Just had an email from Ziinga.com

joanne95

What a nightmare. Let's hope they just leave it.

MichaelMoola

Just for the record I am posting my exact communication with Ziinga, I also phoned them and they send me a £35 fee Credit Card Payment, but I am ignoring them and not paying them any more.

Chat Log
=====================
Please wait for a site operator to respond.
You are now chatting with 'Arlan'
Arlan: Welcome to Ziinga Live Chat Service! How can I help you?
Michael: Hello, I am on a 7 day trial what happens at the end of the 7 days?
Arlan: In order for me to verify that for you, please provide me your registered username and email address
Michael: **********
Michael: **********@gmail.com
Arlan: Thank you for providing that information.
Michael: ?
Michael: Am I going to be billed 59.99 in 7 days time
Arlan: Please verify your registered email address
Michael: Then I will be a member?
Michael: Am I going to be billed 59.99 in 7 days time
Michael: Simple question
Michael: **********@gmail.com
Michael: thats my email
Michael: helloo
Arlan: All Platinum members get to enjoy the first 7 days FREE and value added benefits namely:
Arlan: Extra bids for bid package purchases
Arlan: Free shipping
Arlan: Free bid
Arlan: Bid-for-Free auctions
Arlan: Daily Bid Agent
Arlan: Once you become a paying member, you can review the benefits and the price of your membership by going to "My Account".
Arlan: As this is a binding contract, you will receive membership benefits for 3 months and will be charged the monthly fee of GBP59.99
Michael: OK so I signed up now and I have 7 days to cancel?
Michael: is what your saying
Michael: I am a free platimum meber and in 7 days I will be billed 59.99 and I wil be billed 59.99 every 3 months
Michael: every month for atleast free monthds
Michael: months*
Arlan: No, you were given the first 7 days free period and not a trial period
Arlan: You will be charged the monthly fee after the free days expire
Michael: Ok so in 7 days time I will be automatically billed 59.99
Arlan: Yes, that is correct
Michael: ok
Arlan: Is there anything else that I can help you with?
Michael: What time of day do you have the least traffic?
Arlan: All of our customer support lines are open 24 by 7
Arlan: All of our customer support lines are open 24/7
Michael: you talk of platinum mmbership what levels of membership do you have?
Arlan: Currently, we only offer Platinum membership
Michael: So every single person on this site is paying 59.99 a month (for 3 months) after you tricked them into getting a free debenhams voucher worth £50?
Michael: its f**king genius!!
Arlan: All the details about the membership, its benefits and charges, are shown on the Payment page and in the receipt we sent you after your payment. More information are included in the Terms and Conditions, FAQ's and How To page. How the website works and complete policies are made available and are clearly provided to our users. We encourage our users to read all necessary information before completing any transaction. Furthermore, an e-mail receipt is sent to our users upon purchase as a reminder about the membership charges and the 7-day free period.
Arlan: There is no intention to deceive as all necessary information is communicated to our customers.
Michael: questionable...
Michael: Ok how do I cancel
Arlan: An email with a cancellation link was sent to your registered email address. Kindly click on the link contained within the email to cancel your membership. Please note that the link expires after seven days. Also, please be reminded that you are still under the 3-month binding contract.
Michael: So I am now going to be billed 3 x 59.99
Arlan: Yes, you will be charged GBP59.99 per month and that is for 3 months
Michael: Ok so I have to do a charge back for miss selling
Arlan: We understand how you feel about this, but we make sure that our customers are informed about our products and services. Please be assured that we will respect whatever decision you may come up in connection to this concern.
Michael: So you dont offer the usual cooling of period that comes with products and services governed by uk law?
Arlan: As per the agreed Terms and Conditions, 'All users disclaims any right to a cooling-off period when signing up to the platinum membership.'
Michael: As part of our 30-day return policy, refunds must be claimed within 30 days after the date of sign up. However, users may only be entitled to a subscription fee refund if they have not used any of their membership benefits (cancellation fee applies). If the member has already received a free promotional gift from Ziinga, that item must be returned to Ziinga's return address in an unopened condition. Once Ziinga receives the item and all requirements have been fulfilled, Ziinga will process the refund request immediately.
Michael: I would like to use this
Michael: as stated in your terms
Arlan: Ok then
Michael: I have not yet received anything please canceled me immedietly
Michael: And do not charge me further
Arlan: Do you agree to pay for the cancellation fee of GBP35.00?
Arlan: Please read again - As part of our 30-day return policy, refunds must be claimed within 30 days after the date of sign up. However, users may only be entitled to a subscription fee refund if they have not used any of their membership benefits (cancellation fee applies). If the member has already received a free promotional gift from Ziinga, that item must be returned to Ziinga's return address in an unopened condition. Once Ziinga receives the item and all requirements have been fulfilled, Ziinga will process the refund request immediately.
Arlan: It says, cancellation fee applies
Michael: No as I am not yet in contract. I haven't yet started my 3 month binding contract, my contract starts in 8 days
Michael: 7 days*
Arlan: The system shows that you have signed up with our Platinum membership on 2012-11-07 with your purchase of the £ 50 Debenhams which you won from one of our promotional auctions . The details of your membership were included in the payment page and in the receipt sent to you after your payment.
Arlan: As this is a binding contract, you will receive membership benefits for 3 months and will be charged the subsequent fees.
Arlan: As written before you upon your payment, here is the text from when you bought your £ 50 Debenhams:
Arlan: "Included with this payment, you will receive a 7-day Platinum membership for FREE. Once the free days expire, normal monthly charges of GBP59.99 will apply." The membership clause is stated within the receipt we sent after you have completed the transaction.
Michael: Ok I accept the £35 charge
Michael: please cancel immediately
Arlan: Do I take that as a confirmation that you agree to pay the cancellation fee?
Michael: hrm..
Michael: No i will decide tomorroe after I have spoken to a solicitor
Michael: good bye
Arlan: We will respect your decision
Arlan: Please be reminded that you are still under the binding contract so the monthly fee will still be charged
Arlan: Is there anything else that I can help you with?
Arlan: Just checking, are we still connected?
Arlan: If you don't have any other questions, I may need to close this chatbox. Please feel free to open the chat again or email us at info@ziinga.com for further assistance.
Arlan: Thank you for choosing Ziinga. If you have any other questions, feel free to open a chat or e-mail us at info@ziinga.com! Thank you for chatting. Good-bye.
Arlan: Have a nice day!
Chat session has been terminated by the site operator.

something4nothing

I Don't understand what Zingaa have meant to have done wrong here.I am very surprised Arlan didn't disconnect the call when you swore at him.

flandot

I think it is always so important to carefully read the T's&C's before committing to anything these days. Companies like this made money from people who don't think the small print means much.

something4nothing

The details of your membership were included in the payment page and in the receipt sent to you after your payment.

jan423

Today 21/11/12 I had joined this auction company. I payed £35 for bids meant to be, but when I tried to bid on anything it wanted me to purchase more!! even though it said I had £60.00 credit. I then got so frustrated I contacted them to cancel which they said woulf cost me another£35 on the same day and that they would be taking £58 membership from my account next week!!.
So I joined today and cancelled withinn 30mins. hADN'T BIDDED ON ANYTHING BUT IT COST ME £70.00 FOR WHAT!!!
tHE BANK ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THERE IOS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO STOP THEM TAKING PAYMENTS APART FROM ME ORDERING A NEW CARD!!!

This was some dear mistake. Im trying to seek legal advise to get my much needed money back.

Jan

Bagpuss22

I had an email from Ziinga saying I had bid on and won a camera. They say that I gave them my credit card details and in doing so I agreed to their terms and conditions of membership. I DID NOT buy a camera and I certainly didn't give them my CC details - I have no recollection of ever even visiting their website. I ignored the email thinking it was spam but now they are saying that they are going to refer me to a debt collection agency because of unpaid membership fees - not sure what to do. They haven't got any of my personal details or CC details so tempted to ignore them but I don't want debt collectors on my back. Any advice?

TomHarcourt

How much is the camera worth? If it's not a high value then a debt collection agency wont bother chasing you up, they just keep selling your debt on. If you're sure it's not for you, then call their bluff and wait. That's what i'd do anyway.

Don't worry about it though, clearly trying to up their game slightly and use scare tactics!!

andrew71

Bagpuss22 wrote: »

I had an email from Ziinga saying I had bid on and won a camera. They say that I gave them my credit card details and in doing so I agreed to their terms and conditions of membership. I DID NOT buy a camera and I certainly didn't give them my CC details - I have no recollection of ever even visiting their website. I ignored the email thinking it was spam but now they are saying that they are going to refer me to a debt collection agency because of unpaid membership fees - not sure what to do. They haven't got any of my personal details or CC details so tempted to ignore them but I don't want debt collectors on my back. Any advice?

First of all check your credit card statements to see if any payment as gone out for something you do not recognise. It may not even say ziinga it could be something different If you do notice anything unusual contact your credit card company and ask them for more details.
If they say you have given your credit card details ask them to tell you what your last 4-6 numbers are on the card. If they refuse saying it is not in their policy or whatever to do this then it basically means they are lying.

Are Ziinga sending the emails addressed to you personally or addressed something like dear customer?

They basically try to scare people into paying saying that if you do not pay then debt collectors will be involved. If nothing else is unusual eg credit card not used and they do not have your address then inform them that any debt collector will be turned away.

Bagpuss22

Thanks for your comments. Nothing unusual so far on my credit card. I am not so worried about them chasing me for the cost of the camera - it is only £30. I am worried about the £59 monthly membership fee which they say will continue every month until I cancel. I tried to cancel but they say I can only cancel if I pay them a £35 cancellation fee. They clearly haven't got my credit card details and I am not about to give them to them. They do not use my name but a user name that they claim I set up when I "registered". I think the only thing they have of mine is my email address. I have told them that I will ignore any further emails. I think they are just trying to scare me into giving them my Credit Card details - has anyone else been randomly targeted in this way?