MWI Galleria rip-off Omaha Nebraska
Just a note to say that MWI Galleria is still charging unwilling consumers. I was recently (2-24-03) charged the $139.95 and had never heard of the company until seeing the name on my credit card bill. I called 1-888-206-2321 and was immediately told my money would be refunded in 3-5 days. The individual was very friendly.
He explained the services the company offers and informed me that Galleria members usually are contacted after purchasing another product, however, he was unable to tell me what I purchased that warranted the return call. He also told me I agreed to (news to me!) a trial membership in Galleria and I should have received a booklet explaining the company and giving me opportunity to cancel.
He did not seem surprised that I knew nothing about any of this, however, he did not hesitate to offer my refund. Perhaps this is a case of a company that takes money from those that do not pay attention to how their credit cards and checking accounts are being billed. My main concern is how did they get my credit card information and address in the first place?
Lisa
Fort Hood, Texas
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
BRUCE
COLUMBUS,Ohio,
U.S.A.
THEY BUY IT FROM GREEDY COMPANIES WE TRUST
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sat, March 01, 2003
MemberWorks Inc. has many names to operate under to con the consumer out of their money. They do it through telemarketers, infomercials (answered by the same telemarketers) who offer additional products, through the offers from your bank statement, through their Website, through large companies you trust, and now through pop-up adds on AOL. MemberWorks Inc. pays millions of dollars to telemarketers, banks and companies you trust by their name, checking account number, credit account number, debit card number and other financial information. The company is listed on NASDAQ and expects to have over $450,000,000 in revenues in 2003.
Companies with deals with MemberWorks include but by no means limited to, are Sears (who along with MemberWorks were sued in Minn.), Limited Brands, through Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, Express, Express Men's (Structure), Limited Stores, White Barn Candle Co., Henri Bendel, AOL, US Banks and Citibank. AOL was paid $1,000,000 in December 2002 and is going to be paid at least $3,000,000 in 2003 for access to debit and credit card numbers and have ads for that offers something for nothing if sign you up for a risk free trial offer. In the fine print they tell you they will bill you $139.95 in 30 days if you do not cancel and every year after that until you catch it to the debit or credit card AOL already has.
MemberWorks bases it profitability not on providing a service to the consumers, but on the statistics that people will not notice the charge on their credit or debit cards. They hope that you do not notice the fine print and forget to cancel for years. They sometimes offer $500 in free coupons on a thirty-day risk free trail and tell the consumer they will receive membership info in a few days and then send out the info in an envelope that looks like junk mail so you will not open it and cancel.
Their ads are misleading and very deceptive in nature. They misstated the number of Doctors and Dentists on their health plans and misled on the percent of savings. According to MemberWorks employees they try to mistreat actual members who ask for the offered discounts because they loose money on people who know they are members.
So what can you do a company like this????
Call MemberWorks and demand a refund in less than 5 business days.
Site with their phone numbers:
http://twiki.cageyconsumer.com/MemberWorks
Ask how they signed you up? If by phone, ask for recording of your voice.
Ask how long you have been a member? You may be entitled to several years of refunds.
Call your bank or trusted company and ask if they sold your financial info? If they did, include them in any complaint and refuse to do business with them and tell your friends.
File a complaint with the federal trade commission and with your state agency.
Send e-mail to Bill OReilly, Dateline NBC, 60 minutes, your local stations, newspaper and anyone else you can think of.
E-mail your state and Federal representatives to change the law.
Here is a site that explains some of the laws.
http://www.cga.state.ct.us/200
1/rpt/olr/htm/2001-r-0778.htm