MWI Connections - SCAM or not??? - PLEASE READ!

[MisterE]

Greetings, all. This isn't a hot deal, but a follow-up to a deal that passed thru Anadtech a few months ago. Hopefully someone will post some helpful information before this gets locked.

A few months ago, there was a hot deal that gave 4 movie tickets for $1. In order to take advantage of this, you had to sign up for a 30-day trial membership for a "group buy" or discount-price service. After the 30-days, you would be charged around $80 per year to continue the service. I was charged $1 (showed up on my WebCertificate as 'MWI Connections'), but never received the tickets. Also, I never received any sort of email from the service even indicating that I had registered. When I went to the website, I couldn't even find decent contact information to check on my supposed 'account.' Since nothing ever came from it (no additional charges to my WebCert or anything), I decided to forget about the $1 charge and assumed that they had forgotten about me.

Yesterday, I was going to use my WebCertificate to purchase something. However, I noticed a "pending charge" on my WebCert for $80. I called today, and the charge is from 'MWI Connections." It looks like they are suddenly trying to collect membership dues from me, even though they have not fulfilled their obligation to me (not that I want them to, now).

I have the web site address written down at home somewhere, but I was hoping that someone here remembered the deal and had the website or a phone number or something that they could post. The deal wasn't listed as 'MWI Connections,' that is just the way the charge shows up on my WebCert. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[oneeighty]

ABSOLUTE SCAM!

http://forums.anandtech.com/arcmessageview.cfm?catid=40&threadid=94717

http://www.consumergroup.com/wwwboard/wwwboard.html

This company has an extensive history of pulling the "charge a CC for fake membership" shenanigan. Utilize a good search engine to uncover hundreds of written accounts of their thinly veiled fraud.

 

[jshorey]

They seem a bit shady but now I actually use the service pretty frequently. They are generally pretty nice on the phone.

They will refund the whole amount if you haven't used the service at all... I didn't have any trouble getting the refund before...

You can order all of the gift-certificates from the website now which is much easier than calling all the time:

www.connections123.com

I got the 4 free movie tickets (worth about $28 here) and have since ordered about 20 movie tickets for my theater at $3.75 a piece. So I have more than paid for the service. I also buy gift certificates to Outback steakhouse, Barnes and Noble, Bahama Breeze, and blockbuster. At 20% off they make good presents too.

I also gave the membership number to all my friends so they can order to their hearts content

The certificates come in the mail pretty fast.

anyway... just my 2 cents.

 

[MisterE]

Thanks for the quick replies. The consumergroup.com link had a 1800 number listed that got me in contact with MWI. It almost seemed too easy (and probably was), but I have canceled whatever 'account' that was set up and the pending charge on my WebCert should be dropped. I will have to keep an eye on this, though.

E.

 

[MisterE]

D@mmit, I hate this crap. Yesterday, I was assured by MWI that the charge would not be made against my credit card (WebCert MasterCard). However, they went ahead and charged me. I called them back today and was told that, yes, I was charged, but that I had now been credited. WebCert tells me that it will take up to 3 weeks for the credit to show up (but should be sooner). So, I have $80 floating around that could be better spent on something else.

I am pissed.

E.