Internet Rip-offs

 by Noel Wise

 
Internet fraud is rampant and escalating as thousands of unwitting customers are ripped-off every single day.  The Federal Trade Commission, police and other Internet watch-dogs are dealing with this problem as best they can.  But without the proper infrastructure, co-ordination and cooperation of consumers, world-wide investigations are hampered.   Consequently, most criminals get off Scott-free. 

Beware of any scheme, offer or deal that promises a rate of return that seems unrealistically generous.  “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”   To learn about the modus operandi, type and extent of fraud, a Web search for words like Scam, Rip-offs, Fraud and Crime will help.  Consult the Consumer Credit Counselling Services for free advice and report all incidents promptly to the FTC and police.     

When making your own representation for reimbursement, a formal complaint for “Cancellation and Refund” should be addressed to the concerned organization with a copy endorsed to your credit card company.  Knowing how to submit a complaint clearly, concisely and without prejudice, is essential.  State only the facts, not opinions.  Avoid exaggerations.  Copies of Emails, receipts, telephone and bank statements as applicable, are needed to back up your claim.  Return, reject and uninstall all defective items promptly and mention this specifically in your correspondence.  

Astute customer service representatives are seldom helpful.  Their job is primarily to protect the interests of their employer.  They do this, by resorting to a number of delaying tactics while exploiting the naivety and kindness of customers.  When responding to Emails, they deliberately go off at a tangent and avoid answering the most pertinent of questions.  Excuses and lies are couched in the most polite terms.      

The latest ruse requires customers to complete a cumbersome refund questionnaire sent by snail mail.  Ambiguous and unanswerable questions lead to protracted correspondence.  To mislead, the letters ‘I’ and ‘O’ are used incorrectly in lieu of ‘one’ and ‘zero.’  Similarly, multiple addresses and telephone numbers are quoted to shunt customers from pillar to post.  These ‘run-around’ stratagems are contrived to exasperate  customers and force them to surrender their refund claims.  Misleading advertising and shoddy goods are bad enough, but these tricks to avoid payment of refunds, are despicable.                

An incident that actually occurred recently, merits mention as it illustrates the point.   For several years, this customer subscribed to XYZ antivirus. Three months before the expiry of his subscription, renewal pop-ups appeared.  To avoid the badgering, the customer renewed his subscription a month earlier.  Before downloading, the customer was asked to remove all existing anti-virus software. The new software, however, proved defective. On immediately reporting it, the customer service representative said that he would refund the fee subject to re-purchase of the CD version.  Accordingly, a second transaction was completed but through a different XYZ address and telephone number.  Instead of seven days, the CD arrived after 21 days.  It was returned to the sender unopened, as the customer was obliged to purchase alternative anti-virus software in the interim period.  A complaint was submitted to the customer’s Credit Card company with all available evidence. The charge back requested, was granted.  A month later, another XYZ CD in an overly large package, was delivered, this time by FEDEX.  That too, was promptly returned.   Since Email correspondence was blocked by XYZ, it entailed numerous telephone calls, most proved futile.         

Fortunately, the truth and the preponderance of the evidence favors the customer.  Credit Card companies are fully aware of the Internet fraud situation and have no compunction in granting charge-back refunds if justified.  By doggedly pursuing your claim, you not only get your money back but help the FTC to weed out repeat offenders.