Even if you take great care to properly close your Netflix account, it is possible that Netflix may still try to hit you with additional charges after your subscription has ended. Netflix could make claims of an improperly closed account, missing DVDs, missed deadlines, etc. If this happens, you have the right to dispute the bogus charges with your credit card company, and, if you are a customer in good standing, there is a decent chance your credit card company could side with you.
You do not have to wait for a problem to occur to take action, however. If you are concerned that Netflix could hit you with bogus credit card charges after you close your Netflix account, you might consider being proactive and contacting your credit card company before you close your Netflix account. You can notify your credit card company of the date you plan to close your Netflix account and the date after which Netflix should not be billing your card. You could still get hit with additional charges, but you may then have a stronger case if you need to dispute any suspicious charges from Netflix.
Showing posts with label USPS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USPS. Show all posts
7/22/2011
Charges for "Missing" DVDs After Canceling Netflix
Too many people are making a costly mistake when canceling their Netflix subscriptions, and since there may be many Netflix membership cancellations between now and September, this is a very important special reminder to help save you from a nasty surprise after canceling your Netflix membership. If you read only one thing on this site between now and September, read this:
Absolutely, clear your Netflix queue of all DVDs and make sure all of your Netflix DVD returns have been acknowledged by Netflix before closing your Netflix account. If you do not take this precaution, Netflix may charge you for DVDs they claim are "missing."
Numerous former Netflix members have reported that Netflix charged their credit cards for missing DVDs after they properly closed their accounts and returned all of Netflix's DVDs. Unfortunately, Netflix is always in control of any evidence when this happens, so there is no way to prove the fraud.
Once you close that Netflix account, barring signature confirmation, you have no way to prove Netflix received all of the DVDs you returned to them. Netflix may claim you did not return your DVDs, and they may stick you with a charge of $20, $40, $60, etc. on your credit card. If Netflix does this to you, you may have little recourse. You will have to dispute the charge with your credit card company. If your credit card company does not side with you, you will be responsible for the additional charges from Netflix.
So, clear your Netflix queue, and return all of the DVDs well before your cancellation date. If all DVDs have not cleared your account, report them as missing before closing your account. If you really want to be safe, you might consider sending your DVDs back with signature confirmation. Yes, signature confirmation is a pain, but so is paying for DVDs you already returned. If you can produce proof of delivery, you will have a much better case if you need to dispute Netflix's charges with your credit card company.
Absolutely, clear your Netflix queue of all DVDs and make sure all of your Netflix DVD returns have been acknowledged by Netflix before closing your Netflix account. If you do not take this precaution, Netflix may charge you for DVDs they claim are "missing."
Numerous former Netflix members have reported that Netflix charged their credit cards for missing DVDs after they properly closed their accounts and returned all of Netflix's DVDs. Unfortunately, Netflix is always in control of any evidence when this happens, so there is no way to prove the fraud.
Once you close that Netflix account, barring signature confirmation, you have no way to prove Netflix received all of the DVDs you returned to them. Netflix may claim you did not return your DVDs, and they may stick you with a charge of $20, $40, $60, etc. on your credit card. If Netflix does this to you, you may have little recourse. You will have to dispute the charge with your credit card company. If your credit card company does not side with you, you will be responsible for the additional charges from Netflix.
So, clear your Netflix queue, and return all of the DVDs well before your cancellation date. If all DVDs have not cleared your account, report them as missing before closing your account. If you really want to be safe, you might consider sending your DVDs back with signature confirmation. Yes, signature confirmation is a pain, but so is paying for DVDs you already returned. If you can produce proof of delivery, you will have a much better case if you need to dispute Netflix's charges with your credit card company.
6/25/2010
Netflix Favors Eliminating Saturday USPS Mail Delivery
On June 23, 2010, Netflix's Chief Service and DVD Operations Officer, Andrew Rendich spoke before a Congressional hearing in support of the United States Postal Service's desire to reduce mail service by eliminating Saturday deliveries.
This is a good time to ask what Netflix's priorities really are. Netflix is a company whose existence is largely based on residential mail delivery. Sure, some Netflix subscribers have moved to downloads, but millions of subscribers still receive all or most of their movies through the USPS. If Netflix was primarily concerned about meeting the needs of their customers, they would be horrified by the prospect of the USPS cutting back on delivery days. Instead, Netflix is actively supporting reductions in postal service.
Here is one likely reason why. If the USPS eliminates Saturday mail deliveries, average mail transit times are going to increase. It's simple. Under the proposed Monday through Friday delivery schedule, whatever mail you should have received on Saturday will arrive on the following Monday or later. Even worse, that DVD you watch on a Friday night will no longer be able to go out in the Saturday morning mail and get back to Netflix on Monday. Under the new plan, unless you go to a lot of extra trouble, Monday will be your first chance to mail that DVD back to Netflix. Who knows when Netflix will actually check in that DVD and send out a new one? If that new DVD does not happen to get to you by Friday, you will just have to wait until Monday to watch it. It will be a frustrating cycle.
This change will increase significantly the turnaround times on your account. Essentially, you will be paying the same monthly subscription fee, but you will be getting less DVDs per month. Here's the best part. Netflix gets to blame the whole reduction in service on a lazy, slow, and inefficient postal service. The elimination of Saturday delivery is a dream come true for Netflix. It is no wonder they are marching into DC and supporting the measure before Congress.
This is a good time to ask what Netflix's priorities really are. Netflix is a company whose existence is largely based on residential mail delivery. Sure, some Netflix subscribers have moved to downloads, but millions of subscribers still receive all or most of their movies through the USPS. If Netflix was primarily concerned about meeting the needs of their customers, they would be horrified by the prospect of the USPS cutting back on delivery days. Instead, Netflix is actively supporting reductions in postal service.
Here is one likely reason why. If the USPS eliminates Saturday mail deliveries, average mail transit times are going to increase. It's simple. Under the proposed Monday through Friday delivery schedule, whatever mail you should have received on Saturday will arrive on the following Monday or later. Even worse, that DVD you watch on a Friday night will no longer be able to go out in the Saturday morning mail and get back to Netflix on Monday. Under the new plan, unless you go to a lot of extra trouble, Monday will be your first chance to mail that DVD back to Netflix. Who knows when Netflix will actually check in that DVD and send out a new one? If that new DVD does not happen to get to you by Friday, you will just have to wait until Monday to watch it. It will be a frustrating cycle.
This change will increase significantly the turnaround times on your account. Essentially, you will be paying the same monthly subscription fee, but you will be getting less DVDs per month. Here's the best part. Netflix gets to blame the whole reduction in service on a lazy, slow, and inefficient postal service. The elimination of Saturday delivery is a dream come true for Netflix. It is no wonder they are marching into DC and supporting the measure before Congress.
3/22/2009
Netflix Once Blamed USPS, Now They Blame ISPs
Netflix’s Chief Product Officer, Neil Hunt, has addressed Netflix streaming content problems on The Netflix Blog.
Many subscribers are suspicious that Netflix is throttling streaming content for heavy users. Netflix is flatly denying this practice, but the company has no credibility, because they have abused subscribers through throttling before and denied it.
Netflix’s denials of throttling streaming content are somewhat like the denials they used when they lied about their practice of throttling through the mail. Netflix used to blame USPS for the check-in and shipping delays for DVDs. We later discovered the fault largely did not rest with USPS, and the delays were mostly due to Netflix. Now that Netflix is being accused of throttling streaming content, Netflix is blaming the ISPs for the delays. First they blamed USPS, now they are blaming ISPs. We found out USPS was mostly innocent. What we will find out about the ISPs?
As of now, Netflix is on record as officially denying the practice of throttling streaming content for some users. If someone later finds Netflix is lying, there will probably be more lawsuits and ill will toward Netflix.
By the way, Neil Hunt’s most infuriating point in Netflix’s denial is that Netflix “hopes” to solve the streaming content problem by the end of the year. Why is this not a higher priority for Netflix? Netflix should be talking about having this resolved by the end of April.
Many subscribers are suspicious that Netflix is throttling streaming content for heavy users. Netflix is flatly denying this practice, but the company has no credibility, because they have abused subscribers through throttling before and denied it.
Netflix’s denials of throttling streaming content are somewhat like the denials they used when they lied about their practice of throttling through the mail. Netflix used to blame USPS for the check-in and shipping delays for DVDs. We later discovered the fault largely did not rest with USPS, and the delays were mostly due to Netflix. Now that Netflix is being accused of throttling streaming content, Netflix is blaming the ISPs for the delays. First they blamed USPS, now they are blaming ISPs. We found out USPS was mostly innocent. What we will find out about the ISPs?
As of now, Netflix is on record as officially denying the practice of throttling streaming content for some users. If someone later finds Netflix is lying, there will probably be more lawsuits and ill will toward Netflix.
By the way, Neil Hunt’s most infuriating point in Netflix’s denial is that Netflix “hopes” to solve the streaming content problem by the end of the year. Why is this not a higher priority for Netflix? Netflix should be talking about having this resolved by the end of April.
3/20/2005
How to Get Revenge on Netflix
By Warren S
Netflix Underground
http://netflixunderground.blogspot.com/
March 1, 2005
INTRODUCTION
If you are reading this, you have probably already been burned by Netflix. Your first few weeks as a Netflix customer were wonderful. You started catching up on all of those movies you had missed, watched a new DVD almost every night, and you were amazed by what a wonderful value you had found.
Sadly, things turned ugly after the first couple months of your membership. Suddenly, your returned DVDs took days to arrive, and your new DVDs took an extra day or two to ship. You began to grow queasy as you discovered that your unlimited rental plan had some substantial hidden limitations.
If this has happened to you, it is not a mistake or anomaly, and it is not the fault of USPS (contrary to Netflix claims). Netflix’s software has identified you as a heavy user (an unprofitable frequent renter), and Netflix has chosen to throttle your flow of DVDs. Essentially, Netflix has subjected you to a series of artificial, software-driven delays that reduce their costs by limiting your rentals during each billing cycle.
Now that you know what Netflix is doing to you, you are furious and want to get revenge by telling them that you are canceling your membership because you are not getting enough DVDs. The catch is that this measure is very ineffective and exactly what Netflix wants. If you are a heavy user, you are unprofitable, and Netflix will be thrilled to learn that they successfully throttled you right off of their membership rolls.
Canceling your membership is a very reasonable act of retaliation, but definitely do not give Netflix the satisfaction of knowing that they throttled you out. If you cancel, give Netflix some other vague explanation or none at all.
If you really want to get revenge on Netflix, you will need to be much more proactive, stoke the fires, and make some noise. They cheated you, and now it’s payback time. Below are several easy actions that you can take to have some influence and put some heat on Netflix.
REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE
Call Netflix’s Customer Service Department every time something is wrong with your account. Fielding service calls requires a lot of resources and raises the cost of their throttling measures. Netflix’s incentive to throttle heavy users will be reduced if they know they have a 10-minute call to deal with each time they cause a delay on your account.
http://netflixunderground.blogspot.com/
March 1, 2005
INTRODUCTION
If you are reading this, you have probably already been burned by Netflix. Your first few weeks as a Netflix customer were wonderful. You started catching up on all of those movies you had missed, watched a new DVD almost every night, and you were amazed by what a wonderful value you had found.
Sadly, things turned ugly after the first couple months of your membership. Suddenly, your returned DVDs took days to arrive, and your new DVDs took an extra day or two to ship. You began to grow queasy as you discovered that your unlimited rental plan had some substantial hidden limitations.
If this has happened to you, it is not a mistake or anomaly, and it is not the fault of USPS (contrary to Netflix claims). Netflix’s software has identified you as a heavy user (an unprofitable frequent renter), and Netflix has chosen to throttle your flow of DVDs. Essentially, Netflix has subjected you to a series of artificial, software-driven delays that reduce their costs by limiting your rentals during each billing cycle.
Now that you know what Netflix is doing to you, you are furious and want to get revenge by telling them that you are canceling your membership because you are not getting enough DVDs. The catch is that this measure is very ineffective and exactly what Netflix wants. If you are a heavy user, you are unprofitable, and Netflix will be thrilled to learn that they successfully throttled you right off of their membership rolls.
Canceling your membership is a very reasonable act of retaliation, but definitely do not give Netflix the satisfaction of knowing that they throttled you out. If you cancel, give Netflix some other vague explanation or none at all.
If you really want to get revenge on Netflix, you will need to be much more proactive, stoke the fires, and make some noise. They cheated you, and now it’s payback time. Below are several easy actions that you can take to have some influence and put some heat on Netflix.
REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE
Call Netflix’s Customer Service Department every time something is wrong with your account. Fielding service calls requires a lot of resources and raises the cost of their throttling measures. Netflix’s incentive to throttle heavy users will be reduced if they know they have a 10-minute call to deal with each time they cause a delay on your account.
Netflix Customer Service
(800) 279-5688
(888) 638-3549
Other Netflix Contact Information
Address
Netflix, Inc.
100 Winchester Circle
Los Gatos, CA 95032
Headquaters Phone
(408) 540-3700
Headquaters Fax
(408) 540-3737
20/20 VISION
Contact 20/20’s John Stossel (www.abcnews.go.com/2020/ABCNEWSSpecial), share your Netflix experience, and encourage him to investigate the company’s business practices.
JohnStossel@abcnews.com
FILM AT 11
Contact your local television stations and newspapers. Let them know what Netflix is doing. Those local investigative reporters drool over frauds like this. If Netflix gets pulled into a public relations firestorm and is forced to spend revenue defending their public image, they might realize it would just be cheaper to keep their heavy users quiet by delivering a few more DVDs per month.
CONTACT THE FEDS
Netflix is committing fraud across state lines and the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov) needs to know about it. File a complaint online.
http://www.consumer.gov/sentinel/
https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01
JUST THE FACTS, MA’AM
The FBI (www.fbi.gov) and National White Collar Crime Center (www.nw3c.org) have joined to form the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov). File a complaint online.
http://www.ifccfbi.gov/cf1.asp
GO POSTAL
Write USPS and tell them that Netflix is unfairly blaming your post office for delays and shipping problems. USPS needs to know that Netflix is using them as a scapegoat. If USPS knows how they are being portrayed, Netflix will get a chilly reception the next time they have to negotiate bulk mailing rates and terms. Contact USPS at the following address.
Azeezaly Jaffer
Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications
United States Postal Service
475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington, DC 20260-0001
REDMAIL
Netflix uses the US mail to conduct business. This makes Netflix subject to mail fraud investigations. File a complaint with the US Postal Inspector.
http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/
https://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/MailFraudComplaint.htm
BETTER THAN NOTHING
File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Netflix’s complaint file needs to reflect the true scope of customer dissatisfaction. Every complaint helps build the case against Netflix.
http://www.bbb.org/
CALIFORNIA SCREAMIN’
Go after Netflix on their home turf by informing the California Attorney General (http://caag.state.ca.us/) about what is going on his state. File a complaint here.
http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/mailform.htm
HOME SWEET HOME
Netflix is committing fraud on residents of your state, and it is the responsibility of your state’s Attorney General to stop things like this. You can find your Attorney General’s contact information on your state’s official government Web site.
http://www.loc.gov/global/state/stategov.html
GET LETIGIOUS
Contact a local law firm, tell them your Netflix story, and see if they are interested in launching a class action suit against a multi-million dollar corporation. If a good class action lawsuit gets going, Netflix will probably be forced into a settlement that will result in partial refunds for their customers.
TAKE CHARGE
If you have expressed your dissatisfaction to Netflix and been denied an adequate refund, call your credit card company and dispute Netflix’s charges on the grounds that they did not deliver the product for which you paid. Placing the charges in dispute will instantly put the burden of proof on Netflix, and they will be forced to make their case to your credit card company. Depending on your credit card company’s policies, you could get some money back. At the very least, you will force Netflix to expend resources defending themselves, and you will raise the attention of the credit idustry. If Netflix gets too many disputed charges on their record, it will impact the merchant fees they pay to the credit card companies.
SUMMARY
Ironically, if Netflix had supplied me with enough DVDs, I would not have had the time or motivation to take these actions or write this article. Now, I’ve done what I can on my own. Unfortunately, I am only one person, and my impact will be minimal. If, however, many more people take these actions, Netflix will be pressured into coming clean on how they do business and publicly admit the imposed limitations of their "unlimited" rental plan. If enough people take action, things will change.
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Reprint Notice: This article may be reprinted and distributed freely without additional permission. Please credit Warren S, Netflix Underground - http://netflixunderground.blogspot.com/.
The original article can be found in its entirety at http://netflixunderground.blogspot.com/.
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