zBiddy
Complaint 114433 Details

ZBiddy = dishonest, scamming, scheming practices. This may be a long report, but wanted to include all the ins and outs as I think the scam happens pretty close to the way it happened to me.
The website is designed in a way to fool the public and the customer service team argues you when you tell them you were dupped. To enter the site and view the auctions you have to 'sign up', enter name, email (a screen name is made for you) and enter your credit card information (a lot of sites require this as a means to make sure that you are able to pay for anything you decide to purchase, prior to entering).. it was COMPLETELY UNCLEAR that anything would be charged to my card, as the site is designed to do. After clicking the big red link to enter the auctions, "START WINNING", I wound up on the same screen with an error stating "ERROR: You have already purchased a bid package and are no longer eligible to buy any of these bid packages. Click here to purchase other packages".. after clearing my eyes (I'm very cautious about purchasing things online!), I looked around the page and saw that there are packages of "bids" to the left, in a completely different box.. that I hadn't really noticed.. The cheapest of the packages being $69, Midrange (and set as the DEFAULT, which was already selected!) was priced at $99, and one or two packages that were more expensive. The $99 package states that you receive 250 bids for $.40 / bid.
I sent an email immediately that I wanted a refund, as it was after business hours and no one answered my call.. and the online "chat" was off due to it being after hours. I received an email stating that a "caring" customer service representative would call me.. they didn't. I called later the same day (today) and talked with someone who gave me the run around, wanted to know what sparked my interest in the site, and made me decide to register.. I said I wasn't interested in answering that, and he ACTUALLY said, "for the fourth time, I'll ask you the question, what made you register, so I can gauge things?".. So while I'm sitting there, having already stated my issue with the site and expecting a full refund, and calling it a scam, they were still trying to do customer research, as if they actually care. No doubt just trying to determine how to prove that I actually had authorized this charge and work the angle. These people are slick and don't get a rip if someone's dissatisfied. These people argued with me, and told me I had agreed to the TERMS AND CONDITIONS so therefore I agreed to the charge and DID in fact authorize it. Not true. When I told them there are LOTS of unhappy customers online stating that they were scammed and that their site is designed to deceive people, they said how popular the site was, with 300,000 happy customers. They offered me a gift card to some restaurants for $100, and they would do me the 'favor' of keeping my account open so I could still access the site. That didn't reel me back in though, of course.. I stood my ground and repeated at least 15 times that I expected a full refund. I told them they would have a fight on their hands and I would report it to the local tv stations and fight the charge through my credit card company, or they could offer me the full refund and we could be done. I talked to two different reps, one saying he was the only manager on, and in the end after telling him that the site says they offer 100% satisfaction guaranteed, and do I sound like I'm satisfied?.. he actually said, "Yes, M'am I would say that you are satisfied.".. "I said, OK, I will tell you then, since you don't seem to understand one's tone of voice or be able to absorb what I'm saying. I am very DISSATISFIED." I was put on hold once more, and a few minutes later told that the full refund would be put through and my account would be closed and I "could never access the site again".. ! Fabulous, I said! They said I would be receiving an email stating the refund information. I got the representative's "operator #".. in lieu of a last name and saw that I had received an email stating I would be refunded the $99. It says it will take 5-7 business days based on my financial institution. But, we will see.
I would suggest arguing your eyes out with them, stating you're dissatisfied and let them know them that you've seen that they claim to offer 100% Satisfaction on their site (at the bottom with a big thumbs up graphic), and that you'll fight the credit card charge, report them to the Better Business Bureau and get on the radio and tv special interest reports to get the word out.
If I don't receive the refund from them as they've stated I will, I'll be back to report ! Thanks and be careful out there, it's a jungle.