I had been receiving many telemarketing calls which I either blew off or didn't answer. Finally I decided to answer one and they offered $40 worth of gas if I tried out their programmer.
And I could "cancel" at any time.
I agreed and he put me through to a "supervisor" who spoke 200 words a minute and every now and then would stop and say "Do you agree". I would answer and she would say I had to say "Yes" loudly and clearly. I couldn't understand anything she said, but I realize now, with the beauty of hindsight, that I was agreeing to have my credit card used fraudently by any Tom, dick or harry.
Immediately my card started getting deductions made, $1 from Value plus and $1 from A9 shopping essentials. I realize now that they were snooping around to make sure my account was real.
This is when I got that sinking feeling that I had been scammed. I also got $9.95 deducted from HCare Priviledges that I don't remember talking to the "supervisor" about but at this early stage I thought this was the programme I had agreed to try out.
After a very worried wait I got some propaganda from the HCare Priviledges company and they had me enrolled in their health insurance programme, but didn't offer a $40 gas voucher. I called them and stopped my membership and they refunded my money. Whew. I thought I was out of that mess.
Next I received propaganda from the company Value Plus and saw that it was them that had offered the $40 free gas. I went to their website to receive my free gas and what stinkers! No such offer existed. So I called them and they cancelled my membership but did not refund the $14.95 I thought they had deducted from my account to try the programme. I didn't push it as I was glad to get rid of them and their phony-ass gas offer.
Next month. Hello! Another deduction had come out of my card, I called Value Plus again to check that my membership had been cancelled and they said that they had stopped it and had never deducted any money from me.
So who the hell is A9 shopping essentials. A9 shopping essentials have never sent me any programme to enroll in, never sent me propaganda about themselves, or told me how to cancel my membership. They are just happily going along taking money out of my account. And because it's so minimal they are hoping I don't notice or won't be bothered chasing it had it been say $1000.
I understand now that the "supervisor" I had been speaking to had been getting my loud and clear "YES" to authorise giving my credit card to any $#@# on the planet.
Can you believe it, those scamsters called me last week with a unlisted number on my caller ID. I heard those eerily familiar words "Hi, this is "Visa Online" with your visa card number ending in...". As soon as I said "No" they slammed the phone down in my ear.
Oh well, as they say "A fool and his money are quickly parted".
And these "entrepreneurs" will continue to flourish if consumers continue to give them the time of day.
Unfortunately I have had to close my bank account in order to stop this mess from continuing. It was easier than going through the investigation.
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