internet scam

[arbroath2ict5]

Think i've been scammed ordering from the internet...

Anyway, got in touch with my bank and they advised closing my account and in the meantime have transferred what little cash i had including my overdraft to my savings account.

I managed to contact the company (in the US) by phone - on a very bad line too, and they sent me the following email

You are receiving this e-mail because a request to modify order # ******* has been made.

Please take a few minutes to read the following. When you submit this modification you must accept the following terms and conditions and confirm the order modification process. You must agree that you do not wish to continue using the product after having received your trial. To avoid being billed the full subscription charge, you must submit this form immediately. You must agree that your future subscription(s) will be canceled effective immediately after you submit the form. No future charges will be made to your credit card on file. Remember, customers see most noticeable results by using our products consistently for 3 months. Please click on the link below. You will be taken to our order modification website. Please fill out the form with all your order details. If you don?t know what to fill out, we have listed this information below for your convenience. Thank you

given i've been scammed once should i click the link.... :024:

[CaleyD]

Do a Google search for the company name and add the word "scam" and you will soon find out if they are legit or not.

[arbroath2ict5]

It's def a scam - that's why I phoned the bank. The company have said to cancel my contract with them I need to follow the link they gave me. I need to know if I'm leaving myself open to anything else by doing this...

[SMEE]

I would have nothing to do with the company in question. Just deal with your bank directly. Might be an idea to tell us the company involved, what they deal in etc so no one else gets caught out.

[Scotty]

Basically, if it sounds too good to be true then it is !!! Here's a list of a few scam sites where you can check out the latest scams or the latest bogus emails going around.

• http://www.hoaxbusters.org/ (horrible layout but list of most scams)
  
• http://www.hoax-slayer.com/ (a better layout and explanations - also a list of true ones that just sound like scams !
  
• http://www.scambusters.org/ (myths, urban legends and a list of the most recent scams)
  
• http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm (The FBI's list of scams)
  
• http://www.snopes.com/ (rumours, scams, urban myths)
  

Article about top 10 scams of 2009: http://www.paulanealmooney.com/top-interne...ng-on-now/1622/

and for some light relief ...... these two sites detail people taking on the scammers at their own game and out scamming the scammers or just wasting their time ..... very funny

http://www.419eater.com/

http://www.scamorama.com

[arbroath2ict5]

Smee iwould like nothing better than to have nothing more to do with them bit the. Bank say I have to show that I have tried to contact them to cancel or they can do nothing about reclaiming any money taken from my account. Bit of a catch 22. I guess following the link is no great shakes as they have my bank details anyway.

And yep scotty I'm normally pretty switched on to this sort of thing but I truely thought I'd not completed the transaction

[Scotty]

And yep scotty I'm normally pretty switched on to this sort of thing but I truely thought I'd not completed the transaction

A lot of companies - including reputable ones - use that tactic this side of the pond despite it being illegal in many places .... you sign up for a "free trial" but have to give your credit card details and then, at the end of the free trial period you are billed unless you have explicitly cancelled your trial in advance of it expiring.

Although this "negative billing" was outlawed in Ontario in 2005, companies still get round it by showing you agreed to the free trial and therefore you have consented to the terms of the agreement. It may not be a scam as such, but certainly unethical.

[arbroath2ict5]

so - should i click the link to cancel???

[Alex MacLeod]

so - should i click the link to cancel???

I would say no. Ensure your bank have stopped any payment then ignore it. And, in future, if you get any free trial offers that request your card details dont touch them.