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Lady of America Frisco - RIP-OFF Artists
I took out a membership with Lady of America in Frisco, TX in October 2000. I told them I did not want a 3 year contract. The lady 'helping' me said it would be no problem. She would just hand-write on the contract that it was cancellable after 18 months. Then she would initial it and I would initial it - no problem. I tried to cancel my contract after 18 months. I followed all of the many instructions in the contract for cancellation. First they called me to say they would need a copy of my contract to prove that it could be cancelled early. I sent them that registered mail. Then they said that since the contract had now been effect for LONGER than 18 months it was uncancellable until 36 months. The person selling me the contract wrote that the contract could be cancelled 'AT'18 months rather than 'AFTER' 18 months. These people are frauds and cheats. I have tried to cancel again a third time appealing to the owner of the franchise and have still had no response. I guess they hope I'll just go away quietly and pay the additional $800.00. I am filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and now found out that I am not the first. DO NOT sign a contract with this company. Their home office is conveniently located in Utah where there is no Better Business Bureau office. They are clever!
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! 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.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Jeff
The Colony,Texas,
I feel your pain
#2Consumer Comment
Thu, June 13, 2002
I had a similar situation related to the same company although in a different location. My wife bought a membership for herself and our daughter. She was told the membership would automatically expire after 36 months.
Instead, the company continued sending auto billing (ACH) against my wife's bank account for an additional 2 months. When my wife called up to complain that the membership term had expired, she was informed that the contract (in small print) stated that the membership never expired. It could be cancelled after 36 months but would not end automatically.
My wife informed the employee that she was cancelling both accounts. The employee told my wife that the next billing cycle could not be cancelled without at least a 15 day notice. We accepted this and life went on (live and learn). We got billed again two months later for one membership now, not two.
I put a hold on the ACH payments from my wife's account, figuring the company had made a mistake in stopping the billing. Another call to the company determined that they felt we had only cancelled one account, not both, but if we wished to close the second account it would take another 15 days and we owed for the last month and the next month.
My response was of course, please close the account, but you are crazy if you think you are getting another dime from my wife's account. Then the credit collection agency started and as anyone knows, they get paid to collect, they are not interested in facts.
I wrote to the BBB in Utah and emailed my story to all the business execs whose email addresses I could find in Utah. Within two weeks of my emails being sent, all collections activity ceased and I never heard a word back from those guys or the BBB. We made mistakes and paid for it but you can only bend so far. A company sales person can misrepresent its contract to make you think you are out after the 36 months. This is not true. BUYER BEWARE. Sometimes complaining does work - but please be professional in demeanor and accurate with your facts. It gets better response from respectable business.