Ripped off by Quickflix

[McMark]

I thought it appropriate to warn fellow forum users of
a scam I have been sucked into as of June 2011.
A well intentioned gift for xmas 2010 which I decided to use
3 months later turned out to be an opportunity for QUICKFLIX
to take liberties that were never afforded them.
I guess I should have listened to the alarm bells , when whilst
entering voucher details, the website asked for my credit card
details, but only for security reasons apparently.
The voucher period expired in may 2011, and then (not being one
to regularly check my credit card statements) to my surprise, last mont
dec 2011 i notice that my card has been debited monthly for the last
6 months, and not even consistent amounts. Sometimes 20 sometimes 30 dollars.
I let master card know and they are investigating.
I then received an email from quickflix stating
quote
"Hi Mark,

Thank you for contacting Quickflix with regards to being billed after the completion of your free trial.
When new members start their free trial with Quickflix, we advise them to keep a note of when their free trial offer ends. The reason we do this is because our members have the choice to either cancel their free trial within the free trial period, or if they are enjoying using Quickflix, to do nothing and their membership will automatically continue at the monthly subscription price, which will be set by the plan that they commenced their free trial on.
As your account remained active after the 9/06/2011 and you did not inform us of your wish to cancel, you were rolled onto the default monthly plan and have therefore been billed for your monthly subscription fee each month.
If you would prefer not to continue with your membership you will need to call the Member Care Team on 1300 138 644 as cancellation is effective as of a phone call.
Please view our Terms and Conditions http://www.quickflix.com.au/public/home/termsandconditions.aspx for further information.
We hope this information helps.
Kind regards,

Dana

Please tell me if you can rationalise this having something to with
any fault being mine .

 

[Julia]

You weren't actually ripped off if their initial material explained that if you did not make it clear at the end of the free trial that you had no wish to continue then they would assume you wanted to take up a paid subcription.

Why did you think they wanted your credit card details? Didn't that make you read the fine print?

Different story, of course, if their promotional offer didn't make clear that you had to say "no thanks" at the end of the trial.

 

[skc]

Please tell me if you can rationalise this having something to with any fault being mine .

Sounds like a straight forward opt-out only promotional offer that is pretty legit.

Not a scam. This kind of offers aim to benefit from people's (like yourself) lack of willingless or ability to read fine prints, or their preference for inaction (i.e. not opt out).

If you can't rationalise this being entirely your own undertaking... rationalise harder.

 

[McLovin]

These sort of companies derive a lot of revenue from inertia. Keep the fee small and make it difficult to cancel and people won't be bothered.

Anyway, it's in the terms so it's not a scam at all...

If you become a paying subscriber after your free trial, a once-off joining fee as listed on the Pricing & Packages page, http://www.quickflix.com.au/PricingAndPlans of the Website will be charged at the beginning of your first payment cycle. It is your responsibility to know when your free trial or promotional offer ends, and to cancel your free trial or promotional offer if you do not wish to become a paid subscriber. In some cases you will be able to cancel your trial or promotional offer online, in others you will need to call our Member Service team – check your account page once you have signed up for more information. If you do not cancel your free trial or promotional offer within the free trial or promotional period, you will be billed your first subscription fee at the end of your free trial or promotional offer for the subscription fees for your Subscription Package.

 

[pixel]

Thanks McMark for reporting your plight;

while it may be legit, from an "ethical" point of view, I find it at least dubious. But then again - where doe an ethical point of view have a place in marketing

It's very easy in hindsight to know what went wrong and why: It's the request for credit card details that should have rung alarm bells. I'm sure it will - for you - next time and every time thereafter. But I know that your report will also help a few "silent" ASF readers next time they find themselves in a similar quandary "Should I or shouldn't I sign up to something FREE?"

I remember a similar report, a long time ago, reinforcing my resolve to never ever giving out personal details just for the sake of some "freebie". And that's why I thank you again in anticipation on behalf of the indeterminate number of ASF friends, whom you will have saved a packet.

 

[McMark]

thanks for the feedback.
It is interesting that Quick flix has now chosen to describe the arrangement
as a free trial rather than a gift voucher scenario.
Perhaps with a free trial I could see myself being caught out by
not reading or seeing the fine print. But redeeming a paid gift voucher
should be a simple enough procedure that one would not be deceived into
an agreement that afforded them the right to debit my card.
I think there is something more to this than a random oversight on my part
while simply redeeming a gift voucher.
Anyway I will let you know what transpires.
and thanks again for all the points of view
appreciated

 

[bellenuit]

Slightly off topic. Until recently, I never had a smart phone and then I purchased the iPhone 4S. However, my son always had a top of the range smart phone insisting he needed it for uni (when he went to uni) or his job, once he started working. He also has a habit of opening his mail and leaving it lying around for a few days.

I couldn't help but notice the amount of penalty transactions he received, usually for late payment of this or that, and renewal subscriptions for magazines/clubs etc. that I know he no longer has an interest in.

Apart from financial transactions, he keeps missing appointments and saying "I thought it was tomorrow" or something like that.

His friends admit to the same forgetfulness.

I don't think I ever missed an appointment other than due to unforeseen circumstances, or had to pay penalty fees due to missing a payment. Any bill I receive or contract that I enter into that has some financial consequence on the expiry date, I immediately enter into my computer's calendar so I don't forget, with an alert set sufficient days before the deadline so that I can take appropriate action.

I can't understand how so many people are throwing hundreds of dollars away each year on such charges, when they have so much technology available at their fingertips that would prevent such costs if used appropriately.

 

[Tyler Durden]

Also slightly off topic, watch out for quibids.com.au

I saw them advertise on tv so thought it was not only legit, but a pretty good idea. I was close to signing up, but then thought I'd google it for any reviews, and they were all negative reviews about how their credit cards got charged up with non-explicit fees etc.

Then I read a newspaper article about how it was a rip off, so glad I avoided that one.

 

[andrew king]

After being charged for a free trial and being put on hold for 45mins only to be palmed off, I totally understand your situation. I have been trying to cancel a service I can't use offered by a company I can't contact. You can only cancel by phone but no one wants to take a cancellation call. I have told paypal to cancel payment arrangements, lodged a dispute with them and emailed Quickflix to cancel any hint of a contract. After a brief search of internet this occurence is all too common. Cancel the source of the money going to Quickflix!! contact your financial institution or paypal and get them to stop payments!!

 

[Pedrotheswift]

I thought it appropriate to warn fellow forum users of
a scam I have been sucked into as of June 2011.
A well intentioned gift for xmas 2010 which I decided to use
3 months later turned out to be an opportunity for QUICKFLIX
to take liberties that were never afforded them.
I guess I should have listened to the alarm bells , when whilst
entering voucher details, the website asked for my credit card
details, but only for security reasons apparently.
The voucher period expired in may 2011, and then (not being one
to regularly check my credit card statements) to my surprise, last mont
dec 2011 i notice that my card has been debited monthly for the last
6 months, and not even consistent amounts. Sometimes 20 sometimes 30 dollars.
I let master card know and they are investigating.
I then received an email from quickflix stating
quote
"Hi Mark,

Thank you for contacting Quickflix with regards to being billed after the completion of your free trial.
When new members start their free trial with Quickflix, we advise them to keep a note of when their free trial offer ends. The reason we do this is because our members have the choice to either cancel their free trial within the free trial period, or if they are enjoying using Quickflix, to do nothing and their membership will automatically continue at the monthly subscription price, which will be set by the plan that they commenced their free trial on.
As your account remained active after the 9/06/2011 and you did not inform us of your wish to cancel, you were rolled onto the default monthly plan and have therefore been billed for your monthly subscription fee each month.
If you would prefer not to continue with your membership you will need to call the Member Care Team on 1300 138 644 as cancellation is effective as of a phone call.
Please view our Terms and Conditions http://www.quickflix.com.au/public/home/termsandconditions.aspx for further information.
We hope this information helps.
Kind regards,

Dana

Please tell me if you can rationalise this having something to with
any fault being mine .

Just a few comments on your post and those who chose to reply to it. I have to agree with Julia that the offer seems to be legal. I do, however believe it to be dishonest and unethical in as much as it doesn't mention in the original offer document , the fact there is an opt out clause in the Terms and Conditions fine print. I guess it has become the norm for people selling products to gloss over any inconvenient facts which may discourage the free exchange of bank details. Please take care to never disclose your private details in exchange for "free" stuff and never enter into any financial agreement without first reading the Terms and Conditions in detail. I'm personally concerned about the lack of integrity displayed by the advertising companies who obviously care nothing about truth and honesty in advertising when they sell advertising space to confidence tricksters.