I got a call from them in mid November of 09. When they got to the part about the $1000 shopping spree, I thought "awesome, I can use it for Christmas". They told me it was good for household stuff, electronics, computers, video etc. I asked them THREE times if it could be used anywhere online and was told yes all three times. So I agreed. They had me repeat what I had agreed to so they could record it. I used my fiances credit card. Not once did they ask me if it was my credit card. They never even asked for the name on the card. That turned out to be my way out.
Normally, when I get a call like that, IF it sounds like something I'd be interested in, I ask them to call back in a few days. Then I do some web research to see what others had to say. Well, they caught me straight out of bed at 8:30 am and I got suckered.
Once I woke up I decided to check the web and was disgusted by what I read about this company and their "shopping spree"... Which, by the way, is NOT usable anywhere on the web, only on their site for their crappy merchandise.
Now, if I get suckered into something, I usually take my lumps, but they flat out lied about the shopping deal. I hate being lied to. So, I had my fiance call the company and tell them that I had no authority to use his card and to cancel the account. So help me, their reply was "I'm sorry sir, we can't talk to you about this because your name isn't on the account". They said they had no way of knowing who he was and would not cancel anything. If there is one thing I am very good at, it's using the English language to my advantage. I sat down and wrote a very firm, but polite letter and pulled out all my $64,000 words. I wrote it and had my fiance sign it. I reminded them that lying to get a sale is fraud. I told them charging a credit card without checking who was using it was illegal. Then I told them that I wanted a refund of the payment or I would contact my state Attorney Generals Office, THEIR states Attorney General, the BBB in both states AND the phone company.
I eventually got a response, AFTER a second charge to the credit card. They were VERY upset about "my fiances letter". Then they said something that actually made me laugh. They said "We have to pay your fiance back, he's VERY upset! You need to send us $—.— so we can pay him back!" Keep in mind, they were aware that my fiance and I live in the same house... I said "wait, you took money out of his account illegally and you want ME to send you money so you can pay it back???" they answered YES!
Oh, one other thing, these people are RUDE. This woman, in an extremely snotty tone, said "we have you RECORDED agreeing to this" to which I replied, in a very snotty tone "true, but I bet you don't have a recording of you LYING to me about the shopping spree now do you?" She responded with a "no, we do not" and my reply was, "well, how VERY convenient for you. Maybe I'll post a blog telling people to make sure they record YOU when you call them." She got a bit more polite after that.
End of the story... We told them to keep the * money but to cancel the account and if we saw another charge to the credit card, we'd be speaking to a lawyer. Expensive lesson, but one well learned.
We haven't heard a thing from them since, but the magazines kept coming. I had to call the publishers directly to cancel... And made sure to tell them all the story. Maybe they'll stop using this rip off company.
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