Have you heard the radio advertisement for $2000 worth of free groceries? Were you tempted to do it? Well, unfortunately I did it. Here’s the truth behind it.
- It’s $19.95 to get the package shipped to you (which could be fair if it were a independent company marketing on behalf of another and you really save $2000 in groceries)
- After receiving your package in the mail, you’ll find out you still didn’t get coupons, you just get a survey booklet and a letter
- You have to go online and pick your coupons
- You have to pay for each coupon after you pick it! (see screenshot)
So, after you jump through all these hoops including paying money to get involved in this, now you have to pay more money to take advantage of being taken advantage of! This is not my idea of fun.
Next, they have the nerve to fluff the truth and say that it’s $19.80 worth of savings if I go to a store that doubles coupons!
The Pushy Telesales Person
So how did I get involved in this mess? Listening to Rush Limbaugh a few weeks ago I heard an advertisement for Nelson Research Group. They promised $2000 worth of “free groceries” by way of coupons. “Just call now!” I figured I’d bite the bait just to see what’s it’s all about.
The guy asks me questions, pretending to qualify me for something special… I know it was an act because I used to be a telemarketeer (similar to profiteer and racketeer). So he says “congratulations, you qualify for $2000 worth of free groceries!”. How exciting. I qualify.
So then he says it’s $19.95 for shipping and handling and how would I like to pay for it? You have to love how they run that all together into one sentence to try to slide it by you. I said, “Hold on a second, are there organic food coupons? That’s all I really buy is organic food.” He said “Yes, MasterCard or Visa?”
“Hmmm, what if I don’t like it?” He said that I could return it and get $30 back. So I figured, why not?
I will be going after that $30. Let’s see if they keep their word.
Update
I lost the booklet and didn’t try sending it back. Did anyone else try sending it back? Please post here.
Crap! They got me, too. I told the phone sales rep, to cancel, during my phone call, but he already had my card number. They charged me anyway. When I called Nelson Research, 866-446-0561,a half coherent guy, Mike, wouldn’t give last name, took my info manually on a note pad, and said it would take a few days to back out the $19.95, and I could call back and speak with Supervisor Vickie, also no last name, if I needed further assistance.
I’m having a small issue I can’t get my reader to pickup your rss feed, I’m using google reader by the way.
I just wrote a how-to: http://www.benjf.com/?p=348
Stumbled into this website by chance however I’m positive glad I clicked on that link. you actually answered all the questions I’ve been dying to answer for some time currently. will definitely come for more of this. thank you most.
woah! i am SOOO glad you posted this. I called there today and it was exactly what you said. They ended every sentence with payment type? or address? I could tell right away it was a scam, I had no idea how much of a scam. Thank god for internet and my husband who told me to look it up and see what people said about it!
Thank you so much for posting this! Yes. Damnit I fell for it too…I guess I’m waiting on my 19.95 package. I guess I should have researched it before I gave him my CC #. Btw, the guy was a total douche.
Return it and get your money back!
Oh I almost got scammed. I called but when asked for credit card to charge the postage I quickly said no thank you and hung up. This guy actually called me twice trying to get me to pick up. I decided to do some research before I called back. Thanks for all information. With things being as they are everyone is trying to save anyway.
they got me too!! i’m watining for my package!!
they got me too. i should have google you guys first.is there a law against this.
I wanted to post because I called tonight (8/17/11) and wanted to help anyone who was thinking of doing this. I almost bought it but decided after calling in to research on internet. Thank goodness I did. I especially wanted to find something recent that was said. Hence why I am posting in case anyone else finds a current date helpful. DON’T DO THIS! IT IS A SCAM!! STAY AWAY! ANYTHING THAT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IS PROBABLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
I did it and am waiting on my coupons. He said 7-10 business days. It has been more. I’m thinking of doing a charge back on my credit card. I wonder if that would work – because nothing has arrived, and it is not what was promised according to what I’m reading. And my radar went up when I was doing this, and I ignored it. Grr.
…one more thing – he pronounced it Nielson – like Nielson ratings, never Nelson.
I am so glad I saw this. Ive been hearing the advertisements on the radio but could never catch the number so I was trying to look it up. Thankyou for telling about it!!
Just wanted to let you know your still saving people money! I just talked to them and said I would call back when I had the $20 on my card and thought, its time to research this! I don’t mind helping survey people out and I thought this one was legit but sounds like it isn’t! If I have to send money, forget it! Thanks for the warning!!! I will share this with my FB friends!
Well I think that people need to start a lawsuit against this so called company, first of all if they dont get stopped their going to keep robbing people, and lying to people, and as far as im concerned its completely false advertisement. They claimed they worked alongside the goverment, thats what the ad said in my area, and claimed to be a company with another title. This problem needs to stop. i had to report my card stolen because of chareges that were not authorized.
Hey there! What an outstanding blog site. Bless you for spending time out from your hectic time to talk about this information. You’re in my favourites at this moment. Keep up the wonderful work!
Man I got scammed too bummer so is there anyway to get ur $ back? Its been over 14 days so I started to get suspious and researched and stumbled onto this what a relief… any suggestions anyone?