XPost: misc.consumers 
 From: richgr@panix.com 
  
 In article <1112684974.525463.327230@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, 
 aa  wrote: 
  
 ['...] 
  
 >But now your overpayment covers 
 >several month upfront, so you prefer 
 >to get the money back to your credit 
 >card. You don't want to credit 
 >the Sympatico for several months 
 >upfront, do you ? 
 > 
 >And then you receive the nasty news: 
 >they are not going to return your 
 >money!  Yes, they claim the money 
 >are theirs regardless of the fact 
 >that they weren't entitled for getting 
 >them at all. 
 > 
 >Let me clarify: there is no long-term 
 >contract involved. The service 
 >is on month-by-month basis 
 >and it is agreed it will be paid 
 >one month upfront, nothing more. 
 > 
 >But according to their internal policy 
 >(about which you heard nothing 
 >up to now, nor it is mentioned 
 >in the agreement you read before) 
 >the only possibility of clearing 
 >the account is using the overpayment 
 >for buying their services. 
 > 
 >And it doesn't matter, that you 
 >don't want to use their services 
 >anymore. Or if you die in the 
 >meantime. They claim the money 
 >is theirs and that's all. 
 > 
 >Nice, eh ? 
 > 
 >I understand that the correct name 
 >for the situation, when a company 
 >takes money which this company 
 >is not entitled for, and when 
 >this company don't agree to return it 
 >- is simply 'theft'. What do you 
 >think ? 
 > 
 >Such a policy means, for example, 
 >that Sympatico would be entitled 
 >to keep money of an individual, 
 >who was overcharged mistakenly 
 >by $10,000 (why not ?) and died 
 >after seeing the credit card bill. 
 > 
 >Interesting, isn't it ? 
 > 
 >Bad Sympatico, bad. 
  
 #1) You should be disputing these charges with your credit card company. 
 Within 60 days of it appearing on your bill (or whatever interval 
 applies in Canada). 
  
 #2) This is why autocharges to your credit card are almost as bad as 
 autodebits to your checking account.  You should set up electronic bill 
 pay with your bank, and then YOU control the payments. 
  
 #3) Whenever you have a "special" rate on something make sure you have 
 the terms in writing before they get dollar one. 
  
 -- 
 Rich Greenberg Marietta, GA, USA richgr atsign panix.com    + 1 770 321 6507 
 Eastern time.  N6LRT  I speak for myself & my dogs only.   VM'er since CP-67 
 Canines:Val, Red & Shasta (RIP),Red, husky                   Owner:Chinook-L 
 Atlanta Siberian Husky Rescue. www.panix.com/~richgr/  Asst Owner:Sibernet-L 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)