No, no Roadrunner charge here, but I canceled my card. I urge you to do the same. Apparently our credit accounts have been compromised. Thanks for the link to the FBI site. I'm going to lodge a complaint against pictureglobus right away.      

Have you looked at the pictureglobus site lately? They have a holiday message out there now. Of all the unmitigated GALL! 
 

The Roadrunner charge was a false alarm.  It was one of those instances where the name on the statement isn't the same as the name of the merchant.  And, we didn't recognize the amount because we didn't authorize it.  It was an automatic renewal of a club membership which we had canceled months ago.  I called the merchant, and the charge has been reversed.  Sorry!