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Instant Checkmate Background Check Services
Scammers and Thieves

Instant Checkmate Sucks. Period.


This page documents and demonstrates my experiences with Instant Background Check services.

The following credit card (VISA) dispute and chargeback illustrates the problem well enough all on its own:

 

TO:

BECU VISA Dispute
FAX 727-571-4598

Complaint against:
Instant Checdkmate
3111 Camino Del Rio N, Suite 400
San Diego, CA 92108
1-800-222-8985
support@instantcheckmate.com

4/14/2019 
4/12/2019

PAYPAL *INSTANTCHEC 402-935-7733 CA    $34.78

$34.78

3/14/2019 
3/13/2019

PAYPAL *INSTANTCHEC 402-935-7733 CA     $34.78

$34.78

Dispute #1:

On about March 12, 2019, I needed to submit an annual, routine background check to a charity I work for here in SE Asia (we feed homeless kids). I used their preferred service called “Instant Checkmate”. The cost was supposed to be about $15. Instead it was $34 and change, billed through Paypal to my BECU VISA ending in 5561. The information they provided was at least 70% inaccurate. I had no intention of ever, ever using these incompetent creeps (Instant Checkmate) again. I contacted the company on or about 3-15-2019 to ask for a refund due to the preponderance of faulty data. I received no reply. This is the basis for my dispute of the charge on my 5561 card of $34.78. I might understand a FEW tidbits of faulty data but I am NOT ok with almost all of it being faulty data.

Dispute #2:

On April 12, 2019, I was notified by Paypal that Instant Checkmate had AGAIN charged my account for this same “service”, but this time on my BECU VISA card ending in 3299. I had ordered NOTHING. I immediately Googled Instant Checkmate (i.e. Instant Checkmate sucks, Instant Checkmate scammers, etc. etc.) and found that they have been fraudulently billing customers for forever – apparently tens of thousands of victims.

I then immediately filed a dispute with Paypal, demanding refunds because enough was enough. I stupidly assumed this would be a dog-simple case because, clearly, I had (1) NEVER authorized Instant Checkmate to charge me for ANYTHING on a recurring basis (I never have authorized that for ANY company and never will), and (2) I had requested NO further products nor services from Instant Checkmate, and (3) No additional services nor products were received from Instant Checkmate. They had simply stolen my money. Surely, Paypal could figure this out. Simple, right? Ah, but we’re talking about PAYPAL, friend of scammer and enemy of decent customers.

Within an hour or so, Paypal responded, saying they were denying my claim because “no unauthorized transaction had taken place”. I was stunned. Yes, indeed, an unauthorized transaction HAD taken place! It really had! Paypal said essentially there was no recourse, no appeal, and no way to re-submit my claim. I immediately cancelled my 20 year old Paypal business account. Everyone should do the same because it is GUARANTEED Paypal will eventually scam and screw-over every single customer they have. How many customers do they have left in the world now? Twelve?

I contacted Instant Checkmate again on about 4-13-2019 and receive NO REPLY.

Please submit the attached dispute/chargeback on my behalf to VISA.

Please consider that:

  1. The first sale through Instant Checkmate produced a result that was at least 70% inaccurate. No one would pay for that.
  2. I never authorized Instant Checkmate to charge me for ANY additional products.
  3. I never REQUESTED any additional products from Instant Checkmate.
  4. I never RECEIVED any additional product or service from Instant Checkmate. The SECOND charge was completely bogus – an instance of criminal theft.

 

Instant Checkmate simply stole my money, as they’ve stolen the money of countless tens of thousands of other suckers over many years. Like so many other sleaze-bags, their philosophy is to simply do these things as a matter of course, knowing that only a small percentage will go the extra mile to call them out on it. They know their state’s attorney general is a paper tiger and will never file suit to recover these stolen funds, or to shut them down – and what if they did? Instant Checkmate would only move its thieving operation to another state (or country) and start up again.

Suffice to say this charity had STOPPED using Instant Checkmate and is urging all affiliated charities to follow suit. No one wants to deal with shysters.

I WANT MY MONEY BACK!


4-16-2019

 

CC: California State Attorney General, San Diego Better Business Bureau, FTC, VISA Corporation, San Diego Police Department

 

 

UPDATE: The chargeback (dispute) was granted in my favor and the stolen funds returned to my account. Fuck these people. I dare you to find one single solitary positive review about them -- that isn't fake.

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