Complaint Rating:

PLEASE, ALL, MAKE COMPLAINTS UNDER "FREECREDITREPORT.COM" ALSO! THIS IS THE ROOT ORGANIZATION!

My story and how I got my refund:

I got my "free" credit report from FreeCreditReport.com about three months ago. For the last two months, I've received unauthorized charges from some outfit labeled "CIC Triple Advantage." Today, I found out that this is the label of the charges made for a bogus membership that FreeCreditReport.com had signed me up for automatically. Even if you think you are not wanting (or are clicking "no" for) any further services from them, this "membership" is begun, and you must give written notification that you do not want it, or you must call 1-877-481-6825 to "cancel membership." And be prepared to wait a long time. Use a land-line phone, so that you are not cut off!

Following is an edited-for-time transcript of my phone call to the above number:

After calling the number (at 12:20 pm MT) and telling the woman that I wanted to "cancel my membership," and after she went through a long spiel about how I signed up for such and such and that this included such and such, she put me on hold with music for a minute or so. The woman came back on and said that my membership was now canceled.

I THANKED her, and then asked for an email confirmation of this. She replied that it would be sent within 2 hours.

I THANKED her again and said that I would now like the charges to my account to be refunded. She said, "the charges are valid," and something about them not being refundable.

I POLITELY persisted, and asked to be transferred to someone who could give me a refund. She repeated the same statement: "the charges are valid," etc. and then said she would be right back. She came back and said that "as a courtesy only the $12.95 has now been refunded to your account."

I THANKED her, and then said, "now I would like the remaining charges refunded as well." Of course, she repeated the mantra and then more about not being refundable, only one month's charges....

I POLITELY said, "I would like to be transferred to the person who gave the approval the first time. She said she would try and ask and to please hold.

This time, the phone did not have music on hold but silence and a lot of clicking. I think that this was the company hoping that I would think that I was disconnected and hang up, because she spoke again after a minute or so (with no clicking, as if she were listening the whole time). I also think that the company has them listen for profanity and threatening language because these are cause for anyone to legally hang up. BE POLITE!

After about 2 minutes of silence, clicks, and knocking sounds, she came back and said that all the charges have been refunded but that I would have to hold for some kind of application process.

Finally, after 5 or 6 minutes of the same silence/clicking, she said that the application was approved and that I would be getting confirmation. I had a hard time understanding her accent, so I said, "Thank you. Please, also, I would like an email confirmation of this." She said that she'd already said that and repeated it back. (Good idea to ask again anyway with a difficult accent!)

I THANKED HER AND GENTLY TOLD HER TO HAVE A GOOD DAY. (I wanted to tell her that she needn't worry, that she wouldn't have that job forever, and that I hoped that she was paid well, because they make a lot of money --- but I didn't.)

I'll write another complaint, if I don't get what was promised.