National Association of Professional Women

Review: After filling out an online form to get more information about the NAPW, I recieved almost 15 phone calls from people wishing to speak to me about and always at busy times. I finally was free to talk to them one day and they said they had some "interview" questions for me to be considered to join their association. I answered all of their questions and then was told I was accepted into their society. They initially told me membership was free, but then gave me the option of choosing 1 of 2 membership packages. The lady of the phone described the benefits and said there was a $7.95 package or an $8.95 package. I thought to myself, $7.95 a month is not bad for all of the benefits she listed so I agreed and gave them my payment information. She continued and pushed hundreds of dollars of merchandise and things at me all of which I refused and finally at the end of the call she said, "Okay so we have you signed up for the $795.00 membership package thank you." and hung up. Horrified, I immediately tried to get in contact with them to let them know it was a mistake. Not even 2 minutes after the phone call ended I contacted their customer service department and explained the misunderstanding. This was in April 2013. I have continued to contact the NAPW to find a solution to this problem. I have sent 11 emails, left 2 voice mails, and was hung up on once. They only call when I am at work and unavailable and never answer the phone during their typical working hours. It is unbelievable to me, that an association that prides itself in it's "Professionalism" would mislead people into paying hundreds of dollars and then refuse respond back to my persistent communication.Desired Settlement: I want a refund of my "membership" fee. I feel I was misled about the cost of membership and now that they know I am looking for a refund they refuse to contact me.

Business

Response:

NAPW charged my card $495 for a membership renewal yesterday. I saw it reflected TODAY and I immediately called them to cancel the membership. With only one day from the day of the charge I didn't see much problem with acquiring a full refund; instead they are keeping nearly $200!!! I understand a small transaction fee or something but keeping more than $190 for one day is outrageous!!!

Review: NAPW fraudulently continues to charge my credit card for bogus services. I did not authorize two charges of $489 and when I communicated with them, they act like it is my doing - unbelievable, unethical practices.Desired Settlement: Refund

Business

Response:

[redacted] authorized her renewal at the time of her initial enrollment. We also sent a reminder of her upcoming renewal via [redacted] at the end of October 2015. She did not contact us until two weeks after her membership renewed, and our preliminary investigation has confirmed that this charge was indeed authorized and not fraudulent as she claims.We have attempted several times to reach out to [redacted] to work on a resolution, but she has not returned our calls. We are further reviewing her accounts and all correspondence between to determine if [redacted]'s claims meet the criteria for a full refund. We invite her to contact us directly to discuss a resolution.

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:

They lied about trying to reach me. I contacted them this month and during that conversation they wanted to reduce the charge to $199 and I refused. I don't use their services and did not authorize the recent charges. Furthermore, the first time this organization reached out to me (in 2014), I authorized a $99 charge one time; they charged $489 seven days later and again this month - that's $979 of unauthorized charges for absolutely nothing resulting in fraudulent business practices. This complaint needs to be elevated to egregious.

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:

Again, this organization continues with dishonesty. Please pull any recordings as they are evidence that I was very clear that I would not pay $489. I also have the original approved charge of $99 on my credit card statement. You absolutely did NOT have authorization for charging an additional amount. You stole my credit information without my permission and charged $489 TWICE. This case is NOT resolved until you reimburse my account the additional charge of $489.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Ms deBrito is incorrect. She was billed WITH AUTHORIZATION, for her initial membership fee of $489.00 on December **, 2014. She was also advised of and approved of the Profile set up fee of $99.00, which was billed on December **, 2014.We billed [redacted]'s renewal fee of $489.00 on December *, 2015, which we refunded. There were no other charges billed to her card. [redacted] is entitled to her own opinion, but not her own facts. This issue is resolved. We cannot refund fees which were billed over a year ago and which were authorized.

Review: After researching this "company" I am not surprised to have found all of its complaints. These people called me several times, asked to schedule a phone interview, got me to divulge much of my personal information, and wasted 15 minutes of my time. At the end, the person told me I'd been accepted into the NAPW and asked what method of payment I'd like to use for the membership fee. I told her that I was too uncomfortable to give my credit card information over the phone and she informed me that their company was [redacted] certified or some such nonsense, and that I shouldn't be concerned because our call is privacy protected. I gave her only a few of the numbers from my own debit card before I stopped and informed her that no I was too uncomfortable. She continued to tell me how secure it was but I still declined. I then called their corporate office to confirm this woman's details (which they did without even pretending to take a moment to check) and pushed me to be transferred back to her to pay my membership. Bottom line, this company is a disgusting scam, targeting women. Disgraceful!Desired Settlement: Hopefully my card was never charged. On my phone, I blocked all of the numbers associated with these disgusting people and wish to never hear from them again. However I sincerely hope that the Revdex.com does whatever is necessary to shut this "company" down immediately.

Business

Response:

We are sorry that[redacted]’s experience with the NAPW has been less than ideal – we do strive toprovide our applicants 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. Invitations to apply formembership are sent to select professional women who are referred to us throughprofessional associations, industry and charity events, subscriptions toprofessional publications and services and other members. Invitees are free to respond with anapplication or not – we do not make cold calls to potential members. As our material states, there is no fee to applyfor membership. However, a password is required to access benefits likeseminars, local chapter meetings, other events and resources, which is issuedwhen an applicant purchases a membership. We assume that anyone who submits an application for membership hasexplored the NAPW to see what we are about and they are ready to make adecision about joining the organization. With thousands of applicants tointerview and consider, we do require that applicants make their decisions atthe time of the interview. We prefer to allocate our resources to providingbetter benefits and services to our members. Applicants are then required togo through an initial enrollment interview. Applicants for membership are entitled to betreated with utmost respect and empathy, and every person on the NAPW team istrained to work with applicants to explain the benefits and costs associatedwith membership and to resolve any issues; however, there are protocols andpolicies which must be followed. These policies are companywide and allof our team members are required to follow them. I amunable to find a record of [redacted]’s completed application for membership inNAPW. As you can imagine, there are many [redacted] in our database, andthe email and phone number are not part of the record of any of them. The normal protocol is this - NAPW contacted her and conducted its initialenrollment interview. During this telephonecall our representative explained the annual costs and benefits associated withmembership. One of the purposes of these enrollment interviews is to determinewhat it is the applicant hopes to gain from her membership. Our mostcomprehensive levels of membership, which include myriad benefits likeunlimited live seminars and webinars, discounts on courses for continuingeducation requirements, networking, conferences, discounts and other resources,are offered to each applicant and those who do wish to access these things canchoose to purchase that package. However, some applicants are not interested inthe educational benefits – which are the most costly component of membership. Someof them are at different stages of life and have budgetary concerns. We workwith these applicants to find a level of membership which provides them accessto the resources they seek, while remaining within their budgets. Applicantswho choose not to join as paid members are provided with an Initial Membership,which allows them to have a listing on our website, attend a local meeting;undergo a resumé review and analysis and receipt of our monthly newsletter. Itis our hope that by getting a chance to experience some of the benefits, theywill opt for full membership in the future. BecauseNAPW is a membership-based networking organization, the primary benefits at alllevels are found through our membership portal (www.napw.com) as well as through ourface-to-face networking at our over 300 Local Chapters nationwide. Additionally, through our online portal,members are able to access ancillary benefits provided by our businesspartners. 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. 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 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 [redacted], 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 [redacted]2013. Our corporate partners include prestigious and well-known brands like[redacted], and [redacted]. Internationally prominent women, like [redacted] and [redacted] have been featured speakers at ourconferences – each sharing her journey in building her reputation as aprominent business figure. [redacted] 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 [redacted] – 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 [redacted], buy [redacted] cars and purchase [redacted] 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.

Review: NAPW advertises on [redacted] as being free to join. However, upon trying to join the prices were close to $1000 for 1 years membership. They use hard-sell tactics with vague details; none of the few things that were clearly promised have been fulfilled. I have also found out that they have offered memberships to others for lower prices, which I was not offered upon asking. These tactics are not something I would not expect from an organization that claims to represent professional women. Also, I find it misleading that the [redacted] and [redacted] of an organization for professional women is a male, though it explains the techniques they use. I have not received any materials from them including invoices or welcome packages. Additionally, I paid almost $200 for an engraved glass plaque which I have not yet received. I tried to contact the company about the status of this plaque and I have yet to hear a response. They are impossible to get in contact with and when they call it is from blocked phone numbers.Desired Settlement: I would like a full refund for all funds paid to NAPW and to cancel my membership and any automatic renewal charges.

I would also like action to be taken to correct their false advertisement (specifically on [redacted], which I find to be a reputable company) and facades in the future. When trying to remedy my problems with this company, I have found an incredible number of people with the exact same issues and more extending years back. It is ridiculous that this scamming is still continuing in the exact same ways.

Business

Response:

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 $1,087. 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]).

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,

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:

I originally responded to the message below saying I agree to these terms and the case may be considered resolved. However, it has been almost two months since the business relayed this message in response to my complaint. I have not received any check, nor any correspondence or notices of any kind from the business. This complaint should be again filed as un-resolved until the business complies with what they stated they would do.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We mailed check [redacted] to the address you provided in this complaint on Nune **, 2014. It was returned to us as an incorrect address. We contacted you for the correct address and that was mailed back to you on June **, 2014 via First Class US mail and the time of actual delivery to your address

will vary.

Review: I asked for information from the NAPW. After investigating them and reading reviews, I decided not to pursue a membership. I asked them several times to stop calling me. Not only have they NOT done that, they call me even more. It has elevated to the level of HARASSMENT. They will call on an unlisted number, and I will decline the call. They will then call back, RIGHT AWAY. I also decline that call. They call back right away, AGAIN! This happens 4-5 times in 5 minutes, and they do this several times a day. I feel harassed.Desired Settlement: Stop contacting me immediately. I am not interested in membership.

Business

Response:

We apologize if [redacted] feels as though she has been harassed - she did submit an application for membership. We do not make cold calls and our attempts to reach her were in response to this application and he request to be removed from the active list might not have processed all the way through the system. We have removed [redacted] from our contact database. She will not be contacted again.

Review: After using their services for a five months we realized that their services did nothing for us. I cancelled our membership and requested to be taken off the list and out of their system. On July [redacted] they charged our account for another year. When I called to have it returned [redacted] was rude, interrupted me continually to the point that I had to interrupt her to get a word in edgewise. We sold our company at the end of May and she just wouldn't hear of us wanting our money back. I finally got her to agree to do so after telling her I would call a lawyer if my request wasn't handled. She told me the money would be returned at midnight on the [redacted], this did not happen. I have been charged NFS charges because of this and they will not return that money either even after knowing it was their fault for the extra charges. At this point we are out not only the $199.00 but an extra $76.00. When I checked the bank account this morning I found that they did not stand by their word and return the money. I am in contact with our bank to recover this money.Desired Settlement: If the money doesn't get returned by midnight July [redacted] I would like a Refund by check mailed back to the address on file. ([redacted]) It will then be delivered to our physical address.

Business

Response:

We apologize for the miscommunication. Prior to the communication with the Renewal Services Department on July [redacted], there is no record that this member attempted to discontinue her membership. As per our Terms and Conditions, members are required to provide at least 30 days notice prior to their expiration date. Despite this, the member was refunded in the amount of $199 on July [redacted], 2013. From my understanding, this typically takes 3-5 business days for the funds to appear depending on the bank or institution. I have confirmed that this member is 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 found the website in hopes of joining a professional organization that could help with networking. After filling out the online application I was contacted by a representative who explained all the wonderful benefits of the organization. I joined for 99 dollars under a trial membership and never received any of the welcome packages they promised nor any passwords necessary to access the training sites. I called the company several times specially for the young lady who sold me the package and never received a response.Desired Settlement: I would love a refund or an extended membership due to the fact that I never received the services they offered to me in turn for my money.

Business

Response:

Review: The organization charged my credit card $199 in membership fees on June [redacted] and in my opinion, did so without my consent. Upon receiving my credit card statement on June **, I made attempts to contact customer service. The customer service line goes to voicemail each time I call. I was unable to find any way to cancel my membership online and could not find an address on their website so that I could mail a request for cancellation. Essentially, in my opinion, they have given me no way to cancel the membership and charged me without my consent. Additionally, their Terms of Service state "As your membership year draws near its close, NAPW will send you multiple reminders before processing your membership renewal." But I did not receive a reminder or warning about my renewal date or their intent to place charges on my credit card. When I was finally able to find a number where a person answered the phone, I requested that my membership be canceled and the unauthorized charges reversed from my credit card, but they refused. Instead they offered to refund only a portion of the charges ($99) and to "turn off" the auto-renewal. They should be required to refund the full unauthorized charge amount, cancel my membership and cease placing unauthorized charges on my credit card.Desired Settlement: I want them to cancel my membership and refund the full $199 charged 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. [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. 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. However,in light of the fact that [redacted] was unable to contact us by mail becauseour new website did not provide this at the time, we have issued a credit for athebalance of her fee to her card. 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 someoneforgot about the terms to which she agreed or failed to use her membership andwants us 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 [redacted], 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 [redacted]2013. Our corporate partners include prestigious and well-known brands like[redacted], and [redacted]. Internationally prominent women, like [redacted] and [redacted] have been featured speakers at ourconferences – each sharing her journey in building her reputation as aprominent business figure. Star J[redacted] 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 [redacted] – 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 [redacted], buy [redacted] cars and purchase [redacted] productsagain and again. As professionals, if we all believed everything we see on theInternet was true, rather than informing ourselves and making our own judgments,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 find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.

Sincerely,

My latest corporate credit card statement showed a $789.00 membership renewal fee from NAPW; however, I did not receive notification that my membership was renewing. I contacted NAPW on 7/**/2015 to cancel my membership and obtain a refund. Maria, a renewal specialist, stated that NAPW must be notified before the membership is renewed in order to receive a refund. When I stated that I never received notification my membership was being renewed, she replied that it is my responsibility to check my spam folder regularly. She added that a letter was mailed by NAPW to a specific address; I stated that it was mailed to the wrong address. When I offered to pay a prorated portion from 6/**/2015 - 6/**/2015, she stated that NAPW did not prorate membership payments. She continued to argue that it was my responsibility to check my spam folder regularly and change my address. I am a business owner...my address formally changed three years ago. I would be out of business if everyone didn't have my new address. If I honestly knew the membership was renewing on June [redacted], I would have cancelled it before June [redacted]. For those reading this- just call your credit card company and dispute the charge. Evidently I am not the first person who has disputed NAPW's underhanded business tactics. My credit card rep stated that the charge was permanently reversed and NAPW was blocked from any future charges. After reading numerous complaints, I am also not the first person who complained that a notice of membership renewal was never received.

Review: I joined the community of NAPW a year ago. Found that even after I joined the sales calls just kept coming after repeatedly telling them i'm not interested in incremental charges from their organization. The initial 'membership charge' was very reasonable. However, they failed to tell me that after 1 year I would be charged a membership fee of $789.00. I did not get notice of this charge and being opted-in automatically when I first joined. These practices are misleading. I only found the charge because I checked my online credit card billing statement. When I immediately phoned the company today, 10/*/2015, I asked the agent to cancel my membership completely and issue a refund. It has been less than 5 business days since the charge took place, so I feel I deserve a full refund. I was told that it was their policy to only issue partial refunds, since they 'pay their vendors & partners in advance for the benefits'. When I asked to speak to someone or have a contact name for addressing these 'policies' - I was denied any further contact information and was disconnected by the agent. I expect a full refund, not a partial refund from these terrible business practices & undercover sales policies that don't give the consumer notice that such a large charge is auto-billed and incapable of refund. I didn't authorize the charge, and I would not have opted-in to such an agreement.Desired Settlement: Full refund of charges on 10/*/2015 of $789.00.

Business

Response:

We are conducting an investigation into these claims. Once all material has been reviewed, we will respond in detail.

Review: This company represented themselves as a free organization centered around professional women. I gladly gave them my information. After they called it was clear it was a 'scam' subscription service that constantly asked me to pay outrageous fees and, this is not an exaggeration, admonished me for not being interested. I was tempted to hang up on the 'sales' representative. They should not advertise themselves as an organization that cares about my gender and its' accomplishments when it is really a bogus scheme.Desired Settlement: I would like this 'organization' to kindly delete my information and to never contact me again.

Business

Response:

information was removed from our database and this person will not be contacted again.

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: delivery of membership services. I inquired about the NAPW because I was interested in adding to my professional resources for my current position, Soon after sending in my request I received a call from one of their representative, although she was a bit high pressure, I was interested in the resources and she stated that I would have access to the webinars and conference for free. For this reason, I paid the annual membership amount of $989 for an Elite membership. Since then I received a call from a call from [redacted] stating that she was profiling me in a newsletter and needed to ask me a few questions. After a few calls back and forth we finally connected. At this time she told me that, after much review I was selected for HR Professional of the Year. I asked, what that exactly meant and entail? She seemed shocked and said that it was a prestigious award and only 2% of the membership was selected. It also gave me access to resources, webinars, seminars, local chapters, etc. and all for 50% off! These were all items that I was promised with my original membership.She continued how much work they had done in "selecting" me and continued to pressure me to pay the additional amount. I did let her know that I did not appreciate that high pressure sales pitch and that I felt that was the reason for this award. I am completely offended that NAPW can offer a recognition or award and feel that I should be so appreciative that I would be willing to pay over $900 additional for the same resources they promised me in the first place.Desired Settlement: Refund and cancellation of membership.Some type of notice warning consumers.

Business

Response:

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 $1,188. This check should be issued within the next 7-10 days and will be sent directly to the member's address on file? [redacted].

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:

As of today, I have not received any such check, however we’re still at the end of the time frame they stated. In the event the check is not received I will let you know.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

Check [redacted] was mailed 6/**/14 to the address indicated. Please check your accounts. We will have our bank check to see if the check was presented for payment and advise.

?

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:

[Since this is the second claim of sending a check and it's been over 30 days since they claimed to have mailed the last check, I will not accept their response until I actually receive the check or a replacement check is mailed vis Fed-Ex or other trackable method.

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

Sincerely,

Review: In February 2013, I joined a trial membership for the organization to realize that it had no value. I didn't renew my membership in 2014. They automatically renewed my membership and claim to have notified me by email, but I never received this email or any of the emails they claim they send monthly. I disputed the charge with my bank it was returned only to be redebited. I contacted the organization on March **, 2014 and stated I did not want their membership, have not used it and will not use it. They would not issue a refund. They sent me a credit for $99. The membership dues they took were $199. I want a full refund for the membership that I do not want and was not properly notified of it being renewed automatically. They claim they cannot refund the other $100 because it is not refundable to them. I don't care. I do not want their membership at all and will not continue to pay for something I don't want.Desired Settlement: Immediate refund for the remaining $100

Business

Response:

MEMBER FULLY REFUNDED BY CHECK

Review: I completed a mail-in card for this organization. They called, "blocked" number comes up on Caller ID. They wanted me to sign up for a $1,200 membership. I say no. They bring it down to $750. I say no. They bring it down to $200. I say no. they keep talking. Hard pressure. I'm not rude, but I finally hung up.Desired Settlement: I think this may be a scam organization and warrants investigation. Thank you!

Business

Response:

NAPW offers educational resources and networking networking opportunities to members across the United States. Members are able to promote themselves, attend local chapter meetings, network online through NAPW's proprietary site, and complete educational seminars and certification programs designed to help them advance in their chosen field.

Review: I am under the impression that the NAPW is a scam. I have recently been charged $199 with no notification of why or what the charges are for. I am not an active member of this organization and have not paid them ever before. I have no association with them and would like my money refunded.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund of the charges that were made with my authorization. This company is fraudulent.

Business

Response:

With all due respect to [redacted], she is mistaken. First, NAPW is not a scam. We are the broadest-based, most progressive organization for professional women at all career levels. With over 600,000 members and nearly 400 local chapters, including over 40 in California alone (and multiple chapters around the Bay Area), the opportunities we provide our members are practically endless.

Review: The sales tactics used by this Association are both unethical and unacceptably aggressive. There is unquestionably 'bait and switch' involved. Like vultures, these people create a presence on social media, such as [redacted] and [redacted]. I was recently appointed to a directorship of a company that provides health care services. I immediately received a congratulatory note from the National Association of Professional Women, alluding to their free nationwide listing of professional and officer-level businesswomen. Then, they used my application to "interview" me by telephone. The interview was bogus; it was designed merely to flatter me and hook me into joining their organization for an exorbitant fee. When I declined, the hard sell tactics just escalated, and the membership turned into a somewhat less privileged membership for over $440. Next the saleswoman tried $149, and $99, respectively. From friends and associates, I have found our the membership offers change, depending on how much money NAPW thinks the prospect can pay. Of course, "Perhaps I'll join later." or "I'll consider your offer." won't get you off the hook, because this is the only time you'll ever be able to join! Oh, and the "free" listing? Forget about it.Desired Settlement: I never want another contact, online, by telephone or by mail, from these people. I don't trust them, and have read some disgusting reviews by people who have made the mistake of joining.

I'd also like to see them stop using the Revdex.com A rating on their online advertising/application.

Consumer

Response:

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We have reviewed our records and find that [redacted] is not a NAPW member. She did, however, respond to one of our marketing offers, indicating a desire to learn more about NAPW membership. She was called and interviewed by one of our membership coordinators, in order to determine the membership level most appropriate for her. Unfortunately, she declined to join NAPW.

Contrary to [redacted]'s claims, NAPW has fixed price memberships at various tiers depending on the associated benefits. At higher-priced tiers the members receives more free continuing education benefits, access to discount programs not offered to lower-tier members, free attendance at NAPW's National Networking Conference, and other benefits. At each successively lower-priced tier, the benefits decrease. In addition, NAPW offers a complimentary membership which allows for a free website profile and receipt of the NAPW newsletter.

We regret that [redacted] failed to take advantage of all that NAPW has to offer and that she has apparently been persuaded by the negative words of the few rather than the actual experience of the many. We have over 500,000 members, over 60,000 of whom actively participate in one of our 400 local chapters (including 7 in [redacted]'s state of [redacted] and 2 in her city of [redacted]). We have removed [redacted] from our database. If she would like an opportunity to experience all NAPW actually has to offer, she may contact me personally anytime at [redacted] and I will ensure that she is provided a full-tier membership on a complimentary basis.

National Association of Professional Women

Review: I subscribed to a one year membership in 2014 with the NAPW. I looked a billing statement yesterday (2/*/16) from the credit card I used to subscribe to the membership and noticed that I was charged $199 for membership fees. I immediately called and had to leave a message for someone to return my call and contacted the credit card company. I learned that in addition to the $298 I authorized on 2/**/15 for initial membership, I was charged on 2/**/14 $99, 2/*/2015, $199 and 2/*/2016 $199. I have disputed those charges with [redacted] as fraudulent activity. I received a call today (2/*/16) from Margret employee ID [redacted] stating that she received my message and has removed the membership. However, she could only refund $149 of the charges. I informed her that I had reported them for the above listed unauthorized charges and would be filing a complaint with Revdex.com. She began telling me about the number of satisfied members the organization has, which upset me. She was told I could care less about other members, they are not paying for my membership. I also informed her that no one from the organization has attempted to contact me since 2014, nor have I logged in or utilized services since 2014. In fact, when I was contacted in 2014 it was an offer for me to purchase additional services from NAWP, which I declined. To that Margret stated they called me twice in 2014 and it is their common practice to send out renewal reminders each year by post card. I informed Margret that I have relocated to a new state in which all of my mail has been forwarded and my number has been the same for at least 15 years and I have not been contacted past 2014. I did not authorized membership to continue past the 2014 membership year. [redacted] also informed me that the unauthorized charges listed different from the initial charge. I noticed that on my statement from 2/*/16, the charge is listed as a charitable donation and not membership fees.Desired Settlement: Return of all unauthorized fees and other women to be aware that this organization of not productive, beneficial and is a money making scheme.

Review: I signed up in July *, 2015. I have not been active on the service at all. Every contact this organization made with me has been an upsell for additional services when I haven't utilized existing services. I recently received a phone call stating I was nominated and won VIP status. This was flattering but became a turn off when asked to invest another $1,000 to retain the status. I am not pleased with the constant up sell strategies when clearly I have not been able to consume the original offer. I am not appreciating the value in this service. On November **, 2015, I emailed to cancel my subscription and received a call the following day. They informed me they can only cancel the auto renewal for the following year. No exceptions, no partial refunds. I am disappointed for an organization of this size there isn't pro-rated refund consideration for individual circumstances. I see similar Revdex.com Complaints were offered refunds as a resolution in similar situations.Desired Settlement: I request a pro-rated membership reimbursement for the 8 mos remaining on my subscription from today's date = $392.00.

Business

Response:

We are sorry that [redacted] 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] claims that the only times she had been

contacted by NAPW were to be upsold are simply untrue. [redacted] completed an application for membership in NAPW. As our material states, there is no fee to apply

for membership. However, a password is required to access benefits like

seminars, local chapter meetings, other events and resources. This is issued

when an applicant purchases a membership. We assume that anyone who submits an application for membership has

explored the NAPW to see what we are about and they are ready to make a

decision about joining the organization. With thousands of applicants to interview and consider, we do require

that applicants make their decisions at the time of the interview. We prefer to

allocate our resources to providing better benefits and services to our

members. Applicants are then required to

go through an initial enrollment interview, during which they are informed that

we require an immediate decision. If the

applicant does not wish to make a commitment at that time, we provide her with

an Initial Membership, which is free and allows them to have a listing on our

website, attend a local meeting, undergo a resumé review and analysis and

receipt of our monthly newsletter. It is our hope that by getting a chance to

experience some of the benefits, they will opt for full membership in the

future. On July

*, 2015, NAPW contacted her and conducted its initial enrollment

interview. During this telephone call

our representative explained the annual costs and benefits associated with this

level of membership. One of the purposes of these enrollment interviews is to

determine what it is the applicant hopes to gain from her membership. Our most

comprehensive levels of membership, which include myriad benefits like

unlimited live seminars and webinars, discounts on courses for continuing

education requirements, networking, conferences, discounts and other resources,

are offered to each applicant and those who do wish to access these things can

choose to purchase that package. However, some applicants are not interested in

the educational benefits – which are the most costly component of membership.

Some of them are at different stages of life and have budgetary concerns. We

work with these applicants to find a level of membership which provides them

access to the resources they seek, while remaining within their budgets. She was

also advised that all membership enrollments are final. Because NAPW is a membership-based networking

organization, the primary benefits at all levels are found through our

membership portal ([redacted]) as

well as through our face-to-face networking at our over 300 Local Chapters

nationwide. Additionally, through our

online portal, members are able to access ancillary benefits provided by our

business partners. Because NAPW incurs

costs upon enrollment with those partners, we maintain a final sale

policy. Please be aware that membership

alone includes no tangible product to be shipped to the member.Our

representative explained that [redacted] would receive an email (within 24

hours) containing login information for our members’ portal through which she is

able access all of the online benefits and enroll in Local Chapters. Within 10

days of enrollment, NAPW physically mailed a welcome package to the member

containing a paid statement, a membership card and a welcome letter.NAPW

employs a comprehensive call recording and auditing function. Our staff reviews the recording of each

completed interview for multiple compliance points. 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. This interview is available for review if required. On July

*, 2015, a representative from our Membership Services staff called [redacted]

at the number she provided during her enrollment, which is the same as the

number shown in this complaint. This call is part of our member outreach

program in which we go over the details of membership, introduce the member to

our website and instruct her on how to utilize the benefits and resources which

will be of most use to her . [redacted] was unavailable to speak with our team

at the time of the call, so she left a message and was sent a follow up email,

going over the general objective of the call and inviting her to call the

representative directly. The email included her direct contact information. [redacted] was contacted by our VIP department and offered an opportunity to

upgrade her membership. She declined this invitation, but her existing

membership remains intact. We are sorry if this was the only call [redacted]

answered, and that it happened to be a call about sales. On

November *, 2015, the same team member reached out to [redacted] again. This is

the second part of our member outreach program. After four months have passed,

we contact each member again, to remind her of her benefits, go over everything

with her if she was unavailable the first time and to answer any questions or

render any assistance regarding her membership. Unfortunately, [redacted] was again unavailable, so another follow up

email was sent to her, again including the general objective of the call and

the contact information for her Membership Services representative. Copies of

both emails are attached.It is

disheartening that the only response to this outreach was an email requesting

to cancel her membership. [redacted] did

contact us on November **, 2015. Our representative

went to great lengths to go over our attempts to reach her to assist in

utilizing her membership benefits, but that we are unable to issue refunds

after so much time since her enrollment. Unfortunately, since all of the

benefits provided by outside partners are paid for on an annual basis, it is

not possible to pro-rate her fee either. We do hope that [redacted] contacts us to try to come to a

resolution as there are other options

available.

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:

I appreciate the canned response from NAPW that I read on

other Revdex.com complaints submitted and the personalization only to outline the

dates/time I was not able to answer calls. The response only supports my point for request to cancel the membership

- I am not available to appreciate all

the program has to offer. I did not want

to answer the phone either only to listen to high pressure investments needed

to continue member. Additionally, I had an increase in responsibility at work

and I am preparing for an executive MBA program. It is unfortunate that NAPW does not offer

more flexibility in membership knowing women often spin many plates and things

can change in availability. I do not

align to be a member to any organization that has expectation I immediately

answer and respond to every phone call or email. In fact, I received 85 emails in 2 ½ months, sometimes up to

5 a day! This becomes noise to me and

even as a member, harassment. Please remove me immediately from your

contact database and put my contact information on a do not call list.I asked the representative on Nov ** if there were any other

options and the response was “no” due to policy. The response on 12/3 through the Revdex.com does not

provide any details for me to consider.I do not feel NAPW's response provided any gain towards a resolution to my

concern, only to defend their policy.

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:

I do not wish to be associated with this organization in anyway. An additional year extension is not requested by me or accepted. I prefer to have my account closed and all future correpondenced ceased immediately. The services are excessive to my needs and the constant email is harassment. Close my account and put me on a do not call or email list. Thank you.In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

We have deactivated [redacted]'s profile and removed her from our lists. There may be some residual emails which she receives as they were already scheduled for transmission and could not be deleted. There may also be emails sent from our partners, and it may take time to get those updated. [redacted] may scroll down to the bottom of any email she receives, select UNSUBSCRIBE or MANAGE MY SUBSCRIPTION and follow the instructions to ensure that all NAPW related emails cease.Any searches of [redacted] will bring up a page that states NO RESULTS FOUND; it will take some time for her NAPW link to disappear from the search engines. She may view the policies on the help pages of each search engine to determine if any steps may be taken to expedite this as it is beyond our control.

Review: In May 2014, I responded to a NAPW banner in [redacted] or [redacted] After submitting my inquiry I was contacted and "interviewed" for membership. I was congratulated and told that I met their rigid qualifications and was accepted into this prestigious women's association.

I could tell that the lady was reading from a script but didn't pay much attention to it since I was sure this was the portion of the call where details were discussed and they wanted to be sure to hit on every topic necessary. It wasn't until the end that I was asked for a credit card to bill the $789 membership fee and an additional $99 to set up my online profile. I was honestly too embarrassed at that point to say no - after all we had just spent all of this time discussing how great I was and it was an honor to be in this organization! the next few days I began having buyers remorse but was told that the money I paid was nonrefundable. I chalked this up to a lesson learned and decided I would not renew for that price next year but would see what the organization had to offer.

In July I received a few voicemails telling me that I had been selected to be a part of their next newsletter! Excited by this revelation I decided I should go online and update my profile. After I did that I returned the phone call and finally spoke with [redacted]. who walked me through a few questions and explained to me how I was selected among all members by a neutral committee based on my leadership potential, yadda, yadda, yadda, I was to be one of the 2014 Women of the Year! AGAIN what an honor it was to be selected - I would in 12 weeks receive a plaque and be acknowledged in their newsletter and my employer and others would be notified of how great I am. In addition, she said I would have unlimited access to numerous webinars, workshops, etc...that is never advertised to anyone else and only this elite selection of women would get to take advantage of. She went on to tell me it would cost everyone else $1995 but she could give it to me for $995. At that point I realized they were going to try to charge me $995 so I immediately stopped her and asked if she was charging me $995 for this. She sounded appalled that I would even ask that and said - yes....this is a service no one else has access to, etc... I told her that I was not interested in spending any more money with them. Her response was that I didn't need to get in a tizzy about it so which I said I wasn't in a tizzy but I also wasn't going to give them any more money and that I wasn't going to pay for an honor to be bestowed up on me. Needless to say, the woman hung up with me abruptly.

As I think about this more and more I want nothing to do with this organization. As I recall I have to contact them next year to ensure my credit card is not charged for another membership. This harkens back to the mail order CD and book clubs that used to flood my mailbox. I am embarrassed I have gotten myself into this situation and want nothing to do with this organization.Desired Settlement: NAPW is using unethical tactics to get women to join. They are manipulating women's emotions, getting them on a high and then going in for the credit card. I am out $888 with nothing to really show for it since I don't want to be associated with this organization. I wish to be refunded my $888 since I have yet to use any of the "benefits" I was told about and I wish to have nothing to do with this scam organization.

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.

[redacted] completed an application for membership in NAPW. On May **, 2014, NAPW contacted her and

conducted its initial enrollment interview.

During this telephone call our representative explained the annual costs

and benefits associated with this level of membership, and that all membership

enrollments are final. Because NAPW is a

membership-based networking organization, the primary benefits at all levels

are found through our membership portal ([redacted]) as

well as through our face-to-face networking at our over 300 Local Chapters

nationwide. Additionally, through our

online portal, members are able to access ancillary benefits provided by our

business partners. Because NAPW incurs

costs upon enrollment with those partners, we maintain a final sale

policy. Please be aware that membership

alone includes no tangible product to be shipped to the member. All of this was

explained to [redacted] during her interview.

Our

representative explained that [redacted] would receive an email (within 24

hours) containing login information for our members’ portal through which she is

able access all of the online benefits and enroll in Local Chapters. Our representative further explained that [redacted] should review our Terms & Conditions. Subsequent to logging in but prior to

accessing her benefits, she did review and accept those Terms &

Conditions. Therein, [redacted] was

provided with the details of our final sale policy, along with all other

policies governing her relationship with NAPW.

NAPW’s Terms & Conditions are available at [redacted]. Within 10 days of enrollment, NAPW physically

mailed a welcome package to the member containing a paid statement, a membership

card and a welcome letter.

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 renewal and refund policies 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.

[redacted] had been selected for consideration by our VIP membership

committee and was contacted on July **, 2014. This is the call to which she

alludes in her complaint. 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. Therefore, based on her claim of being

treated with less than the respect to which she was entitled, we reviewed this

interview as well. [redacted]’s

recollection of the conversation is different than what is on the

recording. She was never accused of

being “in a tizzy” – when she advised our representative that she did not want

to spend any more money, our representative asked her if she had taken any

opportunity to use her benefits – attend a local chapter meeting, take a

seminar or webinar. [redacted] reiterated that she did not want to spend more

money and our rep replied that she DID understand that but what she was asking

was if she had been able to take advantage of the benefits already available to

her and that she did not need to get worked up as part of our representative’s

job is to make sure members are aware of the resources available to them. [redacted] replied that she was planning to

do so and our representative explained to her that if she had any questions or

wanted assistance for anything, she should call our membership services department. [redacted] thanked her, our representative

thanked [redacted] and the call ended cordially. Both of these interviews are available for review if

required.

As our

VIP representative explained, NAPW has a comprehensive membership services

staff, which is qualified to field all inquiries and works with members on any

other questions or issues regarding membership, access to benefits and other questions. 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.

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 Sara Blakeley, Arianna Huffington,

Star Jones, Martha Stewart, Ivanka Trump, Randy Zuckerburg, Barbara Corcoran

and Robin Roberts. 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 invite [redacted] to contact us directly to go over her

membership and work on a resolution.

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:

The response from NAPW is exactly what I would expect from an organization whose priority mission is to get money from women for various titles and awards. I don't speak for those who may be using your service. To each his own - I speak to my experience, which based on the interactions and the solicitation for money alone is offensive.

I acknowledged that the money being charged was nonrefundable. And in a perfect world that would be fine but based on what I believe to be unethical sales tactics I am asking for an exception. Honestly, you didn't spend $900+ dollars establishing an account for me.

I still request a partial refund - surely you have a satisfaction guarantee of some sort. I work for an organization that also has a no refund policy but if someone is so truly dissatisfied with a service, exceptions are made. You are capable of this exception as well. In addition, I wish for my account to be inactivated and never contacted independently from the Revdex.com response system.

As for the recordings - I would like to hear them. I don't recall the lady soliciting me for more money the second time around notifying me that our conversation was being recorded. and I stand by my allegation that she told me not to get in "a tizzy". Because my response to her was that I'm not in a tizzy, I just don't plan to spend anymore money with you. I would love to hear the recording in it's entirety to include the portion where I was notified that I was being recorded. You should be able to send these to me electronically.

It is clear to me after googling your organization that there are numerous complaints and they all seem to be similar in nature. My experience is not a coincidence.

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

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

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

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,