Has anybody else had an unauthorised payment made to Brainety.com.?

Temp20231217R
New Community Member

I have been charged A$58.80 from an automatic payment I didn’t sign up for. It’s from a company called Brainety.com. It was for a subscription charged monthly. I opened a dispute with PayPal but they answered very quickly that this is not an unauthorised payment. I have cancelled the automatic payment and I have emailed the company Brainety.com asking for this money back but my email bounced back. What else can I do?

It is a SCAM which PayPal seems to endorse. Brainety.com is a sponsored advertiser of Facebook so beware. I have read reviews of other people who have had the same problem. All the reviews declare it is a scam.

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43 REPLIES 43

Nezapos
Contributor
Contributor
This happened to me too. Think I've lost my trust in PayPal today and won't be using it anymore. Sad.
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Frank-Bemelman
Contributor
Contributor
Me too - right now I am moving all my recurrent payments from Paypal. I don't mind paying what I owe, but if I am robbed in plain daylight I expect Paypal to act adequately. And since they don't, they are as bad as Brainety as well. And I don't want to do business with criminal companies so Paypal is out.
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TomLynn
Contributor
Contributor
Do not despair. I searched on 'alternatives to Paypal.' There are many to choose from.
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LCItaly
Member
Member
The same happened to me. I have reported the fact to the police and to all the social networks in order to block the illegal activity of Brainety.com
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Temp20240106
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

I have made a one time purchase in December on Brainety.com for which i normally payed. Today they charged me subscription fee for January which i have never subscribed. Paypal denied my claim as it wasn't unapproved transaction. What could i do? I have made unactive automatic payments to this address now. How can i get refund?

Please for an advice

Thanks

Borut

 

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@Temp20240106 

 

A lot of times what happens is people accept a free trial for a product and forget to cancel. As a buyer you must agree to a billing agreement/subscription before a merchant can take a payment from your PayPal account.
If you don't notice during checkout OR don't cancel then it auto renews. Be careful what you are accepting.

Check if you had a subscription set up and cancel it?
Click on the profile tab (icon next to log out) > Click on payments third option along on the thick blue band top of page > "manage pre-approved payments.''

 

As paypal saw their was a billing agreement set up then they paid it so to them the transaction was authorised and the only way to get a refund is to contact the merchant / cancel the subscription and request a refund.


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narcose29
Contributor
Contributor

Unfortunately, that seems to bee a PayPal authorised scam. They don't help stolen people to be refunded...

You just can stop the bleeding by removing the recurrent payment they created, but the first theft is lost.

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Joe606060
Contributor
Contributor

Exactly the same happened to and do far PayPal are not helpful at all.

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narcose29
Contributor
Contributor

Hi there !

As you can see on Trustpilot by example, there are unfortunately hundreds of people scammed by Brainety...

When you pay a small amount for an alleged IQ test, they use your banking informations to create a recurrent debit of a variable monthly amount (from €38.80 to £79.80).

Nevertheless, PayPal don't help his customers to recover stollen money... It's really a shame.

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kernowlass
Esteemed Advisor
Esteemed Advisor

@narcose29 

 

If there was a billing agreement ie subscription set up then you are authorising paypal to pay it for you.

So to them an authorised payment is not stolen funds so no they can't help you.

 

A lot of times what happens is people accept a free trial for a product and forget to cancel or don't realise they have agreed to a subscription. As a buyer you must agree to a billing agreement/subscription before a merchant can take a payment from your PayPal account.

Be careful what you are accepting.



Advice is voluntary.
Kudos / Solution appreciated.
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