I, like many others, have been deceived and cheated by Priceshuffle. Lured in by a phony print ad by a "TV reporter" who promised 100 free bids, I went to the Priceshuffle website and signed up for their program. I gave them my credit card number, thinking that they would need it if I was lucky enough to win something. I did not visit the site for quite some time after signing up with them because I was having health problems. My husband saw their charge for $149.75 on our credit card bill upon receiving our next statement, asked me what it was and I told him I didn't know. After some investigation, I realized the charge was from Priceshuffle, for 300 bids, which I never authorized. I looked at the Terms and Conditions page, and it states that one may purchase bid packages for as low as $25.00 for 50 bids, up to $199.75 for 500 bids.
I wrote to Priceshuffle explaining that I only signed up to try the site with their free offer, and wanted my money back. I was told that when I signed up, I agreed to purchase 300 bids from them. I wrote again saying that I did not agree to purchase anything from them. Priceshuffle (specifically, Eli Smith) responded to me with a restatement of their "you signed up for 300 bids, " mantra, and directed me to the sign-up form that they use. I found a very small, cleverly hidden line which asks one to select which bid package one wants. I do NOT remember the page I signed on with having this bid selection area on it; further, the bid packages offered by the drop-down menu does not offer the complete selection of bid packages identified on their own Terms and Conditions page! This is pure, calculated deception on their part, and I am wondering (and researching) whether this is legal or not. It seems to me that if Priceshuffle fails to provide all pertinent information to its subscribers on the sign-up page, that the contract may not be binding.
I have tried writing Priceshuffle three times, and calling them once, to get my money refunded. All these attempts were to no avail. I am now beginning an email campaign against Priceshuffle, starting here. I will be contacting these other organizations; my State's Attorney General Office, the National Fraud Center, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (a part of the FBI and White Collar Claim Center,) the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection, Penny Auction Watch Forum, Scambusters.org, and my credit card company. I will continue to search for other places that champion the victims of Internet sites like Priceshuffle. I highly suggest atone else who has been duped by this Organization do the same.
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