Stupid Check

So I got a check in the mail the other day for $8.25! Exciting stuff, right? Wrong. Before I ran to the bank to cash the check, I looked further into it. Wait. Let me re-phrase that. I NEVER look at these checks twice. I just shread them and toss them in the garbage. No thanks. I know, just KNOW, this HAS to be a scam. This check wasn’t any different than the others ones I’ve received. But I guess my mood when I opened the envelope was. I wanted to do some investigating……

The front of the check looked legit. Made out to me. For a whopping $8.25. What was the catch?
I turned the check over. Aha! Where the signature on the back was REQUIRED, it read:

"By cashing or depositing this check I agree to a thirty-day trial offer in ID Secure. I understand that the $129.99 annual membership fee will be automatically billed to my First National Bank of …. credit card account unless I cancel my membership by calling 1-800-…… before the end of the trial period. My membership will be automatically renewed and I will also be billed every year thereafter at the then-current fee* unless I call to cancel for a refund of the unused portion of the current year’s fee."

*Member will be notified of any fee increase prior to the increase going into effect.

BOOM SHAK A LAK A! For a MERE $130 buck.a.roos. I could have less than $10 today! Yesssss. OH! And that’s NOT TO MENTION the fact that the $130 will be AUTOMATICALLY charged to my credit card ANNUALLY until I cancel.

OH! AND the $130 could potentially become, oh, I don’t know… $1,000. But, the credit card company would be sure to send me a piece of paper with (small) font informing me of the change. Aw. How sweet. And honest.

NOT. Needless to say, the $8.25 is now a piece of garbage. But the bigger pieces of garbage are the ones who came up with this NASTY scheme. How do the credit card companies think it is okay to prey on people’s ignorance? Many people probably cashed that check. But it is certainly the credit card companies that are ‘cashing in’ on this ‘bargain.’

Signed,

Your Favorite (Cranky) Accountant