Today in my mailbox a tiny little white card with the wonderful news that The Buyers Edge would be sucking 149.99 out of my credit card so that I could continue to reap the benefits of membership. I immediately went to the internet to find out who they were and saw many posts relating them with The Company Store.
I called the Company Store and they told me that I had already been charged 99.00 last January and then went on to tell me that there were numerous benefits to being a member, though they couldn't actually site any benefit I had obtained.
The next morning I called The Company Store again to speak to someone in customer service as I had specifically declined the offer made at the time of the last phone order I placed. It seems that they tucked something into the envelope they send with the merchandise, that required a written opt out. This after I specifically declined the initial offer. I was told they would speak to "upper management" so see what could be done about reversing the original 99$ charge.
Next I called The Buyers Edge and a man who Gave his name as Tom Sullivan answered. He was not a sweet little old lady, and was in fact quite tart. He said Buyers Edge would not bill me for the 149.99 but they couldn't refund anything as "the money doesn't go to them-it goes to Company Store. He was quite testy and when I asked him if their arrangement with TCS wasn't rather like being a pimp he said the conversation was over and hung up.
I guess the moral of the story is to not get casual about investigating each charge that comes through a credit card.
At some point, the opt-out programs must come to an end. It is fraudulent and preys on people who do not necessarily understand all the new ways people have of stealing your money.
I told The Company Store that I never want a catalog from them again, or e-mails or other offers.
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