AARP Ripoff OUTRAGEOUSLY OVERCHARGING members for services Washington District of Columbia
I just joined AARP the American Association of Retired People and thought I'd check out a cell phone.
First, I'd like to preface this experience by saying I have attempted to get someone to respond to me since April. I'm a new member, surely someone would help? After customer service ignored me for a month, I tried to contact the CEO Bill Novelli, President Marie Smith, AARP Services President, Dawn Sweeney and finally got Dawn's assistant. I'm still waiting for a legitimate explanation of the pricing for this benefit.
Here's where members are getting clipped. And, obviously, it can't be the only high-priced product or service that AARP offers at a discount to its members.
Their benefit partner for cell phones is Wirefly Wireless.
Here's the AARP rate: $39/month for 200 minutes offered.
YET, go to the Wirefly website and the general public gets these choices:
$29/mo for 300 minutes
$44/mo for 1000 minutes!
AND, ALL other plans - Verizon, Sprint, Liberty are cheaper, by far, than our AARP "BENEFIT!" Verizon, for example is $39/month with 450 minutes DOUBLE the offering.
What's going on here? AARP has the buying power of tens of millions. And this group is paying higher rates than a guy walking off the street?
Is the assumption made that members won't shop? Is AARP receiving $20 or so a month as a revenue-sharing deal from AARP wireless subscribers? This makes no sense.
Who would be ignorant enough to buy into this?
But wait, there's more...
I called AARP who couldn't respond/answer my question about the above concerns.
They sent me to Wirefly sales where they couldn't answer.
Sales then sent me to Wirefly customer service which is totally automated and won't respond unless I key in an order number. That's the AARP vendor partner.
This is a summary of my first experience with AARP.
Evidently their customer service strategy is to ignore people until they go away.
Now, I'm skeptical about whether any of these benefits are truly benefits.
These vendors are spending small fortunes to market anywhere and by going through AARP in some revenue-sharing deal (scheme a better word?), the can get the leverage of access to a huge membership list. And they are outrageously over-charging members.
Dan
Barrington, Illinois
U.S.A.
10 Updates & Rebuttals
Ray
Colonial Heights,Virginia,
U.S.A.
AARP need donation money also
#11Consumer Comment
Tue, December 16, 2008
I have clean my mother (83 years old) trash and I found many package from AARP (last two years). Many of them sell items (high price) also ask for donation. As I look for dates, she get packages about every two week with letter for donation. They want my mother to sign up the donation membership (twice a month donation). Yes, my mother is regular member of AARP. I have told her to stop accept AARP package and return to post office. This going on for about four months and it start to slow down. Now she had cancel the AARP regular membership and she no longer getting mail from AARP (she send sue letter).
Where did all the money go in AARP system?
Ray
Colonial Heights,Virginia,
U.S.A.
AARP need donation money also
#11Consumer Comment
Tue, December 16, 2008
I have clean my mother (83 years old) trash and I found many package from AARP (last two years). Many of them sell items (high price) also ask for donation. As I look for dates, she get packages about every two week with letter for donation. They want my mother to sign up the donation membership (twice a month donation). Yes, my mother is regular member of AARP. I have told her to stop accept AARP package and return to post office. This going on for about four months and it start to slow down. Now she had cancel the AARP regular membership and she no longer getting mail from AARP (she send sue letter).
Where did all the money go in AARP system?
Ray
Colonial Heights,Virginia,
U.S.A.
AARP need donation money also
#11Consumer Comment
Tue, December 16, 2008
I have clean my mother (83 years old) trash and I found many package from AARP (last two years). Many of them sell items (high price) also ask for donation. As I look for dates, she get packages about every two week with letter for donation. They want my mother to sign up the donation membership (twice a month donation). Yes, my mother is regular member of AARP. I have told her to stop accept AARP package and return to post office. This going on for about four months and it start to slow down. Now she had cancel the AARP regular membership and she no longer getting mail from AARP (she send sue letter).
Where did all the money go in AARP system?
Ray
Colonial Heights,Virginia,
U.S.A.
AARP need donation money also
#11Consumer Comment
Tue, December 16, 2008
I have clean my mother (83 years old) trash and I found many package from AARP (last two years). Many of them sell items (high price) also ask for donation. As I look for dates, she get packages about every two week with letter for donation. They want my mother to sign up the donation membership (twice a month donation). Yes, my mother is regular member of AARP. I have told her to stop accept AARP package and return to post office. This going on for about four months and it start to slow down. Now she had cancel the AARP regular membership and she no longer getting mail from AARP (she send sue letter).
Where did all the money go in AARP system?
Cat
Hendersonville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
AMEN!
#11Consumer Suggestion
Mon, November 24, 2008
iT IS ABOUT PROFIT AND ELECTIONS AND IN EDITS ANN'S WORDS,"AND THATS THE TRUUUPPFT"
Barbara
Noblesville,Indiana,
U.S.A.
The real meaning of AARP
#11Consumer Comment
Mon, November 24, 2008
AARP...the real meaning of these initials...All About Realizing Profit.
The AARP has been using the retired generation to line it's own pockets. Almost single handedly they have created two generations of 'entitlement' mentality that has fostered programs that are not sustainable, as well as, having created a mountain of debt for our children and grandchildren.
I am eligible for AARP, but I will never join this rip-off organization. Just check out the posh digs in Washington and do some reasearch on the money they pay their executives. It's not about the elederly...it's all about profit.
I pray to see this sham broken and out of business before I die.
Barbara , Age 56
Barbara
Noblesville,Indiana,
U.S.A.
The real meaning of AARP
#11Consumer Comment
Mon, November 24, 2008
AARP...the real meaning of these initials...All About Realizing Profit.
The AARP has been using the retired generation to line it's own pockets. Almost single handedly they have created two generations of 'entitlement' mentality that has fostered programs that are not sustainable, as well as, having created a mountain of debt for our children and grandchildren.
I am eligible for AARP, but I will never join this rip-off organization. Just check out the posh digs in Washington and do some reasearch on the money they pay their executives. It's not about the elederly...it's all about profit.
I pray to see this sham broken and out of business before I die.
Barbara , Age 56
Barbara
Noblesville,Indiana,
U.S.A.
The real meaning of AARP
#11Consumer Comment
Mon, November 24, 2008
AARP...the real meaning of these initials...All About Realizing Profit.
The AARP has been using the retired generation to line it's own pockets. Almost single handedly they have created two generations of 'entitlement' mentality that has fostered programs that are not sustainable, as well as, having created a mountain of debt for our children and grandchildren.
I am eligible for AARP, but I will never join this rip-off organization. Just check out the posh digs in Washington and do some reasearch on the money they pay their executives. It's not about the elederly...it's all about profit.
I pray to see this sham broken and out of business before I die.
Barbara , Age 56
Barbara
Noblesville,Indiana,
U.S.A.
The real meaning of AARP
#11Consumer Comment
Mon, November 24, 2008
AARP...the real meaning of these initials...All About Realizing Profit.
The AARP has been using the retired generation to line it's own pockets. Almost single handedly they have created two generations of 'entitlement' mentality that has fostered programs that are not sustainable, as well as, having created a mountain of debt for our children and grandchildren.
I am eligible for AARP, but I will never join this rip-off organization. Just check out the posh digs in Washington and do some reasearch on the money they pay their executives. It's not about the elederly...it's all about profit.
I pray to see this sham broken and out of business before I die.
Barbara , Age 56
Karlton
La Canada,California,
U.S.A.
AARP is not in the buiness to help. They are in the FUD business. FUD = Fear Uncertanty and Doubt business.
#11Consumer Suggestion
Fri, June 24, 2005
They are a reseller in that they get a cut of all the deals they offer. Yet they want you to reject all attempts to make social security stronger because they would become weaker.