Btokash
Chesapeake City,#2Consumer Comment
Tue, February 12, 2008
I received this offer in today's mail. I pegged it for "junk mail" immediately, because to my knowledge, no legitimate credit card company mails out cards with their offers anymore. I ALWAYS open the offers anyway, because I find entertainment in reading the absurd "terms" and "fees" associated with the offers, I read them out loud, so that the others in the room can laugh with me. This one was great. No endorsement (i.e. Visa or Mastercard), told me it was, at best, a "store-credit" style card (like Sears or Best Buy). The very first page said clearly that the applicability was "CCA (Catalog) Shopping" and then later on the first page says, "Since your new card is not a general credit card and is authorized for CCA catalog purchases exclusively, you're already approved for over 5,000 products to purchase from such as computers, electronics, furniture, clothes, jewelry, tools, cookware, housewares, small home appliances, automotive items and much more." However, there is ABSOLUTELY NO sample page showing any products whatsoever included with my mailing, as the "EX-EMPLOYEE" suggested. After reading most of the remaining 4 full legal-sized documents jam packed with terms and conditions, privacy policy, etc. I was amused, but impressed, with how clear the information provided was. It is my determination that one of two things is going on here. A) People are not reading, very carefully, the ridiculous amount of fine print literature included with this "credit offer" (this is most likely because few people have an hour to read a single piece of junk mail, or possibly because some people jump on an opportunity for over $6,000.00 in credit, or maybe even because they haven't experienced being "ripped off" by a major credit card company yet?). Or B) CCA is sending out different packet offers from that which I received, which did clearly lay out their terms, but did NOT include any form of advertisement of their ACTUAL products. It is a MISLEADING "offer" at first sight, but once you take a few minutes to read one or two pages, you get the gist of it. It's legal if it's on paper and you agree to it. It's not illegal if you don't read it in it's entirety before you agree.
Bcsformer
Freehold,#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Sun, December 09, 2007
Ok, I understand how you feel about money being taken out of your account however, being with the company and working in different departments I know for a fact that the company does not and will call any customers regarding mail they may or may not have received. I also know that the phones they use cannot dial out to call anyone, they operators on the phones also have no knowledge of any persons address, name, or phone number until they call the number on the papers that came in the mail. Also, the only way that the company can receive any banking information is by getting it from the customer that is calling. Furthermore even though it is not right to do to people (but perfectly legal) CCS is not a fraudulent credit company or scam. By definition scam and/or fraud is misrepresenting yourself and/or what u are selling/offering. In no way does the first national card states that it is a major crdit card, it does not state that it has a visa or master card logo, it also comes with a photo (one page) brochure of some of the catalog items. When a customer calls to inquire about the card they ae given 15 minutes worth of information about the card and the services. They are also told about the fees, why the banking information is needed, what it maybe used for, and the customer is asked several questions at the end of the conversation that clearly states what if anything would be charged, when the customer can cancel without being charged and also that the membership is in fact to a catalog shopping club. The customer has to answer yes (that they understand everything read to them) to each question read to them. If a customer answers no to any questions attempts are amde to resolve any question that they do not understand or agree with. If the customer still choses no to the questions the call is terminated and the information is erased automatically by the computer. There is no way that the company can receive bank info or personal info without the customers knowledge or consent. Last, but not least by answering yes to the question it constitutes a legal agreement that you will be responsible for the terms given to you by the representative (mostly all calls are monitored for this reason). I do not condone it however for the people who feel like they've gptten ripped off read everything you receive from anyone, also the company (while not being forthcoming all the time) is not at fault (sometimes).