Description

Scammer acted as my Internet company, Spectrum. Offered 50% off for a 3yr period, but had to pay 1st yr up front. With the massive Frontier Co. competition in my area (Mascoutah, IL), I thought, ok, sounds legit to keep my business. I'm SO angry btw at myself for falling prey to this as I'm normally on top of my game, am sUper cautious - have had CC's stolen numerous times. Anyhoo...I think the phone # even came across as Spectrum (could be wrong), but guy was like "Ok, great...we can use credit card on file for autopay, ending in xxxx?". He put me on hold for some time, odd amount of time, came back and supposedly finalized promo offer but there would be a $4.99 processing fee , to which I was sent an email confirming - guy asked if I got it...may have asked me something about the email that made me open it???? and then, thENN... continued with some crazy talk about EBay partnering with Spectrum, some craziness about going to Target, getting two $200 eBay gift cards, then calling such n such number, giving them the authorization code given for promo offer, something about being reimbursed then...and I'm like, woah woah!! Holy Shizzle. This is a total scam, GRRRR. So I politely tell the guy I'm not feeling comfortable about this and just want out, forget the promo offer - cuZ the guy had told me I could cancel at any time. Guy tried talking me out of it, kind of making me feel foolish for turning down whatever absurdness he was babbling about with the gift card craziness. I said I wanted out. He's like ok, that'll be a $150 cancellation fee. ThAT's when I got angry, accused him of being a scammer,...told him I would be reporting him. He got rude back, saying I have no right speaking to him that way. I got angrier - was NOT having a good day to start with (ill, disabled), haha... He then threatened me, saying my services would be cancelled and go get a new Internet provider, and hung up on me. The $4.99 and $150 charge immediately came through. I immediately called my credit card company and locked my account, cancelled that card (Chase Freedom card btw). I then tried calling the aCtual Spectrum, but they were experiencing a high call volume and could not take my call. ??? I was advised to contact them via their website. I was SO sick that I allowed that to happen...that I let me guard down, cuz I knoWW better!!! GRRR!!! That said, I did not contact Spectrum via their website or try and call today (day after), but will be calling tomorrow. Ugh. OH!! The initial promo offer guy gave me a number to call - Billing he called it, 888-552-2586, x1 - and a cancellation code given, which I forgot to mention above...I knew about the $150 fee at thAT moment already. Crazy thing? When I called the number, it was the SAME dang guy!!! I called him out on that, to which of course he denied, but I will NOT forget dude's creepy foreign, Italian maybe, voice!! Turns my stomach just thinking about it/him.???? Again, I'm normally SO cautious. I do NOTHING via my phone, only my laptop, AND I have a VPN.!. Soo dude has my contact info - phone, email - credit card info, and who knows what else. Sighhhh...