Adult Friend Finder Scam - warning

[Keroin]

*Should be "Scam" *

As some of you may recall, last year I decided to look online for a possible extra play partner for L and myself. I used the site "Adult Friend Finder" to do so.

As I had never done such a thing before and was unsure if I would like it, I only paid for a basic, 3 month membership. I did not end up using the service and did not renew. However, a year later they have charged my credit card again.

I tracked down the customer service phone number and spent twenty minutes to the phone trying to get a refund. They finally agreed though they kept insisting that I had chosen the "automatic renewal" option. As I had read the terms carefully before signing up, obviously this is either a lie or the automatic renewal option is one that you must "opt out" of and is cleverly hidden somewhere within the text.

I urge anyone considering using Adult Friend Finder to NOT do so, or to at least read EVERYTHING very thoroughly before you sign up.

 

[the captians wench]

A lot of the sites do that.

I signed up for Match Maker.com at one point and just did the 30 day trial membership. The next month they automatically renued and billed me again. That's when I was informed that when you sign up, no mater the length you buy for, you are automatically renued every term unless you cancle the membership.

Pretty silly to set it up as a trial then in my opinion.

 

[Keroin]

A lot of the sites do that.

I signed up for Match Maker.com at one point and just did the 30 day trial membership. The next month they automatically renued and billed me again. That's when I was informed that when you sign up, no mater the length you buy for, you are automatically renued every term unless you cancle the membership.

Pretty silly to set it up as a trial then in my opinion.

Yeah, I'm aware of this "opt out" practice, which I find despicable, and so I checked over the terms very carefully before I signed up.

Obviously, they hid it VERY well. Unfortunately, my internet connection at that time was so abysmal that I didn't do my due diligence. Caveat emptor.

Now, I see that there are several complaints about this company.

Just thought I would warn the folks here.

 

[DVS]

It's very common to have that opt out box so you must click it, or you automatically sign up for the continuing charge. I had one porn site that did that to me, and I didn't like it. I called up their customer service and complained. I said I found the charge on my credit card and wanted to know what the site was for. I said I found that my underage son had used my credit card. They quickly said they would cancel my account.

I quit giving those places money, a few years back. And it's funny how they send you all of these emails from women (in my case) that want to meet you, then you sign up and send a message back to these women, and don't get a reply. Why? Because it was fake. It was just a method of the site to get you to pay them some money.

The site that was the end for me was quite an experience. I wish I could remember the site name, but I can't. It was a very well done site, and the strangest part of it for me was EVERY woman on the site was pretty. I'm not talking most of them, I'm talking EVERY ONE could have been a model. Sounds fishy? I thought so, too.

There was a lengthy disclaimer that you had to click a box, saying you had read it, before you could join. Well, they fill those with legal ease and make them very fine print and so long, you go to sleep just reading them. I don't think anybody does. But anything I sign online I copy and paste it, so I can read it later.

One day, I was checking out the pictures of the babes that had viewed my profile. They were all in my area and I was getting excited. I'd send them emails and they would send me a generic reply about hooking up sometime. But, in my looking, I found a very small icon in the upper corner of most of these profile pictures. Some had it and some didn't. Nowhere had I read anything about this icon.

I went back to this disclaimer I had saved and down in maybe the second page, it mentioned that some of the women were there to attract men and keep them happy by replying to their emails. I forget the actual wording, but what it meant was, these women were totally fake, picture, profile and all, and getting paid by the site to keep men signing up and sticking around. There were very few that didn't have that icon, but the way I took it, those with the icon were the fakes. And men were paying money, in the hopes they could hook up with these women.

There's another site that I browse sometimes, "Lonely Wife Hookup" and it seems very fishy, the same way. It seems all of the women on that site also are babes. I'm sorry, but it just doesn't happen that way. I've been on collarme, etc. (which has its own problems) and some of the women (as well as the men) are total dogs. It just stands to reason. Not all of the people in the world are models. So, if anybody is paying money to Lonely Wife Hookup, I'd think you should take some lube with you, next time you visit the site.

 

[DVS]

Yeah, I'm aware of this "opt out" practice, which I find despicable, and so I checked over the terms very carefully before I signed up.

Obviously, they hid it VERY well. Unfortunately, my internet connection at that time was so abysmal that I didn't do my due diligence. Caveat emptor.

Now, I see that there are several complaints about this company.

Just thought I would warn the folks here.

What? Do you think we're perverts or something and are looking for free sex? I think that might be a Canadian thing, but we here in the U S of A are a clean and wholesome crowd.

PERVERTS TO THE NORTH!!!! PERVERTS TO THE NORTH!!!!

 

[kikmosa]

What? Do you think we're perverts or something and are looking for free sex? I think that might be a Canadian thing, but we here in the U S of A are a clean and wholesome crowd.

PERVERTS TO THE NORTH!!!! PERVERTS TO THE NORTH!!!!

Guess if I'm planning on having any fun I'd better plan on moving North. sigh... The lengths I go to.......

 

[midwestyankee]

What? Do you think we're perverts or something and are looking for free sex? I think that might be a Canadian thing, but we here in the U S of A are a clean and wholesome crowd.

PERVERTS TO THE NORTH!!!! PERVERTS TO THE NORTH!!!!

Cool!

Now, where did I put my mad bomber hat and my snowshoes?

 

[Keroin]

What? Do you think we're perverts or something and are looking for free sex? I think that might be a Canadian thing, but we here in the U S of A are a clean and wholesome crowd.

PERVERTS TO THE NORTH!!!! PERVERTS TO THE NORTH!!!!

LOL.

Well, it gets worse. I started doing some research and several people said that even when they de-selected the auto-renewal option they were still charged. Some said there were charges put through on their card even after they cancelled and deleted the account entirely.

I called the credit card company and gave them the scoop. They can't block future charges at this point but they have put a memo on the acct. Now I have to somehow get some "proof" that my acct has been closed and that the company agrees to not charge me any further so that if I do have any problems the credit card company has ammunition.

What burns my toast is that I'm always so careful when it comes to scams. I feel like a twonk.

 

[DVS]

LOL.

Well, it gets worse. I started doing some research and several people said that even when they de-selected the auto-renewal option they were still charged. Some said there were charges put through on their card even after they cancelled and deleted the account entirely.

I called the credit card company and gave them the scoop. They can't block future charges at this point but they have put a memo on the acct. Now I have to somehow get some "proof" that my acct has been closed and that the company agrees to not charge me any further so that if I do have any problems the credit card company has ammunition.

What burns my toast is that I'm always so careful when it comes to scams. I feel like a twonk.

I wouldn't put anything past some of these sites. While some are honest and above reproach, it's the others that turn porn, sex and kinky into dirty words. What's next on their list?

Twonk? I'm assuming this is a Canadian slang word?

 

[ShyGuy68]

LOL.

Well, it gets worse. I started doing some research and several people said that even when they de-selected the auto-renewal option they were still charged. Some said there were charges put through on their card even after they cancelled and deleted the account entirely.

I called the credit card company and gave them the scoop. They can't block future charges at this point but they have put a memo on the acct. Now I have to somehow get some "proof" that my acct has been closed and that the company agrees to not charge me any further so that if I do have any problems the credit card company has ammunition.

What burns my toast is that I'm always so careful when it comes to scams. I feel like a twonk.

A question, can't you claim that your credit card is damaged, so they'll close it and issue you a new one? If you get a card with a new number, then I suppose it wouldn't be a problem anymore?

 

[Keroin]

A question, can't you claim that your credit card is damaged, so they'll close it and issue you a new one? If you get a card with a new number, then I suppose it wouldn't be a problem anymore?

Yeah I guess but what friggin' hassle.

Hi ShyGuy! *waves*

 

[Keroin]

Twonk? I'm assuming this is a Canadian slang word?

I think it's British.

 

[Evil_Geoff]

AFF, and it's entire family of sites including Alt.com and Bondage.com, were bought out by Penthouse magazine a while back. Since that purchase, customer service (which wasn't great to begin with) has gone down hill rapidly. There are so many bullshit profiles (as DVS mentioned) it's not funny. the Auto renewals are damned near impossible to get rid of (as bad as AOL).

I'm glad I never became a paying member of the site.

 

[NomadLady]

I've had pretty good luck with the site and only once been billed when I thought I shouldn't but I had not turned off the auto renewal. Friends I've met there complaing about the fake profile as well but I've had many emails from men as well that are FAKE so it happens to anyone on the site I think, not just males.

 

[BiBunny]

AFF, and it's entire family of sites including Alt.com and Bondage.com, were bought out by Penthouse magazine a while back. Since that purchase, customer service (which wasn't great to begin with) has gone down hill rapidly. There are so many bullshit profiles (as DVS mentioned) it's not funny. the Auto renewals are damned near impossible to get rid of (as bad as AOL).

I'm glad I never became a paying member of the site.

This. Don't do business with any of these people, and if you're a webmaster, don't advertise any of their affiliate sites.

 

[Etoile]

They can't block future charges at this point but they have put a memo on the acct. Now I have to somehow get some "proof" that my acct has been closed and that the company agrees to not charge me any further so that if I do have any problems the credit card company has ammunition.

This strikes me as odd...how is it that they can't block any further charges? If you have specifically said you do not approve of any charges from them...then they shouldn't be able to charge you. Did you open a dispute already? A lot of businesses online try to fuck you over like this, but you should be able to block future charges, or at least get automatic credit back to your account if a charge goes through.

Is it a Canadian thing?

Maybe cancel that card??

 

[DVS]

This strikes me as odd...how is it that they can't block any further charges? If you have specifically said you do not approve of any charges from them...then they shouldn't be able to charge you. Did you open a dispute already? A lot of businesses online try to fuck you over like this, but you should be able to block future charges, or at least get automatic credit back to your account if a charge goes through.

Is it a Canadian thing?

Maybe cancel that card??

I had a credit issue that I wanted stopped and although it wasn't related to a dating service, but a utility that I had set up auto withdrawal. I had a serious bank balance problem and wanted the utility to stop the auto program. They said they would, but it would take about two weeks for it to go through. In the mean time, withdrawals would continue.

That wasn't soon enough and so I tried to get my credit card people to refuse any charges from them. I explained everything to them, but they said that wasn't something they could get involved in. It was something between my utility and myself.

This might not be the same thing, but I thought the credit card people would do something like this and I guess they don't. But on an unrelated point, I called the utility back, demanded to talk to a supervisor and let her have it...without using any profanity. She said she could stop the auto withdrawal "right now" and did. Something tells me this won't work with a dating/hookup site, though.

 

[Daddy2mylilgirl]

I had a site try to do this too. Luckily, my credit card company has a SafeShopping option. I went to their site and they generate a virtual credit card to use for shopping online. You just put the exact amount of money you want on the card and you can use it just like a regular credit card. You can even use it for a reoccurring charge.

I used the virtual card and when the site tried to charge me again for a subscription they were rejected.

Make sure to check out your credit card's website to see if they have something similar.

 

[Keroin]

I had a site try to do this too. Luckily, my credit card company has a SafeShopping option. I went to their site and they generate a virtual credit card to use for shopping online. You just put the exact amount of money you want on the card and you can use it just like a regular credit card. You can even use it for a reoccurring charge.

I used the virtual card and when the site tried to charge me again for a subscription they were rejected.

Make sure to check out your credit card's website to see if they have something similar.

That sounds great! Thanks for the tip.

 

[graceanne]

LOL.

Well, it gets worse. I started doing some research and several people said that even when they de-selected the auto-renewal option they were still charged. Some said there were charges put through on their card even after they cancelled and deleted the account entirely.

I called the credit card company and gave them the scoop. They can't block future charges at this point but they have put a memo on the acct. Now I have to somehow get some "proof" that my acct has been closed and that the company agrees to not charge me any further so that if I do have any problems the credit card company has ammunition.

What burns my toast is that I'm always so careful when it comes to scams. I feel like a twonk.

Another option is to report your card lost or stolen, and they'll send you a new card with a different number. AFF has your card number, right? Well, if that card number doesn't work they can't charge you.

 

[Keroin]

I received an email from them today, stating that my account was closed and I was being refunded for the most recent charge. So, I now have written proof, which is all the credit card company requires...whew.

Don't have to cancel my card and if they charge me again I can go after them.

Lesson learned. Dumb K!

 

[NomadLady]

I received an email from them today, stating that my account was closed and I was being refunded for the most recent charge. So, I now have written proof, which is all the credit card company requires...whew.

Don't have to cancel my card and if they charge me again I can go after them.

Lesson learned. Dumb K!

Not dumb Keroin, they just try to 'get' you however they can. Since my auto renew is off about every other time I log in there they try to get me to turn it back on. It is getting old since I am paid up until March....

 

[ThorkelGriersen]

I received an email from them today, stating that my account was closed and I was being refunded for the most recent charge. So, I now have written proof, which is all the credit card company requires...whew.

Don't have to cancel my card and if they charge me again I can go after them.

Lesson learned. Dumb K!

Canceling a card and getting a new one is a real pain -- I learned the hard way. One thing to always remember: If you set up an "auto-pay" yourself through your bank, you can cancel at any time. If you set it up through the payee, only the payee can cancel. There was an article in the NYT financial about 6 months ago. The writer's wife leased a BMW for 48 months and set up an auto-pay with the dealer. When the lease expired and she returned the car she was still having lease payments deducted from her account. The bank explained that they could do nothing. The dealer claimed that it was done as a "convenience" -- in case she wanted to continue the lease. The problem seemed intractable until the husband mentioned that he was a financial columnist for the NYT, which caused an immediate solution.

More and more companies are adopting this approach. Conde Nast (the New Yorker, Vanity Fair) McAfee security, etc do this. If you buy from Amazon, they send e-mails to announce a "bonus" subscription to magazine for $1 (usually for no more than 2-3 months) with an auto renewal. The renewal is charged through your Amazon account. I've never fallen for that one, but I suspect canceling is not so easy.

My solution for anything I am suspicious about is to use an AmEx gift card. They sell in various denominations. The best deal is the $100 card for a charge of $5.95. They don't have any other service charges and they never expire. They carry an expiration date for use on the internet, but if you go past the date, they will give you an extension date. There may be other cards will similar specs. I know that MC and Visa also sell these cards -- I don't know their specifics.

For anyone living in the SE United States, the Publix Supermarkets this week (until Wed 12/15) has a coupon in their flyer for $10 off on the $100 card.

As an addition note: Consumer studies have shown that any bill that is put on auto-pay such as cable, phone, etc under goes an "amount-creep." That is, auto-pay people on average pay 15% more than those who pay monthly -through check, credit card, or on line bill pay from their bank site.

 

[Etoile]

I have never had a problem canceling any auto-pay accounts, nor have I heard of "amount creep."

 

[DarkBee]

I just don't have a credit card and never pay for porn (except when buying DVD's, which I haven't done in a long time), saves me a lot of trouble.