This is a very tender subject for me, as I must be the most gullible elder in the world.
Quite frankly, I have been sucked up into so many internet come-ons just because I did not understand the language the businesses were talking. I was just stung the other day when I did a survey for Amazon.com and was told there would be gift offers available in return for my participation in the survey. I was delighted to do so because I love Amazon.com and their products have proved to be of outstanding quality, have low, or no, shipping fees, and you receive the product in good condition, and very quickly. So, I did the survey which was quite simple and was in turn offered three different products from three different companies at no cost for the gift, but you paid a minimal shipping and handling fee. I read and read the small print, looking for a hidden gimick-having been stung several times before. I could see nothing that said there would be a further cost for the product and there was no phone number given for the cancellation of anything. I thought the product must be a promotional item to interest you in their product line and I went and charged the $5.99 for shipping on my debit card. OH WRONG! SO VERY WRONG!!
There had been a word, the word TRIAL, that I thought meant that you could return it if you didn't like it. OLD MEANING! The business meaning of the word is that this is implied by the use of it: 1) You had 30 days to accept it or reject it; 2) Before the 30 days are up you must either accept the product or call the business to cancel your order and then return the product; 3) After 30 days the business will deduct $95.00 out of your bank account without advising you of this before they do; 4) Further, the business will then deduct $95.00 every month from your bank account until you learn that you must call and cancel this whole process.
Meanwhile, your bank account has been bombed. You have only a Social Security income and there is absolutely no room for any extra expense. You carry only a "pad" of $5.00 in your account each month. Your account is overdrawn and $35.00 charges start to pile up. You have no money to cover these charges or that $95.00 charge and you are in serious trouble. Your children have no money either, so they aren't able to come to the rescue.
Fortunately my bank is very protective of its elderly customers and has a wonderful fraud division which cancelled all of the charges while they deal with the business that was selling the product and do an investigation of the whole way that the company advertizes its product. I may have to pay the price for my gullibility and end up paying this business for the product that they sent to me-they won't accept the product back-but at least I have some time to come up with the money.
So now I am older, but wiser, and I absolutely refuse to get sucked up into any more internet come-ons. My debit card will be used for food, medicine, and household needs only. Please warn any of your loved ones, who may be a little like me, to watch very carefully as they maneuver the internet. Some businesses advertizing on the internet do not always spell out what the consequences of buying their product are. They use terms like "trial" to cover up their true intentions without spelling out CLEARLY and VISUALLY the entire process that you are getting involved in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I invite you to visit my website at: www.outskirtspress.com/thegodgames
I would also invite you to read my new book, THE GOD GAMES: Legend of Kor, available on the website and at amazon.com; Barnes & Noble.com & bookstores; and at www.outskirtspress.com
Quite frankly, I have been sucked up into so many internet come-ons just because I did not understand the language the businesses were talking. I was just stung the other day when I did a survey for Amazon.com and was told there would be gift offers available in return for my participation in the survey. I was delighted to do so because I love Amazon.com and their products have proved to be of outstanding quality, have low, or no, shipping fees, and you receive the product in good condition, and very quickly. So, I did the survey which was quite simple and was in turn offered three different products from three different companies at no cost for the gift, but you paid a minimal shipping and handling fee. I read and read the small print, looking for a hidden gimick-having been stung several times before. I could see nothing that said there would be a further cost for the product and there was no phone number given for the cancellation of anything. I thought the product must be a promotional item to interest you in their product line and I went and charged the $5.99 for shipping on my debit card. OH WRONG! SO VERY WRONG!!
There had been a word, the word TRIAL, that I thought meant that you could return it if you didn't like it. OLD MEANING! The business meaning of the word is that this is implied by the use of it: 1) You had 30 days to accept it or reject it; 2) Before the 30 days are up you must either accept the product or call the business to cancel your order and then return the product; 3) After 30 days the business will deduct $95.00 out of your bank account without advising you of this before they do; 4) Further, the business will then deduct $95.00 every month from your bank account until you learn that you must call and cancel this whole process.
Meanwhile, your bank account has been bombed. You have only a Social Security income and there is absolutely no room for any extra expense. You carry only a "pad" of $5.00 in your account each month. Your account is overdrawn and $35.00 charges start to pile up. You have no money to cover these charges or that $95.00 charge and you are in serious trouble. Your children have no money either, so they aren't able to come to the rescue.
Fortunately my bank is very protective of its elderly customers and has a wonderful fraud division which cancelled all of the charges while they deal with the business that was selling the product and do an investigation of the whole way that the company advertizes its product. I may have to pay the price for my gullibility and end up paying this business for the product that they sent to me-they won't accept the product back-but at least I have some time to come up with the money.
So now I am older, but wiser, and I absolutely refuse to get sucked up into any more internet come-ons. My debit card will be used for food, medicine, and household needs only. Please warn any of your loved ones, who may be a little like me, to watch very carefully as they maneuver the internet. Some businesses advertizing on the internet do not always spell out what the consequences of buying their product are. They use terms like "trial" to cover up their true intentions without spelling out CLEARLY and VISUALLY the entire process that you are getting involved in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I invite you to visit my website at: www.outskirtspress.com/thegodgames
I would also invite you to read my new book, THE GOD GAMES: Legend of Kor, available on the website and at amazon.com; Barnes & Noble.com & bookstores; and at www.outskirtspress.com
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