On 08/04/2009 I received a fax from The Global Directory of Who's Who single page form stating that “you were selected as a TOP DOCTOR candidate to represent Scottsdale in the forthcoming edition of The Global Directory of Who's Who, for your contributions in the area of Pediatrics. This distinguish edition of the registry is a leading source for recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding professional men and women in their respective fields.
Our selection director chooses candidates based on their current positions with information obtained from the executive research and professional listings. Your candidacy has been approved and will become effective upon receipt upon of the enclosed application form. There is no cost to be included.”
At the end of August I fax back the form genuinely believing what was stated in the letter heading:
The Global Directory of
Who's Who
Honoring executives & professionals
On 09/14/2009 I got a call from them thru my cellular phone congratulating me that I was accepted their invitation they went ahead asking me questions about my past in order to compose my biography in there directory. Then he ask me what credit in which credit card to apply the charge, I asked what they were charging me as the listing in their form fax to me it was clearly writing that the participation was free, he answered that the charges are for the book that they were going to send me in the future with my biography, I ask what is the price and he said 190 dollars I agreed and unwisely gave the American Express card number.
On 09/16/2009 I check as always the postings of the previous day and there was none. Next day I check
09/17/2009 I saw to my surprise that they posted not the agreed amount for the book, but a much sum larger one for $767.99. I found out on this posting to the AMEX card that the company was not what they portrayed on the fax solicitation as
” to recognize the accomplishment of…..and Honoring executives & professionals but an advertisement service.
I call them and spoke to the secretary telling her that I want my credit charges cancel as well as my book participation, she transferred me to the person hat contact me I think is was John, I repeat to him my request he answered that it is too late to cancel, I told him that appears to me that I became a victim of their SCAM he got abusive and he transfer me to the Vice president of the company and he said cannot be cancelled the charges and that they have some cancellation agreement with American Express and I that I will not qualify for the refund. I repeat that I did not think that American Express will side up with this SCAM OPERATION and hang up the phone, After that they repeatedly call me, and finally when I answered this John told me that I very arrange to pay a lesser sum with them as it was going to be much cheaper for me than to fight them. My sole response was that I was not interested to any arrangement other than the complete refund of their illicit charges as they not only misrepresented their purpose and service and but I was never informed about the full amount to be charged in my credit card. Consequently I call AMEX and ask the refund for $577.99 or everything above the $190 that it was agreed upon at the time of the transaction on 09/14/2009. On 08/21/2009 I call Amex to have refunded the whole amount as charged $767.99 as I learned that the entire company was a scam operation.
On 10/18/2009 American Express to send me a letter with photocopies that was sent by The Global Directory of Who's Who.
Once again they showed their deceptive tactics as firstly they faxed me 5 pages of an agreement that has never been disclose to me before, during or after the transaction which included a detail of the charges as well as their cancellation policy which as I said has never been disclosed to me or signed by me.
The next thing I did was to research on the internet their accomplishment and I was not surprise I found out numerous complains of their fraudulent scam operation. Obviously I am asking AMEX to reconsidering their conclusions in the case so they can evaluate my documented evidences.
S. A. Vie, MD