Re: [SA] Should I block Experian/Free Credit Report

[Adam Katz <an...@khopis.com>]

Marc Perkel wrote:
> Generally I'm paid to protect my customers from fraud scams. Does
> that include fraud scams that are advertised on TV? The
> Experian/Free Credit Report is such a scam and I was personally
> ripped off by them and I'm thinking about blocking their email.
> What they do isn't any different than a 419 nigerian scam.
> 
> Thoughts?

I can definitely relate.  My $10 Titan Peeler is less effective than a
rusty old pocketknife, and it somehow cost me $43 (had to buy two,
shipping was about 2x the "cost").  Not only that, but I never saw the
total price until the order had finished, and I couldn't cancel the
order (even over the phone because it had "already shipped" despite
that I called within a business hour of the order and despite that my
"your order has been shipped" email was sent two days after that.

Lesson:  do not order through a website or phone number listed on TV.
 For anything.  A quick web search for the product by name will easily
find a reputable reseller (never mind those claims of exclusivity)
that will give you a similar price on the same product.  The search
will likely also give you myriads of reasons to not buy the
product/service (even from a reseller) and/or to go with a competitor.

That said...

I would not block these companies' email unless they fail to follow
the rules of opt-out and the like.  It may be seedy and even a scam,
but if they're following the rules of responsible email, it's not spam
in my book.

Which is to say:  keep a close eye on them and nail them hard when
they fail to play by those rules, which I figure is quite likely.

RE: [SA] Should I block Experian/Free Credit Report

[R-Elists <li...@abbacomm.net>]

 

> From: Adam Katz
> 
> I can definitely relate.  My $10 Titan Peeler is less 
> effective than a rusty old pocketknife, and it somehow cost 
> me $43 (had to buy two, shipping was about 2x the "cost").  
> Not only that, but I never saw the total price until the 
> order had finished, and I couldn't cancel the order (even 
> over the phone because it had "already shipped" despite that 
> I called within a business hour of the order and despite that 
> my "your order has been shipped" email was sent two days after that.
> 
> Lesson:  do not order through a website or phone number listed on TV.
>  For anything.  A quick web search for the product by name 
> will easily find a reputable reseller (never mind those 
> claims of exclusivity) that will give you a similar price on 
> the same product.  The search will likely also give you 
> myriads of reasons to not buy the product/service (even from 
> a reseller) and/or to go with a competitor.
> 
> That said...
> 
> I would not block these companies' email unless they fail to 
> follow the rules of opt-out and the like.  It may be seedy 
> and even a scam, but if they're following the rules of 
> responsible email, it's not spam in my book.
> 
> Which is to say:  keep a close eye on them and nail them hard 
> when they fail to play by those rules, which I figure is quite likely.
> 

Adam,

i am confused...

you just said you were scammed by an organization

then you say dont block scammers phishing emails if they are good email/spam
netizens ???

wow.

you do not have to allow yourself (or others) to be scammed you know and you
could have called the credit card company and filed a complaint and got your
money back.

never use your debit card for risky transactions no matter what anyone says
about being covered with them too.

yes, Perkel, block the scammers !!!

it is the fine line of the law phishing.

 - rh