As a long time consumer of credit cards beginning in 1979, I felt the need for protection in case of loss or theft and signed up with a company called Watch-Guard Services offered through Citigroup Affilliates and their services were automatically debited from one of my credit cards each year.
However, in October I decided I no longer wanted these services; I never had the misfortune of loss, theft and decided to cancel. So I contacted Watch-Guard by phone to have my membership cancelled. I was told by their agent that I could not cancel and would have to wait until the following year to cancel and therefor I would need to continue their services for another year.
I was not happy with their refusal to cancel upon my request (believing their explaination to be valid) I continued for another year. I did ask however, when would be an approciate time to call the following year and was told I would need to call back around March. So I made notation on my calendar in order to comply with their rules and "cut-of-dates" and continued paying for another year for their services.
On March 23, I called an addressed my desire to drop their services and was told that I would be able to cancel and they were putting the information in their computer system as we spoke.
However the following month their charges appeared on my credit card and I decided I would call back but this time I called directly to the credit card company that had billed my account. They informed me I would need to speak to Watch-Guard directly and tranferred me over to their department.
When an agent came over the phone from Watch-Guard I ask why I had been charged again by their company and she told me I could not cancel. I then ask for a supervisor and was placed on hold for 15 minutes. During the time I was on hold by Watch-Guard and waiting for a supervisor my credit card company that had transferred my call had not disconnected her phone line and had heard the entire conversation between Watch-Guard and myself and informed me that she too was applaud. Needly so say I was relieved she was there and she told me she was remain on line and informed me she would be reporting this entire conversation to her supervisor and would remove their charges from my account if they refused to do so.
After what seemed an etertnity, a supervisor of Watch-Guard came on line and she re-interrated they were refusing to cancel their charges but because of my insistance would enter in their computer system that I no longer wantd their services but denied they had ever received my request to cancel March 23. I was totally shocked! I was billed with their yearly charge once again.
However because of the agent that had overheard the entire conversation, instructed me the charges would be refunded and they would cancel my services with Watch-Guard.
I was not refunded by Watch-Guard Services.
As far as I'm concerned their company was unfair and deceptive with their acts and practices and believe this should be reported in hopes that someone else might be spared the agony I went through to cancel their services.
I often wondered after this ordeal to cancel, if I had lost my cards due to theft, etc., would I have really been protected by their services... Make's one wonder?
0 comments