Online retailers, marketing firms scam consumers.....

[Night Hawk]

November 23rd, 2009

Online retailers, marketing firms scam consumers for $1.4 billion

Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 4:18 pm

A U.S. government investigation has prompted several well-known online retailers to sever ties with marketing firms after both were accused of working together to deceive customers out of $1.4 billion.

The retailers, including Priceline.com, Classmates.com, FTD.com, Shutterfly.com and Orbitz.com, were accused of working with marketers Affinion, Vertrue and Webloyalty to mislead consumers into unknowingly signing up for “affinity” or “loyalty” programs that would charge their credit card accounts.




The marketers are currently still in business. So are the retailers involved, some of which deny the extensive documentation (.pdf) aired by the U.S. Senate Commerce committee during a hearing last week that implies that the retailers willingly partnered with the marketers to allow access to their customers.

More at: Online retailers, marketing firms scam consumers for $1.4 billion | Between the Lines | ZDNet.com

 

[Lordbob75]

Well well well.

What a surprise.

~Lordbob

 

[Night Hawk]

When looking at that you have to wonder how many were sucked in by two of the retailers classmates and priceline being better known well advertised sites there. GGrrr...!!!

But it does show that you have to be a smart shopper even online to avoid becoming a victim of some type where plastic is concerned for sure.

 

[thefabe]

No surprise here. Average user ,click click click. whamo!

 

[Tews]

Ah, the click monkeys .... :roflmao:

 

[Uber Philf]

The average user wont think twice you see, like us.

Just "Oh, that makes it cheaper, im going to sign up with my credit card"

-SCAMMED-

By the time the funds have been transfered, can't do much now.

 

[Win7User512]

So the gov't is smearing Classmates.com? Tisk, tisk.

HAHA Just kidding. I hate those things.

 

[1Bowtie]

It can happen even if your really careful, Buy.com been shopping there for years, went to checkout, thought i was finished it said click here for 10% reward coupon and i did. Next thing i know for two months i'm being billed $14 they said i signed up for something i had no knowledge of. It took a few phone calls to get my money back and get out of whatever i unknowingly signed up for. Moral of story you can't be to careful.

Smitty

 

[Win7User512]

It can happen even if your really careful, Buy.com been shopping there for years, went to checkout, thought i was finished it said click here for 10% reward coupon and i did. Next thing i know for two months i'm being billed $14 they said i signed up for something i had no knowledge of. It took a few phone calls to get my money back and get out of whatever i unknowingly signed up for. Moral of story you can't be to careful.

Smitty

I knew people who bought shoes at the mall and then suddenly were getting billed for a magazine subscription. $40, too!

 

[Night Hawk]

When ordering online here a select list of vendors with good reps to start with that except checks or money orders will either get a money order or certified check so I get a receipt in case anything comes up. "Other options"? will generally be left unchecked either simply not being needed or to avoid getting into something "unwanted"!

In other words don't be guilable so you don't end up being duped! I see this type of stuff enought when going to try out some new freeware and you must install a toolbar? The toolbar gets dumped once the program installer is finished if there's no optional check box!

What the article illustrates there however is a much larger scale exploitation! Play it smart people!