Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  04/08/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am confused as to why you are charging. Would desire explanation.

  Business response

  04/16/2024

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card,prepaid card and other payment card transactions for thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, operate nor are in any other way associated with these websites.
  
  Our records show that the consumer purchased a couple of recurring memberships which have never been canceled and for which he was charged accordingly.  We have attempted to reach the consumer so that we can provide information about those memberships to him but have been unable to reach him.  Information is also available to him 24/7 through our purchase finder available on our website (epoch.com). 
  
  Both memberships have now been canceled, full refund issued and card blocked in our system so as to prevent any future attempts to use it at any websites for which we process online transactions.

• Initial Complaint

  04/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  On April 2nd 2024, at 5:17 PM, I received a text alert from my bank ***** of America) warning me of a suspicious purchase that was made through this company. The purchase was for $216.01, and I want to make it clear that we have never done business with this company, ever! I have documentation of the fraud claim I filed with my bank, and will give it below. I did go on this company's website, chatted with somebody from there, who gave me phone numbers to contact them directly, but I just don't trust it. That is why I am coming to the better business bureau on this matter to make sure that they do contact me and that this is resolved.My bank is working to reverse the charges, but I want to contact somebody from this company, to let them know that these charges did not, I repeat did not come from my husband and I. We have no idea who you are, nor do we ever do business on your site, so we want these charges removed. We strongly suspect that someone fraudulently obtained my husband and I's credit card information and is using it fraudulently. We want to make sure that this charge is erased from our credit card account. We also want to find out who did this, so that they could be prosecuted.

  Business response

  04/09/2024

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card, prepaid card and other type of online payments at thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own,control, operate nor are in any other way associated with these merchants/websites.
  
  We are not sure why the consumer appeared to have been under the impression that the appropriate way to get in touch with us was to file a complaint with Better Business Bureau instead of just calling our customer service (for which a toll free number is listed on consumers card statement)but nevertheless now that this issue has been brought to our attention, full refund has been issued and card blocked in our system so as to prevent any future attempts to use it any of the websites for which we process online payments.
  
  Regarding obtaining information found in our records about this transaction, consumer is welcome to get in touch with us or have relevant law enforcement agency do so on his/her behalf.

  Customer response

  04/09/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  

  Please do not mind my having contacted you this way. At first, it was the only method that I could given the circumstance, but I did speak with a very nice person through your company who has taken care of this, so as of right now the money has been given back to us, and everything is now taken care of.
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** And *************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/04/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  3 unauthorized transactions showed up on my bank account on 03/03/24 from epoch which i did not make. Upon looking further into it and contacting epoch about the transactions, it cane to realization that my bank card along with my online banking had been compromised. They stated it was used on xHamsterlive.com using the email ********************** which I have no tie to or knowledge of. I right away asked epoch to please block the account using my card from being able to make any more transactions. I also asked for a refund for the 3 fraudulent transactions to which they denied because apparently the person who compromised my bank account was able to verify the charges(not sure what this means). I let them know regardless it was not me who authorized the charges and i am the owner of the bank account. They still refused and blew me off. Please help in recovering my money. This is such a scam and shady practices. I want a full refund of my money please

  Business response

  03/11/2024

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card, prepaid card and other type of payment transactions for thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, operate nor are in any other way associated with those websites.
  
  Pursuant to the complaint, we have attempted to get in touch with the consumer so that we can explain the verification process which indicates high likelihood that while these transactions may not have been authorized by the consumer, it is very likely that they have been authorized by a member of his/her household which a refund isnt going to address nor stop in the future from happening all over again. 
  
  Nevertheless,we have forwarded the consumers complaint to the relevant merchant and the merchant has chosen to issue full refund for it.  Card had also been blocked in our systems so as to prevent any further attempts to charge it at any websites for which we process online payments.

• Initial Complaint

  02/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My money was taken. I asked for a refund. I was given over to an *********************** where I explained the situation. I repeatedly referred to "B of A." This rep repeatedly asked what that stands for. Really? I finally went TO their offices in ******************. A woman there told me she had no idea what I was referring to. They don't do that. An older gentleman appeared. *******************. He asked how I "found them." As we sat in a glass walled conference room, there was some lemming trying real hard to look scary. I finally asked ************ if I should toss him a bone or something. He looks hungry. At the conclusion of our meeting, ******************* said he would need documentation. I emailed that to him. Nothing ever happened. The money wasn't returned. I've been ignored.

  Business response

  03/05/2024

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card,prepaid card and other type of payment card transactions for thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, operate nor are in any other way associated with those websites.
  
  We are not sure why the consumer could not explain what B of A abbreviation stands for to our customer service representative (it is not entirely clear that our customer service representative even realized that it was supposed to have been an abbreviation).  We are also not sure that we understand why would a consumer think that showing up at our corporate office would be an appropriate way to seek a refund when we are not a retail shop.  It would be like showing up at Apples corporate office in ********* to seek a refund for an iPhone.  The consumer also failed to mention that he visited our offices nearly 2 years ago but our CFO does remember it (even though he could not confirm the name as the consumer also declined to share any personal details unlike our CFO who provided his business card to him) and he mostly remembers it because in over 2 decades that we have been in business no consumer had ever been under the mistaken impression that showing up at our offices would be an appropriate way to seek a refund for a transaction that we may have processed on behalf of a merchant which is why our CFO was a bit dumbfounded by his visit.  Our CFO never received anything from this individual following this visit which is why no refund ended up being issued at that time.
  
  Pursuant to this complaint, we attempted to call the telephone number listed in the complaint which turned out to be an invalid number.  We were however able to get in touch with this consumer over e-mail and have issued the requested refund. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been charged $38.70 once for the past three months. I have no recollection of ever subscribing to this service and would like any membership I have to be cancelled. I have tried emailing customer service twice after seeing the transaction last month and havent heard anything back. You need to cancel this and give me a refund.

  Business response

  02/01/2024

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card,prepaid card and other payment card transactions for thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, operate nor are in any other way associated with those websites.
  
  We are not sure that we understand why the consumer would be waiting for us to get back to him when our website allows consumers to cancel everything on their own without any need for our assistance.  Furthermore,our website also allows consumers to chat live with our customer service once again without any need to wait on a response to an e-mail as well as to request that our customer service calls them for free at any time should there ever be a need for it. 
  
  However,as a one-time courtesy to the consumer we have issued a full refund as requested in addition to cancelling the membership and blocking his card in our system so as to prevent any further attempts to charge it at any websites for which we process online transactions.

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Company Epoch on behalf of a site that I subscribed to charged me prior to the date I was given for cancellation. I had until the 10th, yet they chose to charge me on the 8th. I am submitting this request in an attempt for compensation of money that was never theirs to begin with. Their customer service was not helpful and rude at best.

  Business response

  01/11/2024

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card and other payment card transactions for thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, operate nor are in any other way associated with those websites.
  
  Our records show that this issue had already been addressed and refund issued on January 10, ****.

  Customer response

  01/11/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  01/10/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was using EPOCH as a payment service and now it is sending random emails charging me from a different party such as livesoda, streamset, and ******* for some reason. Please explain what are these ramdom receipts. Do i need to take action with my bank? Explain

  Business response

  01/17/2024

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card and other payment card transactions for thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, operate nor are in any other way associated with those websites.
  
  Epoch itself does not send any unsolicited electronic (or any other type of) mail except for order confirmations and cancellation confirmations that are automatically generated whenever an
  order/cancellation is placed through us and that contain important information such as date and amount of charge, our toll free telephone number, etc. 
  
  However,many merchants/retailers (including merchants for which we process online transactions as well as the well-known ones like ******* and Amazon) use affiliates to promote their services.  Based on what the consumer has described in this complaint, our based guess is that whatever e-mail consumer used to make a purchase that had been processed through us was sent to him by an affiliate that is now continuing to send e-mails to him promoting various merchants/retailers for which that individual is a paid affiliate (as named in the complaint).  We have attempted to verify this as well as provide our assistance to this consumer by reaching out to the consumer (below is an example of it) but the consumer has failed to respond to our e-mails.  Consumer is welcome to respond to our e-mail whenever the consumer wishes to get our assistance with it.  Otherwise, there is nothing further that we can do about this issue.
  
  ----------Forwarded message ---------
  From: *******************
  Date: Wed, Jan 10, **** at 12:02?PM
  Subject: Better Business Bureau Complaint
  To: <************************>
  
  ***************,
  
  Epoch is in receipt of the complaint that you have filed with Better Business Bureau.  Epoch would like to resolve this issue with you.  The number ************* provided in the complaint appears to not be operating.  
  
  Please either reply with a good time to contact you or call the number listed in my signature and ask to speak to ******************* or *************************** ***************** Directors) at your earliest convenience.
  
  I appreciate your cooperation and look forward to resolving this issue as soon as possible.
  
  Regards
  *******************
  Customer Service Director
  **********************
  Tel: ************

• Initial Complaint

  12/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have never been a subscriber of Epoch Times, but recently began receiving emails from them, which I simply have been deleting. Then in November of 2023, Epoch Times began attempting to charge my debit card small charges... only $1, but I did not sign up for any service. I did NOT provide my debit card information to them, and after contacting my bank, they cancelled my old card and sent me a new debit card to prevent Epoch Times from being able to charge my account. Then on December 1, 2023, a $1 charge from Epoch Times (their NY account this time) again showed up on my online bank statement in spite of the card number being changed. We contacted the bank and were informed that it appeared the Epoch Times had set up a recurring payment charge, and so **** (the company issuing the debit card) must have provided updated billing information. As we approved NO SUCH CHARGES in the first place, this has become simple theft with the hope that the small total would be too inconsequential for a consumer to bother to dispute.

  Business response

  12/05/2023

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card,prepaid card and other payment card transactions for thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, operate nor are in any other way associated with those websites.
  
  However,Epoch Times is not one of those merchants.  We have nothing to do with Epoch Times and as such there is nothing that we can do about any complaints filed against Epoch Times.  We have made this clear to Better Business Bureau many, many times since we received first complaint about Epoch Times years ago but for whatever reason Better Business Bureau continues to forward these complaints to us.
  
  Epoch Timescontact information appears to be available at ********************************************************* and we would suggest that the consumer gets in touch with them and they should be able to further assist her.

• Initial Complaint

  11/30/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The charges began in October of this year. The total is $234.19. 11/15/23; 11/16/23; 10/19/23. When I called the number on my statement, I was told that EPOCH *ICFTECHNOL is a 3rd party collector and they don't have any info on where the charges originated. I have no problem is these were charges I made, but I doubt it. I consider this a scam. On top of that I requested to have the account CLOSED and was told it could take up to 12 weeks. OUTRAGEOUS

  Business response

  12/07/2023

  Epoch is a third-party payment processor, i.e. we process credit card, debit card, prepaid card and other type of electronic transactions on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, control, operate nor are in any other way associated with these websites.
  
  We would like to first clarify that our records show no record of the consumer having ever gotten in touch with us and when we spoke to the consumer, she confirmed that she never spoke to us but was rather referring to her card issuer in the complaint.  If we were ever contacted, we wouldve certainly explained the charges to her as well as promptly canceled the membership and issued the refund just as we have done now that this issue had been brought to our attention.  We have also blocked the card in our system so as to ensure that any future attempts to charge her card are declined.

• Initial Complaint

  11/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  nov,13,2023 my card was used fruadulently for a charge of ****

  Business response

  12/03/2023

  Epoch is a third-party payment facilitator, i.e. we process credit card, debit card,prepaid card and other payment card transactions for thousands of websites on behalf of e-commerce merchants and do not own, operate nor are in any other way associated with those websites.
  
  Our records show three $0.00 transactions having been processed using 2 different cards and with the consumers e-mail address and none were processed on November 13, 2023.  We have attempted to get in touch with the consumer to get more information about this alleged $5.99 charge so as to be able to locate it in our records but the consumer had not returned any of our voicemails nor e-mails (below is a copy of an e-mail sent to her).  If the consumer would like us to address her complaint, she is welcome to reply to our e-mail or call us back as requested.
  
  ----------Forwarded message ---------
  From: *******************
  Date: Tue,Nov 28, 2023 at 9:24 AM
  Subject: Better Business Bureau Complaint
  To: <********************>
  
  ****************,
  
  Epoch is in receipt of the complaint that you have filed with Better Business Bureau.Epoch would like to resolve this issue with you.
  
  Please either reply with a good time to contact you or call the number listed in my signature and ask to speak to ******************* or *************************** ***************** Director) at your earliest convenience.
  
  I appreciate your cooperation and look forward to resolving this issue as soon as possible.
  
  Regards,
  *******************
  Customer Service Director
  **********************
  Tel: ************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩