Beware climbto350.com!

[Flywrite]

Hey all,

I just wanted to relate my experience with the people at climbto350.com. It's a bit embarassing to get on here and tell that I've been "taken", but maybe it'll help someone else avoid the same problem.

I know that paying for access to job information is a ripoff, and wont do it again, but back in January they had several jobs listed that I was interested in, so I went ahead and signed up for their $12.95 monthly membership.

A month later when trying to login I got an "invalid login" message. The same day I got an e-mail telling me that my membership had expired. The e-mail included a link to renew my membership. I was still finding jobs on there that werent anywhere else, so I renewed for February. Last Saturday my login failed again, and I got the same e-mail telling me that my membership had expired.

Fortunately, I had no real desire to renew again, so I took no action. On Sunday I got around to paying my credit card bill and was a bit surprised to find that I had been charged $12.95 twice in Feb, on the 21st and again on the 25th. I did some checking and found that I had been charged $12.95 again on March 22, the same day I received another an e-mail telling me that my membership had expired, offering once again to reinstate me if I went to a link to pay another $12.95.

I e-mailed climbto350's customer help explaining my situation and asking that one of the February charges be reversed, and either gain access to the site, or reverse the March 22 charge also. To save a little time I'll go ahead and post the e-mail exchange that went on this week between myself and climbto350.com.

Sorry that it's a very lengthy post, but I wanted to show everyone how evasive these people are, and also the misleading solicitations they send in "error".


----- Original Message -----
Wrom:
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 11:53 AM
Subject: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support



To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to regarding very serious concerns I have with your company's membership practices. I paid for a one month membership to Climbto350.com on February 21. The $12.95 fee was charget to my Visa card, however while reviewing my statement I found that I was charged $12.95 again on February 25.

In addition to the above issue, on March 22 I received an e-mail informing me that my membership had expired and directing me to a internet address to reactivate my membership by paying another monthy or yearly fee. Though I did NOT act to renew my membership my Visa card was charged a further $12.95 on March 22.

Even though my card was charged for membership, when I try to login to your site I get an "invalid login" message. I am very concerned about the unauthorized use of my credit card as well as the e-mail asking me to renew my membership on the same day that my card was charged without my consent. At best this is misleading, at worst it is credit card fraud.

I WILL accept the charge made on March 22, provided that I am able to login today. In regards to the charge made on February 25, please make sure that this charge is reversed and my card credited IMMEDIATELY.


Sincerely,



----- Original Message -----
Wrom: LBXFGGMEPYOQKE
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 1:18 PM
To:
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support

Hi ,

Please review the terms & conditions that you agreed upon when signing up! We don't have a one month memership, although we do have a monthly membership.


Membership Terms and Conditions
By enrolling in Climbto350.com's Online Resume service (the "Service"), you become a Member and agree to be bound by this Agreement (the "Agreement").
Monthly Memberships
1. The following fees are incurred by the Member:
Your credit card will be billed $12.95 in United States currency automatically for the next month and every month thereafter until you cancel your membership. Membership fees will be paid by automatic credit card debit on the first day of your billing cycle. It is not necessary to re-apply each month.

2. There are no refunds for Monthly Memberships.
3. Monthly Memberships can be cancelled at any time by the Member. To cancel your membership, please follow the steps below:

----- Original Message -----

Wrom:
To: Climbto350.com
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support


Your Terms and Conditions do not seem consistent with the following e-mail which I received on Saturday, March 22:

----- Original Message -----
Wrom:
Sent: Saturday, March 22, 2003 2:09 AM
To:
Subject: Ref: Climbto350.com membership ALERT

Hello ,
Your Climbto350.com Membership has expired. In order to provide you with the best service possible - we keep your information in our archives, so you can quickly reactivate your membership at any time.

Please go to the following URL:
[url]http://www.climbto350.com/resume/ReactivateLogin.cfm[/url]
and follow the simple instructions to reactivate your membership.

Regards,
The staff at Climbto350.com


I now understand that I was charged twice in February due to your combination of "automatic renewal" and e-mail solicitation to "reactivate" my membership. The fact that I can not sign in to the site combined with the e-mail notification that my membership has expired seem VERY misleading.

As I have requested, please see that the charge of $12.95 applied to my card on February 25 is reversed immediately. If you are unwilling to do this I will file a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center.

[url]http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp[/url]

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.


----- Original Message -----
Wrom: KPNKMBIPBARHDM
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 2:11 PM
To:
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support

Sure! That obviously was just an error!

Regards,

B-747 Flight Crew
Climbto350.com Help Desk



Wrom:
To: Climbto350.com
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support


I'm sorry, your response was a little vague. Will my card be credited for the second February charge and will I be able to log in today?


----- Original Message -----
Wrom: NNSKVFVWRKJVZC
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 2:31 PM
To:
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support

Hi ,
The easiest way to do this is for you to sign back up and I'll make sure billing doesn' bill you until next month this time.

Is that ok with you???

Regards,


We can do it a number of ways!!


----- Original Message -----
Wrom:
To: Climbto350.com
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 2:41 PM
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support



Whan you say "sign back up" do you mean pay again? In the past month I have been charged 3 times and I really dont want to pay anymore at this time. If you can get me set up to sign in without paying again, then arrange for me not to be charged until this time in May (three months from the first of the three charges) that would be OK.

Thanks,


----- Original Message -----
Wrom: MHVIBGDADRZFSQ
Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 3:06 PM
To:
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support

HI,
Whats your tel: number and I will be calling to ask you for your CC number so I can search Verisign

Regards,
support


- Original Message -----
Wrom:
To: Climbto350.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 8:04 AM
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support


,

I'm sorry but I'm just not willing ot give out my CC number to someone who calls me asking for it. I'm sure that there are ways for you to search my records without getting the number again. If you are not able to do this, please let me know how to contact a supervisor to take care of this matter.

To review what I am expecting today:

The reversal of a charge of $12.95 to my credit card.
The ability to log in to the website OR the reversal of a further $12.95 charge.

Thank you for your help with this matter.




----- Original Message -----
Wrom: UNNYCGPKYLEJGD
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 8:18 AM
To:
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support

HI ,
Sign back up as a new member and I'll make sure your CC is not charged until 30 days for now, unless of course you cancel you membership before that.

Regards,

Suport

----- Original Message -----
Wrom:
To: Climbto350.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 26, 2003 1:13 PM
Subject: Re: Ref:Climbto350_Member_Support


Mr. ,

I am troubled that I have not heard from you in over 24 hours, since sending my last e-mail again requesting that you credit me for the incorrect charges to my credit card made by Climbto350.com. I now have no interest in continued membership with Climbto350.com and also request that the additional $12.95 charged to me on March 22 (after receiving notice that my membership had expired) be reversed.

If I do not hear from you soon I will assume that you are refusing to correct this situation and will take further action to rectify your company's apparently fraudulent business practices. I'm sorry that it has come to this, but I will also make sure that my fellow job-seekers on the various internet pilot message boards hear about your "mistake" and refusal to correct it.



From Climbto350.com on Wednesday, Mar 26


What is your tel: number and I will call you!

Regards,



I e-mailed my phone number two days ago, but have yet to hear from these people. I am contacting the internet fraud complaint center run by the FBI as well as contacting my credit card company. I dont know if anyone else has had any kind of problem with this website, but if anyone is considering a membership I would advise strongly against it based on my experience.

Like they say, the only thing better than learning from your mistakes is learning from someone elses.
I hope this helps someone save a few bucks!

 

[2000flyer]

Flywrite,

Absolutely incredible! I'm sure there are many out there who really appreciate the information you have just provided! Just sorry you had to be put through this in order for the rest to learn a lesson!

Best of luck!!!

2000Flyer

 

[falcondriver]

I didn't have that problem but someone put a virus in one of the banners on climbto 350. Glad my antivirus caught it.
falcondriver

 

[aviatrix]

I like your tenacity, FlyWrite! Hit the company in the pocketbook by spreading this message around, if nothing else!
Kinda like country music radio stations refusing to play The Dixie Chicks since Natalie Maines' embarrassing comments over-seas!
I never really liked climbto350 anyway!

 

[sf260pilot]

Same thing

I had the same thing happen at the end of February and I was able to have them refund my credit card. They really do not want unhappy customers and I think that as long as you tried to cancel your membership or tell them the situation they should be able to fix the problem.

 

[Flying Illini]

Flywrite,
Sorry about your trouble. I have been paying for job info for several months now. I am not happy about it either but climbto350.com often times has the jobs nobody else does. As much as I hate paying for job leads I have to back 350.com...I am happy with the service that they have provided and hopefully your experience is an isolated one.

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

I was about 30min away from signing up, just to see what they had to offer. THANK YOU for posting this!

 

[LAZYB]

Uh...if you give me your credit card number, I think I can solve many of your problems...

 

[Drifter]

Why don't you post what jobs they have there on this board... Since they're chargin you double you might as well take advantage of it... one for you, and one for the rest of the board.
If there is one thing I can't stand, its being taken. Stick it to em.
Drifter

 

[Flywrite]

I would gladly pass along job info, but even though I have been charged THREE times since late February, I cant access the site. They tell me that if I sign up again (give them my card info again) I'll be able to access...heckuva deal, huh?