Complaint Review: smartshoppers savings plan

I received I phone call from a telemarketer named Michael who quickly said at, no cost to me, I would receive up $500 in gift cards for various stores i.e. Wal-mart, Kroger, Loews etc. if I participated in a short survey of about 20 questions. I agreed. At the end of the survey he started soliciting Smart Shoppers and Travelers. That I would be receiving additional vouchers for travel discounts and coupons on groceries purchases. I would also received $500 more in gift certificates. I refused and asked if I would still receive the initial $500 for taking the survey. He said I would but suggested that for the cost of $2.95 I would receive 1 month of the coupon books and vouchers from the two above mentioned companies. I also would receive the $500 more in the gift certificates of my choosing. (but wait, there's more! As they say on TV).

I re-iterated I had no interest in any travel discounts. I didn't plan on ever doing much traveling because I'm crippled with degenerative joint disease and I was scheduled for my first knee replacement in April. Because of pain I did not travel. I nor did I care about receiving coupons on food because it was always on prepared food and I don't eat prepared food because I know how to cook.

You're never are offered coupons on fresh vegetables and meat. I bake my own bread and it comes to 20 cents a loaf. Also there are enough store coupons to take advantage of sales of sundries and condiments.   

I told him I know how these things worked and I would be locked in to a higher price after the introductory freebie. Michael told me he himself would immediately cancel the subscription after the verification because I was so nice with my time he would like to see me get the vouchers and the gift certificates, "you mean to tell me, even though you probably work on commission you would do that"? He said he would but I would need to answer all the verification questions as a yes. Although he promised to cancel the order I need not worry because when I received the introductory packet there was a cancellation number I could call. I let him know that there was no way I wanted it nor could afford it because even after having my own successful business for 14 years I was on disability. I had had health insurance when in business it didn't cover the expenses of dialysis when I went into kidney failure (I later found out that it was an disease covered medically by the Federal Government).

I did have a successful transplant 10 years ago but the anti-rejection medications did a number on my bones and teeth, as did the dialysis.

I never received a packet in the mail to cancel anything, I never received any vouchers or gift certificates.

I had a bad year that year, As bad as a country western song. I was too distracted and didn't notices the $29.95 and the $29.85 charges taken out of my account each month. I just felt like I was not keeping a correct bank ledger and I was forgetting to record small expenses. Acting like the numerophobic I am. I was on mind addling drugs, you take 3 different steroids to keep the kidney and about 10 other drugs for their side-effects, having a knee replacement and other medical "procedures" (operations really but they don't give you anything for the pain. My Father died from suddenly from being in a neglectful hospital after a fall (I'm not paranoid it was in Florida). My dog died too. Boo-h*o sob story I know but I can verify it. Please excuse my sub-referencing but I feel it is imperative to the story.

I'm not a bad person. I don't have the sue me sue you blues. I've recorded books for the blind for 11 years now and swam 9 hours straight and got people to pledge and collected $1500 dollars for the Athens Humane Society. 100% went to the cause because I did my own advertising and paperwork. I am not a land mammal so I can swim but I can't use my legs.

So that's my sad story and I would like retribution.  I have been refunded 2 $29,95 and 2 $29,85 payments from Shoppers and Travelers respectively. I was refunded $9.95 out of 2 payments to America Publishing but I don't know how I got stuck with that. I was also a victim of identity theft but was reimbursed by my bank when I showed them the police report. The money was taken out of my account in Ohio, although the scam was at the shell gas station I always went to. The bad guys were caught.

Please excuse my verbosity. I find it hard to explain but necessary how I got bamboozled. I still probably come off as the idiot I feel I've been.