First, they used a phone number similar to my insurance 800 or 888 number.
I dialed it by mistake. So when the sales pitch started I kind of thought this was sanctioned by Insurance company, a reputable one. Although I must say I thought this was very very odd.
The pitch then was to go to a meeting to listen to some presentation and my wife had to go.
Then, as I would not go, I was passed on to a manager (supposeldy), who tried to convinvce me but then lurded me into the alternative:
For $1.95 get a 14 day trial and in return get a $100 voucher to go shopping at Walmart etc (depending on your region). Cancellation would be possible any time as soon as the package was delivered in the mail.
Well, you guessed it. The package never arrived, the charges started - and of course at the times I had time to call during busienss ours of the number on my cc statement, months have passed.
I called them (number and name on bank statement ZMS 877 460 7467 8774607467 VA).
They said on my request, they now cancelled the service (Direct Savings Solutions I had never heard of) and I will no longer be charged - for a service I have no idea what is suppsoed to be. Obviously, something really common, as I can tell from the way the lady on the phone dealt with the call. The scam is build on billing as many time as they can $39.95/month, and then get out once the consumer is aware....no fight (still to be seen).
But, there is a second scam related to this:
At the same time the guy on the phone signed me up for the Direct Savings Solutions, he also signed me up for a magazine subscription, without telling me. So now I not only started getting the $39.95 cahrges on my credit card by ZMS, but also this one: GC PROMOTIONS INC 888-460-6883 VA - $29.95. When I called them they told me I had called them and made a subscription that was activated following a trial period. The lady was more than willing to cancel. Said the magazines I was getting without ever needing them (or reading them) would continue coming in, but they will no longer charge. She gave me a rather short cancellation number. Again, this is clearly an exercise to charge as long as the consumer let's them.
So, of course, I am at fault here - why would you ever sign up to anything over the phone. I never did before, I will never again - how ridiculous.
But, at the same time, this is a real scam, trying to stay legit. But the whole thing abaout trial periods and packages promised but never sent...it is made to trap. So this is not really a purchase decision I now regret, because the other side never intended to sell me anything I would really use in the end.