Comments on: Cambridge Who’s Who: Is it a Scam? My Story on Video.

By: To each it's own

To each it's own — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:42:49 +0000

I forgot to do this. I told the rep. my husband thought the whole thing was a scam-had heard it from friends who had experienced this. The rep. gave me her name and number and said that if anyone was unhappy with their membership, to call her to see what could be done about it. I don’t know if it will help but it is worth a try:

Tricha Dehayef
516-535-1515
EXT 1212

I don’t know if she was truly sincere (may not know it is a scam her self) or if she did it because I mentioned the attorney generals office. Either way, be creative when asking/demanding your money back!

By: To each it's own

To each it's own — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:29:48 +0000

I was pretty upset up until a minute ago when I received a confirmation of my money being credited back to my card. I also fell for this scam and instead of doing my research before purchasing, I did it after. Almost cost me $200. I was pressured into the charges and after reading these blogs I thought, the sooner I act, the better. I called right away and explained that the rep. I spoke to indicated that because they had to customize the plaques or awards or whatever the heck they were sending me that sales were final, but I have not received anything yet and I just got off the phone with that rep. They couldn’t have custom published anything that quick; therefore, I want a refund. Surprisingly, the rep. I spoke with was friendly and “checked” to see if the custom publishing of these items had started yet. Wow, they had indeed started on my items already (yeah right) and for this reason they had to charge a certain amount, which meant I could only get $100 back. Taking into consideration the worst experience others have had with these people, I was tempted to take the money and run. I then thought, why not turn the tables. I’d like to play actress for a few minutes….they do. I started to get frantic on the phone, I told them my husband was not too fond of their organization and was extremely upset at the charges (I’m not married and don’t even have a boyfriend…lol). I then said, “My sister lives in New York and she knows people in the attorney general’s office. I know you can refund the money back. I sniffled a little and complained about how I would have to deal with my husband. She thought I was crying, said she did not want to upset anyone and refunded my money. Now, I know this was a little over the top, but I got my money back without having to go in circles with these people….to each it’s own.

By: Barbara Shackelford

Barbara Shackelford — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:35:36 +0000

I also got roped into this Whose Who thing and they did send me a very nice cherrywood plaque. They said the book will come later and want to charge more money on my credit card. Since they already have my credit card #, how can I keep them from charging more???? Incidently the lady was very nice on the phone & even gave me her phone #. This is why I did not suspect it could be a scam. I am retired and really cannot afford all this money! Guess I just needed a boost in my self esteem. Stupid huh?

By: Jennifer Bradac

Jennifer Bradac — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:21:06 +0000

Hello Chace — I also got taken by this company. I am disputing it with my credit card company, but they are telling me it is quite possible that they can not do anything because the words “all sales are final” are printed in the packet of information that was sent to me. How did you and your wife get around this?

By: chace lange

chace lange — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:53:25 +0000

My wife did fall to this same preditor. However, she sent a list of all of the negative blogs to the credit card company and after review by them, all charges were stricken from her bill. This was in June of 08.
Be firm and don’t take it. Even if it went to collection you can beat them with the logic of all of these blogs as support of their low life stature. Be firm and be relentless and they will leave you alone. They simply try and use bully approach. Not.

By: The Avenger

The Avenger — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:50:34 +0000

Advice on getting your money back from these buggers:

1) Report them to the BBB of Metropolitan NY. Follow up with them also or your info goes into a black hole. They will follow up if you push them some with emails.

2) File a report with the NY Attorney General’s Office in the Consumer Complaint section. Do a Google search and you’ll get to the page. This has to be done via snail mail but you will get a confirmation.

3) Email them at their customer service address and print out the sent emails as proof of your contacting them.

4) Follow up with your requests on refunds with the original rep you spoke with. He/she will try to avoid your questions but push them and also, ask to record them. Hit them with some hard questions like what is the relationship of Empire Who’s Who and Manchester Who’s Who and why does the CWW page come up when these domains are typed in? Ask them, how are they related? You’ll get some funny answers. Never let them put you on hold, or let the call you back as they don’t.

5) When you send in your complaints, send it registered mail and send the tracking info to them to really show them that you are wanting a refund.

6) Don’t let Beth Johnston win an argument on a refund with you. She’ll go round and round and avoid every question. Record your messages from her. Her direct extension is 1275.

I hope that everyone who gets scammed by them fights back and takes the time to complain so we don’t have to have these blogs against this company!

By: natalie

natalie — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:46:51 +0000

Well, I fell for it also. The call came while I was in my car on my way to walk and before I knew it I had given my credit/debit card info for an over $300 charge. I knew there was no backing out since he had said since it was personalized, it was non refundable. I really felt stupid, not to mention that I really didn’t have the money, I had to draw from my savings.

If that wasnt bad enough, I received another call just the other day. They wanted to go over my biography and made it sound I was very important, then came the hit. He says to me something about, again, an over $300 charge. I thought it was for what I had paid before, but no, this was for some plaque and directory, both which were worth, supposedly, somewhere over 700-800 dollars. I told him no, then he said he would only send the directory and that’s when the $300 came in. I very quickly said, NO, and he just wouldnt let up. I had to repeat”no” many times until he finally, basically hung up on me. I have monitored my account and no charges so far, thank God.

Thanks Nalts, for being brave to post this on line. I had trouble even telling a few people I had done this, since I felt so stupid.

By: The Avenger

The Avenger — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:16:25 +0000

Lucky you got some money back. i got scammed by them the same way you did. I was called fairly early on a Saturday while getting ready, cooking breakfast, getting the kid ready, etc. and got suckered in. Being inexperienced with this stuff, I gave into the pressure thinking that their networking thing might help my site but I was wrong. i disputed with the credit card company, only to have them reverse the conditional credit. When you call the membership services, you get transferred multiple times and then you got to some executive director who circumvents and never answers your questions. I’m in the process of reporting them to every agency on earth and I have a plan in mind to get my money back. Nothing has ever been delivered to me even if I requested it, and they tell me I gave them the wrong address, yada, yada, yada. They also accuse me of not notifying them that I didn’t get anything, yet I figured that the conditional credit was the reason things were sent. They bend things in their favor and they get real nasty on the phone when pressed. I say, fight them to the end!!!

By: Vonnie

Vonnie — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:14:49 +0000

I’m ashamed to say I got deceived into Cambridge’s Who’s Who a few days ago. I didn’t realize it was bogus until I found you all on this site. The sales rep called me at a hectic day, pressured me by saying that they had to have payment right then and there for membership, and being inexperienced as I was at all this kind of stuff, I actually said yes.
I tried to get my money back but they would only credit me $200. I need to find out how to get all my money refunded. Is there anyone with any advice?

By: jischinger

jischinger — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:42:02 +0000

Consumer Advocate Nalts @ Your Service. Wow! If Geriatric1927’s Campaign, Get the Elderly Online works you’ll have a humongous audience!