FRE Enterprises - Sitestar - Computers By Design This internet service provider extorts its customers into paying for service after discontinued Lynchburg Virginia

This company apparently serves the dial-up niche for people where faster services are either not available or not needed. Their business practices are both unethical and misleading.

At the end of my yearly contract I called to negotiate a better rate. They refused and I told them that I would not be renewing at the end of my pre-paid term. Consequently, I obtained other services and forgot about Sitestar.

One year later I received a letter stating that if I did not pay $246.50 for the past year's service the bill would be turned over to a collection agency. I immediately called but was unable to speak to Donna for several days.

When I did get to talk to her I explained that I had not used their service and she admitted that it had indeed been disconnected at the end of my contract period.

So, I asked, Why are you attempting to charge me for a year of service you know I did not use? I was told that I had not written a stop service letter. I replied that I did not know I had to write a letter. She said that it was clearly stated on their website. When I told her that I did not go to the website and that I had made a personal call she became rude and belligerent.

I was informed that they would drop the charges if I paid one month of it to which I replied no way because I did not use the service. At this point she hung up on me. Since then I have contacted the Better Business Bureau of Western Virginia and the company has replied twice to the BBB. Both letters skirted the issue or were misleading/untrue. They refused to negotiate and as far as I know they have now turned the bill over to a collection agency.

Such business practices are contrary to good customer relations and ethical business principles. By promising to drop eleven months of charges to get you to pay one month of charges ... that you do not owe borders on extortion.

This gets even more suspect when the customer calls to tell them that he will not be renewing his services at the end of his contract and is not told that a letter is required to stop services. In fact with the contract expired why would anything be necessary? I thought I was being gracious by letting them know!

I might add that when I signed up for services with them it was done by phone.

Joe
Ararat, Virginia
U.S.A.