This company's ad stated that they would provide information regarding government grants. They said that for one dollar we would receive a CD containing necessary information. No CD was sent. There were references to downloadable documents that would have been available to anyone. A charge was made to our credit card in the amount $39.95.
I went online to search for information on this company (no information was given with the credit card charge). There I found complaints from others about this company's practices. Some of them included a phone number and others had an address in the Czech Republic. The recording answering phone indicated that it was a number for cancellation of subscription. Personnel answering the phone offered to give me a cancellation number and stated that the charge is non-refundable.
I called my credit card company (connected with my bank). The party I spoke to was not at all surprised by the information I gave. She said there are thousands of companies like this out there. She also said the cancellation number was necessary to make official complaint to the government should they try to charge my card again. She further said that to cancel the card and get a new one would not stop the charges moving to the new card.
This is a good way to stop all legitimate online services, because who can afford to risk patronizing a service that may be set up to steal money from people? I might add that the personnel at the credit card company was rather indifferent regarding their ability to help. This fraud is apparently legitimized by inclusions in a policy statement. Something needs to be done to stop this unethical theft of money.
0 comments