PimsleurApproach.com Stroll (Stroll.com), Internet Order, LLC Bait & Switch: Ordered $9.95 product. Sent expensive product and demanding hundreds of dollars Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
We ordered "Quick & Simple Spanish CDs" for $9.95 in May 2012 from Pimsleur Approach (a Stroll.com company). They sent a large Gold Pimsleur Approach Spanish CD set (not ordered) and now want hundreds of dollars. They keep calling and now sent a threatening letter. After reading other reviews about this scam, we are afraid to return product *directly* to this company as they have told others they did not receive the return.
While PimsleurApproach.com (Stroll.com) is not technically the same company as the producer of Pimsleur audio tapes (Pimsleur.com / Simon & Schuster), Stroll apparently is licensed by Simon and Schuster to sell Pimsleur products. I have contacted Simon & Schuster about this scam and their damage to their reputation and the reputation of Pimsleur. I will be contacting my state Attorney General as well as the Pennsylvania Attorney General about Stroll and their management team.
It is upsetting that PimsleurApproach.com uses 11pt gray type (on a somewhat gray background) to help hide their scam. If PimsleurApproach.com (Stroll) is going to attempt to charge a credit card and/or threaten to send charges to a collection agency, those prospective charges should be featured in bold types and prominently on the top of the order web page. Any reputable company would do so.
I will update this case if Pimsleur.com (Simon & Schuster) is able to arrange for a return and convince their apparent licensee (PimsleurApproach.com / Stroll) to stop deceptive web page offers and sending the wrong product to scam large sums of money from customers.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
twoggle
Concord,New Hampshire,
United States of America
Pimsleur / Simon & Schuster contact reply
#2Author of original report
Tue, October 16, 2012
October 16, 2012: PimsleurApproach.com (Stroll, Internet Order, LLC) is licensed by Pimsleur (Simon & Schuster) to sell Pimsleur products. Scams by Stroll / PimsleurApproach.com reflect badly on Simon & Schuster. Therefore, I requested the following:
1. $9.95 refund (for a product not received -- Quick & Simple Spanish CDs)
2. Stroll agrees for us to send the PimsleurApproach Gold Spanish CD set back to back to Simon & Schuster or some truly reputable vendor (rather than sending it back to Stroll and having them claim they never received it).
3. Agree to stop contacting us requesting $256 for product that was not ordered.
4. Make the cost and the terms of the sale prominently featured on PimsleurApproach.com. Only a scammer would have the terms hidden well below in 11pt gray type on a gray background!
5. Customer Service for Stroll should be provided by a reputable vendor.
6. Management Team of Stroll should take a college-level ethics course.
So far the results are as follows:
Item 1 (from above): They are investigating whether we received the Quick & Simple Spanish CDs
Item 2 (from above): Apparently we will have to send the package we did receive back to Stroll -- meaning we will have to videotape the packaging and mailing of the package and have witnesses.
Item 3 (from above): They have agreed to stop harassing us for $256.
Item 4 (from above): No change. Still a scam on PimsleurApproach.com
Item 5 (from above): No change.
Item 6 (from above): No information provided.