ComplaintsforTrans World Entertainment Corporation
Family Entertainment
Current Alerts For This Business
Pattern of Complaint:
BBB reached out to this company regarding a pattern of complaints which was found to exist regarding falsely promoting the company’s Backstage VIP Pass and unauthorized charges appearing on consumer’s cards. A number of consumers throughout the country have reported that they were encouraged to sign up for a free membership loyalty program, however consumers later noticing unauthorized charges on their credit or debit cards. Complaints allege being signed up for this program without consent and having difficultly cancelling the membership once charges are noticed on their statements. Some consumer advise they are told they've earned free magazines only to later received multiple charges to their accounts. Many consumers report unauthorized debt or credit charges to their cards which they did not authorized. The company failed to respond to BBB’s requests.
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Complaint Details
Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. See details.
Initial Complaint
01/26/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Sales and Advertising Issues
- Status:
- Answered
On October 13, 2023, I went in and purchased one small item under $10. When I got home, there was a VIP Backstage Pass booklet in there and my receipt says I will be charged monthly. I called and spoke to supervisors and they assured me, they had zero record of my information or debit card on file and I did not have an account and would not be charged. THEN, on January 22, 2024 - my bank account was charged $11.99 for the VIP Backstage Pass! They stole my credit card information and waited months to charge me so they could try and hide it!Business response
01/29/2024
To Whom It May Concern:At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone. We have confirmed the cancellation of the subscription as of 1/26/2024 with the cancellation number being **********. A full refund totaling $11.99 has been issued as of 1/26/2024. There will be no further charges for the membership due to the cancellation. Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.Initial Complaint
01/24/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Sales and Advertising Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
In late December, I went into a *** store and bought an album. I vaguely remember the person who checked me out asking if I wanted to sign up for their Backstage VIP program. I'm sure I was like "yeah, whatever". I got an email later to complete my membership and ignored it because I could care less Well, I'll be ****** if the credit card I used for purchase wasn't just charged 11.99 by *** and it said "recurring charge". It was pure luck that I happened to recently setup alerts on my card or I probably wouldn't have noticed for a few months. This is outrageous! What a dirty low down trick to play on customers. Incredibly deceptive! I should need to opt out of something I never knowingly authorized? I didn't even sign in and complete my membership!Business response
01/26/2024
To Whom It May Concern: At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone. We have confirmed the cancellation of the membership as of 1/24/2024. A full refund of 2 months totaling $23.98 has been issued as of 1/24/2024. There will be no further charges for the membership due to the cancellation. Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concernCustomer response
01/26/2024
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Regards, ***** ******Initial Complaint
01/21/2024
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I recently noticed recurring charges on my account from FYE since November. I visited this store October 14, 2023 and made a purchase. I was offered the rewards program but declined because I do not shop there often. I gave my email address to send the receipt. They used that and my credit card information to sign me up for the FYE Backstage Pass without permission. I did not catch the billing until the 3rd month. I am disputing it with my credit card company as an unauthorized charge.Business response
01/24/2024
To Whom It May Concern: At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone. We have confirmed the cancellation of the subscription as of 1/22/2024 with the cancellation number being **********. A full refund of 3 months totaling $35.97 has been issued as of 1/22/2024. There will be no further charges for the membership due to the cancellation. Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.Initial Complaint
12/29/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I went to FYE in Hanford on December 1st. I purchased a few items and the person at the register kindly offered me a free (keyword: "free") pass for discounts. I thought it was the kind of place that just wants your phone number (like ********, so I gave it and she gave me a pamphlet with a card I never activated and I thought that was that. I checked my bank account today and found that my card was charged $11.99. They are using my debit card information, not from me providing it to them, but from the purchase I made at their store. They never asked me for consent to pay this subscription, I never even gave them my card info. I can't afford this, but any attempts I have made to cancel are ignored. I tried the website, and emailing them. I will try going tomorrow but this mall is not within walking distance and I don't have a car. I feel like I have been cheated.Business response
01/04/2024
At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone.
The customer had reached out and cancelled the membership on 12/29/2023 and we have confirmed the cancellation as of 1/4/2023. We have processed a refund of $11.99 that may take a few business days to reflect in their account. There will be no further charges for the membership due to the cancellation.
Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.Initial Complaint
12/20/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I have been trying to cancel the “FYE VIP” membership that I was duped into signing up for, for weeks now. I called, emailed, and tried to use their faulty app to cancel and even with “confirmation” it was cancelled im still getting emails saying when I’ll be charged. If I’m charged I will be contacting my credit card company. This is a predatory business practice and they are simply not going to remove my membership despite constant pleading.Business response
12/21/2023
To Whom It May Concern:
At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone.
We have confirmed that the membership was cancelled by the customer over phone on 12/9/2023. The cancellation confirmation number is **********. There will be no charges for the membership due to the cancellation during the free trial.
Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.Initial Complaint
12/15/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Product Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I went to the ********* Mall on June 11th, 2023 and decided to go to Fye. I purchased some shirts there because there was a sale going on. At checkout, I was asked for my email to sign-up for a rewards program. I was not told that I was agreeing to pay for anything and assumed it was a free membership. Afterwards I received a pamphlet for the Backstage VIP program. I thought this was odd, as they did not mention any sort of paid membership. I reviewed the contents of the pamphlet and it instructed me to go to a certain link to activate said membership. I assumed that just meant I had the option to opt in to the VIP if I wanted to, which I did not. I did not think much of it until about a month ago or so when I saw a $11.99 charge from Fye on my debit card statement. I did some digging and found out that they have been charging me for the VIP membership every month since my initial purchase at the store. As was stated before, I was never told that I was going to be charged, I never activated the VIP membership, the only thing I gave them was my email. They seemed to have taken my card information from the purchase and used the email I provided them at checkout to automatically sign me up for their membership without my consent. After doing some digging, it appears I am not a one off case. From the BBB reviews and various statements on other websites, this seems to be a very common occurrence with this store. I think it is very slimy and deceitful to unknowingly sign people up for your VIP program without their explicit consent. Even if it is part of the employee training to properly explain the program and that you will be charged, clearly said training is not being implemented if so many people are running into this issue. I would like the total amount charged to be refunded.Business response
12/20/2023
To Whom It May Concern: At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone. We have confirmed that the membership was cancelled by the customer on 12/6/2023. A full refund totaling $59.95 has been issued as of 12/18/2023. The refund will show as separate $11.99 credits. There will be no further charges for the membership due to the cancellation. Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.Initial Complaint
12/06/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Billing Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Signed up for “Backstage Pass” subscription. Knew very well that the first month was a free trial; I was told by the employee. I cancelled the subscription the same day, yet proceeded to later receive national geographic magazines in the mail. Months later I noticed two unauthorized charges on my credit card in October, one for $22 and one for $8. For context, I cancelled my subscription for the back stage pass in July. The transactions were specifically for the national geographic magazines. I then cancelled the second subscription that I was not informed would continually charge me.Business response
12/12/2023
To Whom It May Concern: **** ****** signed up for membership #************ in July and the membership is now showing as inactive. At that time, as is stated on the receipt copy you included with in the mailing, the customer signed in acknowledgement of the program. The customer also received a discount on their purchases in the store, that day. **** ****** signed up for ******** ********** **** and ******** *********** Both subscriptions were cancelled on 12/6/23. The customer will receive a refund for $31. Please note that the publisher may send additional 1-2 issues even though the subscription is cancelled. The customer may keep those with our compliments. Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.Initial Complaint
11/22/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Answered
Back in July, I went into the store and bought my wife a gift, the store associate asked if I wanted to sign up for their vip program. I told the associate that I was not interested because I never shop here normally. I paid for my purchase with a credit card and now my card is being charged 11.99 a month for something that I never authorized! My wife and I have tried numerous times to contact FYE customer service to only be ignored. Went back in the store to see if they could stop it and they told me that they can't help and told me to call the customer service number.Business response
11/28/2023
To Whom It May Concern: At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone. We have confirmed that the membership was cancelled on 11/24/2023 with the cancellation confirmation number being **********. A full refund totaling $47.96 has been issued as of 11/27/2023. The refund will show as separate $11.99 credits. There will be no further charges for the membership due to the cancellation. Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.Initial Complaint
11/03/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Service or Repair Issues
- Status:
- Resolved
24 June 2023: Went to a physical location in Louisiana. Set up subscription (******) with cashier and was told that I'd be able to activate my subscription and membership through the link in my email. I tried multiple times to activate membership but when I would submit my information , it kept telling me to call their phone number in order to activate the membership. After these issues, I wanted to cancel it all together. I went on the FYE website and tried calling the number that the business provides on the site (specifically to cancel their subscription) three times, but the number is disconnected/not working. I would like for them to change the number on their website to a functional number so that others may also actually cancel their subscriptions, as well as cancel mine altogether: Membership Number ********.Business response
11/08/2023
To Whom It May Concern: At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone. We tested the phone line and did not run into any issues. There are operating hours for this and they are Monday through Friday, 9 am to 10 pm. We have confirmed the cancellation of the membership as of 11/6/2023 with the cancellation confirmation number being **********. There will be no further charges for the membership due to the cancellation. Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.Customer response
11/08/2023
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. Regards, ******** ***Initial Complaint
11/02/2023
- Complaint Type:
- Sales and Advertising Issues
- Status:
- Answered
I visited FYE store in the ******** ***** NJ and was offered a discount if I signed up for a store loyalty card, MEMBER #: ********. I was never informed this would involve a recurring charge and when I checked my Credit Card statement am disgusted to find I have been charged $10 a month since January. I was clearly a tourist and paid using a foreign credit card, I should never have been deceived into signing up for the scheme as it was obvious I wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the pass as I live half the world away. A quick ****** suggests I am not the only person conned in such a manner, I really do not want to take this any further or make a fuss, i want them to cancel my membership and refund all payments taken from my card.Business response
11/03/2023
To Whom It May Concern: At the time of purchase a customer paying with a credit card is offered our membership program. There is a pamphlet for our membership program which explains all the terms and conditions of the program. The customer is given this pamphlet at the time of purchased. There is a phone number within the pamphlet that allows them to cancel via phone. We have confirmed the cancellation of the membership as of 11/3/2023 with the cancellation confirmation number being **********. A full refund totaling $95.92 has been issued as of 11/3/2023. The refund may show as separate $11.99 credits. There will be no further charges for the membership due to the cancellation. Thank you for allowing us to respond to this concern.
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Customer Complaints Summary
68 total complaints in the last 3 years.
25 complaints closed in the last 12 months.