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Friday, November 6, 2009

Fandango Can Suck It

Posted by Matt Davis on Fri, Nov 6, 2009 at 9:53 AM

We've been using Fandango to reserve movie tickets for a couple of years, and every now and then after I've bought the ticket, this woman's voice will come up and say "click yes to claim your free ticket." So I'd click yes. It turns out I wasn't clicking "yes" to Fandango, but to sign up to a program called "Webloyalty," which has been dinging our debit card $12 every month for the last six months. We only discovered the scam yesterday, after reading about it online.

fandango.jpg

They must do research to figure out the maximum amount they can charge that people won't notice or care about for at least six months. The guy on the phone actually had the nerve to say that if we quit we would no longer be a member of "reservation rewards" and would lose access to all the benefits. What benefits? NONE! They refunded the six months of charges and said "sorry."

Webloyalty told CBS it's operating within the scope of the law, but I'm never using Fandango again. I don't need an explanation, I don't need an apology, I don't need to call their press person and have them how sorry they are, in fact, fuck it, Fandango, you've got a problem? You call me.

Suck it.

So, to recap: I just want you all to know that Fandango is working with a company that scams people out of their cash. Check your bank statements. See anything weird on there? Fandango can suck it. They've earned the opposite of customer loyalty from me. It would really help me if you would tell ten people to tell ten people about this, too. I want thousands of people walking around by the end of today saying how much Fandango sucks balls. In a bad way. Fandango sucks balls in a bad way!

Fandango can suck it.

Comments (25) RSS

Showing 1-25 of 25

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Yes, but how do you feel about Fandango?

Posted by Wm. Steven Humphrey on November 6, 2009 at 9:57 AM | Report this comment

Never trust talking internet ads.

Posted by tk. on November 6, 2009 at 10:37 AM | Report this comment

Class action...

Posted by R on November 6, 2009 at 10:50 AM | Report this comment

one of Gene Hackman's lesser works..

Posted by jim on November 6, 2009 at 11:07 AM | Report this comment

U didn't look at your credit card bill for 6 months?

Posted by truthypup on November 6, 2009 at 11:10 AM | Report this comment

Sheesh Matt you must be earning some heavy cake there at the Merc not to notice an unexplained $12. on your monthly bank statement. Man I wanna get me some of that big written green ...
If you feel strongly about it follow up with Oregon Attorney General John Kroger's Financial Fraud/Consumer Protection group. He has really given this group some muscle and they take these complaints seriously. Good guys working to protect us from Fandango and their ilk. Might even be worth a story...

Posted by alainb1 on November 6, 2009 at 11:14 AM | Report this comment

I've seen that. I've never once thought it was something I should click on. I'm sure they're probably being tricky, but I think there's some clicker beware that failed to happen here, too.

Posted by The One True b!X on November 6, 2009 at 11:32 AM | Report this comment

Lady said "click here to claim your free movie ticket."

I mean, buyer beware WHAT?

Posted by Matt Davis on November 6, 2009 at 11:33 AM | Report this comment

Nothing is ever, ever free. Except internet porn. That's free.

Posted by Wm. Steven Humphrey on November 6, 2009 at 11:43 AM | Report this comment

@Steve: Internet porn is not free. You're paying with your innocence.

Posted by Graham on November 6, 2009 at 12:00 PM | Report this comment

And I have NEVER clicked the link that says "make your dick bigger." Not once.

Posted by Matt Davis on November 6, 2009 at 12:03 PM | Report this comment

I had the exact same thing happen to me. I didn't even hear the talking voice ad. I clicked on something that said I was eligible for a free movie ticket. Since it was on the Fandango site I figured it was safe. Nope. These same bastards charged me for 3 months before I figured it out.

Posted by jwlander on November 6, 2009 at 12:41 PM | Report this comment

That happened to me, too. I ended up getting charged for stuff I don't remember agreeing to, but noticed it right away.

Posted by buzz on November 6, 2009 at 1:45 PM | Report this comment

After clicking on the "Free movie" button, there was some fine print that you breezed through without reading. The company claims they also send followup e-mails - that may or may not be true. But there was a little more to it than just a headline that said "Free Movie!" Clicker beware!

Posted by Reymont on November 6, 2009 at 2:04 PM | Report this comment

"We're more than happy to aggressively look into any examples of Oregon consumers being ripped off," says Tony Green, spokesman for Attorney General John Kroger.

He even sent me to this link, and I've just filled in a form.

http://www.doj.state.or.us/finfraud/engexp…

Fandango can suck it.

Posted by Matt Davis on November 6, 2009 at 2:58 PM | Report this comment

Sounds like the freecreditreport.com scam. They had me for 9 months before I caught on. I called them and eventually yelled at the guy that I hoped he was making more than $12 an hour to rip people off, at which point he refunded me all the money. I heard Obama is considering outlawing such practices.

Posted by Around on November 6, 2009 at 2:59 PM | Report this comment

Here's the complaint I just submitted to the department of justice. We'll see if anything comes of it.

"Your complaint has been submitted to consumer.hotline@state.or.us.

Submitted on: 11/6/2009
Action Requested: Yes
Consumer
Name: Matt Davis
Address1: PO BOX ____
Address2: Portland, OR 97207
Email: mdavis@portlandmercury.com
Day Phone: (503) 5022106
Evening Phone: (503) 5022106
Cell Phone: ()
Business
Name: Webloyalty
Address1: 101 Merritt 7, Fourth Floor
Address2: Norwalk, CT
Phone: 203 8463300
Complaint Pertaining To
Dates: Last six months
Lost Money: $72
Attorney Contacted:
Business Contacted: Webloyalty
Other Contacted:
Type of Sale: Internet
Details: Fandango can suck it. Details of the complaint here:

http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/Blogto…

More details on the company here:

http://cbs5.com/investigates/credit.card.c…

I would really like to see a law forbidding this kind of practice. Perhaps it could be christened the "Fandango-can-suck-it law," like they christen other laws after victims in more serious circumstances. This just seems out-and-out wrong to me."

Posted by Matt Davis on November 6, 2009 at 3:10 PM | Report this comment

I'd like to see a screenshot of the sign-up screen. From the video at that CBS link, you're on the WebLoyalty website, NOT on the Fandango website, and have to scroll down past a whole page of information before you can enter your e-mail address and sign up for their service. Maybe they could call it the "read what you sign" law?

Dang hipsters - no sense of personal responsibility.

Posted by Reymont on November 6, 2009 at 3:21 PM | Report this comment
Generic user icon

Awww, our star reporter can't read fine print...

Posted by George Kittridge on November 6, 2009 at 3:23 PM | Report this comment
Generic user icon

https://stage.one-time-offer.com/sg/gateway.aspx?v=7353030353&p=92D202F212BE77B7D7F706E72FC393C31383639F16D6060727&cl=F6E606&q=12345

Posted by Reading is Important on November 6, 2009 at 6:57 PM | Report this comment
Generic user icon

Whoops! Misposted the first time...

I can understand misleading advertisements online, I’ve been duped in the past, and as a Fandango regular this concerned me. I gave them a call and asked them to e-mail me a copy of the sign up page so I could see it for myself and they sent me this...

https://stage.one-time-offer.com/sg/gateway.aspx?v=7353030353&p=92D202F212BE77B7D7F706E72FC393C31383639F16D6060727&cl=F6E606&q=12345

Sorry, I have no sympathy for someone complaining about charges they didn’t know about when they have to enter credit information just to sign up.

***Please Note. While I haven’t tried it, that could very well be an active link. You have been warned. ***

Posted by Reading is Important on November 6, 2009 at 6:59 PM | Report this comment

Ticketmaster does the same thing. Beware!

Posted by ragaway on November 8, 2009 at 11:51 AM | Report this comment

Wm™ Steven Humphrey:

Nothing is ever, ever free. Except internet porn. That's free.

Well, at least it is until someone with a subpoena starts looking through server logs.

Posted by Samuel John Klein on November 8, 2009 at 7:17 PM | Report this comment

Perfect use of Paint for Hate. Satisfactory plus.

Posted by bowers on November 10, 2009 at 10:43 PM | Report this comment

Reading is Important, you AREN'T REQUIRED to enter your credit information when you "sign up". Once you click the ad that is meant to appear to be a discount off from the site you're purchasing from, your credit information is automatically transferred from that site (fandago, expedia, and others) to the Reservation Rewards program.

Posted by jmb9919 on November 14, 2009 at 4:46 PM | Report this comment

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