Piece of SHIT SCUMBAGS at Columbia House DVD Club
 

So here is a nice little story. The beginning of the year I find a charge on my CC from columbia house. A charge I never authorized. So I contact my CC company and reverse the charges. Contact CH and explain that I never signed up for their DVD club nor would I ever want to. (who the fuck would pay 30 bucks a DVD) So a month goes by and BAM another charge this time, I write a letter and another email through their online system and contact my CC and reverse the charges.

So I get home yesterday and today is the first chance I have to look at my accounts. And guess what to my delight has appeared!!!!

Another charge from the good folks at Columbia House DVD club!!!

So now I am pretty pissed. And the bitch of it is... No phone number to call and bitch at someone. You can only write them a letter or an email. Which from my experience they never reply to. And the only number they provide on the CC statement is one that leads to a bullshit phone tree.

So I plead to you good folks at GFY. If anyone has dealt with these fuckers and gotten a number for me to call and bitch at someone shoot it my way.

The bitch is I could call my CC company and have the card cancelled and they will re issue me a new one. But the problem there is I have a few recurring charges that go to that card that would make it an inconvenience. Why should I be the one inconvenienced?

My roommate is having mad troubles with them too! I'll get you the number he's been calling. Get those fuckers!

sounds like you are already inconvienced

You'll get full reimbursement if the unauthorized charges come out to an amount over $50.

Luclonely is buying DVDs with your CC from http://go.columbiahouse.com :(

get the biggest bat you can and walk in the front door of their hq. i would.

better yet, a battleaxe.

wait a second, charges all the time on your credit card that you didnt authorize?

is Cologroup running Columbia House, hrmmmmmmmmmmmm

Thanks man. It is getting really really frustrating to have to take the time to deal with this every month. And I think it is really shitty customer service and seems like they are hiding something if they don't have people to answer the phone somewhere.

Can't your CC company not authorize anything from CH instead?

Add me to your ICQ when you get to the office tomorrow. I should have something for you by then...

that's not the point, it's is a pain, the process of getting a credit.

Look at this:

http://www.hoovers.com/co/capsule/6/...,60526,00.html


1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

Phone: 212-596-2000
Fax: 212-596-2213

sounds like they got some sort of standing order against your card. Tell your CC company that they are charging it illegally.

these guys are always a headache

If they're charging your card, you should at least be receiving some DVDs or CDs

Have they sent you anything?

They have a number where you can call to order dvd's, maybe you can call the operator and complain there?
1-888-CHC-DVDS for ordering DVDs
1-800-544-4431 for ordering Videos.

I also found this on on online messageboard:
After much searching, and no help from Columbia House Jerks, I found a phone number for a customer service supervisor. Her name is Judi L. and her number is (812) 242-7405. This is for everyone who has tried to reach an actual person in customer service, and has only gotten a recording. I hope everyone calls and bothers her so much that they will change their policy and start giving out the damn phone number. Columbia House Sucks!

Sorry I signed you up man. I thought you would have liked it.

You didn't like the Lawrence Welk CDs and now you are chaging them back?

Hey Eric,
Call your credit card company and tell them NOT to let them bastards charge any more, (and to reverse the charges) Offer to send the emails or snail mails you have sent.
I have heard AOL does this also. and then, if THAT doesnt work, put your shit kickers on, and lets visit the office... Oh, and I am taking pics!!!!! :Graucho

also , it may be a good idea to cancel that account (the more I think about it) if someone signed you up... you could have other things start to show up.

I decided to try them out when I got my DVD player. Out of the 4 movies I asked for, they sent me two (which I never paid for). Then, they never sent me the monthly choice despite my regular failure to deny it. Eventually, they started sending me bills for the full amount of everything (approx 140cdn for 6 DVDs) although I had only received 2.

Eventually, they gave my account to a collection agency, but I haven't heard from them because I moved a while back and my mail is no longer forwarded.

The only info they have on me is my old address and my name. I got two free DVDs :)

stop trying to buy shit at shitty fucking rock bottom asian bootleg prices and always looking for a fucking DISCOUNT and maybe people like this won't have your CC to begin with.

I imagine the bad debt is on your credit record though. That won't be good come time to take a bank loan or getting approved for credit.

WG

There's no way for it to be on my credit record. They only have my name. Not even a credit card number or social insurance number.

As for credit and bank loans... I work for the Visa division of TD Canada Trust Bank.

I thought you handled chargebacks specifically at TD? Hmmm... you might have some interesting info on there about me :-)

But even without a SIN number I think they can still tie it together. Like if you rented an appartment and were on the lease they can match that with phone records or with landlord to get your SIN? Might be worth your while to do a credit check on yourself, especially if you have access to it at work.

WG

I work for TD Visa customer service, and I'm working on a project concerning chargebacks against processors (which will actually be presented to the big bosses tomorrow)

I do have access to every customer's banking profile, so if I knew your full name, I technically would have access to that information, however I have no need/reason to access it and I wouldn't risk my job to do so either.

As for my SIN, the only people who have that on file are my current employer, my past employers, and my bank (who is also my employer). The lease of my old address was under my dad's name. And I don't give my SIN to anyone.

And my credit file is clean as a whistle :)

Hmmm....Let me get this straight.....

Somebody billed you for something that they should not have and now you are complaining about their customer service and lack of response to your inquiries.......

Hmmmmm. Very interesting. :glugglug

In that case, enjoy the 2 free DVD's :thumbsup

WG

The credit CC will go back 6 months and take off disputed charges, worse comes to worse tell them you 12 year old kid ordered them ..Stick it 2 um !!!

can you file a fraud complaint through your credit card company? they'll get in contact with them.

How ironic...have you taken a look at the deceptive billing practices of the very industry you work in. And now you think you've been done wrong....

You live the life on a daily basis...suck it up princess

:thumbsup

I had a problem with these fuckers about 2 years ago with cds. I went through bbb.org and they took care of it.

good luck.

Aaron,

You really need to let this go. You will lose this one. It is time for you to play in the grown up world.

tried this already. There is no way for me to have a standing order against any company. And I have already had two charges reversed and the money placed back on my CC. If I call again they will want me to change the CC number. Fuck that! Why should I be the one who is inconvienced?

Nice threat. :winkwink:

not a threat. I never threaten anyone.

There all HOOKERS

Columbia House is fuckin scary. In the early 80's I had a subhahahahahahaion to the record club, and can remember getting my records in the mail folded in half to fit in my mailbox.
I had it about 6 months back then, long enough to buy the minumum to get out from under the contract, but still to this day, 20 years later I get mail saying shit like "we miss you" and "re-join now and get a special deal". Christ it's spooky.

Oh, I must be mistaken on your intent here then. Sorry about that. Could you please clarify on what your reply meant then? I hate confusion....Perhaps we are miscommunicating?

Miscommunicating??? Is that the same as when you are told one thing and repeat it to another person and then don't tell the first person that the situation has changed?

This is over. I have to get back to work.

Pretty much. :glugglug


I got your point and you got mine.

Back to the cotton fields we go.

Columbia house invented the spam I think. I made the mistake to subscribe 10 years ago, and they are still sending me "PLEASE COME BACK!!!" letters ever since I ended the contract. The most annoying thing, is that they are always able to find me, even though I moved like 5 times.. :ak47:

Ohhhh and if you want this to stop. Just cancel your credit card ( well, call them and just tell them u lost your credit card).

Works for me! :thumbsup

Having spent about 3 years working for the Credit Card division of Well Fargo......I can tell you that this is your best option at this point...HOWEVER...believe it or not, even a canceled credit card can still occur charges if the initial authorization is done prior to cancellation. Yeah it sucks but it still happens. Used to see it all the time with magazine subhahahahahahaions, iBill, and I think it was DMR Internet as well.

If CH is not willing to work with you on this then it may be easier to allow them to send you to an outside collections agent where you can dispute the bill with a live person. The last option is to file a small claims suit against them for the amount of the transaction that they are billing you plus your court costs. The amount will be too minimal for them to bother showing up to court over and you will win by default. At that point they will remove you from their system and fix any bullshit they may have put on your credit report. Most established companies will not go to small claims court for anything under a few grand since their attorneys will cost them more than that.

That's my :2 cents: and I do know WTF I am talking about.

Yeah, you'd think snail mail spam would be something they'd want to crack down on. Waste of natural resources.

Columbia House and PCH are the worst imho. Hmm, or credit card insurance maybe?

Well, hell. I'm gonna preface this by saying I give credit where it's due and complain like a bastard when it's deserved as well.

On that note, support amazon.com. Ordered ten books before Christmas as gifts and received them 3 days later. Fucking awesome :thumbsup

As for Columbia House, this is a reply I received today to a complaint I made last week. My original email is beneath it. (This stemmed from receiving two seperate shipments of 6 DVD's and not having enough credit?? for the last two that I ordered).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for your e-mail message.

We appreciate your comments. They has been forwarded to the appropriate department for consideration. Thank you!

You have completed your membership obligation.

This membership has now been cancelled and the name will be removed from our files for future shipments. Any mailings that were in process before the account was cancelled could not be stopped.

Please accept our apology for the inconvenience.

If we may be of further service, please let us know.


Sincerely,

Customer Service




Original Message Follows:
-------------------------



[Name]
[Mailing Address]
[Club] Canadian DVD Club
[User Name]
[Account Number]
[E-Mail Address]
[Order Number]
[From Web] Contact
[Time] 2003.March.07 12:47 AM
[Subject] Order Status
[Message] I am writing to let you know of my complete and utter
dissatisfaction with both your policies and customer service.

If there is a credit limit to an account, this should be noted in a highly frequented area so your customers realize your policies. When your customers see 8-10 or whatever the number of vacant slots are available for ordering, they get the unimaginable impression that they ARE ALLOWED to order that many.

As for your customer service, your phone operators appear entirely apathetic to any concerns that your customers show. On top of that, they come off as though your paying customers are bothering them. Rude and ignorant are best describe the two operators that I had the displeasure of speaking with.

I can assure you that once I have completed the bare minimum obligations that I have agreed to with your company, I will not return. I will also advise anyone within earshot to patronize their local merchants as opposed to a mail order company that doesn't know the first thing about customer service or satisfaction.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aaron is 100% right. This is how it's seen from Visa/MC's point of view. You have/had a contract with the merchant. Visa/MC is simply a method of payment for the contract, just like cash. Visa/MC cannot refuse the transactions unless they have proof that the contract has been cancelled.

If you report your card as being lost, your credit card company can and 75% of the time, will transfer the Columbia House or whatever other charges to the new card. And if they find out you reported your card lost simply the avoid charges by a company, they can revoke your account, which would do a good bit of damage to your credit rating.