Cash Secret Club / Google Biz Kits / ?? – You’re Fired!
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Grrr!
I have to “update” the post I was creating, before I even got it published! In the great tradition of such Internet scams, many of the websites fishing for “clients” for these products are changed regularly… Just so that we CAN’T pin them down and (a) get any resolution, or (b) warn others.
So I’ll continue, but be aware that the “feeder” websites may be different by now.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Internet is full of scams.
Yeah, no kidding.
But it does seem like they are becoming more and more subtle, trying to trip up even people who are aware of the scams that are out there.
Take a look at this “news story” advertised on Facebook about a woman working from home: http://www.themiamigazettenews.com/?c=us&l=red&id=malepari33.
They actually bought the domain name “The Miami Gazette News” for their pitch letter!
If you go to http://www.themiamigazettenews.com/, you see a similar story, but obviously targeting a different audience. Interestingly, they have the exact same “comments” (testimonials), and the declaration that comments have been closed due to spam.
The article touts the merits of a couple of online business programs, leaning heavily on the “Google” brand name. It says you can sign up for one for $1, and the other for $1.95.
Well, “Google Biz Kits” actually goes to a site called SpeedyPaycheck.com. “Google Cash Club” is www.CashSecretClub.com. Both of these list (in small print, on an obscure “Contact Us” link) the same corporate name and Las Vegas mailing address.
If I’d looked, I would have found plenty of warnings about them online…Â Like the Yahoo Answers post, or this one from Reviewopedia.
But I had to know… In the name of research, I forked over $1.95 for each (the $1 was wrong, already!) and looked at what was offered.
- It was… Disorganized.
- It was… A bunch of common sense information about selling on eBay.
- It was… Discussing how to go into business for yourself placing people’s advertising links.
- It was, presumably, in the end, a route to get a franchise selling the same shtick to other people.
But then came the other shoe.
My bank called me and asked if I had authorized a charge for $81.23 to a company called “Internet Profit Center.”
Ummm, NO.
They actually cancelled the card that had been used for suspected fraud. It took me a while to track down the charge.
Interestingly, when I got their phone number off the bank website and called, the operator answered with this speech – all in one breath before I had a chance to speak. I admit I am not sure of the exact wording, but this is very close:
Thank you for calling (whatever business name she used), this is Elaine. You signed up for a seven-day free trial of our program online on June 2, and since you had not cancelled by June 9, your Visa card ending in **** was charged for the first month’s fee of $81.23. How can I help you?
Well, that answered most of my questions right there…
Except for the fact that I was not aware I was signing up for a “Free Trial” of a paid service. (And I cannot imagine what value they were providing on an ongoing basis – but that’s another issue).
Elaine assured me that it was all spelled out in the Terms and Conditions I had agreed to when I registered on the site (more on this later). She said she could certainly cancel my account, but that since the charge was valid it was not refundable.
As you might imagine, I asked to speak to a supervisor.
She refused!
Wow.
I was told that there is nobody there who does anything but cancel accounts, and for anything else I should use the Contact form on the website.
I did that, but haven’t heard back. Surprise, eh?
I called again, and this time the rep was (relatively) happy to let me speak to a supervisor. Hmmm.Â
The supervisor I spoke to was Anna Mendez (or that’s as close as I can gather, since she was not willing to spell or repeat it), and she took the hostility factor to a whole new level.
She insisted that it said I was signing up for a subscription in the Terms and Conditions. I explained that I had them in front of me, and that was not what it said.
When I offered to read the section to her, she said, “Go ahead and read it. I don’t care.â€
She refused to read me the portion which allegedly stated something different, of course. Then she abruptly said Good-Bye.
Astounded, I asked if she was just going to hang up on me. “Yes,†she said. “This is a pointless conversation.â€
I did call back and ask if another supervisor – or her supervisor – was available, but I was told that she was the only supervisor there. The representative suggested that I discuss it with corporate.
And the other one?
Second verse, same as the first…
A charge for $69.90 showed up on my credit card – my bank didn’t catch on to this one, for some reason.
I called and spoke to Laura, who – like Elaine, above - assured me that I had clicked the “I agree to the Terms and Conditions,” which clearly state… (blah, blah, blah).Â
Her supervisor, Whitney, started right down the same path. (At least they didn’t try to keep me from talking to a supervisor).
The crazy part? What saved the day, apparently, was an unrelated crisis at work that caused said supervisor to utter an expletive. I gasped and said “Excuse me?!” She said it wasn’t directed at me and put me on hold. She returned with an apology, an explanation that there was a crisis and she did not have time to review my information, and an offer to credit back the full fee.
Whew. Or something.
The Fine Print, Revealed!
Here’s the presumably relevant paragraph from the TERMS AND CONDITIONS link (which, surprise, surprise, is identical on both sites except for the amount):
By purchasing this product, you agree to adhere to the termination agreement as outlined on the order page, confirmation of order page, and confirmation email, which is that you, the buyer, are not entitled to a refund of the upfront cost of any shipping and handling that may or may not have been charged to you for delivery of said product. Furthermore, any free trials that may or may not be offered with this product are only free during the said allotted time of the free trial period as outlined within the product sales page, confirmation of order page, and confirmation email. If you have not cancelled the free bonus within the 7 day trial period (if offered on product purchasing), you are agreeing to purchase the bonus material and/or service at a monthly reoccurring cost. The resource center is billed at $68.21 monthly. This can be cancelled at anytime simply by calling 1-800-235-1364 or by calling the customer service number provided in the confirmation email and stating your desire to cancel said bonus material. However, in order to not be charged any future reoccurring cost, please give ample time (2 business days) to be cancelled out of any reoccurring billing system before the next scheduled charge to your account (this does not apply during any trial period). Not cancelling trial programs constitutes authorization, by you, the buyer, for any charges (as outlined) for the associated bonus service until your request to cancel has been received by our customer service staff. By not cancelling the bonus program during the trial period or prior to two days before a scheduled billing cycle, you agree that any reoccurring charges billed to you will be non-refundable. All products are shipped via USPS.
So, there are so many problems with this “agreement,” it’s hard to imagine anyone thinks it’s useful.
Let me start at the beginning and walk through a few of them.
- I’m agreeing “to adhere to the termination agreement as outlined on the order page, confirmation of order page, and confirmation email…” Except that there is NO text of that sort on those web pages – and no confirmation email at all! They contain only a link to this (Terms and Conditions) page.
- I’m therefore “not entitled to a refund of the upfront cost of any shipping and handling that may or may not have been charged to you for delivery of said product”. There’s no “delivery,” as it is not mailed – only online. And I’m willing to lose my $1.95 in the interest of research – THAT refund is not what’s at issue.
- Here’s where they begin to discuss the core of the matter: “any free trials that may or may not be offered with this product are only free during the said allotted time of the free trial period as outlined within the product sales page, confirmation of order page, and confirmation email.” Again, the sales pages say NOTHING about a Trial, and NOTHING about 7 Days. (check it out here: https://ssl.encryptedprocessing.com/~stores/store/secure/195/). And, also again, there was no confirmation email.
- Just to focus down, “any free trials that may or may not be offered with this product “. This clearly states that the product I purchased for my $1.95 access fee is “THE PRODUCT,” and that anything on a 7 day trial is an ADDITIONAL product. When, in truth, they now state that the $1.95 was for a 7 day trial of THE PRODUCT, and the recurring monthly fee is for continued access to THAT SAME PRODUCT.
- And again, to focus on another facet, “any free trials that may or may not be offered with this product “.  Again, this suggests that in addition to “this product,” there MIGHT be OTHER products which are offered as a free trial (and phone reps did refer to these possible “bonuses,” even though I never saw any). Which logically also means that “this product” is NOT a free trial.
- And once more, ”any free trials that may or may not be offered with this product “. If “this product” was itself a free trial as they contend, then for these additional products to be free trials it would need to say, “any OTHER free trials” or “any ADDITIONAL free trials.”
- And just for a bit of amusement – why does it discuss products being “shipped by USPS”, when all they offer is online information and nothing is ever shipped?
Okay, I could keep going…Â But I hope you agree by now that (a) it doesn’t say what they claim it does, and (b) it would seem to be specifically written to snag people for that first month’s payment.
Score as of this writing:Â Tiffany 1, Scams 1
I’ve sent a written complaint to the first company’s corporate headquarters, filed a complaint with the BBB, and disputed the charge with my bank.
Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion…Â 
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