AT&T Universal Card Credit Protector Services Scam, Free trial ripoff, Unable to cancel after free trial. The Lakes Nevada

On March 16, 2003, I accepted the following promotion offered by AT&T Universal Card: Accept a check for $15 as a gift for enrolling in Credit Protector program, with a 30-day FREE trial period. If I did not want to continue this service, all I had to do was call a toll-free number within the 30-day trial, and there would be no charge to me.

I called and cancelled the service on April 14, 2003, and Juan assured me that since I cancelled before the trial period ended, there would not be any charges. I checked my April 2003 statement, and there were no charges for the service.

Unfortunately, for the next 3 months (May, June, and July 2003), I kept getting charged for the service before I finally called AT&T Universal Card, on August 1, 2003. Carmela at customer service said she would credit my account for the charges, and I should receive a confirmation letter in 7-10 days. Instead, I received a letter from AT&T Universal Card, saying they could not find any record of my original call to cancel the service, so they claimed the charges were valid.

I called back the customer service again, and talked to Shirley, then Jenny, who said they would refund the 3 months charges to my credit card, and I should receive a response within 2 weeks. Once again, I received a letter saying they could not find any record of my original call to cancel the service in April, so they claimed the charges were valid.

Even though I gave them the date of the call and the name of the person I talked to, they still did not credit me the 3 months' charges. I don't think there was anything more a reasonable customer could have done, to make sure the service was cancelled.

This is a scam! There should be a consequence to these businesses luring customers with a check to cash, then charge them hundreds of dollars in return.

Kemal
Folsom, California
U.S.A.