A few months back and just starting on a new job, I received a flattering phone call from a representative of Madison Who's Who, claiming I had been "nominated" to their exclusive and highly selective ho's Who publication. She went on interviewing me about my professional experience, academic qualifications, etc. Etc., and concluded that I was qualified for inclusion in the book. She continued to offer different kinds of memberships, including a once-for-all "lifetime" membership which cost over $800. Considering the annual fee it seemed a good idea to pay it all at once, so I foolishly did just that, by authorizing a charge on my credit card. Note that this was a LIFETIME membership charge; there would be no further charges of any kind.
I was to receive and the annual book as well as a plaque in the mail — and also, of course, access to their networking website. Eventually the plaque did arrive, misspelled. I could not access my account at the networking website as they had misspelled my name. I never received the book.
About a month ago, however, another of their representatives calls me up at the office. He says that he is ready to send out the annual book and that they will charge me $395 for it. I protested that I had paid for a lifetime membership and that it was made clear in the initial call that there would be no further charges whatsoever. He then tried to bully me into conceding that I had agreed to that additional charge, which was simply not true.
Shortly after this, the plaque finally arrived in the mail. This was about about a month and a half ago. At about the same time, I also detected an unauthorized charge to my credit card bill (of $19.95). Thinking it was shipping and handling for the plaque, I decided not to report it even though I thought it was outrageous. But just a couple of days ago, I detected another unauthorized charge of the same amount. Checking my credit card bills, I now found that they've been charging me this amount monthly.By now, these people have scammed for for over $1,000.
I would like help to handle this matter — above all to stop their scam, and also, if possible, to recover some of the money. I feel extremely stupid about having fallen for this flattery and being scammed like this. But I have found that I am far from the only one.
Pierre
Brooklyn, New York
U.S.A.
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