http://games.slashdot.org/story/10/02/05/0737210/GameStop-Other-Retailers-Subpoenaed-Over-Credit-Card-Information-Sharing :
MSNBC explains the scenario thus: “You’re on the site of a well-known retailer and you make a purchase. As soon as you complete the transaction a pop-up window appears. It offers a discount on your next purchase. Click on the ad and you are automatically redirected to another company’s site where you are signed up for a buying club, travel club or credit card protection service. The yearly cost is usually $100 to $145. Here’s where things really get smarmy. Even though you did not give that second company any account information, they will bill the credit or debit card number you used to make the original purchase. You didn’t have to provide your account number because the ‘trusted’ retailer gave it to them for a cut of the action.”
http://www.ag.ny.gov/media_center/2010/jan/jan27a_10.html
Cuomo has sent subpoenas to 22 well-known merchants that have deals with the three major companies that offer these discount programs: Webloyalty, Affinion/Trilegiant and Vertrue. The subpoenas seek information about retailers’ practices of sharing consumers’ account information with membership program companies; their knowledge of any deceptive solicitations; and compensation from the membership companies. The merchants being investigated include: Barnes & Noble, Orbitz.com, Buy.com, Ticketmaster.com, MovieTickets.com, FTD.com, Shutterfly.com, 1-800Flowers.com, Avon.com, Budget, Staples.com, Priceline.com, GMAC Mortgage, Classmates.com, Travelocity, Vistaprint, Intelius, Hotwire.com, Expedia/Hotels.com, Columbia House, Pizza Hut and Gamestop/EB Games.
Boycott these bad merchants to keep them from picking your pocket. Find alternatives: Amazon, Office Max, The local flower shop, Pappa John’s, etc.,. Corporate management needs a rude wake-up call that they can understand. This double-dipping behavior is really unacceptable.










