All you wanted to do was buy a book or
some other item on the Internet. You see a great price, and you jump
on it. Then the deal gets sweeter, as you compare prices, using one
of those price comparison sites. Along with the deep discount, you're
getting free shipping too, and that's because you are a first-time
buyer. Yes! Unlike your less informed peers, you are that tech savvy
online shopper that pays $6 for a $19 book.
Perhaps you decided to to the
transaction at Amazon dot com, or Hot Book Sale dot com, or another
site, where Smart Savings Center lurks behind the screen.
Approximately 8 days or more after the deal, you'll be sounding like
one of these folks who got ripped off by Smart Savings Center, not to
mention me and my wife who fell victim to Smart Savings Center's
sneaky scheme.
If you want to read the complaints of
others who have been ripped off like this, just type into your
browser's search box the words, "smart savings center scam"
or something like that (without the quotation marks).
I read of one victim whose membership
fee was later increased from $9.99 per month to $14.95. This person
was charged for several months; he reported his experience to the
Complaints Board. Another lady, charged $12.95 per month, thought the
fee came from her credit card company. Months later she called to be
sure, and the credit card issuer referred her to a purchase she had
made on Amazon dot com; it was for an XBox. Smart Savings Center had
signed her up automatically.
For my wife and me, Smart Savings
Center charged each of us $29.95 for the membership we didn't know
about. My charge appeared on January 12, even before they have posted
the charge for the book that I actually bought from a different
website that was not called Smart Savings dot whatever.
Have you noticed that Smart Savings
Center charges different amounts to different victims? That first
victim mentioned above was charged $9.95 per month. The next person
was charged $12.95. I was charged $29.95. They may be charging the
victim based on his or her credit score, or something odd like that.
If I'm right, then the higher your credit score, the more Smart
Savings Center will take from you.
Then I found out that they sent me a
Welcome Email after my purchase. That email instructed me to cancel
my membership within 7 days, or be charged the first one-month
membership fee.
"What membership?" I asked
out loud. "I just wanted to buy a book at a good price, not join
a savings club!"
I called the toll-free number,
1-800-511-6538, two days in a roll, and get the same recording over
and again. Each time the machine tells me I'm caller #4 or #11.
Seconds later, I am caller #1, "waiting to speak with a customer
service representative". OK, I'm eager to speak with a customer
representative. That's when I hear that the volume of call is high,
and I can press 1 to leave a voice message to be called back. Dead
end. Time wasted.
Next, I call my bank to report the
fraudulent charge, telling the lady on the line that I had used my
debit card to purchase a book online, but was charged a membership
fee, while the charge for the book has not yet shown up on my online
transaction record. The bank lady instructs me to open a dispute by
writing and faxing a letter to the Dispute Department. In the letter,
I should include my contact information plus phone number. I must
also mention my debit card number, transaction date, amount of the
charge, reason for the dispute, and my signature.
The reason for this letter to the bank
is to reverse the current Smart Savings Center $29.95 charge. It will
take at least 10 business days after the bank receives my letter to
process the dispute.
I signed in to my forced Smart Savings
account. At the bottom of the page, I click on Support to
submit a Support Ticket, asking them to refund my money and that of
my wife's. We'll probably have to do a separate Support Ticket for
my wife, using her Smart Savings Center account.
In reply to the Support Ticket, I get
an auto response from Smart Savings Center, saying they'll address my
issue in 3 business days.
Learning from another victim's
complaint, I return to the Support page of Smart Savings Center. On
the left panel, I click Cancel Membership. This is necessary
to prevent future charges. I receive another auto email that says my
membership has been canceled. I remain hopeful that Smart Savings
Center will not charge me again.
Important: If you buy anything online and receive a Welcome Email from Smart Savings Center, find your login ID, and us it to log in to your account. Then proceed to the Support link and use the Cancel Membership tab as discussed above to cancel your forced membership with these crooks
before the 7 days of free membership
are over
.
Geez! And I thought I just wanted to
buy a book! It's businesses like these that will make people gun-shy
about shopping online, especially if such dubious businesses are
using supposedly reputable sites like Amazon dot com to dig their
dirt. Based on this experience, there's no way I'm buying anything
from Amazon, unless I learn otherwise. Unless Amazon dot com cuts all
ties with Smart Savings Center, consumers can't help but conclude
that the two entities are in cahoot.
PS: Just to emphasize how determined these thieves are, on March 27, 2009, I received this email from Smart Savings Center, which continues to charge my account a $1 monthly membership fee, regardless of the fact that I asked them over 2 months ago to cancel my membership, and they replied to confirm the account had been canceled:
"Our goal is to ensure you have the best discounts on 1,000's of brand name
products and services. We strive to provide the highest level of quality and
customer service. We've continued to meet and exceed the expectations of our members thanks to great customers like you. Effective immediately, your $1 Program membership will increase from $1.00 monthly to $1.00 semimonthly. We wish to thank you for your
valued account and know that you will understand the necessity for this price
increase. If you have any questions regarding this increase or any other matters, please
feel free to contact us by sending a Support Ticket at http://www.smartsavingscenter.com/esg/support_ticket.aspx. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you!"
I emailed them this reply: "It's been at least 2
months ago since I asked Smart Savings Center to cancel my
membership. But you continue to charge me your $1 monthly fee. And
now you want to increase it to $2 per month? Please stop stealing my
money. CANCEL MY MEMBERSHIP IMMEDIATELY. I do not need or want your
service, so stop charging me every month for service I do not use or
need. Thank you."
