The Consumer affairs website has this warning of a legal scam perpetrated by Vista Print, used by many artists for printing business cards and rack cards.
If you have ever used Vista Print for cards then you MUST read the information from the consumer affairs link.
It seems that this is a common occurrence - VistaPrint automatically opts you into a "rewards" program through an affiliate. The reward is that the affiliate cleans out your bank account or credit card! You are charged $9.95 a month for a program that supposedly saves you money. If you use a pop-up blocker, you do not even have a chance to opt out.
I learned of the scam from an artist forum as I was investigating the recent scam that involved many local artists from a Caroline Lewis, and other similar scams.
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Thank you so very much for this information! I did recently use vistaprint and was weirded out by the rewards program so I did not sign up.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness. Also, I noticed way more spam since using them and think they sold my email.
I appreciate what you are doing and the investigation you did.
Thank you for sharing this!
THEY SUCK!
Lori
VistaPrint spam and unethical advertising: I saw ads for free items at Vistaprint.com
ReplyDeletebut they never metion the shipping and handling charges until after you have placed
and order, usually involving giving your address, phone, and/or e-mail address for
business cards or rubber stamps or whatever. After they finally told me the shipping
charge, I dropped the order. They started SPAM - TWICE a DAY, going to two
different e-mail addresses which I had given for the order.
I have had great luck with Vistaprint and use them for low cost business cards, t-shirts, and banners. The products are decent quality and the banner and t-shirts were especially nice. The key is to make sure at check-out you don't accept any of their bonus offers or you will be heading for trouble. You will then be entering the land of affiliate offers that you wil never escape. As for their products, yes the free items are not free as they do have shipping costs but using the cheapest shipping method you can't beat them. A box of business cards for $7.50 is pretty nice.
ReplyDeletesounds like anonymous works for them
ReplyDeleteI have ordered cards and other items from Vistaprint and always been pleased. I am especially pleased with their website hosting and the ease of the two software products you can use to design a website. My site has all my own art and is easy to update or change. And very reasonable in cost. I work for myself - I do not work for the Vistaprint.AND ......BY THE WAY - this comment says it was sent by ANNONYMOUS because THIS site does not offer me an alternative that fits me.
ReplyDeleteYes...I have been scammed from the Pop-ups at Vistaprint as well and it took 2 very aggressive phone calls to have the monthly charges erased from my Visa Bills. I didn't notice the charges on my Visa Statement for several months and it was going to cost me 140.00 US by the time I started to question this monthy charge of 11;95.
ReplyDeleteThe product from Vistaprint is always exceptional so I was SO surprised that they have somehow allowed a scam to attach itself to their webpage. They must profit from this scam somehow.
When you call there customer service, they say that you signed up for it.
Vistaprint is a great company for inexpensive printing but the HUGE drawback is the link that they have with this SCAM.
i do not think above people understand the word of "scam"... come on, you have to be fair, you really think you will get something for free? Base on what: you are prettier than other people or you have 3 eyes... use you brain. Vistaprint is not that bad with those prices, it's their marketing strategies.
ReplyDeleteI don't work for them but also have had great success using their products. They are really good about rectifying mistakes immediately. One time I ordered a box of 250 printed notebooks, ten ended up blank. They sent me a complete box of 250 to replace them. REALLY I'm just your average person. I've also had good luck with promo codes and coupons and gotten some great deals, at a 1/3 of the price I would pay locally. And I'm not the Anonymous above who put in their comment.
ReplyDeletewe are one of the few that did not get scam phew
ReplyDeletei would like to meet some of there whiny posters here, i bet you're a bunch of crazies.
ReplyDeleteI have had no problem with them. I ordered 250 business cards, some pens, stationery, and a stamp. The business cards were clean and crisp, the pens wrote better than I expected, the stationery was nice, and the stamp was a bit smaller than I expected but not a problem. When the order was delayed, they send me a second batch absolutely free. If you take the time to read the fine print, you can opt out of any additional marketing ploys.
ReplyDelete