Web Detective claims you can gain access to more records if you pay their fee. Like a fool, I paid the initial "trial" fee of $2.95 USD for a "3 Day Trial Membership", plus $1.95 additional to get a total of 7-Day Trial ($4.90 total charge) on Thursday, August 21, 2008.
I should have known better, as after I paid the fee, I was allowed access to the "Members Area" and was then asked to read a message prefaced by this
caution: "STOP! Please Read the Following Message *VERY* Carefully Because it is the One and Only Time it Will Appear Here in Your Member Account..."
They make it sound legitimate and reasonable by using "friendly language" such as "Hi there, I've NEVER written a message like this before and, frankly, I doubt I ever will again... What's so urgent that I felt the need to write you this kind of confidential message, you ask? And, why is it a one shot deal? Fair questions. I'll explain."
In my own defense, It was the middle of the night so I should have known better than to get roped into something like this, but I was tired and not paying full attention. (Lesson LEARNED!)
I did a couple of searches, but I couldn't really tell I was receiving anything special or that I could not have found on my own. Then they offered another
item called "Privacy Chest", which is just another rip-off. Gullible state of mind that I was in at the time, I signed up for that one too.
Today I received a 9" X 12" envelope with a big yellow sticker on the front that said ""IMPORTANT: Before you break the seal of this enveloe, pick up your phone and call toll free... 1-(888)-330-6331 .. to listen to a very important message about your new Privacy Chest protection package. Call now. P.S. -FREE BONUS worth over $1,000 simply for listening to this important message -call number above for details now!"
Needless to say, I did NOT call the number, OR open the envelope. Instead, I wrote "RETURN TO SENDER" in large letters on the front of the envelope and put it back in the mail.
Please notice that in all their communication, they have a lot of "......" and dashes, continual "cautions" so they can try to claim they "informed" their "customers" properly, etc. but take my word, it IS a HUGE RIP-OFF!!!!
By using these tactics they try to trick people into thinking they're on the inside track and are getting "special" and/or "valuable" information, and the fee is low enough that a person may feel it "must be legitimate", since they aren't asking for an astronomical payment amount, BUT all they really offer is clever deceit from a common swindler. BEWARE of this company! If it sounds too good to be true, it usually IS!
Joyce
Bedford, Indiana
U.S.A.