Hold on to your money!

Here's a cautionary tale.

While it's one thing to consciously spend your money on items you want to purchase, seems to me that there are some companies out there who are quite happy to take my money for nothing while I'm not looking.

The convenience of shopping on line and, of course, using your credit card, can have it's pratfalls. Internet Service provider Net Zero is one big culprit. Yes, I did receive service. Using their free dial up was so frustratingly slow I upgraded to paying for a faster service.

Then when I decided to switch to another provider my troubles began. I called to cancel in April. Think that was it? In July they withdraw $19.95 from my account.

I call them up - a challenge to find their phone number - I'm bounced around from department to another being asked my story again and again. Finally they offer me another service! NO THANK YOU! Just give me my money back!

Well they give me my money back - 2 weeks later. Then the very next week they charge me US$4.47???? For what? I call up again - Wasting 45 minutes to reclaim my $4.47 while being bounced from one person to the next - How very sorry they are... I could spit I was so mad. But being Canadian, I kept my cool on the phone.

Be careful about surrendering your credit card for payment of services.

Ah but that's not the end of my lessons.

My Cell Phone Company, my VoIP provider, and EZ Pass have all billed me erroneously over the past 12 months, whether from my bank account or my Credit card.

Just pulled the money out of my account, then I have to fight tooth and claw to correct the problem.

Primus.ca took $170 from my Bank account because they could not find the router I returned. That took 3 months to fight over and recover my money.

Telus double charged me one month, said it would take them 8 weeks to return the money, so they conveniently applied it to my next bill - How Kind.

To be fair to EZ pass - I did not leave them my Credit card, I've finally learned my lesson. But they lost my payment, and claim I owe them a fine.

What lesson have I learned here?
1. Cash is a pretty good system.
2. Avoid automated payment plans.
3. Read all the fine print you can find
4. THEY think the customer is always wrong.
5. The art of Customer Service is only smile deep.

The Consumer had better beware.