People PC People PC SPAM Mail ripoff Internet

I received today the following e-mail:

Hello!,
I have changed my Internet service provider to PeoplePC Online and have a new e-mail address. My new e-mail address is: cdmnpc@peoplepc.com. Please use this e-mail address from now on. Im getting great Internet access for a great price. If youre interested in doing the same, you should visit www.peoplepc.com.

I received two copies of this e-mail, and friends of mine have received them as well. No name was provided by the sender, so I doubt it really is someone I know. Appears to be a spam campaign by PeoplePC or someone trying to discredit them. Smacks of desperation.

About NEGATIVE OPTION companies: I personally refuse to do business with such companies if at all possible. Negative option (the AOL plan) is a method by which they charge your credit card or bank account until you say "stop". The problem is, some companies make it hard to discontinue negative option payments. You have to stay on hold for hours or fill out forms, or they claim they never received your stop request. It is an old scam, and AOL was the pioneer in this business, at least until they were sued.

If you go with a negative option plan, make sure to keep track of the payments. Use a credit card, as opposed to a bank account (demand draft) as credit card payments can be more easily reversed. You should check your statement every month after you cancel the plan to be sure you are not being charged.

Another poster here complained that after canceling her PeoplePC account, they continued to demand-draft her bank account for several months, which she did not notice as she did not check her bank statements until later. Unfortunately, that level of trust is no longer possible in this world. You have to check and balance your bank and credit card accounts every month - or more often (I generally do it weekly or every couple of days).

This is, after all, your money we're talking about.

Many online dialup providers are getting desperate because DSL and cable companies provide better service for less money. As a result, they are seeing their market shares shrink, and the AOL "you can't cancel me!" tactics may proliferate..

Good Luck!

Robert
Jekyll Island, Georgia
U.S.A.