Last August I responded to a Google Adwords ad on the Google search engine. I expected that any company using the Google name, on the Google search engine, would be the Google we all know and love. More recently I have heard that Google itself is finally getting into the action, and suing the companies that are falsely advertising under the Google name.
In August I agreed to pay for two purchases, each $1.97. Not knowing anything about internet scams, and desperately needing to make money, I believed that I was dealing with a reputable company. I am a divorced woman, highly educated, no longer able to get low-income employment perhaps due to my experience and education. So I have been living in my car for five years, this time around. I "live" on my Social Security, which is under $900. a month, and I spend two days a month in the hospital for IV treatments for autoimmune illness.
That $6.00 which was deducted from my bank account and I received information on how to earn money by advertising my website with Google Adwords. That was money that I needed for food/medications. However there was no reason to believe that I would incurr further charges because I never ordered the website they were trying to sell me! There was nothing that indicated that I was to pay nearly $80, a month for a website. I did read the fine print, however since it was extremely fine, perhaps my "aging boomer" eyes missed something.
Yesterday, January '09, I received a call from my bank asking whether I had made a purchase from a company known as International Bizkits. I said "no" and (my credit card was terminated, soon to be replaced with a new version). I immediately received an email from Allied Wallet, a company I knew nothing about, stating that they wished to "thank me for my purchase..." of $79.80. Further research indicates that I have paid that same $80. a month for the last five months! Unfortunately I do not get bank statements becuase First Community Bank's website is too difficult for even customers to get into...and I had not noticed any problems with my bank balance.
Today when I called Allied Wallet, I was treated very rudely and was repeatedly told that it was my fault for not having my website linked to theirs, or for not building my own website through them. I was not allowed to speak to another person with that company, and was told that "the president does not take calls." The implication was that "the president" is one of only two people working for the company. I am out $400.00 - not a huge amount for many people, but a huge amount for me!
Gayanne
Santa Fe, NM
