- Report: #113596
Complaint Review: EPower And Profits - Campbell California
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EPower And Profits
1875 S. Bascom Avenue Campbell, 95008 California, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-2462699
Web:
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EPower And Profits ripoff, unauthorized charges, no refund, poor service Campbell California
This is a warning to anyone who might be interested or intrigued by the television advertisement: EPower and Profits. The company is deceptive and resorts to misleading business tactics.
I'm a working professional at a prestigious financial firm and was curious to know more about eBay and how individuals sell products through their service. Quite honestly, I've never used eBay to buy or sell anything so EPower and Profits seemed like a logical first step in gaining a better understanding of the process.
I figured $30 was a small price to pay for education and decided to make the purchase. However, I'm familiar with how these telemarketing companies work and knew they were going to try and upsell me when I called. When they tried, I told them immediately that I didn't want any other products/services and to just send me the original $30 product.
The sales woman, who was obviously reading from a script and trying to do her best to make additional sales, finally said that since I declined the additional products/services, I would have to speak with her supervisor. I was passed over to another woman who identified herself as a supervisor, she too tried selling me the identical products that I just declined. I stopped her immediately as I did the other woman and told her that I did not want any additional products/services other than the $30 product. She said OK and that was the end of the call.
Seven days later I received the product as promised.
I regularly check my credit card statement - even more so after making a purchase like this - and noticed that the $29.95 I made in September '04 turned into $39.95 - the additional charge was the shipping and handling which I agreed to and is not in dispute.
However, checking my October statement, I noticed a $9.95 "Upsell" charge. I wasn't sure what this was so I called the number that was on my statement and it was EPower and Profits. At this point I decided to check the prior month (September '04) to determine if I was charge the same amount sure enough, I was. As I scrolled through my online October 04 statement, I noticed an additional "VIP" charge of $34.95 coming from the same company. So in September 04, I was charged $9.95 and October 04, $9.95 plus $34.95.
Since I was checking my statement on a weekend, I had to wait until their offices opened on Monday to give them a call and dispute the charges. On Monday, instead of calling them (they have 9-5 hours and I get into work at 6:00 AM), I put in a request from their website to have one of their customer service reps call me. To their credit, I was called two hours after I put in the request.
In talking with the woman, who also seemed very inexperienced, I reiterated my concerns and told her that I would like a refund on each unauthorized charge. She said that she would have to pull the recording of my initial sales call back in September '04 to determine if I actually did decline the additional services; according to her, this process would take two weeks. I asked if I should give them a call or if they would call me and she had to put me on hold (for the third time) to check on the answer. When she returned, she said that "...we will likely give you a call but you should also call us just in case." I'm not sure what "just in case" means but nevertheless, I will definitely be calling.
To make matters worse, I called my bank/credit card (Bank of America) to dispute the charges and they said that since I called "...after the charges were made and [I] had transacted business with the merchant..." they would be unable to assist me. However, they did say that should any additional charges be made, they would be able to help.
As of this writing, I am two days into the two week waiting period.
Mark
Seattle, Washington
U.S.A.
I'm a working professional at a prestigious financial firm and was curious to know more about eBay and how individuals sell products through their service. Quite honestly, I've never used eBay to buy or sell anything so EPower and Profits seemed like a logical first step in gaining a better understanding of the process.
I figured $30 was a small price to pay for education and decided to make the purchase. However, I'm familiar with how these telemarketing companies work and knew they were going to try and upsell me when I called. When they tried, I told them immediately that I didn't want any other products/services and to just send me the original $30 product.
The sales woman, who was obviously reading from a script and trying to do her best to make additional sales, finally said that since I declined the additional products/services, I would have to speak with her supervisor. I was passed over to another woman who identified herself as a supervisor, she too tried selling me the identical products that I just declined. I stopped her immediately as I did the other woman and told her that I did not want any additional products/services other than the $30 product. She said OK and that was the end of the call.
Seven days later I received the product as promised.
I regularly check my credit card statement - even more so after making a purchase like this - and noticed that the $29.95 I made in September '04 turned into $39.95 - the additional charge was the shipping and handling which I agreed to and is not in dispute.
However, checking my October statement, I noticed a $9.95 "Upsell" charge. I wasn't sure what this was so I called the number that was on my statement and it was EPower and Profits. At this point I decided to check the prior month (September '04) to determine if I was charge the same amount sure enough, I was. As I scrolled through my online October 04 statement, I noticed an additional "VIP" charge of $34.95 coming from the same company. So in September 04, I was charged $9.95 and October 04, $9.95 plus $34.95.
Since I was checking my statement on a weekend, I had to wait until their offices opened on Monday to give them a call and dispute the charges. On Monday, instead of calling them (they have 9-5 hours and I get into work at 6:00 AM), I put in a request from their website to have one of their customer service reps call me. To their credit, I was called two hours after I put in the request.
In talking with the woman, who also seemed very inexperienced, I reiterated my concerns and told her that I would like a refund on each unauthorized charge. She said that she would have to pull the recording of my initial sales call back in September '04 to determine if I actually did decline the additional services; according to her, this process would take two weeks. I asked if I should give them a call or if they would call me and she had to put me on hold (for the third time) to check on the answer. When she returned, she said that "...we will likely give you a call but you should also call us just in case." I'm not sure what "just in case" means but nevertheless, I will definitely be calling.
To make matters worse, I called my bank/credit card (Bank of America) to dispute the charges and they said that since I called "...after the charges were made and [I] had transacted business with the merchant..." they would be unable to assist me. However, they did say that should any additional charges be made, they would be able to help.
As of this writing, I am two days into the two week waiting period.
Mark
Seattle, Washington
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Paul
Anaheim,California,
U.S.A.
So many wrong turns on the road to financial success! Better check a map before you crash!
#2Consumer Suggestion
Wed, October 20, 2004
Mark, I hate to watch a babe in the woods walk off and get eaten alive in the jungle. So, I'll try to save you a world of aggravation. Dude, forget the waiting period. The company is playing you for a fool! They have no intention of removing any charges. How do you think those charges got there in the first place? Black magic? Of course not! The company intended to cheat you all along! That's their business! Their ONLY business! First remedy. Call your credit card issuer. Dispute the TOTAL charge. Not the upsell. The total charge. Have every last one removed. That hurts the company two ways. First, they make no money. They end up LOSING money, because they wasted time with you. Second, you're f**king with their merchant account. After 2% disputed charges, a company goes into a watch file by the people who monitor this. If more than 2% of your customers are calling to complain, you might be running some kind of a scam. That's how this reasoning works. Next, a fraud has your credit info. Granted, they won't bill you anymore. But, when they sell the information to the next fraud, they'll pick up the slack where Epower left off. You'll be disputing a new charge every month, from now until you cancel the account. It's like leap-frog. As soon as you cancel one fake charge, a new one pops up. Fun, fun, fun! Ok, let's move on to phase two. You're all gung-h*o and ready to open your own Ebay account. Ready to make your first big sale! Goody, goody! But, watch out for Ebay and Paypal. Seems they've been cheating quite a few of their customers, according to the reports listed here. Maybe they'll pay you, maybe they won't. Hope you plan on selling little stuff that doesn't cost much. I'd hate to see Paypal close your account with $4k of your money in it. Who knows? Roll the dice and see! Let's assume that your Ebay business is rolling right along. But, now, let's look and see if you are actually making any money at it. Check those Ebay fees. How much of the profit do they take? How about your time to list and monitor the auctions? When it's all said and done, what are your net earnings, calculated on a per-hour basis? Hopefully, you'll be ahead of minimum wage. Hey, what if there was someone who could help you be a better seller? Maybe an Ebay power seller? Yeah! Let's try that! For just $999, there are tons of companies that offer internet and Ebay coaching. Right over the telephone. Somehow, they are able to talk you into the success you desire. Of course, there are many reports about those companies here too. So, watch out. Let's cut to the chase. There is a way to make money on Ebay. All you need to do is buy up worthless trash and describe it as once in a lifetime bargains. Or, you could develop a supply of cheap, Chinese junk that nobody would actually buy in person. On Ebay, the buyer can't actually tell from the pictures. Once the trash is delivered to their house, they're an owner. Another satisfied customer! Most people already know all this. But, I can tell you are determined. So, to replace the Epower nonsense, I'm going to make you a deal. Go to your local library. That's the logical first step. Find: Ebay for dummies. Or: Beginner's guide to launching an Ebay business. How about: How to sell anything on Ebay, and make a fortune. Then, there's: The official Ebay bible. Plus a dozen more titles to choose from. Since they are all free to take home and read for two weeks, your end of the bargain is very simple. I want you to donate half of what you planned to spend on Epower to this site. Look for the link at the bottom. That helps you two ways. First, it got you this information. Those library books will give you more real, solid information than any hyped-up bullshit that Epower would send. And, second, in three months, after you either get cheated or find out there is no money to be made, you will need a place to complain. This site is the place to do that! By donating, you assure that it will still be here for you. Good luck, you're gonna' need it!
