Check N Gold

Review: On January 9th I visited the Check N Gold location on Orchard Lake Rd in Farmington Hills. I pawned various items and was told that I could only receive $30 on a pair of 2.2K, 14k black diamond earrings valued at $1397.00. He said that the only value he considered was the actual gold and not the diamonds. I pawned other items and left the store with the black diamond earrings. I returned to the store on January 16th to pawn a necklace for $30 and the black diamond earrings for the $30. In the conversation with the sales clerk, he stated that he could give me 30 for the earrings as a pawn and I asked for $40 and he said ok I will do that for you. So I then had a total of three pawn transactions at this location. On Friday February 15th I called to pick up the last two and was told that I only had two total. He claimed he couldn't find my information then said oh I have it right here on the desk. It sounded fishy. He then said you didn't pawn the black diamond earrings, you sold them to me. I am distraught by this. I just had a baby and should not even be out. The earrings have an extreme amount of sentimental value and I would have never sold them. After going up to the store. He continued lying and tripping on his words. The receipt he pulled has a different signature. The earrings are gone and the owner cursed at me and dropped the "F" bomb and wouldn't help me. Logic says that I would not have pawned everything else and sold that one item at such a low price. That item would have sold for much more. I am getting no help from the owner and he is offensive and rude to curse at me and not help me.Desired Settlement: Replacement of my diamond earrings from the same jeweler. At the price required to replace them. The jeweler can get me same pair. They have sentimental value. Diamonds don't depreciate in value.

Review: ULink is a referral networking group, similar to [redacted], that supports entrepreneurs and small business owners by providing opportunities for networking and referrals. I became a member of ULink in 2013 when I attended a Mega Mixer that was designed to attract new members by introducing them to the organization and offering a promotional sign-up rate, a substantial discount off the normal annual dues if you signed up that night at the event. I attended meetings regularly for a year, but found that the membership did not help my business. Despite my best efforts, at the end of the year, I had not recouped the cost of my membership. In September 2014 I notified ULink that I would like to cancel my membership effective October 1, 2014. I believed that my membership had commenced in October 2013, an incorrect assumption, and that I was being charged on a monthly basis for my continued membership (also incorrect).Because my husband paid the credit card bills every month, it was not until March of this year, when I was working on our taxes, that I discovered that an entire years membership dues -- $429 had been charged to our [redacted] card in July of 2014. I had never been notified about this charge or informed that my membership was up for renewal.I immediately contacted ULink and asked for a refund of the amount that was not used. I was informed that I was not entitled to a refund under their cancellation policy but could, if I chose, continue my membership until July 31, 2015 the remainder of time on my membership. I asked whether my unused time ten months (October through July) could be donated to another member. I received no response, and I have heard nothing further from the organization despite repeated inquiries.My concerns are three-fold:1.I should have received advance notification that my membership was due for renewal and that my credit card would be charged for an entire years membership. Clearly, I hadnt kept track of when I joined (something they must have counted on), and I believed that it would go into a month-to-month status after the first year (something they must see a lot).2.When I contacted the ULink office in September to cancel my membership, I was told that it was taken care of. I was not told that I had already paid for a full year of membership and would not get the money back. As of October 1, 2014, this would have been a full ten months of membership. Had I known this, I would have chosen to remain active in the group, as I had already paid for it. Now Im told that I can use the balance of my membership just four more months which amounts to $100 a month for a membership that provided little value.3.I have been officially inactive in the group since October 1, and I was told that my membership had been cancelled effective as of that date. The amount charged to my credit card should be pro-rated to cover the two months (August September) I actually used, and the balance should be restored to my account.Desired Settlement: Reimbursement of ten months' dues (prorated) and implementation of a policy requiring affirmative notification of membership renewal and authorization prior to effecting credit card charges.

Business

Response:

[redacted] purchased and renewed a discounted prepaid annual membership. The terms regarding this membership are clearly stated on a membership agreement signed by her. These terms are also stated on our website.