Geek Help is a telephone computer fix-it serivice charging $1.75/min.Us. Billing protocol is on their website www.888geekhelp.com. Protocol states they "guarantee satisfaction." They say they ask the caller to describe the problem and do not charge while the issue is explained. Next, protocol says they give estimate on how long the solution may take. Protocol next states they ask the caller if he wishes to continue. If the calleragrees, they then ask for credit card numbers. If the caller changes his mind, the protocol says, within 10 minutes after that, they get a full refund.
I was not interviewed according to this printed protocol. I was asked questions about my comptuer for a long time. Then I was asked for my credit card numbers. More questions followed to t total of 57 minutes. Then I was told billing had stopped. I was shocked because I did not know billing had begun.
I was not given the cues in the protocol: how long it would take, asking if the estimated time was alright, being told when billing had started so that I could take advantage of the 10-minute time period in which to claim a refund if I were not satisfied.in short, I was never given the option to ask for a refund because I was not aware when ten minutes had begun.
I was billed $100US for this call and an additional $13.75 for a call I never made! Both calls were credited to MasterCard January 10.
Same day I complained to the company via their website email, and by telephone to their machine.in all, I sent three emails and three phone calls. None was ever answered until I threatened to arbitrate. Then I got an email from "Martin". On March 9, he wrote to say "our policy (is) to give refunds for any call under 10 minutes. I will refund your call for 8 minutes." He promised to look into this and get back to me at the end of that week. He never did.
I emailed March 9 to say the refund was NOT "for ten minute calls". It was clearly stated that the refund was for someone who "changes your mind" within ten minutes after billing has begun and the customer agrees to the estimated time he has been told it would likely take. Not for a ten minute call!
The operator and Martin argued that because I gave my credit card numbers, I must have agreed to receive service and ten minutes began after giving my numbers. But I did not know the billing had started then—that is their assumption. I assumped, with the website protocol, that I would be asked the other questions and cued accordingly. I was waiting for that.in fact, we seemed all the time to be in phase one, or diagnosis, that is, asking questions, for nearly all of the 57 minutes, rather than solving the problem. I had every reason to believe that billing had not begun.
I am stuck because arbitration costs more than the bill. Yet, I want these people to refund my money. I am hoping you can help. Thank you.
David
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada
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