Tickle.com scam, deceit, trickery

Beware of Tickle.com and their trickery. Their goal is to get you to give your personal information by offering you a come-on. The ads and the tests are intriguing. And, to get the results they, naturally, want money. $4.95 looks like a reasonable amount--and you see them everywhere and figure they are a trusted public entity.

NOT SO!!

This is simply a trick to get your private banking information. Once you have given them your banking information they will start regularly billing you for $19.95 a month. And then you are in their clutches. Read the fine print on these scammers.

My story:

Even though I am usually careful, I was suckered by Tickle.com. I was willing to pay the $4.95 for a ONE WEEK "trial membership." I paid for it via credit card. The week went by, and I assumed my membership had expired. However, when I was downloading my banking information, I noticed this odd charge from Tickle.com for $19.95. I KNEW I had authorized only $4.95.

I went to the confirmation email. Indeed, the top of it confirmed my trial membership and the $4.95 charge to my account. But, I didn't scroll down far enough. After the first viewable window, it tried to sell me on more tests. It told me I could get more tests for $19.95. Well, I sure didn't want that, so I did NOT accept that invitation for access to them so I passed! You would think that would be that.

Nope. Scrolling down to the bottom of the page in unspectacular print is the scam:

To cancel your 7-day FREE Premium Test Membership, click here. If you do not cancel your Premium Test Membership within the 7-day trial period, your credit card will be automatically charged $19.95 per month for continued membership benefits.

This invalidates the whole concept of a trial 7-day membership! You pay for a membership for a limited period of time, a trial membership. Then, if you do not cancel your limited, one-week membership, they put you on automatic payment.

Do they tell you this up-front? NO! Only on the very bottom of the confirmation letter, where they know few people read once they are baited with a false confirmation.

So. Beware of Tickle.com.