CompleteHome and Orchard Bank together are engaging in extremely misleading and false advertising.
I received a "live check" from "Orchard Bank" (nothing on the exterior about CompleteHome or any other company). I opened the check ($5.00) and, again, saw Orchard Bank and nothing in large or regular print about CompleteHome.
So, thinking I was receiving an end-of-the-year refund from my bank, I deposited the check and set aside the literature to read when I got back from work.
When I read through the fine print, I realized the check was an enrollment into CompleteHome and that I would be charge $119.99 for this obscure, unclear appliance club, "unless you call 1-877-878-7279 to cancel during the 30-day period, in which case your Orchard Bank credit card will not be charged."
So, I called the next business day and ended up on hold for a representative and spent half a day trying to get out of the service. I talked to two reps, a supervisor and I got a lawyer's (general) number before I found an "Executive Supervisor" who helped me.
The others said I didn't have a membership no. So they cldn't cancel my membership so I'd have to wait two or three weeks for my packet to arrive and then call to cancel. I said, why can't I just give you my information and you cancel my membership when the number arrives? I also offered to write a $5.00 check to the company to refund this "free" check they sent me.
In closing, I'm still not out of this but the Exec. Supervisor has promised that I can get out if I call her "directly" (an 800 number) in two weeks.
My complaint? This is extremely misleading advertising and a trick to get $120 and a membership from busy, everyday people. Some may not read the fine print and end up enrolled and have to try to get out after they are charged. Other very busy, financially-secure people may NEVER notice this enrollment and end up paying for this "service" for years!
These types of consumer tricks abound and they should not be allowed. If the exterior of this check had said "CompleteHome" and not "Orchard Bank, " I never would have cashed it.
As are many working/family people, I'm extremely busy and should not be "blamed" for not always having time to read fine print on everything that appears to be coming from an institution that I do business with.
Thanks for allowing me to post this complaint. I hope others will read it and look out for this type of "trick" advertising that takes advantage of consumers.
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