Feds probe mysterious credit card charges

Federal authorities have opened an investigation into a rash of mysterious $30 and $40 charges appearing on consumer credit cards around the country, MSNBC.com has learned. The charges are for the purchase of DVDs and CDs from a company named "Pluto Data Ltd." Thousands of complaints about the charges have appeared on a Web site devoted to the mystery, with consumers saying they've never heard of the company. 

Adding to the mystery -- most consumers report a 1 cent or $1 charge appearing on their cards first, followed by the larger charge from Pluto Data or PLUTO D, NICOSIA.

Phone calls to the toll free number listed next to the charge on the credit card bills provide little additional information.  The firm answering the calls, Answer Quick Telecommunications Inc., located in Baton Rouge, La., says it was an answering service for Pluto Data prior to closing the account several weeks ago. Answer Quick referred questions to local law enforcement investigators.

Don Kelly, a spokesman for the Baton Rouge police, said his office has received 125 complaints about the alleged fraud. "We are working with the FBI and the Secret Service," he said. He added that Answer Quick was not a suspect.  "We are keeping track of the complaints and doing what we can to help them on what's going on."

Officials from the FBI in Louisiana and the Baton Rouge Secret Service office wouldn't comment on the investigation.

Dave Collett, a spokesman for Mastercard, said an investigation was ongoing, but he would not provide details. "We are auditing the merchant." Consumers who find the alleged fraudulent charge on their accounts are not liable for it, he said.

A February surprise
The mysterious charges began appearing around Valentine's Day. Many frustrated consumers who searched the Internet for help found each other on a bulletin board service named BroadBandReports.com. By Thursday, there were 35 pages of complaints on the site, with hundreds of victims and over 50,000 visits, suggesting the number of victims could be larger than the 125 complaints logged by local police so far.

"I'm just so angry, and so is everybody else on that site," said Connie Shotkoski, of Columbus, Neb.

Rich Sinclair, a consumer in Salem, Ill., said he just found out about the alleged scam Wednesday when he tried to buy paint at Wal-Mart and was declined. His card had been suspended a day earlier by his credit card company after a suspicious $1 charge and a $40 charge were rung up on it, he said. He was impressed by his bank's quick action to stop the fraud -- and knows he's not liable for the charges -- but said the experience is still frustrating.

"I don't like it, not a bit," he said. "I use this card for charging business expenses, and it'll be 10 days before I get another card."

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