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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Education

Comments

Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 08/25/2010 - 15:24

I was scammed for $89.95, and for the next few years if not cancelled. The credit card company said that the only way to stop this scam was to cancel the card, which I did. Then they wanted to charge me $4 for a lost card!!! No way, it wasn't my fault. I disputed the scam, they investigated, and I lost. They said that they found no error with the transaction. THE WHOLE TRANSACTION WAS AN ERROR!!! They hid the words inside the free book that was shrink wrapped, and only wanted two dollars for shipping & handling. Who opens a free book during the "14 day grace period" to read it. It was not important to do so, until my statement reflected the $89.95 charge. Maybe it's time to send this one to the Attorney General.

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/24/2010 - 10:08

The TV Ad says FREEBook for shipping charge of $1.95. Not ONE WORD is said that there is an additional e subscription fee that will be CHARGED FOR $89.95 OH NO that is hidden in information that you don't read because the TV AD said FREE - TRUTH IN ADVERTISING - NOT IN GREEN MILLIONAIRE!!! SCAM ALERT!!!!

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/20/2010 - 18:04

I like most of the ones on this blog was taken. I not only was charged the $1.95 SH for the "free" book, but I also was charged $29.95. I called & raised cane, telling the gal that I was going to put a blog out about their scam & she said they'd refund me only $14.95, when I ask why only part of my money was being returned, she said I signed up for their news letter, which I didn't. Now I'm sitting here with egg on my face, for being taken by another scammer.

ckmapawatt Tue, 07/20/2010 - 18:11

That's a bummer Frankie! In the future, if you see anything related to energy that even looks like a scam, email: info@mapawatt.com. We'll do the dirty work for you!

Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 07/18/2010 - 15:38

Oh my goodness, I was taken, they charged my account $895.00 and they wont talk to me, what am I to do, boo! Boo! hoo! I is veby dumb dumb

Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/03/2010 - 15:56

DON'T DO IT!!!!! GREEN MILLIONAIRE IS A SCAM...&lt;---That is for all the people who haven&#039;t been scammed yet and are thinking about getting this &quot;free&quot; book. Same thing happened to me that happened to everybody else. I called the people, they would not refund my money; 1.95 + 89.95 a month later. All you could do is accept your loses and contact your bank or your credit card company. The reason I say this is because on other sites there are reports of people not being able to contact any customer service reps, or they were told they were going to cancel their &quot;membership&quot; and never received a confirmation of the cancelation, leaving you no choice but to believe that they will continue to charge your account. Its ok , I believe in karma, and even though they cheated people out of their hard earned money and it was within the law, its still dishonest and they got bad karma coming their way. Hey has anyone who already got ripped-off ever thought about making a PDF of the book and put it online just to stick it to them?

Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 08/22/2010 - 23:40

"Walt August 11th, 2010 at 1:02 am Dear GM Agent. $30 bucks every 2 months? My accout is being every month. I think since I have not made any waves untill now&lt; you think I am not going to make any noise about being ripped off. Your (fine print) is a load. My tactics are going to be different as to how I will bring light to Your Boss Nigel. Start the document shreders boys. The big guns are comming. And to just name one for you to chew on is the FTC. To add to my misery, the 19.95 for the book was waved, turned up on my bank account a month later. There is a growing community accross the nation that the GM hasen&#039;t, won&#039; and will not in the futrue, pass the BS sinff test. The more complaints the more the Feds are going to question wheter or not, there is somthing. What you should be doing is not allow any transactions and provide an &quot;Accept&quot; or &quot;Don&#039;t Accept&quot; Box to check with the latter, voiding the transaction, so that way it makes your case to answer the Scam issue to a close. However for now your boss is wide open&quot; Walt, you make me lol! That&#039;s all I have to say. You&#039;ve made an ass out of yourself, dude! Thanks!

Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 07/14/2010 - 17:24

<B>DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK</b> THEY CHARGE YOUR ACCOUNT ASAP FOR $89.95 AND IT DOES NOT END WITH THAT. THE BOOK IS WORTHLESS, DON'T BOTHER TO READ IT!

Anonymous (not verified) Sat, 08/28/2010 - 06:43

I saw the commercial tonight and when I heard the word free book, I went straight to Google. the first page on Google is full of scam reports and this particular post was the very first website in the search. Thank you for alerting me. I really was interested in the book but don't even want to look at it considering all the controversy and being involved in such a scam. I mean, if this is how they scam people into getting the book, I wonder what other kind of scams and half truths are in the book itself. GM you can keep your book. Thanks~ Daisy

Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/28/2010 - 18:14

This isn't a scam, people just need to learn to read things before they enter their credit card info. It's not even "fine print" where the terms and conditions are stated, it's huge print right to the side me where you enter your info. There's a lot of great info in the book and the magazines they send out, and it's actually really easy to get in touch with someone from customer service!!

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