Andrea Stangle went online and started searching Craigslist for a bigger place to call home. A specific home caught her attention.
When she called the number on the ad, she says she got the company HR National. She says, "In order to view information on their website, I had to pay $1.95 and I thought $1.95 not a big deal."
The $1.95 got her a 7-day trial membership and she was anxious to learn more about the home. She adds, "Basically what it is taking over the mortgage for these people who are in foreclosure."
Nearing the end of the 7-day trial membership, Andrea says she called HR National to cancel. She says, "I couldn't get through to this customer service number and I was like just forget it." But 7 days later, when she checked her bank account she was shocked.
She says, "I noticed they took out the $1.95 out of my account 10 times and then I noticed they took a $49.95 charge." This time when Andrea called HR National, she got through and was told the $49.95 was for a membership fee, which is non-refundable, and the other fees she says they would look into them.
But instead, two weeks later, HR National took more money from her account. She says, "They took another $49.95 out of my account and another $1.95 out of my account. So now eleven $1.95 charges and two $49.95 charges."
When Troubleshooter Diane Wilson talked to HR National, they said the ten extra $1.95 charges were an error and they would issue a refund. But in order to do that, they need Andrea's bank account information, which she did not feel comfortable doing, since giving that information got her in this position to begin with.
As for the two $49.95 charges, the rep says that is the monthly fee, and since Andrea did not cancel in time, those are non-refundable. In all, HR Nation did follow through on one refund. Out of the more than $100 charges, she says they refunded her one of the $1.95 charges.
The best advice, check out a company before paying anything. In this case, the Better Business Bureau has processed more than 100 complaints on HR National in the last three years and according to the BBB all of those complaints have had no response.
