Apr 11 2007
Warning About Automatic Dot Com Secrets Credit Card Charges
- 21 Comments... Click to Contribute
A quick heads up for anyone who ordered the shipping-cost only Dot Com Secrets DVD from Russell Brunson, that includes a free trial issue of the Dot Com Secrets “Insider” Journal.
If you do not lodge a support ticket and ask to cancel your subscription you will be charged $39.95 USD per month automatically. You will of course receive each new issue of the print magazine and companion DVD each month as it is released, but I thought I should warn you if you do decide you don’t want to stay subscribed that you have to actually tell Russell’s support staff.
The help desk can be found here: www.customerhelpdesk.org.
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Yaro,
I just found this out the other day, having missed it on my cc statement for the past couple of months.
I was able to call them and get them to agree to refund two months worth (the current issue is being shipped, so too late to stop it) by agreeing to send back the magazines.
I’m quite sure I didn’t ask for the subscription, and the original offer even stated the first issue was free. There was a check off to decline the magazine. I am only aware of receiving one issue, but have been billed for 3, and there was no free issue. I figured it was a free marketing piece until I saw they were charging $67 for back issues.
So thanks for the heads up. I’m sure I’m not the only one.
How refreshing to see someone do this. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to either fight the “tacked on” charge “in the fine print” and the times I was unable to get a refund. I detest this type of “money making” as that is exactly what it is to include it is a very sneaky way to get a charge on someone’s cc and hope they don’t notice the charge. I have nothing to do with these kind of companies or people as I do not consider this type of signing up for a subscription to be ethical, at the least, and at the most, it should be illegal as that is exactly what it is. You are putting your trust in a person that you assume is honest and ethical; not so these days.
No problem Mike. It looks like Russell is still figuring out how to set up this promotion of his. He definitely gives me the feeling that he prefers to the ready, fire, aim method.
It’s similar automatic subscriptions that have prevented me from trying out many postal orders.
A good gesture to refund two months worth though.
I am also reluctant to sign up for anything that offers a free trial, because if you forget to cancel you get stuck paying for it each month until you do cancel.
I have had good experience with the dot com secrets magazine though, and it has actually been an offer I think was well worth my money. I allowed my rebilling to continue for a few months since I did get a lot of value from the magazine and CDs, although I have canceled now. The customer support lady was very nice and fulfilled my request to cancel without a problem.
I thought that I had ordered it but apparently had never gotten around to it. Just as well, I suppose; I don’t have time to read more than I already have on my plate!
I’ve just received my second magazine in the last few days without thinking I was ‘opted-in’!
I always dislike automatic transactions on my credit card. I now take special care when subscribing.
Yaro, thanks for posting this information. I was wondering how to cancel.
Hi Yaro
Thanks so much for this post. I was scratching my head wondering what I purchased through Sublime Net which is the name that appeared in my credit card statement.
The first charge of USD44.95 fot the OMOTY DVDs plus shipping is correct but subsequent charge of USD39.97 was unexpected. I don’t remember subscribing to a monthly package. I’m submitting a ticket to enquire. Thanks again.
Lai Yin
Yaro,
So I am not alone….
Just found this charge on my CC statement and started looking for any reports of this practise.
The DVD offer clearly states: Yours absolutely free, without commitments, or obligations.
It borders fraud to sign up any requestor of the DVD as a subscriber to the newsletter.
If this is Russels way to success, I do not support him.
Needless to say that I asked for a refund.
Thanks for the publication of your experience and that of all commentators!!!
Marinus
Well I don’t know much about this guy Russell Brunson but he sure knows how to milk someone!
I have tried contacting his office and all that I get is a recorded message with ‘false’ information.
It seems that I am not the only person who appears to be being ripped off from this character.
I have conducted a number of internet transactipons over the years and never once have I had this kind of problem.
No, I did not subscribe to any of his products all that I agreed to pay was for the shipping of the DVD. I never received any invoice, no email confirmation, no acknowledgement of any sorts.
My, my I have read his story about himself and he states that he did a couple of years chuch work. Well he obviously thinks that we should all be a part of his little charity – NO THANK YOU!
If he is so upfront and honest then why doesn’t he make himself or some of his staff – if he really has any – available.
This guy truly needs to change his business to one that has some kind of ethics. Oh and what a lame story about emails having problems – jeez give me a break.
If you, Russell are such an internet genius and have contacts in the business then why can’t you fix a little email problem.
Your voice message states your business hours – but no one is there at 10:00am, all that I get is a recording.
Russell, if you don’t like this comment then I suggest that you contact me and lets sort this out.
Clive
Sounds like these kinds of underhanded tactics are part of Russell Brunson’s sales tactics.
I ordered 12 month internet millionaire, a $325 product.
After 3 weeks, still haven’t gotten it even though I was told it shipped.
Customer service number is just a recording that tells you to go to a website.
5 days + to get a single response to a helpdesk ticket.
What a joke.
I too discovered an mysterious charge on my credit card from SUBLIME NET (which I had never heard of) in the amount of $39.97 and immediately disputed it. The charge reversed since they had no proof that I had ever authorized such a charge.
I look forward to the day that the FTC destroys him.
Thanks for the heads up. Those little charges add up. Now if I can just get in contact with a human over there…
I started having a bad feeling about 5 days after signing up for the free course with shipping at $29.29. I didn’t get a confirmation email or the information for the initial download. I actually talked to a woman who promised she had sent email and would resend. Still didn’t get emails, then I found this sight and got really nervous. Sent cancellation ticket and will call again tomorrow. Thanks for the info!!!!
Hi,
Today I checked my credit card statements and found out that after asking for only the shipping charge to be deducted from my credit card Russell Bruson has been deducting the cost for the monthly mgazine with CD from my account.
I called and canceled the subscription for his membership site and they have continued to take several payments from my account.
I think Russell Brunson is dishonest. If he was not trying to trick somone then he would make it quite clear that he was not only taking shipping but going to take monies for a monthly subscription.
No where on that sales letter was anything said about subscribing to the CD every month.
This guy should be exposed for his dishonesty.
Now we know how he make the vast amount he boast about.
I took the time to send this email so people will look out for this guy.
Maureen Wright-Evans
I have worked with Russel Brunson for years and this whole thread surprises me. I would have to think that he told people how he wanted the site set up and they built the system incorrectly because I know that Russel is a good guy personally, but what happens is that these “BIG” internet marketers get their hands in so many pots that they cannot see what is happening to save their lives.
I know that actions speak louder than words, and this is why I think that having a support system in place that is available who answers ALL inquiries within 24-48 hours is VERY important.
People understand that problems will come up, but how you deal with those problems is what matters, I mean look at Yaro here. He has answered every issue question and kept us all from freaking out, so even those of us who paid and did not get what we ordered right away are still calm in knowing that he told us up front what happened and gave us the solution.
Russel needs to make his support system better. I have a rule with my support system, and that is NO QUESTIONS ASKED my emails better be answered within 24-48 hours or I will look for someone who WILL do that because most of us know how freaked out we all get when we have NO answer at all…I mean even some answers we don’t like to hear, but at least we get an answer and can deal with it accordingly.
So my advice would be to look into people’s support system and see what they have in place and whether or not it is clearly visible on HOW to contact them, and if so before you order, send their support team an email and judge them by the time and quality of their response.
If they get back with your promptly, and professionally you can bet that they would do the same after you order.
If they do NOT have a support or contact us link in plain view then unless you already know the reputation of the person or company selling the product I would beware! =-)
Best of luck to all of you with Russel. I am going to let him know that he has some ticked off people and see if I can nudge him to attack his customer support team and get them on track!
::XMAN::
You have got to be kidding right? Russell is the farthest thing from a scam I have ever seen.
As for customer service issues, I don’t know who some of you have been calling, but everytime I have had questions or problems with him, I have been able to reach a live person, and they have taken the time to help me (I even tried it right before writing this just to make sure things hadn’t changed since my last call). I may be lucky, I just hit “0″ and am magically transferred to his customer service people…
The fact of the matter is simple: I don’t care if it’s Russell Brosnon’s Dotcomsecrets, Proactiv skin care, Columbia House, or anyone else… when you sign up for a free/low-cost trial, it means that it is just that… a trail. If you don’t like the trial, it’s up to you to get off your lazy butt to go do something about it (cancelling the way they have told you to in the terms and conditions that you agreed to). Just thinking you want to cancel and then complaining that you have another charge on your account is like wishing you could dry off while standing out in the rain. Funny how people don’t like to take responsibility for their actions.
I am sure it is easier to sit back and blame Russell for “taking your money,” but come on… If you feel like you have been tricked, that’s not cool… but I am pretty sure that Russell talks about the monthly fee after the free trail. Either way, knowing Russell, you can send almost ANYTHING back to him and get a refund.
The only scam here is what some of you are saying about a really genuine guy.
hey Guys -
Someone just pointed out this thread to me. I wanted to jump in real quick and throw in things from my site.
The site in question is here: http://freedvd.dotcomsecrets.com/
We state twice on the sales page, and once on the order page about the monthly charges after the 30 day trial. We never have tried to hide it and never want anyone confused on what they are being charged for.
We also used to have a phone tree to handle cancelations, but have now added 2 full time support people to answer all of these calls. We are also now hiring 2-3 more people to call everyone who signs up and re-reminds them what they ordered and that they are being billed.
You can get our help desk at anytime at http://www.customerhelpdesk.org or call our office at 208-323-9451
Thank you to those who stuck up for me. We’re always trying to do our best to help our customers and appreciate those who are willing to stand up when others critize. I also appreciate the critisim. It helps me look at what is frustrating to our customers and how we can improve our overall customer experience.
Thanks again
Russell Brunson
Hey again everyone!
Well it worked! I contacted Russell and let him know what I was seeing in these comments and he is taking action and is going to do something about it. He even came in here and commented to let you know.
Like I had said before, I have been working with him for years and have yet to be “ripped off” by him. He has always stood behind his word and delivered what he has stated.
If you come back in, thanks Russell for acknowledging these issues and taking care of them for everyone!
::XMAN::