National Association of Professional Women

Review: I joined NAPW in December of 2012. It was my understanding should I decide to remain a member that my renewal each year would be $99. I didn't find a lot of benefits from the organization and was not impressed at all with the local chapter of NAPW. The meetings aren't held at a time I can easily attend. I do peridically receive communications from this organization but don't seem to receive all notices as I was informed when calling on the phone to contest the amount my checking account was billed was 10X the amount that I understood renewal to be. I do understand that they may increase the renewal fee but had no idea that it would increase 10X the fee I understood it was agreed upon. I had decided to remain a member for one more year since I expected the fee of $99 to be minimal and to see if I was able to get more benefit from the organization but once I was aware it had increased so significatntly and with having no benefit from the organization, I simply wanted out and a refund. I did receive notice thanking me for renewing. I did not receive any notice to agree or disagree to renew. NAPW renewal department states I was notified via email. This seems to be one I did not receive.

Upon calling and emailing every day for five days, I finally received a call back. The person was professional on the phone that I dealt with but I was not happy about the association nor do I wish to remiain a member. They have informed me I have no choice I must now remain an unhappy, unwilling member because I did not notify them prior to them charging the $989.00 to my account. They "generously" agreed to refund 1/2 of it and hold me hostally as an unwilling member until December of 2014. I don't think this is a professional way to do business. I notified them as soon as I was aware of such a significant increase and the financial burden on my family but they again, informed me I am locked in until Decmeber of 2014.Desired Settlement: I wish to have my membership end now and a full refund due to my disatisfaction with the organziation for the one year I was a member. I did pay $1,000 for that year which was a waste of my money.

Business

Response:

I would like to apologize to [redacted], as it appears she received less than satisfactory service from our Customer Service department. I have forwarded her comments to the [redacted], and will follow up to ensure that they are addressed with the responsible individuals.

Review: NAPW advertised their "free" membership on [redacted]. I filled out the form, in good faith due to the numerous accolades featured in the advertisement. However, their advertised claims are false, and nothing more than bait to draw in women looking to advance their careers. The representative who identified herself as [redacted] at ###-###-####, ###-###-####, called me in the afternoon (during working hours), and engaged me in an interview about my career history, education and skills. She was cordial, courteous and enthusiastic. Then the sales began. She tried to sell me memberships starting at $795, and as I explained that I could not afford those right now, she dropped to a $99 membership. I started to think something was amiss, but could not find negative reviews on the web, yet. I was told that I would receive a welcome packet, and unlimited networking and a discount program, but what happened to it being free? Like a sucker, I was drawn in by the rep's confidence and sales savvy. I still declined, but was told that I would be locked out of application for two years. A moment after I shared my billing information, but before I activated my membership, I found an article exposing their bait and swith and unauthorized charging of members' cards, and I politely told the representative that I had changed my mind. She practically demanded that I tell her where the information was, and demanded, "Can you read it to me verbatim". I would like the charges to my card to be cancelled, and that the company be barred from engaging in further false advertising.Desired Settlement: I would like all charges to my card reversed, and that no future charges be incurred.

Business

Response:

[redacted] # [redacted] - the transaction was voided and nothing was billed to [redacted]'s card. We have also removed her information.

[redacted]

Review: I was charged $99.00 for joining this organization, which I disputed from the beginning. I never wanted to join. I was mislead and when I tried to get my money refunded within the same week, I received no response. Now after a year, my credit card was charged for $199 for renewal of my membership. I did not authorize this charge and would like my credit card refunded for both charges. I have read online about this scam and other women who have feel victim to it.Desired Settlement: Full refund of all monies paid.

Consumer

Response:

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,

Review: I clicked on an ad for NAPW on [redacted] with the idea of possibly joining the organization. In the ad and on the NAPW website it says "Every woman who applies receives a complimentary basic membership." I thought I would try that. Next I received a call from someone who was hard to hear and understand. She asked me a lot of questions about my work. After a bit she said I was accepted for membership and that the membership levels were $900+ and $700+. Wow! I asked about the "complimentary basic membership" which she said was not available but I could join for a trial membership costing $99 for 6 months with a special extension to 1 year. She said she would turn off the auto renew to keep it from renewing at a higher price level which it normally would do. I asked if any of their membership discounts involved a price break on "Errors and Omissions" insurance which was a benefit I was most interested in. She said "no" but some members might offer that to me. I guess I was flattered by her questions about my business and that is why I took out my credit card and gave her the numbers. I knew better. As soon as I hung up I tried calling her back at the number she gave me to use if I ever needed help. There was no answer at that number. I finally found a number that worked by calling my credit card company and talking to them. When I called it the NAPW person who answered put me on hold and never came back. I found a help form on their site guaranteeing a call back so I filled that out. A woman called me back. I asked for a refund. She said "All sales are final and that was noted in your original call and we have it on tape." I didn't remember hearing that because, as I said before, the speaker was hard to hear. After much talk by her about the organization of NAPW she asked if the charge was a financial burden to me and if it was she could refund half of it. She said the normal refund guarantee on a VISA did not work for such an agreement as I had just made with them. She said if I contested the charge with VISA it would come to nothing. (She also said she would turn off the auto-renew. I told her the first caller said she would turn off the auto-renew. Now I am worried that it may not be turned off at all and I may have to deal with this group again in a year.) And so I agreed to the 50% refund which I have not received. I have never had such an experience in any purchase before. I have not used the membership at all. I have not used the log in username and password. I think I am due a full refund. It has always been my understanding that anything purchased with a VISA can be return with the refund guaranteed.

Consumer

Response:

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

[redacted] purchased a Trial membership in October of 2013 and called back shortly thereafter to cancel her membership, for unspecified reasons. Our records show that [redacted] was given a 50% refund on the day she purchased, and that she was given a final refund of $49 on November **, 2013. This credit should have long since posted to [redacted]’ account. I trust this matter is resolved. Should [redacted] have any additional questions, or should her final refund have failed to appear in her account for any reason, she should feel free to contact me directly at [redacted]

Review: I was told by a sales rep in the year prior (2012) that I was not on any auto renewal service and that I would receive a phone call prior to the membership being renewed. The renewal was also stated to be only $90 for the year. I was charged $495 for a renewal today, which happened automatically and I received no renewal notice prior. When I spoke with the rep on the phone, I was told that I was on auto renewal after all, they don't call members before it happens (so the rep the prior year lied in order to close the sale), and that I should have received a letter or an email notifying me of this, but after going through my inbox it is clear I never received anything from them. They refuse to refund the full charge, but are refunding some of the money, even though I've told them I no longer wish to be a member and to cancel my membership.

This is a really shady and unethical business practice for your sales reps to tell your customers that a) they are not on any sort of auto-renewal system when they actually are, b) tell them a significantly smaller number for the membership renewal when it is actually quite a bit more, and c) have the sales reps just flat out lie in order to close a sale. This is unacceptable and the fact that such a well known organization as the NAPW practices such methods is absolutely disgusting.Desired Settlement: I would like a full refund of the $495, the $325 partial refund is not ok. The fact that this was not able to be reversed on the same day that it was charged is unacceptable and the fact that the reps have lied in order to close a sale is despicable.

Business

Response:

I have reviewed our records, including a recording of the initial sales call with [redacted]. NAPW's default methodology is for memberships to automatically renew. We do this because our members are enrolled in various programs with our business partners and auto-renewal prevents their enrollments from lapsing each year. During the sales call, our representative explained to [redacted] that her membership would auto-renew, but then stated that she could remove that option. She had the ability to do so by checking a box, but it appears she failed to do so. I have spoken with [redacted] who explains that the rep did not "lie in order to close a sale" as [redacted] states, but instead made an honest mistake.

I responded to a mailing I received inviting me to join this business "free of charge". When I was finally able to speak with someone about this business, as others have said, I was asked a lot of questions and then told about the cost to become a member. I was first offered a $900 membership and when I refused the amount kept dropping until I was offered the $99 basic membership. I was also told that I would be featured in their news letter as a "VIP" member. A newsletter that I might add NEVER materialized. When I called to cancel my membership after one year - 1 day after they had charged my card, I was told that I could not be refunded all of my money, as I would yet have access to the 'perks' of being a member. I am not sure exactly what these 'perks' are supposed to be, because in the year that I paid for I have received absolutely NO BENEFIT from this company. There is no local chapter, as the web site states there would be. The seminars that are offered are of no interest or benefit to me in my field of expertise. If Star Jones is supposed to be the President of this company, how come she never makes any advertisement about it. I believe that the recruitment tactics this company utilizes are fraudulent and that this company is a scam. I would not recommend this company.

I also received an "invitation to join" in the mail for this organization. It made it seem like I was chosen to join this "elite group" and all I needed to do was submit my information online. I then received a confirmation that I would be contacted by someone with NAPW to conduct a brief phone interview. I just finished the interview, which lasted over 30 minutes. I should have hung up. The woman on the phone asked me several questions about my work and then congratulated me on being accepted in to NAPW. She then proceeded to tell me about the different levels of membership and fees associated with these. Thank you for wasting my time. I am not going to join an organization for over $989!! She became very pushy after I informed her that I would not be paying that much for a membership. I eventually cut her off and told her that at this time I would not be providing any payment information. Do your research. I wish I had before I filled out the information online.

Review: This business automatically renewed NAPW Membership on my credit card without prior notification or approval. Upon calling to complain and request to have the charge reversed, they said too bad, we have a recorded call from last year that provided notification. This is nothing but a scam!Desired Settlement: I would like a $199 Refund applied to my credit card.

Business

Response:

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.

Consumer

Response:

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:

NAPW Claims they have issued a credit as per the information below that was copied from their lengthy response. As of today, July **, 2015, a credit has not been applied to my account. Please advise the amount of the credit and when it will be processed. I have unsubscribed from your email list. I never once used any NAPW benefit. I did not receive a reminder via email. I did not receive a postcard reminder. I could not end my membership through the online account. Again simply stated, I want a refund.

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.

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

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:

Upon reviewing my account online, I do see a partial credit of $99 was applied on 7/**/2015. However, the original amount charged on 6/**/2015 was $199. I want the entire $199 charge credited. This issue will continue to be at an unresolved status until the full amount of $199 is credited.Thank you!

In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

It iscertainly [redacted]’s prerogative to insist that this is not resolved to her satisfaction;she is entitled to her opinion. Again, weare disappointed that [redacted] is unhappy with this resolution; however, herclaims are invalid and we have demonstrated this. We invite the Revdex.com and [redacted] to review the conversations she had with members of our team which willsupport our response. We did issue the partial refund AS A COURTESY to her. Weconsider this more than reasonable and in our opinion the matter is closed.

Review: I called NAPW and told them I wanted to cancel my membership. I had moved and never received information that my account was being automatically renewed on 7/*/14. I called them on 8/*/14 and was originally told that I couldn't cancel. Then she put me on hold and came and said I am able to give you a 50% refunded. I should be refunded for 92% of what I paid. I shouldn't pay 50% for one month of a membership.Desired Settlement: I would like the 42% of the total membership of $989 be refunded to my credit card.

Business

Response:

We are sorry that

[redacted]’s experience with the NAPW has been less than ideal – we do strive

to provide our members with resources and benefits to enhance and improve their

lives, both personal and professional. We encourage and expect our

members to avail themselves of those benefits and to contact us with any

questions or problems regarding their memberships. Members who do take the time

to explore and take advantage of the myriad resources available will find

tremendous value in being a member of the NAPW.

Our members are entitled to be

treated with utmost respect and empathy, and every person on the NAPW team is

trained to work with our members to resolve any issues; however, there are

protocols and policies which must be followed. These policies are companywide

and all of our team members are required to follow them.

[redacted] authorized the July *, 2014 charge reflecting her annual membership

dues. During her initial enrollment

interview, back in 2012, our representative went over the membership, beginning

with the most comprehensive package – part of the goal of the interview is to

determine the best package to fit the member’s goals and budget. We want them

to get the maximum benefits for the money, which is why they offer the options

in the order they do. [redacted] selected the Elite membership.

Our

representative also explained that NAPW uses an automatic renewal process,

designed to protect [redacted]’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.

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. As

part of our investigation into this case, we reviewed that call again and [redacted] was made completely aware of these points at the time.

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 her 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

this member 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],

the same as the address provided in this complaint. Email was clearly the primary communication

channel, by which [redacted] received her monthly newsletters and numerous

other organizational announcements.

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, so her renewal was

processed as she previously authorized in 2013. However, earlier this year, our

membership services department attempted to contact [redacted] regarding her

membership. The contact information that we had on file was outdated – [redacted] was no longer with the same company with which she registered.

We do

not ask much from our members outside of participating and taking advantage of

the many benefits we offer. We do need them to keep us up to date with their

contact information as it is ultimately the responsibility of the member to advise

us of any changes or the status of her membership remains unchanged. We have no

way of knowing if someone moves, or leaves her job unless she tells us. It is our policy to reach out to members in

these circumstances. We did send [redacted] an email requesting updated

information to which she did not reply, as the email she supplied was a personal

address, and not a work one, so it was more than likely the address was still

active.

We do

ask our members the courtesy of advising us if they are not sure about

renewing, or if they do not wish to renew. We provide ancillary benefits on

behalf of our members to enhance membership. Most of these are purchased from

outside partners on an annual basis, so each month, as our membership renew, we

also renew their annual fees for those benefits, which may not be refundable.

Therefore, we do ask our members the courtesy of advising us if they are not

sure about renewing, or if they do not wish to renew so that we do not have to

pay those fees or refund them without reimbursement.

A

postcard reminder was mailed at the end of May to the address provided by her

at the time of enrollment, which we now know is not current. Additionally, however,

well before it was processed, NAPW sent [redacted] a courtesy reminder of her

upcoming renewal transaction via email, and another reminder a week later.

[redacted]’s email address was still current and

she disregarded those reminders. This is why, when

she called to question the renewal on July *, 2014, our representative issued a

partial refund – the fees for her upcoming membership year has been paid and we

are able to refund that portion which was not already spent.

However, we have done a more intense investigation into this claim

and it has been determined that there was a lack of communication. In these

instances, we do give our members the benefit of the doubt and so we have

issued a credit to [redacted]’s card for the balance of her fee.

Review: On 2/**/2014 I was informed by my employer, American TV & Appliances, that they would be closing all their stores by the middle of April 2014. A few days prior to that I had clicked on an advertising on [redacted] for NAPW. At the time I was under the impression that this was a similar site to [redacted], and that membership was free of charge. On 2/**/2014 I received a call from a lady named [redacted] who identified herself from NAPW and they were so impressed by my accomplishments and would like to have me join their group. She was lovely, warm, commiserated when I told her that soon I would be unemployed and kept on talking how much a membership would accomplish for me. In the end, against my better judgement I allowed her to charge my credit card in the amount of $489. As soon as I received a confirmation email I emailed them back and requested that my membership would not be processed, I was no longer interested in joining this organization, which after further investigation would have no value or benefits for me. Nevertheless they went through and charged my account. I asked my bank to intervene, and they temporarily reversed the charge. I responded to every email from NAPW by telling them I was not a member, and returned the letter they sent me by mail. Today I received a letter from my bank informing me that they are unable to assist me in resolving my dispute and have charged my card again.I have emailed NAPW again tonight. I have found several online complaints against NAPW, all citing similar experiences. Please see this attachment: [redacted]I hope you can assist me with this. Thank you for your time.[redacted]NAPW "Member ID#: [redacted] Claim [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like NAPW to honor my request to not be a member and fully refund the amount charged to my account.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, my complaint, ID [redacted] regarding National Association of Professional Women has been resolved.

(By clicking "OK", your complaint will be closed as Resolved.)

Sincerely,

Review: They charged my credit card for a membership fee of 199.00 without my authorization. I only authorized a$80.00 charge last year and for 1 year only, instead they charged me again for more money without me knowing. I tried to contact them to work it out and could not get it resolved. I spoke to them over the phone and refused membership several times.Desired Settlement: I wish to get my money back.

Business

Response:

We deeply regret this misunderstanding.

This member was enrolled in automatic billing for the renewal. The renewal policy was discussed with the member upon inception, and is also clearly stated in the member's Welcome Kit and the Terms and Conditions. Those can be viewed here: [redacted]

Despite this, the member was issued a full credit in the amount of $199.00 upon contacting NAPW Renewal Services.

I trust that this resolves this matter. Should you have any further questions, you may contact me at ###-###-####.

Regards,

Review: I applied to be considered for membership to the NAPW and received a call back. After telling me I'd been accepted, they then told me that I would have to pay $989 for an annual membership or $789 for less service offerings. AFter telling the representative, [redacted], that that was too much, she lowered the amount to $489. Then we went ahead with the transaction. HOWEVER, I only was interested in signing up initially because on their website, they claim they have a Revdex.com rating of A. I thought this cost might be worth it because I believe they were Revdex.com approved. However, after doing some research, I found that they are NOT approved by the Revdex.com. This is false advertising and I want a refund because I would never have been interested if I had not known they were NOT Revdex.com approved.Desired Settlement: I would like my $489 refund back to my credit card.

Business

Response:

We regret this misunderstanding. However, the NAPW website reads that the are rated by the Revdex.com, not accredited. NAPW prides itself in its service to members and its transparency. The member may refer to http://www.Revdex.com.org/business-reviews/ratings/ for further clarity.

The member was refunded on 7/**/13 in full in the amount of $489.00 and have been removed from any future billing.

I trust that this resolves this matter. Should you have any additional questions, you may contact me at [redacted].

Review: I was solicited by the NAPW after I clicked on a link on [redacted]. I received a phone call from [redacted] ###-###-#### or ###-###-####. I went through an interview with her about my profession, job duties etc.. I felt pressured after the interview to accept the one year membership and was told my call was being recorded for business purposes and that there would be no possibility of a credit once I agreed to the membership rate.

I accepted because I was assured that there were extensive free professional opportunities for conferences etc. in my area. I have since discovered that there are no FREE services available through this "professional organization"Desired Settlement: I would like my one year member to be refunded back to my credit card and to be sure that NAPW is blocked from charging any additional services to my credit card.

Consumer

Response:

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

- MEMBER FULLY REFUNDED BY CHECK

Business

Response:

The check was mailed to the address which [redacted] provided in this complaint.

Consumer

Response:

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. The check was received on June **, 2014.

Sincerely,

Review: I signed up for a one year membership with the National Association of Professional Women (NAPW) in October of last year after seeing a "free membership" advertisement on [redacted]. At the time of registration, I was told that there was no free membership package, and that I would need to provide my debit card information over the phone in order to enroll. When I expressed discomfort about being required to provide personal information over the phone, I was assured both that this was the lowest membership pricing package and further, that I wouldn't be charged in the future (automatic renewals, additional fees, etc.).

Over the course of the year, I was subjected to numerous high-pressure sales calls and was generally dissatisfied with the organization's services. I was also disappointed after my due-diligence on the organization revealed a shocking number of women who have felt victimized by the NAPW's sales tactics and membership experience. Rather than cancel my membership mid-year, I resolved not to sign up for a membership at year's end. Last Friday (10/*) I received a $789 charge from the NAPW to my debit card. I immediately contacted the NAPW to request a full refund, as I had not authorized the transaction. I was told that I had been notified of this renewal via email on September [redacted] (less than a month before the transaction date) and was only offered a $590 refund. I was also told that I would have had to call 30 days in advance of the charge to cancel the automatic renewal process -- hence, by my calculations I wouldn't have been within the "cancelation window" even had I responded to the September [redacted] email.

As I have been repeatedly provided misleading information by the organization and consider this an unauthorized transaction, I am not satisfied with a partial refund. I am requesting a full refund (an additional $199) of the money charged to my debit card.Desired Settlement: I am requesting a full refund of my the money charged to my debit card, along with confirmation that my membership has been canceled.

Business

Response:

We are sorry that

[redacted]’s experience with the NAPW has been less than ideal – we do strive to

provide our members with resources and benefits to enhance and improve their

lives, both personal and professional. We encourage and expect our

members to avail themselves of those benefits and to contact us with any

questions or problems regarding their memberships. Members who do take the time

to explore and take advantage of the myriad resources available will find

tremendous value in being a member of the NAPW.

Our members are entitled to be

treated with utmost respect and empathy, and every person on the NAPW team is

trained to work with our members to resolve any issues; however, there are

protocols and policies which must be followed. These policies are companywide

and all of our team members are required to follow them.

authorized the October *, 2014 charge reflecting her annual membership

dues. During her initial enrollment

interview, our representative went over the membership, beginning with the most

comprehensive package – part of the goal of the interview is to determine the

best package to fit the member’s goals and budget. We want them to get the

maximum benefits for the money, which is why they offer the options in the

order they do. [redacted] selected the Preferred membership.

Our

representative also explained that NAPW uses an automatic renewal process,

designed to protect [redacted]’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.

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. All of the compliance requirements were met in

this case.

During

the initial enrollment interview, our representative explained that [redacted]

would receive an email (within 24 hours) containing login information for

access to our members’ portal. Our

representative further explained that [redacted] should review our Terms &

Conditions. Subsequent to logging in but

prior to accessing her benefits, she was required to review and accept those

Terms & Conditions. Therein, she was

provided with the details of our automatic renewal policy, which was previously

explained during the initial enrollment interview. NAPW’s Terms &

Conditions are available at [redacted].

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 her 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

this member 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. A postcard

reminder was mailed at the end of August to the address provided by her at the

time of enrollment, which is the same as the one provided here. Additionally, well

before it was processed, NAPW sent [redacted] a courtesy reminder of her upcoming

renewal transaction via email, and another reminder a week later. We send these

as a courtesy – technically we are not obligated to remind members of the automatic

renewal, and if a member contacts us before the actual renewal processes, we

will be able to stop that from happening.

Each renewal immediately incurs costs to us as we purchase services and

subscriptions from outside partners and those fees are not refundable – this is

why we ask our members the courtesy of advising us that they do not wish to

automatically renew.

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, so her renewal was processed as she

previously authorized.

[redacted] did contact us on October *, 2014 and

demanded a refund. Our representative explained

our processes and policies and immediately credited her account for the amount

which had not already been paid out for her renewal. We have also deactivated the automatic renewal

function of her membership, so that it will not renew.

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. These local

chapters are constantly implementing new ways for the local members to

interact. We encourage of our members to

join all of the chapters in their area - this gives them more opportunities to

attend events that fit their busy schedules and widens the circle of local

women with whom to network.

Moreover, we host an annual National Networking Conference

where almost two thousand members where members from all over the country enjoy

an unforgettable day of networking, panel discussions, workshops and

presentations from extraordinary women like [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 [redacted] and [redacted]; 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 have issued the balance of her fee. This was processed on

October *, 2014. As [redacted] did not notify the Revdex.com that the issue was

resolved, this is in response to her claims, which we have demonstrated are not

accurate.

Review: I clicked the [redacted] ad, and found out that I couldn't just join, I had to be contacted. So I got a call, during business hours (I don't know why they think that's appropriate for a professional organization to call your personal cell during that time), and had to tell them to call me after work. I didn't get a call back that day, but I got a call back the next day, the day after that, etc etc. I had looked up the organization a little more after the initial call, and found out that it was kind of a scam. It continued to be about 3-4 days a week that I was getting called. I had saved the woman's number under "Don't Answer," so I knew never to pick up. Finally, it seemed to stop for a few days, and then I started getting calls under a blocked number. I don't answer those calls, and never got a voicemail, so I never responded.

Today, I just was ticked enough to answer the phone and lo and behold it was her. I wasn't rude, but I sternly told her to take me off the list and that it was amazing that I could keep being called day after day for weeks and them not get the message that I was not interested. And that was that.

They seriously need to rein in their representatives and tell them that calling and then blocking your number and calling is harassment.Desired Settlement: I told them to take me off the list - we'll see if it happens. They need a reprimand.

Business

Response:

[redacted]'s contact information has been removed from our system; she will not be contacted again.

Review: NAPW set up auto billing to renew membership charges without my approval or knowledge. Although I cancelled my membership, they billed my credit card without prior informing me they would be billing me. When I called to complain, they indicated I should have called them 30 days prior to the renewal date. I cancelled my membership 3 months ago, well in advance of their 30 day period.

Instead of offering to refund me the full amount, they indicated they could only partially refund me unless I could send them an email copy of my cancelation confirmation, an email they never sent me to begin with.Desired Settlement: It would be nice if they were more honest in their advertising as well as billing practices. I'm out money I can't afford to loose to an organization I don't want to be a member of, with no way to get full refund for the charges.

Business

Response:

This member was issued a full refund.

This organization is a fraud. There were allegedly 2 local chapters where I could meet and associate with other professional women. No one ever met. There was no leadership. They had no members. I doubt they existed. It is very expense and YOU DO NOT get what you paid for.

Review: I have belonged to this organization for a little over a year now and have never used any service. I noticed on my credit card that there was a charge for $495 that I did not authorize NAPW to make. I phoned the organisation trying to cancel the membership and was told that they can only take my account off auto-pay as they cannot provide me with a refund. They kept encouraging me to use the service and provided me with my user name and password. I have not used the service at all since becoming a member and want to cancel my membership. I do not want to have another year to use services to which I do not us at a $500 cost. I did not authorize the charge to my card and you falsely took my money. I would like the company to cancel my membership and provide a $495 credit to the card they charged immediately.Desired Settlement: Refund my money, $495.00 US Dollars, cancel my membership and take me off of your marketing list.

Business

Response:

We are sorry that[redacted]’s experience with the NAPW has been less than ideal – we dostrive 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] authorized the September *, 2014 charge reflecting her annualmembership dues. During her initialenrollment interview, our representative went over the membership, beginningwith the most comprehensive package – part of the goal of the interview is todetermine the best package to fit the member’s goals and budget. We want themto get the maximum benefits for the money, which is why they offer the optionsin the order they do. [redacted] selected the Preferred membership. Ourrepresentative also explained that NAPW uses an automatic renewal process,designed to protect [redacted]’s enrollment in and uninterrupted access tothe benefits 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. 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 those protocols hadbeen followed. [redacted] was made completely aware of these points at thetime. Duringthe initial enrollment interview, our representative explained that [redacted] would receive an email (within 24 hours) containing login informationfor access to our members’ portal. Ourrepresentative further explained that [redacted] should review our Terms& Conditions. Subsequent to loggingin but prior to accessing her benefits, she was required to review and acceptthose Terms & Conditions. Therein, shewas provided with the details of our automatic renewal policy, which waspreviously explained during the initial enrollment interview. NAPW’s Terms& Conditions are available at [redacted] was selected by our VIP committee and chose to upgrade her membershipin September 2013. At that time, she was advised of the additional benefits andstatus her upgrade would provide. It was also explained that her renewal wouldnow take place in September instead of June. Throughout the year, NAPW madeavailable to [redacted] a comprehensive membership services staff, which isqualified to field all inquiries and would have been able to work with her hadshe elected to opt out of her automatic renewal (or any other questions she mayhave had). NAPW publicizes theavailability of this staff through multiple dedicated pages. See [redacted]. Each of these pages publishes the contacttelephone numbers and email addresses, and provides a convenient form whichthis member could have submitted at any time if she wished to engage our stafffor any reason, including opting out of her automatic membership renewal. From dayone of [redacted]’s enrollment with NAPW, we communicated via email usingthe address she provided: [redacted]– this is also the email which she provides in this complaint. Email was clearly the primary communicationchannel, by which [redacted] received her monthly newsletters and numerousother organizational announcements. Apostcard reminder was mailed at the end of July 2014 to the address provided byher at the time of enrollment, which is the same as the one provided here inher complaint. Additionally, well before it was processed, NAPW sent [redacted] a courtesy reminder of her upcoming renewal transaction via email,and another reminder a week later. We havereviewed all of our records. [redacted] did not contact us to cancel her scheduled renewal prior toprocessing, as required by our Terms & Conditions, so her renewal wasprocessed as she previously authorized. [redacted] did contact us November **, 2014and all of this was explained to her. She seemed to understand and accept thefact that this renewal was something to which she had agreed and that she hadnot contacted us in time to cancel her renewal despite our reminders. As per her conversation with our membershipservices representative, we have deactivated the automatic renewal functionof her membership, so that it will not renew. Additionally, as a courtesy, wehave requested that a check be sent to her refunding all but the minimal fee tocover the outlay of the services for which we have already paid for theupcoming year. A check has to be sentbecause the transaction took place more than sixty days prior and our systemdoes not permit direct credits to cards after that window. This should takeabout fourteen business days to process. We take the claim that a member was "scammed" orthat a charge was unauthorized very seriously. NAPW provides an amazing value for themembership fee. Included in ALL memberships levels are webinars,seminars, discounts, perks, online networking access and in-person chapteraffiliation as well as a myriad of other benefits. Our organization isgrowing, expanding and moving forward through numerous initiatives, strategicalliances and corporate affiliations; offering members additional avenues toASPIRE, 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 300 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. Moreover, we host an annual National Networking Conferencewhere almost two thousand members where members from all over the country enjoyan unforgettable day of networking, panel discussions, workshops andpresentations from extraordinary women like Sara Blakeley, Arianna Huffington,Star Jones, Martha Stewart, Ivanka Trump, Randy Zuckerburg, Barbara Corcoranand Robin Roberts. Additionally, we are constantly providing and working toupgrade the secondary benefits such as free or discounted continuingeducation through leading providers like Lorman Education and NationalSeminars Group; 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.

Review: The NAPW reached out to me and once I spoke with the rep she was trying to sell me and outrageous package. I informed her that I was not that bracket financially. She kept me on the phone till she got it down to only $99 to try for a year. In the conversation she never said it would automatically renew. I now have a $199 charge on my credit card and have no way of paying it. I called today and spoke with someone and all they said was oh yeah, that happens to a lot people, they don't read the fine print and no we won't give you a refund. I would assume that the person selling this would have told me it was an automatic renewal. All she said at that time was try it for one year at $99 and I agreed to that. This hurts the working class very hard.Desired Settlement: $199

Business

Response:

We are sorry that

[redacted]’s experience with the NAPW has been less than ideal – we do

strive to provide our members with resources and benefits to enhance and

improve their lives, both personal and professional. We encourage and

expect our members to avail themselves of those benefits and to contact us with

any questions or problems regarding their memberships.

Our members are entitled to be

treated with utmost respect and empathy, and every person on the NAPW team is

trained to work with our members to resolve any issues; however, there are

protocols and policies which must be followed. These policies are companywide

and all of our team members are required to follow them.

[redacted] authorized the May *, 2014 charge reflecting her annual membership

dues. During her initial enrollment

interview, our representative went over the membership, beginning with the most

comprehensive package – part of the goal of the interview is to determine the

best package to fit the member’s goals and budget. We want them to get the

maximum benefits for the money, which is why they offer the options in the

order they do. [redacted] selected the basic level of membership, which is

a special offer where a member gets a full year’s membership at a cost for six months.

Our

representative also explained that NAPW uses an automatic renewal process,

designed to protect [redacted]’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.

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. As

part of our investigation into this case, we reviewed that call again and [redacted] was made completely aware of these points at the time. She replied

okay when advised of the automatic renewal. This interview is available for

review if required.

During

the initial enrollment interview, our representative explained that [redacted] would receive an email (within 24 hours) containing login

information for access to our members’ portal.

Our representative further explained that [redacted] should review

our Terms & Conditions. Subsequent to

logging in but prior to accessing her benefits, she was required to review and

accept those Terms & Conditions.

Therein, she was provided with the details of our automatic renewal

policy, which was previously explained during the initial enrollment interview.

NAPW’s Terms & Conditions are available at [redacted].

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 her 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

this member 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. A

postcard reminder was mailed at the end of March to the address provided by her

at the time of enrollment, which is the same as the one provided here.

Additionally, well before it was processed, NAPW sent [redacted] a courtesy

reminder of her upcoming renewal transaction via email, and another reminder 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, so her renewal was

processed as she previously authorized.

[redacted] did contact us on May **, 2014,

after her renewal was processed. We left voice mail messages with all of the

phone numbers she provided to us on May [redacted], June [redacted] and June [redacted] did not return these calls. Had she done so, we would have been happy to

work with her to resolve the issue.

We take the claim that a member was "scammed" or taken

advantage of 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. These local

chapters are constantly implementing new ways for the local members to

interact. We encourage of our members to

join all of the chapters in their area - this gives them more opportunities to

attend events that fit their busy schedules and widens the circle of local

women with whom to network.

Moreover, we host an annual National Networking Conference

where almost two thousand members where members from all over the country enjoy

an unforgettable day of networking, panel discussions, workshops and

presentations from extraordinary women like [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 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.

Review: This company has called me twice now claiming that I have "been chosen" for an "award", further stating they would like to mail me a certificate/plaque in my honor, etc. etc. only to then ask for my credit card number wanting $900 or more for membership fees to be eligible for the "award". When I try to ask about the award and why I must pay money, the associates are pushy and rude, talking down to me as if I don't understand what they are offering.

Bottom line-they call with the intent to ask for large amounts of money, but they always start by "honoring" you with a fake "award."

This is shady business practice.

If you do not pay hundreds of dollars, you no longer receive your "reward."

They are trying to take advantage of hard-workin women business owners. They justify the ridiculous amounts by saying that they are subsidizing half of the cost themselves for you to attend seminars, etc.

It's tricky and unethical.Desired Settlement: I would like my membership fees back. I have never logged on to any account from them (I don't even know what the password is) and I want to be taken off any mailing or call lists. I don't want them to have my credit card information anymore.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, my complaint, ID [redacted] regarding National Association of Professional Women has been resolved.

(By clicking "OK", your complaint will be closed as Resolved.)

Sincerely,