I was contacted by this company in early September during dinner time and the telemarketer stated that I was approved for a credit card with a $2500 limit at a 6.5% interest rate. She stated in order to receive the card I would have to pay $200 in deductions from my checking account. She also stated that I would receive a introductory package within 10 days of the funds clearing from my bank account. I was told that I had to sign a paper, attach a voided personnal check, and mail it back to them. The new credit card would arrive 2-3 weeks after they received this.
I fell for this pitch because the interest rate was very attractive and I thought I would cancel other cards I had with a higher rate and use this one. I agreed to let them take out $100.00 on September 20 and $100.00 on October 4. The call then ended.
After about two weeks I received a small paper in the mail with minimal information on it. The paper did not have any phone number on it and I did not have any phone number for them. After I searched on the internet I finally found their phone number, it was not a toll-free number. I called the number and waited for a long time (at my expense), when someone finally answered I explained that I did not understand that the this was not a credit card but rather an account for purchasing mail order merchandise from a catalog.
I told them that I wanted to cancel from this program and get a refund, they told me that the $200.00 is not refundable, and that they would charge me another $35.00 to cancel. Not wanting them to charge me another $35.00, I did not cancel.
On December 10th, I called them again and after waiting a long time I told them that I still had not received anything in the mail from them (no credit card, no catalog, no information). They said they would send a package out right away, which I received a few days later (almost 3 months after taking the last deduction from my checking account.
The catalog I received was bogus, it did not have any company name, address, order forms, or phone number shown. The items in the catalog are expensive and there is not much range in items. There is a New Member letter that comes with the catalog and now you find out that you have to pay a cash down payment (35%), a 7% shipping and handling fee, and a $5.00 order processing fee.
Stay away from this company as it is not reputable and it's business objective is to skillfully scam as many people as possible. I am going to my bank to complain, and sending letters of complaint to the BBB, FTC, State Dept. Of Consumer Protection, State Attorney Generals office, and also the ACH processor.
Tim
Santa Clara, California
U.S.A.
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