These guys just need to be more compliant, some of these google offers are just ridiculous. Its not "rebills" are scams. Its the rebills that hide the terms that look like scams.
What other offers does Google Money Tree own?
Again the AG is not differentiating (it appears) from the advertisers and the affiliates.
I don't think they know the difference and I'm no lawyer but I can't really see them going after the affiliates. The focus here isn't the flogs, it's the shady billing practices and false claims of google money tree such as hiding the fact that they would be rebilled if they didn't cancel within 7 days and then not honoring the refund requests. Going after affiliates would be like going after Walmart for selling peanut butter with salmonella but again, I'm no legal expert.
The petition lists one of the defendants as an individual (Jonathan D. Eborn)
Not sure if he is the owner of the companies listed or just an affiliate.
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That's messed up.In addition to the unexpected credit card charges, customer complaints obtained by state investigators indicate that GoogleMoneyTree failed to actually send the “free kit” and refused to honor customer refunds.
GoogleMoneyTree failed to clearly inform purchasers that they had been enrolled in monthly memberships and had only seven days to cancel their trial membership. Purchasers who failed to cancel within seven days were automatically charged $72 on their credit card statements each month. In addition to the unexpected credit card charges, customer complaints obtained by state investigators indicate that GoogleMoneyTree failed to actually send the “free kit” and refused to honor customer refunds.
Agreed. The rebill model is an old one and works well so long as the terms are clearly disclosed.^^ This is the kind of shit that ruins other, more compliant, rebill offers. They all get lumped into the same bag.
First it was the acia and colon offers, then the grant offers and now google money tree. This year we've seen so many offers getting hit. Affiliate marketing industry was never under such scrutiny before. Comes to think if its going to get harder to find offers to promote?
I guess those tooth whitening and skin care offers are next?
I can't really see them going after the affiliates. The focus here isn't the flogs, it's the shady billing practices and false claims of google money tree such as hiding the fact that they would be rebilled if they didn't cancel within 7 days and then not honoring the refund requests. Going after affiliates would be like going after Walmart for selling peanut butter with salmonella but again, I'm no legal expert.
"In addition to the unexpected credit card charges, customer complaints obtained by state investigators indicate that GoogleMoneyTree failed to actually send the “free kit” and refused to honor customer refunds."
This^ IS the problem. Trials and rebills, hidden terms ect have been around forever. Combined with shitty customer service and fail to issue service, it becomes a huge problem.
any thoughts on the likelihood of this spreading throughout the niche?