I was scammed by an IQ test website called Brainety, please help me to get my money back

[Katja42]

I paid for their IQ test certificate for 2,16 euros and then a few days later they illegally and without my consent and participation debited 38,8 euros from my PayPal account and refused to refund the fraudulently debited money. Many of their customers, like me, have been scammed, their complaints can be found everywhere on the internet.
I didn't sign any acknowledgement of payments.
Unfortunately, when I made a small purchase of 2.16 euros from them, I did not realise that I was buying a product from a fraudster who then unauthorisedly set up an automatic debit to my PayPal account. I am asking you to help refund - 38,80 euros that the fraudsters charged my card illegally and without my involvement. In internet and in your HelpCenter  are many claims by other victims of this seller. 
But anyway I used PayPal just because you have security for us. I contacted customer support about this topic, but PayPal closed it. Does this mean PayPal is no longer secure if it ignores so many claims of fraudulent debits from the same seller? Or has PayPal any dealings with this scammer?

[Katja42]

Thanks for your reply, and of course PayPal is in a position to resolve this issue if it cared about customer safety.
I suggest collecting signatures from the victims of this scammer, collecting evidence of PayPal's refusal to protect users under contract, filing a complaint with the consumer protection court and publicising this issue in the press.
I am ready to take up this issue.
What do you think about it and would you be willing to join?

[mikegooglier]

The problem for me is that I still need a PayPal account.
So I don't want to be the direct actor of the complaint. But of course they didn't protect my funds from fraud.
However, I will be happy if this type of fraud is stopped for the sake of other people.

This is where you can primarily report Brainity and all their activity.

https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/report-fraud_en

Can you describe what happened and what the fraud looks like? You can also show them the initial invoice from Brainity for a small amount. In my opinion, he will pay VAT on this invoice. I probably won't be far from the truth if I say that Brainity no longer pays taxes to the European area on the subsequent money they get from fraud. I don't have subsequent invoices either. So, along with cheating people, there is a high probability of tax evasion. Tax evasion investigations in the EU are investigated by OLAF.

https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu/olaf-and-you/report-fraud_en

And subsequently, if these European institutions prove fraud and tax evasion, it is possible that based on this, Paypal will receive instructions on what to do in the European Economic Area and how it must protect users.  After that, it is quite likely that you can get your money back.

You can also show them that there are more people like that. Just write to google Breinety... fraud or scam or robbing. And you can show them that this is a problem, and if they don't stop it, the scam will not end. People are clueless on Facebook, Reddit, Paypal and many other places complaining about this scam.

[Katja42]

Thank you very much for your valuable thoughts, ideas and links.😊
If you don't mind, I would like to share my thoughts here as well.

Yes, in your situation it would probably not be beneficial to initiate a complaint.
In my situation, it doesn't matter because I have only used PayPal for internet payments I'm unfamiliar with so that there is a guarantee that my funds are protected. But this situation proved the inability of Paypal to protect their customers, so I don't need them in that case.

You mentioned a legal window.
Am I right in thinking that it can only exist if there is documentary evidence of the legality of the debit?
In reality, there is no confirmation, as well as no personal user account on their website either (there is only a button for authorisation, but the authorisation itself does not work, nor does the password reset function). I don't disagree with your thoughts that a legal window exists, but likewise I don't see any legal proof for that.
What are your thoughts on this?

Now trying to find an easier way to contact other victims of this scammer. I have an idea to target BrainIty audience and collect email signatures from the victims.
Do you have any other ideas? - I would be very grateful to you 🙂

I will definitely use the links you have already shared.

Have a peaceful weekend 🙂

[BrainetySupport]

Hello. We are really sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience with our service. We hope that you could give us a second chance as we want to make sure that your case is resolved as soon as possible.

Please contact our team at [removed], so we could take an urgent closer look at your case and correct any mistakes that might have happened in the process before.

Brainety Support Team

[mikegooglier]

What do you want to solve? You tricked me. I took an IQ test for which I paid $2.16. I received an invoice for $2.16. Your scam is that you set up additional monthly payments of $38.80 without my knowledge over a period of 3 months from which I have not received an invoice. I will not log in to you anywhere, because you can cheat me again. Send me my money back on my account. There you send me back the money you cheated me out of. 3x $38.80.

If you do not send them to me, these institutions will be informed of your actions and will also check whether you pay taxes to the European Union on the money you subsequently took from clients. OLAF will be notified of this.

https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/report-fraud_en

https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu/olaf-and-you/report-fraud_en

[Katja42]

Your team does not respond to a request for a refund, nor does it answer direct questions.
My requests to your team have been ignored.
Moreover, your colleagues tried to deceive me by telling me that the dispute in PayPal is still open. But this dispute was closed automatically within an hour!
The proof of the correspondence is here.

If you do not satisfy our demands as soon as possible, you will be prosecuted in an international court.
I demand the return of the stolen money.

[BrainetySupport]

As PayPal Community rules do not allow sharing details such as email address, please provide us your order ID (you can find it in your invoice and order confirmation email) and we will reach out to you directly to find the best solution to your case.

Brainety Support

[mikegooglier]

I didn't do any registration. If you registered me somewhere, it's part of the scam.
I don't have an ID number:

Invoice #vvdkr75

Since you are based in Lithuania and many Russians fled there, I think all the stolen money goes to Russia. You have 5 working days to return the money, after which I file a complaint with the EU authorities and OLAF. I will also submit a subject for verification, whether the money is not going to Russia and thus not being used for global terrorism.

[AlessiaVibes]

my order number is #55bxa9m please refund me! I didnt use any of your services, just bought that certificate and there was no mention anywhere about a trial period or anything similar to that which will evolve in some expensive subscription!

please help me and give me back my £38.8 back!

For some this is a small amount, but for me is paying for my kids dinner! please give me back my money!!

I am a single mom and I work more then 60h a week to be able to provide food! please, I BEG YOU!

[AlessiaVibes]

Please give me money back!

I've already sent 9 emails for you to give my £38.8 back!

Please I desperatly need my money back!