The Cellar - View Single Post

hot_pastrami · 01-12-2004, 11:44 AM

This kind of business is slimy. They give you a few month's service for "FREE!," and tell you that you can cancel at any time during the "FREE!" trial, and never be charged. They then take a low profile so you'll forget they even exist, and on the off chance you notice the discreet annual charge to your account, they make it exceedingly difficult to cancel service. Every time I talk to someone at the credit card company, they try to peddle this "Account Guard" type of bullshit, and they don't want to take No for an answer. Luckily I have no qualms about being firm about my negative answer.

CC rep: "But sir! It's free! And it's a great service to protect you against fraudulent use of your credit card!"
Me: "In my eyes, that 'service' IS fraudulent use of my credit card"
CC rep: "Oh no, it's a valuable service which can save you thousands of dollars! There's no obligation... if you're not satisfied, you can cancel anytime! So can we get you signed up today?"
Me: "I'm already not satisfied with it, so cancel it now."
CC rep: "But sir...!"
Me: "Nothing that you can possibly say will EVER convince me to even consider signing up for this borderline criminal service."
CC rep: "Well, if you change your mind, just call 1-800..."
Me: Click

My grandmother started signing up for garbage like this, as well as sending her life savings to sweepstakes companies (legitimate and otherwise). Nobody could tell her it was bullshit, and nobody could tell her that you don't have to buy anything to be entered in a sweepstakes, by law. So eventually my pop just started intercepting her mail, and weeding out the crap before she could see it. Maybe you'll have to take a similar approach. I'm assuming your parents are elderly. If not, then I'd just tell them that semi-legal and illegal scamming is at epidemic proportions, and to say No to ANY deal with a "free trial, cancel anytime" format. Also, if they don't know WHY they got a check in the mail, they need to look at it VERY closely.

01-12-2004, 11:44 AM	#11
hot_pastrami I am meaty Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 1,119	This kind of business is slimy. They give you a few month's service for "FREE!," and tell you that you can cancel at any time during the "FREE!" trial, and never be charged. They then take a low profile so you'll forget they even exist, and on the off chance you notice the discreet annual charge to your account, they make it exceedingly difficult to cancel service. Every time I talk to someone at the credit card company, they try to peddle this "Account Guard" type of bullshit, and they don't want to take No for an answer. Luckily I have no qualms about being firm about my negative answer. CC rep: "But sir! It's free! And it's a great service to protect you against fraudulent use of your credit card!" Me: "In my eyes, that 'service' IS fraudulent use of my credit card" CC rep: "Oh no, it's a valuable service which can save you thousands of dollars! There's no obligation... if you're not satisfied, you can cancel anytime! So can we get you signed up today?" Me: "I'm already not satisfied with it, so cancel it now." CC rep: "But sir...!" Me: "Nothing that you can possibly say will EVER convince me to even consider signing up for this borderline criminal service." CC rep: "Well, if you change your mind, just call 1-800..." Me: Click My grandmother started signing up for garbage like this, as well as sending her life savings to sweepstakes companies (legitimate and otherwise). Nobody could tell her it was bullshit, and nobody could tell her that you don't have to buy anything to be entered in a sweepstakes, by law. So eventually my pop just started intercepting her mail, and weeding out the crap before she could see it. Maybe you'll have to take a similar approach. I'm assuming your parents are elderly. If not, then I'd just tell them that semi-legal and illegal scamming is at epidemic proportions, and to say No to ANY deal with a "free trial, cancel anytime" format. Also, if they don't know WHY they got a check in the mail, they need to look at it VERY closely. __________________ Hot Pastrami!