SWEEPSTAKES CLEARINGHOUSE RIPOFF DUE TO REFUSAL OF FULL REFUND OF PAYMENT RECEIVED WHEN ORDER CANCELED WITHIN 20 DAYS OF INITIAL ORDER DALLAS Texas

In January 2004 I received a letter from Sweepstakes Clearinghouse containing two credit vouchers for $300.00 each to apply toward a few select items they were offering. With the vouchers, the prices seemed reasonable. I sent the order form along with a check for $50.00 on February 02,2004.

The account was established on February 15, when they withdrew the $50.00 from my bank account. On March 01, I received the first billing statement containing an incorrect balance. Therefore, on March 05, I called Sweepstakes Clearinghouse to find out what the problem was. I spoke to a man named Robert who informed me of an outrageous s&h charge of $115 that are not reflected on the billing statements or noted on the order form. I immediately told him to cancel my accounts. He reluctantly said he would and told me that the $50.00 would be back in my bank account that following wednesday, March 10.

The refund was not deposited back into my bank account by the date specified (nor as of today,) so I called again on March 15 to ask what the hold up was. A man named Juan, as well as a supervisor named Shaunda, informed me that I was charged $1.00 per month per item for each month the account was opened for a total of $4.00. As I stated earlier, my account was established on Febuary 15 and cancelled on March 05. I explained to Shaundra that it was only 19 days before cancellation and not two months. Her response was that it didn't matter, I would be charged $2.00 for February and $2.00 for March and that I had been mailed two $23.00 checks on March 12.

Aside from the inconvenience the company has placed on me, I feel that the actions taken by Sweepstakes Clearinghouse are unethical as I was charged for S&H, as well as additional charges, that I was not informed about prior to placing my order or the service charge at the time of canceling my order.

I would like to suggest that if you receive unrequested sales items from this company, that you sent it back with a "RETURN TO SENDER" note; I know I will!!! Maybe after paying postage twice for these unsolicited materials, they will change their practices.

Rachael
Noble, Oklahoma
U.S.A.