National Association of Professional Women

[redacted] filed this complaint with the Revdex.com after she did not get the desired outcome when she called to cancel her membership more than sixty days after she became a member.  We will be issuing a check for her refund, which is being issued not because she demanded it, but because of her...

specific circumstances.  We have responded directly to [redacted] with the following:
Dear [redacted],
I have reviewed your
email, below, and would like to extend my best wishes regarding your
medical condition and my hope that you experience a full, speedy
recovery.
I have also reviewed
your NAPW account records, and understand that a full refund has been
ordered for your account.  Unfortunately, it has been over 60 days since
you first purchased your membership and that
passage of time requires us to issue your refund via company check.  To
clarify, this is due to policies established within the credit card
processing system (by card issuing banks and gateway credit card
processors).  We generally are unable to re-access a
particular transaction beyond 30-60 days, depending on the card issuing
bank, which prevents us from issuing a credit to the credit card.  We
wish this were not the case, as it would save our members the time and
us the expense of issuing and mailing a physical
check.  In cases like yours, we enter a refund request into a queue and
it generally takes about 4 weeks to process through our accounting
system and arrive at the member's home.  I have asked that yours be
expedited, and invite you to contact me anytime to
follow up if you have not received your check in the next 2 weeks.
Your statement, that we somehow lie to the Revdex.com, is incorrect.  The language you quote relates to our response to Revdex.com complaints,
not customer service interactions.  Even though our well-documented
sales
and membership processes would allow us to challenge the validity of
most Revdex.com complaints, we do not do so.  Rather, we elect to issue
unchallenged refunds.  We do so because we genuinely wish to resolve
disputes and have no desire to further alienate or inconvenience
consumers who have decided to sever their relationship with us.  The
truth of our statement is self-authenticating through the Revdex.com process.
 If we were not issuing the promised refunds the consumers would notify
the Revdex.com, which would refuse to close out their
complaints.
For consumers like
yourself who first contact our Customer Service Team we follow a
different approach, which is generally used throughout the membership
services industry and is designed to improve our existing
relationship:
(1)  We first attempt
to understand why the member is dissatisfied, so we can clarify any
misunderstandings and/or identify and work to rectify any systemic
issues with the delivery of our products and services;
(2)  We next attempt to
re-explain the value associated with each of the products or services
our members have purchased because, in many cases, a member's
dissatisfaction is related to a misunderstanding of
the benefits associated with their membership purchase;
(3)  In order to help
re-build the relationship and compensate the member for her time and
frustration, we offer a partial refund of the purchase price and an
extension of the membership period, allowing the
member to continue receiving benefits on a better basis than she
originally purchased;
(4)  In cases where the
member has experienced extenuating circumstances and cannot use their
membership, we offer a full refund, as was done in your case.
I trust this addresses
each of your points.  If you have any questions, please feel free to
contact me directly.  I would like to again invite you to extend your
NAPW membership.  I see that you are in [redacted],
which places you in close proximity to a number of very successful NAPW
Local Chapters.  In addition to our [redacted] chapter itself, we have a
strong DC chapter, six additional VA chapters within your marketing
area ([redacted]
[redacted]), and numerous nearby chapters in Maryland.  I
believe the opportunities for you or your employees to participate and
network among those chapters could significantly benefit your business.
 If you would like your membership re-activated
and extended or for us to create a membership for one of your partners
or employees, at no cost, please let me know and I can facilitate that.
Thank you,

Dear [redacted]- Your information was in a separate database which is used to select women to whom we send invitations to membership. It is not in the active database, which comprises women who have applied for or entered into membership. I just received the confirmation from the marketing department that your information has been deleted from that first database.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

- Member will be refunded by check
[redacted]

What a joke! I feel so stupid for giving these crooks money. They suck you in telling you a lot of things and after they get your money you find out that you really don't get any of that unless you are VIP. They pester you calling you all the time with ridiculous claims telling you congratulations you are woman of the year craziness ...oh, but only if you pay the VIP LOL. They are about as UNprofessional as you can come. I have also read that they charge unauthorized charges so beware of this huge SCAM!!

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved...

because:

I September they did nothing for me. The just said they refunded me partial, but not the full amount which is the only thing that would resolve this. I was definitely scammed. I was told it will be 4 to 6 weeks before I get a refund check for the partial amount.
 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,[redacted]

white;">This member has been refunded.  Due to the age of her account, it was not possible to credit her credit card, but a check requested has been submitted in the amount of $199.  This check should be issued within the next 7-10 days and will be sent directly to the member's address on file? ([redacted]).
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
At this time, I have not been contacted by National Association of Professional Women regarding complaint ID [redacted].
Sincerely,
[redacted]

We are sorry that[redacted]’s experience with the NAPW has been less than ideal so far– wedo strive to provide our members with resources and benefits to enhance andimprove their lives, both personal and professional.  We encourage andexpect our members to avail...

themselves of those benefits and to contact us withany questions or problems regarding their memberships. Members who do take thetime to explore and take advantage of the myriad resources available will findtremendous value in being a member of the NAPW. Our members are entitled to betreated with utmost respect and empathy, and every person on the NAPW team istrained to work with our members to resolve any issues; however, there areprotocols and policies which must be followed.  These policies are companywideand all of our team members are required to follow them. [redacted] completed an application for membership in NAPW.  On January *, 2015, NAPW contacted her andconducted its initial enrollment interview. During this telephone call our representative explained the annual costsand benefits associated with this level of membership, and that all membershipenrollments are final.  Because NAPW is amembership-based networking organization, the primary benefits at all levelsare found through our membership portal ([redacted]) aswell as through our face-to-face networking at our over 300 Local Chaptersnationwide.  Additionally, through ouronline portal, members are able to access ancillary benefits provided by ourbusiness partners.  Because NAPW incurscosts upon enrollment with those partners, we maintain a final salepolicy.  Please be aware that membershipalone includes no tangible product to be shipped to the member. Ourrepresentative explained that [redacted] would receive an email (within 24hours) containing login information for our members’ portal through which she isable access all of the online benefits and enroll in Local Chapters.  The email address is one which was providedby [redacted] and was verbally confirmed by her during the interview.  However, when [redacted] contacted us theother day, advising that she had not received that e-mail, we discovered that aletter was missing from her e-mail address. This was corrected immediately, andthe e-mail was dispatched again to the correct address. [redacted] now hasher login information. While we completely understand [redacted]’sfrustration at not being able to speak with someone immediately, we do think itis a bit unfair to claim that we did not handle her issues in a timelymanner.  [redacted] did contact us onSaturday, January **, 2015 at 9:43 AM. Our business hours are Monday throughFriday, from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, so she left a voice mail message.  Member communications are handled withintwenty-four business hours; they are replied to in the order in which they arereceived. Our representative spoke with her and resolved [redacted]’sproblem before 11:00 Monday morning. The reason she did not receive her login information was due to a simpletypographic error in her email address, which was immediately rectified.Additionally, as a courtesy and because [redacted] had been enthusiasticabout becoming an active member of the NAPW, we refunded a portion of her feeand deactivated the automatic renewal function of her membership, so that itwill not renew without her express permission. We have also ensured that one ofour membership service representatives will speak with her to go over all ofher benefits in detail and assist her in taking full advantage of the resourcesavailable to her. Tell us why here...

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

Although portions of the business' response is ACCURATE some of it is not.  My first attempt to contact this company was on Friday, January * at which time I was dropped into their Customer Service voicemail and I left a message, but DID NOT receive a call back.  In efforts to extend patience I waited for a call or email, but did not receive either.  I then proceeded on Saturday, January ** to send out emails to this company and called to leave a message with the rep whom I interviewed with.  I do understand that I would not receive a callback on the weekend as that's what the voice recording stated when I called on Saturday.  However, I disagree with the business' response that I CONFIRMED the incorrect email address because that is NOT true.  I agree that I WAS enthusiastic about becoming a member of a group which claims to facilitate networking of women in business, who wouldn't be?  However as I stated for the cost I at least expected a callback on Friday which I did not receive.   I don't think that is being unreasonable.  Especially, since on Wednesday, January * the rep didn't hesitate to call me back to get my banking information when my call fell into her voicemail.  Perhaps I should have done this beforehand, but it's a lesson learned, but I decided to look into this association by researching the Revdex.com's database and to my dismay sadly realized that my experience had NOT been unique.  To see over 300 complaints against this association was troubling.  With that and in fairness to this association I guess there are some individuals who have found some success in being a member of the NAPW.  I will NOT be one of those women.  I did receive a call on Monday morning and although I feel I should have been refunded ALL of my money as I only had a TWO DAY active membership, after negotiating the terms of my refund (initially the company only wanted to refund a tad over $200), Linda in the Billing Department and I came to an agreement of a refund of $500 which should post to my bank account within 3-5 business day.  In my discussion with [redacted], it was determined that my email address and web address was missing a letter which was corrected.  [redacted] in Billing informed me of the terms and conditions of the adjusted membership; however as I stated to both [redacted] (Customer Service Rep) and [redacted] (Billing Department Rep) I will NOT be utilizing those services and would like to move forward.I noticed that the full amount $989 cleared from my bank account cleared today and so I'll assume the funds would have to clear before the $500 can be refunded.  I will wait to see if those funds will be refunded and should know by the end of the week (January **). I wish all the best of luck in life and business and appreciate everyone working with Revdex.com to get this matter addressed. 
Sincerely,[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]
/>

We are sorry that[redacted]’s experience with the NAPW has been less than ideal – we do striveto provide our members with resources and benefits to enhance and improve theirlives, both personal and professional.  We encourage and expect ourmembers to avail themselves of those...

benefits and to contact us with anyquestions or problems regarding their memberships. Members who do take the timeto explore and take advantage of the myriad resources available will findtremendous value in being a member of the NAPW. Our members are entitled to betreated with utmost respect and empathy, and every person on the NAPW team istrained to work with our members to resolve any issues; however, there areprotocols and policies which must be followed.  These policies are companywideand all of our team members are required to follow them. However, we stronglydisagree with [redacted]’s recollection of her conversations with ourrepresentatives.  NAPWemploys a comprehensive call recording and auditing function.  Our staff reviews the recording of eachcompleted interview for multiple compliance points, including that therepresentative explained the automatic renewal process as described above. Aspart of our investigation into this case, we reviewed that call again and [redacted] was made completely aware of these points at the time. This interviewis available for review if required.   [redacted] authorized the June *, 2015 charge reflecting her annual membershipdues.  During her initial enrollmentinterview, our representative went over the membership, beginning with the mostcomprehensive package – part of the goal of the interview is to determine thebest package to fit the member’s goals and budget. We want them to get themaximum benefits for the money, which is why they offer the options in theorder they do. [redacted] elected to become a paid member.  Ourrepresentative also explained that NAPW uses an automatic renewal process,designed to protect [redacted]’s enrollment in and uninterrupted access to thebenefits provided by NAPW and its business partners.  Prior to concluding the interview, ourrepresentative specifically informed [redacted] that her annual membershipwould automatically renew.  [redacted]had the opportunity to opt out of our automatic renewal program at that time. She was advised that we would remind her of the renewalabout thirty days prior.  Duringthe initial enrollment interview, our representative explained that [redacted]would receive an email (within 24 hours) containing login information foraccess to our members’ portal.   Throughoutthe year, NAPW made available to [redacted] a comprehensive membershipservices staff, which is qualified to field all inquiries and would have beenable to work with her had she elected to opt out of her automatic renewal (orany other questions she may have had). NAPW publicizes the availability of this staff through multiplededicated pages.  Each of these pagespublishes the contact telephone numbers and email addresses, and provides aconvenient form which this member could have submitted at any time if shewished to engage our staff for any reason, including opting out of herautomatic membership renewal. From dayone of [redacted]’s enrollment with NAPW, we communicated via email using theaddress she provided: [redacted].Email was clearly the primary communication channel, by which [redacted] received her monthly newsletters and numerous other organizationalannouncements.  As she was advised by the representative during her original interview, apostcard reminder was mailed at the end of April 2015 to the address providedby her at the time of enrollment, which is the same as the one provided here.  We havereviewed all of our records.  [redacted]did not contact us to cancel her scheduled renewal prior to processing, asrequired by our Terms & Conditions, so her renewal was processed as shepreviously authorized.   [redacted] did contact us on June *, 2105 via email. We calledher back and left messages on June [redacted], and [redacted] for herto call us so that her issue could be resolved.   Shecalled us back on July **, 2015 and spoke with one of our membership servicesrepresentatives. Since [redacted]’s complaint implies that our representativewas dismissive, unsympathetic and rude, we reviewed the recording of that callas well, which is available for review by [redacted] and the Revdex.com. Our representative was extremely professional and explained that [redacted] had signed up to automatically renew when she enrolled and that we didin fact mail a reminder to her about thirty days prior to billing that renewalfee. [redacted] asked why she was unable to remove her billing informationonline and our representative told her that this was for security purposes, butthat we would remove her from the automatic billing. [redacted] said that shemay choose to dispute her charge, which is certainly her prerogative, but ourrepresentative advised her that we have documentation and recordings to supportthe authorization of the charge.  Shenever said “too bad”, nor was her tone in any way dismissive.   We cannot allow such unpleasant accusationsto go unchallenged.  As a courtesy, we have issued a credit to [redacted]’s account and we have also deactivated the automatic renewalfunction of her membership, so that it will not renew. We also invite her tocontact us so that we can assist her in using her membership benefits. We take the claim that a member was "scammed" or that acharge was unauthorized very seriously.   We are also deeplyangered by the claims that NAPW takes advantage of women whenever someone forgotabout the terms to which she agreed or failed to use her membership and wantsus to bear the financial burden of her oversight.  NAPW provides an amazingvalue for the membership fee.  Included in ALL memberships levels arewebinars, seminars, discounts, perks, online networking access and in-personchapter affiliation as well as a myriad of other benefits.  Ourorganization is growing, expanding and moving forward through numerousinitiatives, strategic alliances and corporate affiliations; offering membersadditional avenues to ASPIRE, ACHIEVE and CONNECT.   Every member of NAPW's management team works diligently todeliver maximum value to our members, and any claim that someone was"scammed" is demonstrably false.  We currently have almosta half-million satisfied members, all of whom are free to use our onlinenetworking portal, which gives our members more connectivity optionsand far more ability to promote themselves than other networking sites. We have over 150 local chapters across America, in which tens of thousands ofour members get together to take their online experience into the real worldand create incredible connections with other professional women. These localchapters are constantly implementing new ways for the local members tointeract.  We encourage of our members tojoin all of the chapters in their area - this gives them more opportunities toattend events that fit their busy schedules and widens the circle of localwomen with whom to network. Additionally, we are constantly providing and working toupgrade the secondary benefits such as free or discounted continuingeducation through leading providers like [redacted] and [redacted]; shopping and other discounts through a number of partnerships,including exclusive sponsors like Lenovo, one of the world's largest computersuppliers; and interesting topical content provided through our social mediaand other outlets.  Again, our entire team is working hard every singleday to build these partnerships, identify and create content, and make greaterbenefits available to our members.  We were rated within the top 100 Best Websites for Women in Forbes2013. Our corporate partners include prestigious and well-known brands likeLincoln Motor Company, AT&T, Baccarat, the Ritz Carlton, and Disney.  Internationally prominent women, like SaraBlakely, Robin Roberts and Barbara Corcoran have been featured speakers at ourconferences – each sharing her journey in building her reputation as aprominent business figure.  Star Jones isour President and National Spokeswoman. These are women to whom integritymatters and they would have no part of the NAPW if we were any kind of scam. Quite frankly, there are negative comments on any and everything.Iconic brands such as Macy's, Mercedes Benz, Proctor & Gamble – even localrestaurants – receive complaints and criticism from customers who were nothappy with a product or service. However, despite those opinions, millions ofus continue to shop at Macy’s, buy Mercedes cars and purchase P&G productsagain and again. As professionals, if we all believed everything we see on theInternet was true, rather than informing ourselves and making our ownjudgments, we would all view the business world very negatively.

Please find attached receipts for the credits issued to the card in question. The transaction IDs are found in the description - your bank can check the status of the credit using those numbers.
We trust this is satisfactory.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
/>
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Check # [redacted] was sent out-it should have been received by now.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is...

satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
My card was refunded for $149 and another $50 for the total amount stolen of $199.00.
I want no further contact from this business or company or any of their affiliates or other organizations whatsoever.
They need to delete my name and email from their database, and their access to my bank account as well; and cease and desist all contact from now and forevermore.
Thank you for your help, Revdex.com!
Sincerely,
[redacted]

[redacted]’s complaint to the Revdex.com prompted an
investigation into the claims made regarding membership. As a courtesy, we have
refunded [redacted]’s credit card to reflect the original renewal rate which she
accepted in 2011.
 
/>
During [redacted]
[redacted]’s initial enrollment interview, our representative explained that NAPW
uses an automatic renewal process, designed to protect each member’s enrollment
in and uninterrupted access to the benefits provided by NAPW and its business
partners.  Prior to concluding the interview,
our representative specifically informed [redacted] that her annual membership
would automatically renew.  [redacted]
had the opportunity to opt out of our automatic renewal program at that time.  We do ask our
members the courtesy of advising us if they are not certain they wish to renew
as we have immediate costs which are incurred with each renewal – costs which
are not refundable to us.
 
NAPW
employs a comprehensive call recording and auditing function.  Our staff reviews the recording of each completed
interview for multiple compliance points, including that the representative
explained the automatic renewal process as described above.  In the rare instance that a representative
fails to explain the process, we manually deactivate the automatic renewal
function and notify the member when their membership is about to expire so they
can elect to renew.  According to our
records, [redacted]’s recorded interview was compliant.
 
Throughout
the year, NAPW made available to [redacted] a comprehensive membership services
staff, which is qualified to field all inquiries and would have been able to
work with [redacted] had she elected to opt out of her automatic renewal (or
any other questions she may have had). 
NAPW publicizes the availability of this staff through multiple
dedicated pages.  See [redacted].  Each of these pages publishes the contact
telephone numbers and email addresses, and provides a convenient form which [redacted]
[redacted] could have submitted at any time if she wished to engage our staff for
any reason, including opting out of her automatic membership renewal.
 
From day one of [redacted]’s enrollment with NAPW, we communicated via
email using the address she provided: [redacted].  Email was clearly the primary communication
channel, by which [redacted] received her monthly newsletters and numerous
other organizational announcements.  We
also publish any changes in the terms and conditions of membership on the
member portal, and include reminders in most correspondence with our
members.  The increase in our renewal
rates was announced in April 2013, and we also set up an announcement,
detailing all changes as well as our amended terms and conditions, which each
member wishing to access her profile was required to read and accept before
proceeding to the membership area. 
Contact information for any member wishing clarification or to decline
the automatic renewal was provided.
The contact information was also provided in the postcard we sent out
to arrive via surface mail during the first week of April 2014, reminding [redacted]
[redacted] of her upcoming renewal. During the week of April **, 2014, well before
it was processed, NAPW sent [redacted] another courtesy reminder of her
upcoming renewal transaction. A second reminder was sent a week later.
We have
reviewed all of our records.  [redacted]
did not contact us to cancel her scheduled renewal prior to processing, as
required by our Terms & Conditions, which must be reviewed and accepted
before access is granted to the website, so her renewal was processed as she
previously authorized. 
As per [redacted]’s conversation with our
representative on June *, 2014, more than thirty days after her renewal, all of
this was discussed with her and as a courtesy; we agreed to honor the renewal
fee to which she had agreed in 2011. 
 
We have issued a credit to [redacted]’s account,
which should have posted to her account by this time.  Card issuers will provide exact information
regarding the availability of those funds. We have also deactivated
the automatic renewal function of [redacted]’s membership, so that it will not
renew next year.
 
We understand that consumers sometimes miss elements of the sale.
However, we want to make it abundantly clear that NAPW absolutely does not
charge any member without her knowledge or authorization.
 
We want [redacted] to know that we take the claim that a member
was "scammed" or that a charge was unauthorized very
seriously.   NAPW
provides an amazing value for the membership fee.  Included in ALL
memberships levels are webinars, seminars, discounts, perks, online networking
access and in-person chapter affiliation as well as a myriad of other benefits.
 Our organization is growing, expanding and moving forward through
numerous initiatives, strategic alliances and corporate affiliations; offering
members additional avenues to ASPIRE, ACHIEVE and CONNECT.  
 
Every member of NAPW's management team works diligently to
deliver maximum value to our members, and any claim that someone was
"scammed" is demonstrably false.  We currently have almost
a half-million satisfied members, all of whom are free to use our online
networking portal, which gives our members more connectivity options
and far more ability to promote themselves than other networking sites. 
We have over 300 local chapters across America, in which tens of thousands of
our members get together to take their online experience into the real world
and create incredible connections with other professional women
 
Moreover, we host our National Networking Conference where
almost two thousand members from all over the country enjoy an unforgettable
day of networking, panel discussions, workshops and presentations from
extraordinary women like [redacted]
[redacted] from ABC’s “Shark
Tank” and “Good Morning, America” co-host [redacted].   Click here
for more information.
 
Additionally, we are constantly providing and working to
upgrade the secondary benefits such as free or discounted continuing
education through leading providers like Lorman Education, the University
of Phoenix and National Seminars Group; shopping and other discounts through a
number of partnerships, including exclusive sponsors like Lenovo, one of the
world's largest computer suppliers; and interesting topical content provided
through our social media and other outlets.  Again, our entire team is
working hard every single day to build these partnerships, identify and create
content, and make greater benefits available to our members.
 
We do encourage [redacted] to log in while to her
membership while it remains active and take advantage of the exclusive member benefits.
We have a comprehensive membership services staff, which is qualified to field
all inquiries and enjoy working with all of our members to maximize their
benefits.
 
We do hope that this makes things clear to [redacted]. Please feel
free to contact us with any additional questions or concerns.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]I have yet to receive a phone call from this organization. I have received several "888" area codes calls lately, but every time I pick up, the call disconnects. I don't know if they are using an auto-call service or what. Regardless. I do not wish to talk to these people--they will just try to hard sell me again, try to prevent me from cancelling, etc. I want a full refund and full cancellation immediately!!!! I have also emailed your customer service address ([redacted]) multiple times, and have yet to receive a single emailed response. I would prefer to communicate with this entity via email, so I have a written record of any conversations.
The only acceptable response to this will be the full and immediate cancellation of my membership, and full refund of the $199 for this membership as it will be cancelled. I don't want to be told about all the great things you offer--I want a cancellation. That is it. No desire AT ALL to have any membership with this group.This group has not offered me a cancellation or refund, nor will they respond to my complaints either.
I wish to receive emailed confirmation that my membership has been cancelled and that my fee will be refunded.
 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

I received a call from this organization this morning. I joined back around April or May for a 'reduced' but still pricey membership fee after 'qualifying' for an 'interview,' and then 'being accepted' after said 'interview.' I was left with the option to elevate my membership level to get additional benefits. The initial call felt pushy: It wasn't an offer being made that would hang around, you *have* to accept it then, or it becomes unavailable. (Red Flag)

The call this morning was much more pushy. They have my credit card information on file (important later).

It started very non-sequitur: The female 'professional' on the end of the line was complaining about how tired she was, and that she was going to go out to a group event this evening, and seemed to need reassurance that the experience would be worth it (Who are you, and why are you calling me?!), and eventually got around to telling me I've been 'selected for VIP.' I asked if this was follow up for the possibility to step up in membership. 'No, this is different, and you've been selected, and you're getting a commemorative plaque for no charge and by the way **mutter mutter something something four digits** is that OK?'

Me: "*repeats four digits* I'm sorry, what was that?"
Them: Great! We'll get that started for you.

That was them drafting $995 from my bank account. I hemmed them down to try to get off the phone, and said I wanted to talk to my work to see if this was something my employer would support. That is apparently almost $495 additional from my account.

Both transactions are showing on my account, and the only refund notification I have received an e-mail for is the initial $99 membership fee.

The whole process is unethical. I'm sure there are fantastic benefits available to those in the higher tiered memberships, but this is not how they should be sold.

I received nothing in writing.

I have not put my signature to anything physical. To be frank, I feel like a victim of fraud. And my rent is due. They swiped almost $1500 from my account, and it needs to be returned immediately.