- Report: #1189069
Complaint Review: Walmart - Internet
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Author Confirmed
Why?
Walmart
Internet, USA
Phone:
800-walmart
Web:
Walmart.com
Categories:
Business Rating:
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Walmart Pure Skin Gift for Walmart survey results in expensive membership for company Riverside Internet
In late October 2014 I received an online request from Walmart to complete a survey. The promise was a free gift for completing the survey. I did the survey. Upon completion, I was offered three somewhat questionable "gifts". I chose the only one which fit me, which was a small cosmetic. There was a $4.99 shipping and handling fee. I agreed to this.
My credit card company called, froze my credit account and sent me a fraud letter when they saw the $4.99 charge. I contacted them and reassured them that this was a shipping and handling fee from Walmart for a free gift for taking a survey. I was agreeable to paying it and I had authorized it.
On 11/12/14 I checked my credit card account and found a charge for $99.99 for a company called Pure Skin out of Riverside California. I knew I had not made any purchases through this company and called them to inquire, thinking this was a mistake. I was informed that I had agreed when I paid the s/h charges to a membership with their cosmetic company with this large charge if I did not cancel within 14 days. I requested they remove the charge from my account. I had received a tiny bottle of product from them for the $4.99, actually knew nothing about a membership and only knew of the free gift I had received as the favor to Walmart. The rep. from Pure Skin was rude, somewhat abusive in her tones advising me that it was my fault for not reading all the "fine print". I said what "find print". This was a free gift for taking a survey?
After much ranting between us, she agreed to give me the opportunity to purchase $75 of their products on line instead of the $99.99 membership. I refused to agree to this maintaining that a free gift is just that a free gift and should come without strings and obligations. Eventually I hung up on this rudeness.
I did file a complaint with my credit card company. I did contact Walmart. Eventually I spoke with someone in their Ethics Dept. who was somewhat reluctant to take the complaint. She did however relent and file a report, the results of which I am not certain.
No where on the free gift form did I see anything about a membership obligation or the need to cancel anything. I maintain that a free gift should be just that without strings attached. Unfortunately I don't find this too much out of the norm for Walmart. I think the problem ultimately lies at their feet. Certainly they must have known this was in the paperwork somewhere. No doubt I am not the only persoon that has been duped by this tactic. Why I should have to cancel a membership within 14 days if I submitted payment for the shipping and handling mystifies me.
I do not plan on paying this fraudulant charge. Maybe Walmart can, or maybe they can work something out in their corporate affairs dept. I am a senior on social security and do not appreciate being tricked by a company with the reputation of Walmart to begin with. If I were in a higher financial class I wouldn't dirty myself by shopping there. Unfortunately that is not the case.
I wonder if anyone else has run into this situation with a "survey" with strings attached with one of their vendors? It would be interesting to know if I stand alone or if there are others who have been duped into this situation.
