Yesterday I received the following e-mail claiming to be from BMG Music Service. The story is legit, and there really is a class-action suit like it says… but every link on the page goes to cdlounge.com, not bmgmusicservice.com:
Now I was suspicious, especially since there’s nothing but a login box at cdlounge.com (Strike #1 in my book). So I started digging around a bit.
BMG Music Service’s FAQ section states:
Q. How do I know an email is from BMG Music Service?
A. BMG Music Service will send you emails about your orders and account as well as special sales and promotions, and these emails will come from bmgmusic@bmgmusicservice.com. Occasionally you may receive a fraudulent email that appears to be from BMG Music Service but is actually an attempt to trick you into providing personal information that can be used for identity theft. These emails are often called spoof or phishing emails.BMG Music Service will never ask you to confirm account information like passwords or credit card information through email. If you receive suspicious email, please forward it to us immediately at emailspoof@bmgdirect.com and we will investigate it.
The e-mail I received says it came from cs@bmgmusic.com, so that’s Strike #2 (it should be coming from bmgmusic@bmgmusicservice.com, according to the FAQ). I looked at the questionable e-mail’s headers, and its Return-Path is soneill@103637-litigation1.yourmusic.com—Strike #3 (Yourmusic.com looks as if it may be owned by BMG Music Service, but like CDLounge.com, it could just as easily be a competitor).
I tried to forward the e-mail to emailspoof@bmgdirect.com like they said, but it failed in a “this account does not exist” sort of way. So I’ve forwarded the thing to bmgmusic@bmgmusicdirect.com now, and I’m waiting to hear from them. If this isn’t an instance of phishing, the folks at BMG really need to get their act together. You just don’t tell people that you’re one site on the logo (BMGMusicService.com) but link it to another site (CDLounge.com) and have your e-mail originate from yet another site (YourMusic.com). So it’s either really fishy or really tacky. 
UPDATE: Looks like it’s legit. See my recent update for more details.
I’ll be watching your post-follow-up. My friend just received the same e-mail and gave his credit card number and purchased five CDs yesterday. He told me about it, and I’m suspicious for the same reasons you’ve mentioned. Found your site via google searching. Two things I noticed as well:
1) my friend wasn’t required to use his BMG name and pass; he used his e-mail address and a 6-digit number password given to him in the e-mail; and,
2) the site seems to allow him to order more than five cds at the deeply discounted price. The class-action lawsuit seems to indicate that the maximum amount anyone would be able to purchase is five, and that only if the customer had been a member for 10 years with over 40 previous purchases.
Either it’s a fake, or it’s really poorly done by BMG tech staff.
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I also received this email and it looks like a scam to me too. I want to add that my browser warned me that the website the email was connecting me to was using encryption with a certificate that had expired in 2005. I also agree, if I already have a BMG user and password, why is the email telling me to use another user and password??
I never got as far as even entering the user and password provided, since the user is my email and I have enough spam already, but I would have DEFINITELY NOT given my credit card number. Let us know what happens with your friend…
Hello,
I just hang up with BMG Customer service web department and they told me that the web site is legit!!! Now I’m still skeptical to buy there, let me tell you why? They settlement said that only 3 or 4 cds can be redeem (it depends on how long you have been a member and how many CDs you have purchased). But at cdlounge.com you can buy as many as you want… that is what it looks really weird to me… it can be true, I wrote them an email also.
Here the phone numbers if you guys want to call them:
BMG MUSIC 317-692-9200 or 317-542-6067
Please let me know of any news.
Thank you.
All,
I was checking into this too, & found this — http://www.bmgmusic.com/stelkcase/?site=stelkcase
in the settlement, there is a link to a pdf that needs to be sent in — http://www.bmgmusic.com/stelk/settlement
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Hey everyone, I’ve got an update now… looks like it’s a genuine offer… but I still think there’s something fishy about it.
I also called BMG Music Service directly and inquired about the CD Lounge email. They have again confirmed it is legitimate and that CDlounge.com is part of BMG Music Service. So, it does appear legit. Also, they said you can order up to 5 CD’s from the CD Lounge.com website. $3.80 per CD with no shipping sounds good to me!
*update* my friend did get charged the appropriate amount to his credit card, and has now received the requested CDs in the mail. Conclusion: it’s not a scam, but BMG is doing something fishy to get stuff off their accounting books or something.
Now my question: according to the stelk document, I’m definitely eligible for 5 cds, but I haven’t received an e-mail to that effect… not sure what to do.
My debit card bank statement reads:
CHECKCARD 04/05 YOURMUSIC.COM CS@YRMUS.COM IN $6.99
The unauthorized charge (my bank cathegorized it as fraud and sent me a new debit card) occurred on April 5, 2007. I have never done any kind of business nor contact (not even a visit to the site!) with YOURMUSIC.COM neither YRMUS.COM! They must have purchased my card data from some hackers? Now I found out that they are owned by BMG and Columbia House who sell CDs.
They gave me a run-around, never refunded the $5.99. I had to submit a chargeback.
Hello,
Just an update. After the comments made by Chris. I went an place an order of 5 CDs with my CC on “www.cdlounge.com”. Just today I got a box with my 5 CDs. Inside there is a packing info saying “BMG Music Service” —> Real deal and all my CDs. It’s a real offer. So if you have the chance go ahead and order your CDs.
My bank has not updated the amount yet. I’m still waiting on that one.
MYS CD’S WAS MISSPLACE AND NOW I CAN PICK MY FREE MUSIC BECOUSE I DON’T HAVE MY FREE MUSIC VAUCHER ;( ;(
(6)
This is totally legit. My friend & I ordered over 100 CDs for $4.11 each. Awesome deal.
Can anyone find a customer service number for bmg….. I really hate them and I want to tell them!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks
There is something strange going on with BMG and I can’t figure out what to do. I received a letter in the mail from BMG Music service telling me that they tried to send me several emails using the email account that I use with them, only to have them returned by the server telling BMG that my email address is invalid. So BMG told me they turned my email subscription to BMG Music Service to a postal mail subscription. They said if this was an error that I could sign on to my BMG account and have it reverted back to an email account.
I immediately went on-line and had several individuals email the email account I use for BMG MUsic Service and ALL emails went through ok so my server is NOT telling anyone that my email address is invalid or no longer active as BMG Music Service claims it is. So I then decided to sign on to BMG Music Service so that I could revert my BMG account back to an email subscription but get this – now when I enter my user name and password into the appropriate BMG sign on areas, nothing happens! I have tried it on different computers and all I get is that the computer is waiting for a reply from the website…45 minutes later I still can not get connected. All I want now is to cancel my membership but it will not let my sign in go through. The BMG Website does not answer and my ISP Server says it is NOT a problem with them.
The ironic thing is that despite what the letter from BMG said about their emails to me being rejected and undeliverable, I received the last monthly selection email and declined it so their emails are going through.
I had not heard about the civil suit against BMG. But it doesn’t surprise me. Just last week they were offering buy 1 get 4 free. So I thought “this is great” and made my selections. But by the time I chose one at full price of 18.98 and chose the 4 free CD’s, the postage and handling on each one of over $3.60 brought my total to just over $40.00! And this was supposed to be for 4 free CD’s! The cost averaged out to over $6.00 for each CD. Do they not know the meaning of FREE? And they almost always send out all the CD’s to me in one package yet they still would have charged me about $18.00 for shipping costs for 5 CD’s when the postman told me that they probably only paid $4.00 to $6.00 to ship them!
I brought one of the CD’s advertised at BMG for 18.98 at Walmart.com and paid only $12.99 for it and only paid $1.97 for shipping costs and it went by first class mail!
Is anyone else having trouble signing on to BMG like I am?
I called the 317-692-9200 number and cancelled my account so no responses are now required. I’m just glad to be free of this BMG rip-off club
i have been charged a fee of 6.99 that i did not sign up for and would like your help in this matter. Please feel free to contact me at kimstaggs [at] msn.com
Kim, have you tried calling either of the numbers Poseidon gave in an earlier comment (317-692-9200 and 317-542-6067)?
If you’re sure that neither you nor anyone else with semi-legitimate access to your credit card (a spouse, sibling, son or daughter?), you should contact the company that issued your credit card. Let them know that this was an unauthorized transaction.
I fell for the great offer on 6 cds and got caught up in having to purchase 5 more (never got the one’s I wanted) I also got a reminder in a letter when my credit card expires ( I was thinking cool no more expensive cd’s) I tried to email the cd’ I wanted but never could the site was not responding –it told me to come back later. 2 months later I got a cd –now how is this possible? and how do I get a hold of someone to stop this?
so much for choices
thanks
Tina
Well, I signed up for yourmusic.com and they kept charging me even when I stopped buying, so what I did is went to the website contacted them and sent them an e-mail, when I got an error mesg. I said, “ok fine” I went to my e-mail inbox found an e-mail from them saying I got charged last month, I replied by saying, “if u do not cancel my account in the next few days I will conctact ect ect ect ect” and in 2 days I got an e-mail from them saying “alright we will cancel ur account” with my e-mail letter and my previous request when I went on their website…..which means they are bullshit by saying error we did not get ur comment…BS! If you guys have problems with yourmusic.com send me an e-mail and I’ll give you what I sent them.
Cherry12089@hotmail.com
:]
Claudia
They call me at work attempt to collect, what? I do not owe any money, this is the second time, no only that calling me at work? CDs were already returned to sender, long time ago. I took care right away called the company, explained, they told me don’t worry, and then after a while, I did received a letter from a collection agency, so I tried to get a number from BMG, I could not, one of my coworker, did a research online, and she found I think could be this one. I called with BMG, they said, we’ll fix it, until now once again! What should I do? Who needs this stress?
Gloria,
I would suggest that you begin by getting a copy of your credit report. You may be eligible for a free report; go to AnnualCreditReport.com (the ONLY web site authorized by the Federal Trade Commission to offer free credit reports online) to see if this holds true in your state.
Once you have your report, read over it because there should be instructions for filing a dispute. If you file a dispute about this charge against you, no debt collector will be able to legally attempt to collect from you unless or until they are able to provide sufficient evidence that their collection attempts are justified. (If they’re in possession of the items they’re charging you for, they can’t really justify sending a bill collector after you.)
An added bonus is that they need to stop contacting you directly, and talk to the reporting agency instead.
Anyway, that’s what I would do.
I have a question…I’m sure it’s been asked on here already, but I didn’t get to read through all the posts.
I first noticed that my checking account has been charged every single month for $6.99 for something I never even ordered! It says yourmusic.com and the charges are for the same amount. Unfortunately I just noticed it now. How can I stop this and how can I get my money back!
Please help!
Thanks – Dina
P.S. I’ve never ordered anything from BMG or this yourmusic.com site.
Dina,
It looks like they got your debit card number *somehow.* Any teenagers in the house?
Seriously, though, check out this page at epinions.com.
If it’s being deducted from your debit card, I would suggest you contact your bank, explain the situation to them, and see what they can do to stop payment.
I,m having the same problem!!! I used a credit card and had charges for 2 months..no cds. I did oder cds from BMG not yourmusic.com I,m going to try to cantact my credit card company..wish me luck!!!!!
Good luck, Phayne!
hey guys i kind of have a story for you… here it is…
Okay well recentely iv moved i find this old cd in a cardboard box… (in the original packaging still) so i thought to myself… iv never seen this c.d. before… i look inside and see a account number.. with my name for a BMG Music Service.. so right away i went online to see what this was… i go on bmg’s main sight.. cant find any sort of login i put in the email i normally use no account for it.. i have the account number on the receipt they sent on it but have no recoolection of ever buying a c.d. thru bmg or anything like it… i never buy c.d.’s onling i only have ever went to stores.
So then i tried calling that number u guys selected and well its too late then so ima try calling tommorow… but i dun no what to do about this .. on it i say it says i owe 2.99$ by 10/22/06… 3 years ago.. when i was like 12? i think not… i didnt even use a computer back then other than freaking games
so anyway i look in the fine print of it and see a if u dont pay in 30 days thyll be a 2 dollar late fee? so im wondering if its per 30 days or a one time charge.. can someone answer me this? im also thinkin about emailing them but from what iv heard that rarely helps…
so im figuring ill just ask my dad to see if he like knew about this… if u got any ideas contact me at youtube (i use it alot now)
acc name on youtube: Decimater
just send me a message or something pleaseee
if u dont want to use youtube then send a email to
Decimater@gmail.com
i just created that email like 2 weeks ago so it cant have anything on it charging wise so please help somebody@!