James of Placerville, CA writes:
These people have telemarketers contact you to tell you about their product. They want a $9.95 up front fee in order for you to be able to go on their web site and examine their product.This part is fine and you know what you are being charged and if you don't like what you see you will forfeit the $9.95. And that's okey. What the telemarketer DOES NOT tell you over the phone is that they put a $49.95 charge on the credit card you give them for the initial $9.95 without contacting you, in any way, asking your permission, authorization, or in any other way getting your okay to do so. When you first give them your card number it is given in confidence for the initial $9.95 amount ONLY and not to be used for ANY OTHER CHARGES from them when they feel like it. without your authorization.

Anything that is going to be charged to your account SHOULD BE TOLD TO YOU BY YOUR INITIAL CONVERSATION WITH THE TELEMARKETER, AND NO OTHER CHARGES SHOULD EVER BE MADE ON YOUR ACCOUNT WITHOUT THEM CONTACTING THE PERSON AND GETTING HIS EXPRESS AUTHORIZATION TO DO SO. I did not initially contact them, THEY CONTACTED ME BY MEANS OF A TELEMARKETER. After I gave them permission to put a $9.95 charge on my account, I found nothing to please me on their web site and just figured I was out $9.95 for the "privelege" of examining their products. BUT I IN NO WAY CONTACTED THEM TO BUY ANYTHING, CHECK ON ANY PRODUCTS, OR IN ANY OTHER WAY LEAD THEM TO BELEIVE I WAS INTERESTED IN THEIR PRODUCTS TO THE EXTENT THEY COULD PUT A $49.95 CHARGE ON MY CARD, much less give them permission or authorization. IF ANYTHING HAD BEEN SAID IN THE BEGINNING ABOUT FUTURE CHARGES THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD HAVE EVER GIVEN THEM MY NUMBER FOR EVEN THE INITIAL CHARGE.

Ironically when I did call them AFTER the charge was put on, they were very well versed in their response. Jennifer McNally told me the charge was non-refundable, and if I called the credit card company and contested the charge, that she would tell them I gave her permission to put it on and that would be the end of that. Very smart. Well all is okay because the credit card company DID REVERSE THE CHARGE for me after I wrote and explained what happened in detail.

Lois of Grovetown, GA, writes:
Received charge for $49.95 that was not authorized. The representative that I spoke with informed me of a $9.95 charge which I agreed to and paid 9/25/00. He made no mention of a $49.95 charge nor any mention of membership. I have informed Visa that this was not an authorized charge.

I received a welcome package with a free software disk on October 24, 2000. This is the only item I have received from the company and the first time I havd heard of any membership. I have sent 2 emails and 5 phone calls leaving a message to cancel this unsolicited membership, to credit my charge card with $49.95 and to return my calls. The first request to cancel was made 11/13/00 by phone and email.

As of this date 11/19/00 not one phone call has been returned. All notices both by phone and email have been made prior to the end of the 30 day requirement stated in an email received from Eric J.Schwertfeger on 11/15/00.