American Values, UTalk, The Amazing Washball AMERICAN VALUES TELEMARKETING SCAM ripoff Las Vegas, NEVAD AND ASIA
I was called by a telemarketer, Asian, and he offered me free gas if I tried a phone service for 7 free days and that I would only be charged $1.95 for mailing the packet to me, I agreed! I got the packet, read it and saw it was a scam, called immediately and cancelled all my services with American Values.
Little did I know that their other companies UTalk and The AMazing Washball were going to charge me for their services, services I never agree to! I am now going to cancel my bank account and open a new one because this is the only way I can stop them from withdrawing money from my account. Bank of America says that without an accurate check number they cannot stop unauthorized withdrawls from my checking account, needless to say I am unhappy with Bank of AMerica and I moving to another bank as we speak!
I am now in debt for $223.75 and with no money to pay my other house bills, I am unemployed and that is why I let the telemarketer convince me into getting free gas coupons for just trying their phone service for the free trial period, as I was told! I would have never agreed if I knew the truth, I asked many questions and refused all the other services they were offering but they still stold my money.
Below is the letter I am sending to American Values:
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
TO UTALK, WASHBALL, AND AMERICAN VALUES:
PO BOX18434
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89114-8434
I WAS LIED TO BY YOUR TELEMARKETER AND I CANCELLED THE UTALK AND GASOLINE PROGRAM ON THE THIRD DAY OF THE 7 DAY TRIAL ON 1/08/2004, THE DAY I RECEIVED THE PACKET IN THE MAIL FROM AMERICAN VALUES AND READ THE LIES YOU OFFERED. YOU CHARGED MY BANK ACCOUNT 4 TIMES, SEE COPIES OF BANK DRAFTS, AND I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD ONLY BE CHARGED A $1.95 AND THAT THIS WOULD BE REFUNDED IF I CANCELLED MY MEMBERSHIP BEFORE THE SEVEN DAYS WERE UP. I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY REFUNDS AND NOW I AM TOLD THAT I HAVE TO FILL OUT A FORM AND SIGN AWAY MY RIGHTS TO MY MONEY IF AND WHEN YOU DECIDE TO SEND IT!
YOU OWE ME:
$1.95 FOR AMERICAN VALUES
$1.95 FOR UTALK
$79.95 FOR THE WASHBALL
$139.90 FOR UTALK
TOTAL IS $223.75
I HAVE SPOKEN TO TARA IN CUSTOMER SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES AND I WAS TOLD BY A SUPERVISOR THAT I WOULD GET A CHECK IN THE MAIL AND I NEVER DID. I WAS GIVEN A CONFIRMATION NUMBER THAT MEANS NOTHING. YOUR ASIAN CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM KNOWS OF NO TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR YOUR COMPANIES HEADQUARTER'S, THIS IS NOT LEGAL.
I CALLED LAS VEGAS FOR YOUR COMPANIES INFORMATION AND YOU ARE NOT LISTED ANYWHERE! YOU ARE FRADULENT COMPANY STEELING MONEY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE UNEMPLOYED AND TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET! I HAD MY BANK ACCOUNT CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE MANY BOUNCED CHECKS YOU CAUSED ME! I AM ALSO GOING TO CALL THE NEW YORK TIMES, 20/20 AND 60 MIMUTES, TO REPORT YOUR FRADULENT BUSINESS PRACTICES. I ALSO REFUSE TO SIGN YOUR FAKE CHECK AUTHORIZATION FORM AND I AM GOING TO REPORT YOU TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREU IF YOU DO NOT SEND ME THE $223.75 YOU OWE ME.
SEND MY MONEY IMMEDIATELY AND I WILL NOT REPORT YOU! IF I DO NOT HAVE MY MONEY BACK IN 14 DAYS I WILL FOLLOW THROUGH WITH LEGAL ACTION! THIS IS MY AUTHORIZATION FORM! YOU SEND ME MY MONEY AND I WILL NOT PURSUE LEGAL ACTION OR REPORT YOU TO THE BBB! MY NAME AND SIGNATURE ARE ON THIS OFICIAL LETTER OF ACTION.
Regards,
ALICIA
Alicia
Houston, Texas
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on American Values
STOP! ..before you think about using the Better Business Bureau (BBB)... CLICK HERE to see how other consumers were victimized by the BBB's false or misleading information. Don't be fooled! It has been reported, when there are thousands of complaints and other investigations underway by authorities, the BBB has no choice but to finally give an UNsatisfactory rating to a BBB member business that is paying the BBB big membership fees every year. When a business is reported that is NOT a BBB member, BBB files WILL more likely show an UNsatisfactory rating, then reportedly shake down that company to become a member of the BBB. One positive thing about the BBB is, either way, if a business has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB, you can be sure, the business is bad. But what about all those BBB member businesses that had complaints filed against them? Consumers never get to hear about them. What about the BBB advertising to the public? Is this a false and misleading perception they are giving about consumer confidence when dealing with a business? Click here to understand more of what consumers and business alike are saying about the BBB. You decide. ..Remember. The BBB membership is not earned, it's paid for!
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Dale
Waxahachie,Texas,
U.S.A.
Responding to Shane, customer service over there in Asia. THAT DOES NO GOOD to call
#4Consumer Comment
Sat, March 20, 2004
First let me tell you that I and I do mean I never on God's green earth accepted any offer from Utalk, AM Values, Washball, or Wellnet. Which by the way is all the same companies. They all have the same P.O. Box in Las Vegas NV. You are right about one thing a tele-marketer did call and I only accepted the gas coupons for a 1 TIME amount of $1.95. When asked about the others I replied "NO I DO NOT WANT ANY OF THOSE".
And about the phone # you give out. Well me and my wife have called numerous times to the customer service over there in Asia. THAT DOES NO GOOD to call there when the real problem lies back here in the United States. The real pepole who are scamming the money. You really have no clue do you?
It has been over 4 months now and I want my money back. I have called and called and left messages for you "The customer service reps" to put in the computer files that we have contacted the US Attorney General and the Nevada A.G. and the Nevada State Senators for the Las Vegas District. Plus the FBI and so many other agencies.
You can sit over there in your little part of the world and think that you are working for a legitimate company but just let me say, "You are working for scam companies and they are pulling the WOOL over your eye's also". Hell I have all the names of the reps I have talked to over the past 3 months.
Their names change to protest the innocent. Here Shane give me your checking # and let me pull out money that was never and I do repeat NEVER authorized to be taken out and see if YOU LIKE IT. Then I will give you the run around for several MONTHS. HELL it only took them a couple days to take the money out our account.
Have you even read the other reports that are in here. d**n I could go on for a long time with you on this when all I want is MY MONEY BACK.
In all the other reports that are in here have you seen one SATISFIED CUSTOMER reply back. I think not. At least I haven't seen anyone reply back with any good comments. And Shane I will be calling back to the number you gave me and I really do hope you answer the phone so we can discuss this further. LATER
Shane
Metro, Manila,Asia,
Philippines
the company will be replacing the said bounced cheque. We are very sorry that this happened
#4UPDATE Employee
Fri, March 19, 2004
I am Shane Tyler, a Customer Service Representative handling UTalk Unlimited program.
This serves as a response in regards to the claim of clients namely Alicia of Houston, TX and Dale of Waxahachie, TX that the company is a scam. We just want to inform that this company is a legitimate one. First and foremost, with regards as to how they acquired this program, this is usually offered by a telemarketer. Mechanics of the program are discussed in this sales call and will be asking them personal informations including the account information. They have an option whether they would be willing to give those account informations and accept the offer or not.
When client agrees with the program, they do have a 7- day free trial period afterwhich, there will be a one time activation fee, and again, this is stated in the said sales call.
And as for the refund of charges, the reason why clients need to fill out the form is that most of the time, the system takes time before it reflects the charges whether it was approved or declined. It will be easier for them to receive the refund with this form because it's a written proof that they did incur a charge and we are to refund the said charges.
As for Dale's case, the company will be replacing the said bounced cheque. We are very sorry that this happened to him but we are reassuring him that we will be replacing the said cheque. We do hope that he had gotten in touch with us (Customer Service, 1-800-207-0174). We will be needing some informations with regards to the said cheque.
We do hope this clarifies everything.
Dale
Waxahachie,Texas,
U.S.A.
Second Time, received all my checks for the full amounts and guess what? THEY FRICKING BOUNCED
#4Consumer Comment
Tue, March 02, 2004
Well I am the one from Waxahachie and they found another way to get out of this. I finally received all my checks for the full amounts and guess what? THEY FRICKING BOUNCED. A total of $471.00. Needless to say another over draft of our account. I am currently seeking legal advice in this matter. These people have screwed with the wrong person here. These SOB'S are going down. My wife works at the bank and now her job is in jeopardy. If she loses her job then the fight is on. You boy's better bring some big gloves with steel in them for this fight. That is if you DUMB !@#'s can even read this. Hide behind your customer service in ASIA won't you. You chicken @&**'s wont even face the public. You guy's are cowards.