The Green Millionaire : Buyer Beware!

* Update - 4/16/12 - FTC orders Green Millionaire founder has to pay 2 million in damages!
I recently had a friend and reader suggest I check out this great new free book he found called The Green Millionaire. He said I could get a free copy at the website (I'm not even going to link to their site because it's too close to a scam for my taste). When I went there, I saw something that looked very "scammish". Anything promising "free" anything immediately sets off my alarm signals. So I did a little digging (a.k.a. google) and found this article from Fibomercials and Scams.

Basically, you sign up for the "free" book and they need your credit card for the $1 "shipping and handling" charge. But the devil is in the details! The fine print says:

*Start your free trial today and we will also send you a free 14 day subscription to The Green Millionaire eMagazine. Just pay a $1.00 processing fee. You will have 14 days to try The Green Millionaire eMagazine and discover how to become wealthier while saving the planet. If you like the simple, powerful solutions presented in the program, do nothing. At the end of your free trial period you will be charged the discounted price of $29.95, and every 60 days thereafter.

And then gives you the number to call to cancel your subscription. I wonder how hard it is to get through to a live person?

After doing my research I asked my friend to check his credit card bill and guess what? Here was his reply:

Argghh!!! Looks like I’m in the scam wheel. I didn’t even know it was from an infomercial (which I never watch). I think I found the link through another referral.

Well I got the book, and it’s OK. Nothing earth shattering, but some good ideas. I’ll give you my copy if you want it… I’m too pissed to hold on to it. They did charge me $29.95. I will dispute with my CC company, and maybe cancel my card.

So, if you need some green tips then go ahead and get your "Green Millionaire" book, pay $29.95 every 60 days or take the trouble to cancel your "subscription". Or you can read this blog and the other great resources that are out there that cost you nothing. I won't say it's free though because I do "force" you to glance at ads. Hey, a guy has to eat (I just bough some nice grass-fed steaks) doesn't he?

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Comments

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 10/26/2010 - 21:12

according to my bank the phone # for Green Millionare is 1-877-213-8238 I was charged $89.95 too.

ckmapawatt Mon, 09/27/2010 - 18:45

People have posted it in these comments.

Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 10/11/2010 - 20:17

Check your credit card statement. If you were charged, there should be a phone number listed in the detail section of the charge.

Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 08/22/2010 - 16:32

As a green millionaire agent… let me say WE ARE NOT A SCAM! I take countless calls from customers like yourselves every day bitching of how they were charged and scammed. If only you would take the time to read our terms and conditions on our website which is clearly marked in large, BOLD print as saying The Green Millionaire Emagazine Terms and Conditions, convienently placed right before you enter your credit card information. Also our terms and conditions are printed on the invoice sent with your book. Do you take the time to open the package the book comes in, or do you notice a charge on your bank statement and then realize you were charged and call us to complain? more than likely it’s the latter. Also there isn’t a point in trying to report us to the bbb, Attorney General, your bank or credit card company. The reason that is, is because these company’s all have their investigative teams who will investigate our terms and conditions, call us to confirm the terms and conditions that you didn’t bother to read and will side with us. Therefore you will feel like an idiot for ordering something you didn’t bother reading in the first place. So to save yourself aggravation… as a general rule… ANY website that asks you for your credit card number should be a red flag to read the terms and conditions. Please do this before you call us to order and waste your time. To me it’s this kind of mentality,,, say you go to a hamburger joint. You know what you want, you order the food, take a bite out of the burger, go to the counter and say, “I don’t want this. I don’t like it. Give me back my money or else I’m going to sue you!” It’s just ridiculous and doesn’t make any sense. You know for a fact they won’t take it back. You knew exactly what you were doing. So why stress yourself out for over 30-80 bucks? Do you honestly think that a lawyer or attorney general is going to waste their time on that amount of money? Please! Your lawyer and filing fees are going to be triple that amount! It doesn’t make sense. And we are upfront with our customers. If you watch the infomercials, all of the legal information is there. Nigel Williams himself says, give me a chance for 2 weeks with our emagazine. If you’re not satisfied, simply call and cancel within that time. No hassle, no obligation, no worry. Now, how can we get away with that misrepresentation? Especially since the founder of the company states our program explanation. But draw your own conclusions. The terms and conditions are there. People just need to read them and not take a bite of the burger and then not want it. Go green!

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/26/2010 - 22:05

Why is it then that I cant get through to the number to cancel? Of course you are going to defend the company you work for because by proxy, you are one of the very thieves we are all so angry with. And here in AMERICA we have the right to take a bite of a burger and demand a refund if it is total shit. I have been aware of the "subscription" but have thus far been unable to get a hold of a HUMAN to cancel. How do you sleep at night? GET A REAL JOB!

Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 08/26/2010 - 22:22

http://tinypic.com/r/2a64l08/4 WHERE IS THIS TERMS ABOVE YOUR CREDIT CARD ENTRY FIELD?? If you are going to attempt to defend a poorly executed scam, at least get familiar with the site you are talking about.. Idiot.

ckmapawatt Thu, 08/26/2010 - 23:16

They usually make you scroll down to see the "terms and conditions". Most people don't even think to scroll down and just click submit. They're very good at getting your money.

Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/24/2010 - 10:55

i agree with everyone's comments above, this is a scam from beginning to end, top to bottom. We may not be able to stop it, but we can make some noise, we can write the TV station that aired the fibomercial, and complain and we will spread the word that the station is allowing this kind of broadcasting, just a thought!!

Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 08/08/2010 - 11:51

The heart of all this would be to: READ everything twice before you press the submit button. Also Buyer ...beware! Nothing in this life is for free, everything cost something. The comapny is more than willing to give away books for 1.00, but since you didn't READ all the information, you find out your purchasing an online magazine, until you cancel it. So wake up consumers...READ before you click..a little reading will save you a lot of grief. Take care and BEWARE!

Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 07/24/2010 - 08:45

Chris, I think you're right. The thing that "got me" was the hype that you could get solar roofing tiles (or panels) for "FREE". I'm sorry, when something says "free" it should be FREE (from ANY sort of cash payment), IMHO. I run a website where I give away a chance to play the NY state lotteries for FREE. Now it's totally free from all cost, you DO have to leave a comment, so it's not exactly free in that you have to spend a couple of seconds leaving a comment. But no surveys or forms to fill out, nothing to buy. No constantly popping windows trying to sell you something. Just a comment. When I see the word FREE it's SUPPOSED to mean something. But in this MARKETING AT ANY COST world, our favorite words are used against us. I've been toying with the idea of a website that reviews all the "get rich quick" programs. Where people who have bought the programs can rate them (like an epinions type of site) and if there are gaps, hopefully, with ad revenue the site could pay for itself, that I could purchase the program, try it and rate it, so people wouldn't be scammed. I know there are review sites, but they are hard to trust, it seems they are trying to sell, at least, one of the programs they review... Anyway, thanks for your input... and it's crazy, but my curiosity is still not quelled. It's like I've GOT to see what's inside that book, I am curious to a fault. My idea about the review website is really (underneath it all) me just trying to satisfy my own over-the-top curiosity. And OTHER PEOPLE'S opinions don't necessarily do it for me. I'm like a kid that, no matter how many times I've seen others burned, and no matter how many times *I've* been burned by similar things... I've still got to stick MY hand into the fire in order to KNOW anything about it. Anyway, Chris, thanks for your reply. I appreciate it. And I'm off topic so I'll stop now. Cheers

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