8.23.10 I just caught illegal, fraudulent charges of $14.95 sometimes twice a month on my bank account from Red Env Re (Red Envelop Rewards). I brought an engraved key chain from red envelop in November 2009 for my husbands birthday. Although I never buy anything on-line except flights with our joint credit card, I used my personal debit card, so it would be a surprise for my husband. At the on-line checkout, Red Envelop said I could get free shipping if I joined there free rewards program, so I checked the box. I never received any e-mail confirmation or anything in the mail to verify this. I did not notice, but before the gift even arrived I had a charge of $1.95 from the fraud co. Red Env. Re. Then $14.95 every month on a different date since them, twice this month and I caught them. Citibank fraud dept. conference called them with me. I followed the instruction from other people on this website to get a full refund and it worked. You have to be transferred to their consumer affairs dept, all dispatchers are from India and you have to keep repeating things like your name, address and phone over and over. They try bargain you down by only giving you two months refund...don't back down, only accept the full amount and you will get it! Helped that Citibank was recording the whole conversation. Stay away from Red Envelope and pro flowers they are sister companies (front companies) of this fraud ring. God only knows what the fraudulent money is really funding!

I was OUTRAGED to find out that my American Express had been charged $14.95 per month by Red Envelope for the last YEAR. I have not ordered anything from them in that time frame! I found out that because I accepted free shipping on an order I placed with them one year ago, I also agreed to the tiniest of print... to be auto enrolled in their "Red Envelope Rewards Program". If that isn't sneaky enough of them, they also NEVER ONCE emailed me, or tried to contact me, to let me know that I was enrolled in any special program. I did however, get an avalanche of paper catalogs and spam emails with sales and promotions (which I unsubscribed to 6 months ago!). I called my American Express to have them refuse any future auto charges from Red Envelope... because I will never shop from them again!!

I purchase things online from time to time from a company called Red Envelope but I have not purchased anything recently. Today I noticed a charged went through my checking account that says Red Envelope Rewards. I did not purchase anything and do not know why they are charging me but this is an error or a fraudulant charge. I am not sure what to do at this point.

Lisa Schulze

I bought something from red envelope and I was automatically put into this red rewards program and my visa has been charged 14.99 every month. I called red envelope without success. I am in Kuwait so unable to contact directly. I have emailed spoken to red envelope without success. This is a fraudulent scheme which needs to be stopped.

My letter to Red Envelope:

To Whom it May Concern:

For many years I have been a customer of Red Envelope, enjoying the unique and high quality gifts which have brought many a family member or friend happiness upon receiving them. Your packaging is superb, your selection excellent and your Website very well organized and easy to use.

As you can tell, I have been a happy customer and most impressed with your company---that is until I started receiving $14.95 charges on my credit card statement for Red Envelope Rewards. Shame on you for promoting this "rewards" program which you know is a scam. I would not have expected a classy company like Red Envelope to lower itself to subjecting its customers to such marketing trickery. Offering a low introductory fee knowing that the fine print says your customers will be subjected to a significant automated charge---for services they are unlikely to use and do not understand---is wrong.

When I go to your Website to shop, I want fast service. Convenience and greater selection are the essence of online shopping. Your company has always delivered that, so I do not spend time analyzing whether what you say is what you mean and I didn't think I had to because I have trusted your company to have more respect for its customers than that. There are plenty of other online retailers that I already avoid precisely because I don't want to deal with their gimmicks, popups, rebates, surveys, etc.

The $29.90 that Red Envelope Rewards has debited from my account, for services I did not use, is $29.90 I won't be spending on RedEnvelope.com. Tomorrow, though, I'll be spending another $30 on lunch with my best friend---someone with whom I frequently exchange gifts purchased on Red Envelope. I'll be sure to warn her of your poor choice in promoting this scheme.

Please do not send me some form letter explaining that thousands of people are benefitting from Red Envelope Rewards because frankly, I don't care about whether they are or aren't. My point is that the way in which you have promoted the program is a bait and switch and I thought you were better than that.

I'm almost certain the rewards program is actually run by another company and you simply endorse it. Stop. You are compromising your brand and the loyalty of the customers who trust you. Do an online search for "Red Envelope Rewards" and you'll find enough complaint websites to know I am not alone.