This is just a very simple warning on how decieving some sites can be.
I came across True.com by e-mail (SPAM, shoulda left it there with the other garbage)and clicked on it. They had some local stuff from my city on it, and of course you can't really look at anything unless you sign up or subcribe. SO.....I do this with some curiousity not thinking much about it (it was a FREE 3 day trial). Again you have to almost give up your first born to just even look at pictures. I will be honest here, the fine print was there, and I did "browse" through it, and it seemed pretty basic.
NOT! Obviously i did not look close enough
To the point now. I ended up "ATTEMPING" to sign up, but my CREDIT CARD WAS DECLINED!!Everything stopped at that point. I got the sorry message and what not, and figured ok not a big deal, I didnt have enough bucks on the ol card. This was approx. the first week of August/06.
Now, I recieved e-mails on a regular basis with matches, and I looked at a few, no biggie right? WRONG?
Jumping around bit, (bare with me)
Every site I have ever been to (not just dating, but regular places, shops, etc) when you make a purchase, you have to confirm that purchase. Keeping that in mind, every internet site that I have ever seen that accepts credit cards, when you are declined, the purchase is over, non existent, it didnt happen. so if you ever went back there, do you think you could just click on a good buy and bang there it is? NO, you have to re-enter your credit card info, ACCEPT the purchase again, AND CONFIRM IT!
Then they will attemp to put the charge through again.
This is the be careful part. If you give your credit card number to True.com and it is declined, THEY DONT TELL YOU THAT YOU STILL GET THE 3/7 DAY TRIAL, WHILE THEY KEEP ATTEMPING TO PUT CHARGES THROUGH ON YOUR CREDIT CARD. And when the charges go through THEY DON'T SEND YOU A RECIEPT, LIKE EVERY OTHER PROFFESSIONAL BUSSINESS!
The fine print says becuase you said "I ACCEPT" to the "FREE" trial, you give permission to True.com to nail you with a monthly charge.
Now the good stuff, I tried to fix this little problem by contacting them to find out what the $57 charge was, and $1 (both have pennies on the end, but I rounded) charge for advice or something dumb. I never asked for advice or coaching, I never talked to anybody, contacted, sent e-mails, NOTHING. I got charged about $60 bucks for a small "FREE" trial.
One e-mail was the only response to severals e-mails that I wrote, and nothing when I phoned. Finally my credit card company got ahold of them, and I got to talk to them.
They told me everything I told you:
I signed up for a "FREE" trial
I accepted the terms of that "FREE" trial
I accepted the very tiny print that said we will charge you each and every month,unless you phone in person and CANCEL. I read a few other stories, yeah phone in person, good luck with that!
He even said, it didnt matter that you were declined (credit card) You still accepted the terms of the "FREE" trial! Wich means until "I" get ahold of a live person on the telephone, we will keep charging and attemping to charge your credit card.
IN ENGLISH: Unless you speak to someone live, you are authorizing True.com to go in each and every month and take money from your credit card. even if you were declined, even if you didnt know being declined means your still approved.
I will even say that they technically DID NOT do anything wrong by legal standards (parents are lawyers),
BUT MORALLY , TRUE.com IS VERY, VERY DECIEVING
Okay this is the best part.
The guy I spoke too told me he understood where I was coming from and "AGREED" with me, but rules are rules.
He was even nice enough TO CANCEL MY MEMBERSHIP ( Oh yeah, approved when declined), IMMEDIATELY! NOW! TODAY! I thought ok, just be done with it, and asked how long the charge would take to come off my card.
OH, YOU DONT GET A REFUND! WE ARE JUST CANCELLING YOUR MEMBERSHIP. . . . AND KEEPING YOUR MONEY! ( $60 for a few days? )
WOW!!!
THANKS MAN!
Approx 2 weeks on True.com
$57
Unkown charge from True.com
$1
Several e-mails
$0
Several phone calls
$0
Getting screwed br True.com
PRICELESS!
I know I seem a little bitter ( ya think )
I never had any contact with anyone
I never confirmed anything ( but a "FREE" trial )
He agree's and cancells my membership
They keep my money They are well within the law
I probly left out all kinds of good details, but to make a long story short, be very, very careful with sites that offer "FREE" trials. Make sure you know and read the fine print!
AND DOUBLE, AND TRIPLE CHECK THAT YOU DIDN'T UNKNOWINGLY GIVE A DATING SITE PERMISSION TO RAPE YOUR CREDIT CARD ON A REGULAR BASIS.
Even after talking to the guy and him knowing this had only been a couple of days, he didnt even care about me or my possible future business. I GOT YOUR MONEY, I WILL CANCEL YOUR MEMBERSHIP, AND THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!! Thats how I was treated!
You know, I could even understand if this had been drawn out, or month's, or even weeks, and mutiple charges. But it wasn't. It was only a few days. Then I spent a week trying to figure it out, and almost a week waiting for responses ( I never got ) from e-mails.
Moral of the story:
Some sites ARE very decieving, even when staying within the limits of the law.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU AGREE TOO!
TRUE.COM ARE A BUNCH OF THEIVES WHO DONT CARE ABOUT THERE CUSTOMERS, OR HE WOULDNT HAVE BEEN SO QUICK TO CANCEL ME OUT, AND KEEP MY MONEY.
Be Careful
Scorned
Greg
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada