Consolidated Media Services con artists false promises bait'n switch scam Atlanta Georgia *UPDATE ..we have to stop them!!
these people called me after school one day, and told me that i was eligible for a chance to win $75,000 in a sweepstakes. He said in order to be entered, i had to subscribe to one magazine...for the low price of $3.85/month!!!
If i did this, they would also throw in 3 additional magazine subscriptions for free! AND...they would send me a diamond solitaire ladies watch. i should of known that it sounded too good to be true.
I had my doubts in the beginning...i asked him what are the realistic chances of ME winning....probably slim to none....and what if i don't want all those magazines? and what if i change my mind? he assured me, he stands 100% behind his products. IF at anytime, i want to cancel, i am under no obligation. just a simple call away...and i get to keep all the free stuff and my chance to enter.
I was especially susceptible because i really needed a weekly world events magazine for a college class that i am taking.
he was so friendly and helpful...i had no idea. he even had the nerve to ask me to put in a good word in for him when the boss calls back to verify my order. he was new. I agreed!! now i feel so disgusted and used.
I started to get suspicious, so i typed in the company name in a search engine. I got this website....and i couldn't believe all the reports that had been filed against them!! if it weren't for this website, i would've waited until it was too late just like everyone else. because who could've known that waiting for your "magazines" was actually sealing your own fate because the 10 day grace period to cancel will have passed by the time you get the outrageous bill. that's why they take so long to send you your stuff.
i immediately called the # left on my caller id, and i should've known "number no longer in service". how convenient for them.
i found the customer service # on this site and called them up to cancel. the lady tried to give me some song and dance about why i should reconsider....but i wasn't having it this time.
she "claims" that my account has been cancelled as of today and that i will get back the $67 they ALREADY took out of my account!!We'll see if she follows through.
ironically, i got their welcome packet in the mail....and i read it for shits and giggles....they failed to tell me over the phone that i had signed up for a 4-yr subscription, at $3.85/WEEK...not a month!!! After 208 weeks....they calculated that i owed them $799!!!!! i can't believe them....
these people need to be stopped. somebody should sue...i sure will if i don't get my $$ back.
i hope my story can help somebody else out...i am so grateful for this website!!!
Julie
Jax, Florida
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Zia
Modesto,California,
U.S.A.
they're screwin' everyone
#3Consumer Comment
Sun, December 21, 2003
This is how lowlife scum win! They take the hard earned money of people who bust their a*s for it. I fell for their trick once and I got my money back from my bank because they knew I felt bad for what I did. Although they didn't have to do that. I could live up to what I do and admit my faults. That time was my fault. They tried me again after I had changed my account #. I said...uh....NO! have a rotten day, you filthy bastards! go get a real job." For anyone who works hard like I do, please watch yourselves. Nothing is free!!!!!! THERE'S ALWAYS A CATCH!
Have a good day & Merry Christmas to all!
CMS update: cancelling subscription to scam artists
#30
Mon, September 09, 2002
this is the original writer of this report. i have been checking my credit card acct daily to see if they have refunded the $66.65 they took out of my card w/o permission. so far, they have not.
I called customer service AGAIN to remind them that i have cancelled my subscription and that i am still waiting for my $$. the lady "linda" told me that it will take 3-5 business days and since i filed on 9/5, it has really only been 2.
i am really nervous and scared that they won't refund me....however, i have spent the past couple hours reading all the other complaints filed on this website, and it looks like they may plan to rip me off even further. other customers have said that even after they call to cancel, they DO receive the initial refund...so it LOOKS like you have taken care of the problem. in actuallity though, they plan to wait a month or so, and then sneak out another auto-debit from your credit card--sometimes, they successfully do this for several months since you THINK you have the problem taken care of.
the customer service reps are really nice, they assure you that they have cancelled your acct...this is part of their scam.
i know it's a pain in the a*s, but if you do get your refund....don't stop there. call your credit card company and tell them that you want another account #---just in case they try anything else in the future. CMS will even try to give your account # to other sister companies, and then you'll have to deal with more crooked people to get your $$ back.
i'm waiting till 9/12 to get my refund...and then i'm doing the same. beware: these scam artists are persistent...they might still send you bills in the mail in your name even after you change cards...threatening to ruin your credit if you do not pay!!
the only thing we can do is continue fighting...update your reports and let others know what happened to you...the stories are the same all across this country!!! we have to stop them!!