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Video Professor

Video Professor • Video Professor Drops Subpoena, Goes After Wikipedia Users • Video Professor Goes After Critics • A Visit to the Video Professor's 'Classroom' --- • Consumer complaints

It's hard to miss the Video Professor if you watch much cable TV. CEO John W. Scherer is everywhere -- promising to make you a computer whiz in no time ... and with no obligation!

But according to our readers, it doesn't always work out that way.

Clarice of Seguin, TX October 31, 2009

I ordered Video Professor's free disk on QuickBooks in July '09, received 3 disks, decided not to keep any, called for return authorization number & sent it all back. Called 8/11 when bank acct. charged #189 so called that day to ask when I could get a refund, was told it takes 21-30 business days. Called again 9/15 & told it was not attached to my acct. yet may not have received it yet in warehouse, told to call back end of Sept.

Called 9/29 & told should get refund by 10/13. Called again 10/16 & guy just kept saying it takes 21-30 business days. Called back 10/21 & was told the refund had been escalated on 9/29 & should have had it and rep. apologized for it taking so long & that it was being processed that day (10/21) and should be in my bank in 5 days or 10/28. Still no refund. I check my bank on internet daily so see if it's there.

Linda of Wampum, PA October 29, 2009

Placed phone order,got it returned it within 15 dats (w/o even keeping the "FREE" cd!) I have been trying since July to have this matter resolved. They charged my account less than 30 days after receiving it. they confirmed they had gotten it and as YET I haven't been credited for this charge! I have been paying interest and finance charges on this for months, what DO I HAVE TO DO?

A dispute has been mailed as of today. However, the public need to be alerted to this SCAM! interest and finance charges since june! THIS IS real close to NOVEMBER! Plus the 189.95 chg. and there 6.00 donation charges that they cahrged me that I had no clue about!

Veronica of Columbia Heights, MN October 27, 2009

Mistakenly ordered from Video Proffessor. Was sent Windows XP, I have Vista. Returned it to them. Did delivery confirmation, so I know they received it back. They rec'd it on 9/16 at 10:44am. They did not scan it as returned until 9/17, the same day the charged my account 189.95. I called them, and was told the would return my money within 21-30 days, business days.

It has been 26 business days and still no money. I still call them every day and get the same thing. We have 21-30 business days to return your money. Why is business days to return money, but not to collect our money? I would never use this company again, and have advised everyone I know not to. I need to pay bills, and cannot get my money back from them.

GEORGE of MADISONVILLE, KY October 21, 2009

I ordered their free (6.95 shipping) for a computer program. They sent it to me but charged my credit card 189. On top of that they sent me 2 more prorams and they charged my credit card 189.00 for each program. I didn't accept these 2 and returned them but my credit card was stilled charged.

Jennifer of Comstock Park, MI October 13, 2009

It is no wonder John Scherer is successful; he set up a company that sends people old, out-dated 'learning' software; 'customer service reps' who are neither helpful nor knowledgeable; and a refund policy that is comparable to playing the lotto. I ordered the 'Learn HTML' cd's for my boyfriend. I did not look in the box and sadly, I didn't read all the terms and conditions when I placed the order. I thought I knew them well enough from all the commercials I'd seen. So, for whatever reason, I thought you were shipped the first lesson, tried it, did nothing if you liked it and wanted more or called and cancelled if you didn't. I called withing the alloted time to cancel as the product was for WINDOWS 98 (please, Windows 98?) and was very unimpressive according to my boyfriend. He said you could learn as much by searching Google. So, when I talked to the rep to cancel, he gave me a return authorization number. I said, "return authorization? Is that in case a shipment gets through before the cancellation is processed or something?" He said, "yes, make sure you write it on the address label." So, apparently the reps either don't know what they are supposed to be doing or this guy didn't or he just wasn't paying attention to what I was saying. He was not a good rep, there were stretches of silence while he was doing whatever it is he was doing that went on so long I had to keep asking if he was still there to make sure the call hadn't dropped. After saying this, he was silent again. When I asked if he was still there, I found the call was over. Not a fan of good-byes, I guess.

I week and a half later, I was charged the 189.49, of course. When I called to find out why, the rep was extremely condescending and actually said to my boyfriend (after it became obvious I was getting nowhere with her), "What, is she just pushing buttons on the computer?" I don't think it matters whether or not I read the terms - SOME have busy lives and forget details - some even have conditions that cause memory loss - the important thing is that I called within the time frame to cancel and the rep did not clarify that I needed to return the product. I thought it was the free one you keep. Well, I mailed the product back with shipping confirmation. They received it on 9-8-09, confirmed by a rep I called to see if they were processing it. On 10-2-09, my boyfriend called to see what the status of the return was and was told it had been approved and we should receive it by 10-7-09.

On 10-13-09, I called to see where the return was. I was told by a rep I could barely understand that it takes 21-30 BUSINESS days. I told him I understand that and explained, again, as patiently as I could that what we had been told before. He said, "It takes 21-30 BUSINESS days." I finally had to tell him he could stop saying BUSINESS days because I understood the difference and that I wanted to know why I the other rep was able to tell me a date and he couldn't tell me anything. He said, "I don't know. It takes 21-30 BUSINESS days." I said, "Fine, but you received it on the 8th of last month (this was confirmed to me by them and by USPS)." He said, "It was actually put into processing on the 15th, so that's when the 21-30 BUSINESS days start. You'll have by the end of the month." When I asked if there was someone I could talk to, someone who might have more information about the return process if not about my return, he said, "like who?" I said, "like someone in accounts receivable/payable or a supervisor or something." He said, "no." I said, "so there is NO ONE ELSE I can talk to?" He said, "no."

This is just ridiculous. John Scherer needs to be shut down. He is a scam artist, a crook, and in this tough economic time, someone with the power to do something needs to stand up for those who have to sit back and wait for companies who wrongfully took money to decide to return it. Anybody know how to get this on Dateline or something?

James of Irvine, CA October 12, 2009

On 7/15/09 I contacted the company requesting a full refund which was approved and an RMA number was provided. I was told refrind would be provided 21-30 days following receipt of product. The product was returned via USPS Registered Mail and received by the company on 7/20/09. On 8/25/09 I contacted the company requesting status of the refund. I was told it should credited "any day". On 10/12/09 I again contactged the company requesting status and was told it would be escalated and the refund would be processed in 10-15 days. I was unable to obtain anything other then staff first names, no employee id reference, nor could I obtain any guarantee that the refund would be processed as stated.

peter of Layton, UT October 10, 2009

I returned my Video Professor HTML product on 8/25/2009 and was told my 189.95 would be refunded in 21-30 BUSINESS days which ended two days ago, 10/07/2009. When I called to check why my account was not credited, I was told there had been a "processing" error with their computer and that the refund would be issued a "priority" status and would be refunded in 10-15 BUSINESS days more. I told them it was not right they had my product and I did not have my money and told them, calmy, that this was tantamount to theft.

After about a hundred apologies, I got no where. I even asked if they knew of any time of VP issuing a manual refund; they said no. I asked them why they could not process a manual refund since I had complied fully with the terms to get a refund and I was told the computer would not allow that. In my 15 years of being in IT, this excuse was pure horse hockey!

I have to wait an additional 10-15 business days for a refund. Their product is in their hands, they have confirmed this, and I have pretty much written off the money. I even asked them to send me the product back until I was refunded and they said that was not possible. It was worth a shot.

Marilyn of Loganville, GA October 9, 2009

I was responding to a T.V Commercial of the Video Professor on 7-18-2009 that's when I ordered a Learn E-Bay product. I was told I had thirty days to cancel before they would charge my method of payment of 189.95 I called to cancel the product on Tuesday August 18th. at 12:42 pm. I was told by the customer care representative that my refund would be processed within 30day's. I was given a return Authorization code for two different products, 1 for the product that I had already received and 1 for a product that they said was automatically sent out that was on it's way that I hadn't receive.

I returned both products just as they instructed. I put the return authorization code on each product and returned it by U.S. Post Office which they did confirm that they received. However it has way over the (30) thirty days that they said I would receive a refund. During this time of me waiting on the initial refund the Video Professor has deducted another payment of 189.95 out of my bank account.

I have been in constant communication with the Video Professor Cust. Care Reps asking them how did such a thing happen when the product was canceled and returned to them within the time they requested. I have been given the run around by the Video Professor Company. I think this is terribly wrong and they actions needs to be investigated.

They have over debted approximately 379.00 dollars out of my account and they refused to return it, and I have waited way over thirty days as they promissed. I also believe that some if not all of their business practices is illegal. Please Help!

Govind of Granite Falls, NC October 7, 2009

As advertised on TV I ordered for a free lesson,returned it with in 10 days,still I got charged the shipping,I had alredy cancelled the order on August 15 th of 09. I got two charges on my credit card for 189.95 .I have called them several times, they keep saying it will be 30 days before the charges are refunded. Who will pay the interest on the credit card ?

Edward of pahoa, HI October 6, 2009

bought "free " cd for buying and selling on ebay and then was charged 189.95 on bank account. when calling customer service i was offered a 75.00 rebate and am currently seeking to take legal action after seeing how many people have been taken advantage of as well. mental stress due to feeling "stupid' and having faith in a internet business

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