I received an unsolicited phone call from an Angela Goodwin in October of 2008. She was selling advertising on placemats that were purportedly used at a chain of local restaurants. The price was reasonable and I decided to place the ad. Initially, she told me that it would be $69 for one year. By the time I got the "agreement" the price had jumped to $199.95. She told me that the increase was to put the ad in all 5 locations in the area. She was a good sales woman and I ended up agreeing.
I emailed her the ad I wanted placed and a charge showed up on my credit card. In January 2009, I received a "copy of ad proof" that was not what I had submitted. I contacted the "company" and was told that I'd missed the deadline and that they had to design the ad themselves. I argued with the very rude "Bill" and he said that if I sent the ad I wanted, he would get it in. I did this and never got a confirmation. I sent repeated emails and got nothing. When I called, I got the run around. I was told a print version would be sent to me. It never was.
Meanwhile, another charge for 49.95 showed up on my credit card. I called and was told that it was an ad set up fee. I pointed out that I had designed the ad and that my "agreement" showed that "set-up fees" had been waived. "Bill" said he would look into it and try and get me a credit. I never got the credit.
Frustrated, I let it go, thinking I would get some business off the ads. Then, in September 2009, I was charged $229.90 from "Nationwide Marketing" in Springfield. I immediately called and left a message and followed up with an email. I explained that I had not authorized auto renewal. I finally reached "Bill" by phone and he very rudely started a "schpill" about doing me a service to protect my advertising, blah, blah, blah.
He then told me I need to have sent a cancellation letter with a signature. I said that I had no agreement stating this policy. He insisted that I had signed such an agreement and that he couldn't be responsible for what I kept and what I didn't keep. I told him I would send the letter immediately and to go ahead and credit my account. He told me that he couldn't guarantee that I would get the money refunded as ads had already been printed. This was patently false! The ad I supposedly purchased was supposed to run for 12 months and 12 months had yet to expire. No way that $229.90 was for ads already run.
I told him not to concern himself as I had already disputed the charge with my bank. I won't bore you with how ugly he got then. Let's just say that I hung up in a rage.
I got on-line and started doing a little research only to discover that I am not the first person to be duped. I then called the restaurants that I supposedly had advertised with and they had no such placemats in their places of business. The whole thing is a scam.
I will be contacting a lawyer and would be interested in talking to others who have had similar experiences with Angela and Bill (not to mention their "hag" who answers the phone). Perhaps a class action lawsuit is in order.