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Posted by: net_DEMON_88 12/3/2005
Consumer Alert:
WebLoyalty.com (a.k.a. WLI*Reservation Rewards)
The Bad News
About a year ago I noticed that my VISA was charged $9 by a company called “WLI*Reservation Rewards.” I called VISA to inquire about the charge and found out that I had been charged $9 a month for almost a year!
(Obviously, I should have been reviewing my monthly statements more closely.)
I had no idea how Reservation Rewards had received my credit card information. So after doing some research online, I discovered that I had inadvertently “enrolled” in Reservation Rewards by clicking on an advertisement/promotion hosted by 1-800-FLOWERS.com.
The Reservation Rewards promotion offered a $10 discount or some such thing. I did not re-enter my credit card number – that information was passed directly to Reservation Rewards by 1-800-FLOWERS.
Apparently, this is type of information sharing is legal (the Reservation Rewards promotion had the appropriate legal small print), however it now seems very unethical to me.
Normally, when you sign up for a service that comes with a monthly service charge, it is made very obvious to the consumer. In my opinion, this was more like a dirty trick, a rip-off, and a scam.
The Good News
I called Reservation Rewards and demanded ALL of my money back – not just the single monthly charge I noticed. The customer service representative put up some mild resistance, but ultimately agreed to give me a full refund (about $80).
According the other postings I’ve read online, these guys get complaint calls frequently and are happy to give you a full refund. It seems that they make so much money off of people that don’t closely review their credit card statements (like me), that full refunds are no big deal.
So if you want to cancel your “enrollment,” call them and demand your money back! Here’s their toll-free number: 1-800-732-7031
How to Protect Yourself
Always be sure to closely review your credit card statements. It seems to me that companies like WLI Reservation Rewards hope that their small monthly fees will go unnoticed – and most often they are right!
Next, avoid companies that do business with WLI Reservation Rewards. To see a list of these companies, simply go to www.webloyalty.com and follow the link titled “Our Clients.” You will see a list of companies that participate in their so-called “rewards program.”
You may also want to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I completed mine online. Simply visit www.bbb.org and follow the link titled “Business” that appears in the “File a Complaint” section at the top of the page.
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