DVD Talk Forum - ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

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ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Taken from the ECA thread for people that dont click on it:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decker (Post 9866341)

So, guess what? Everyone who signed up for this service, free or not, is now officially fucked.

Courtesy of CAG:

I am well aware that this is not a deal and many will flame me and say this is the wrong forum or that this is a re-post. However, at one point it seems like the majority of CAGs gave these people their credit card information in order to sign up for a "free" membership. Many if not all who signed up immediately canceled the auto renew billing feature using the website. It appears that it is now ECA's stance that anyone who did this, did not actually cancel their membership because it was never a working feature of their website. The original thread where I got this info from is found here, full credit should be given to Cager arcane93 for pointing all this out.
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...240887&page=20

I believe as many CAG's as possible need to see this so that they are made aware they may be charged again by the ECA and of how this organization conducts its business. I fear the other thread is not visible enough for many CAGS to see it. Call this the anti deal if you will, but I am just trying to look out for fellow CAGs and save them some money. Despite this not being a deal, I really feel this thread belongs where it is and should not be moved, so that as many people as possible are made aware of the situation. My main issue with this is not that it is difficult to cancel- that is a common business practice by this type of organization....my problem is that they removed a function from their website and are claiming it never worked and have done nothing proactive to notify anyone.
The ONLY way you can cancel your membership is by a letter through some form of TRACEABLE mail.

send your cancellation here:
Attn: Accounting, ECA, 64 Danbury Road, Suite 700, Wilton, CT 06897-4406.

Here are some tidbits from the ECA themselves, taken from their forum:
http://forums.theeca.com/showpost.ph...6&postcount=59

Was there a button for auto-renewing?

Yes, for some browsers, but it wasn’t intended to be there, wasn’t a working option and was removed as soon as we became aware

Why can’t we terminate via email?

Because the org has grown too large to handle the volume and requiring a mailed piece separates those who are serious from those who are lazy or finicky – joining and leaving repeatedly – and it gives us written documentation, a paper trail to reconcile against

5.Right to update Credit Card Account Information. If the credit card provided by Member to ECA has expired during an attempt to bill fees per section 4, ECA will revise the expiration date and proceed with billing using the same credit card account.

12. Receipt of Mail. ECA cannot guarantee that it receives any mail that Member claims to have sent. Member should, at Member’s own expense, send any notices to ECA in a form to ensure to Member that their communication arrived at ECA, which form may include but not be limited to FedEx, UPS, USPS Return Receipt Requested and USPS Certified Mail.

Consumerista has an article about this now:
http://consumerist.com/2009/12/eca-t...canceling.html

ECA contact info:
http://theeca.com/feed_back
phone: +1 (203) 761-6180
fax: +1 (203) 761-6184

Re: ECA ; An Important warning to those who signed up for free!

Subject header should be "an important warning to ALL MEMBERS", since it affects you whether you got the free sign-up or not.

Re: ECA ; An Important warning to those who signed up for free!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groucho (Post 9866501)

Subject header should be "an important warning to ALL MEMBERS", since it affects you whether you got the free sign-up or not.

Good point. L & O can you change the thread title?

Re: ECA ; An Important warning to those who signed up for free!

Thanks for the heads up. I have awhile before my year is up. Hopefully they will change this policy.

Re: ECA ; An Important warning to those who signed up for free!

The consumerist is now reporting the story:

http://consumerist.com/2009/12/eca-t...canceling.html

Re: ECA ; An Important warning to those who signed up for free!

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkside (Post 9866560)

Thanks for the heads up. I have awhile before my year is up. Hopefully they will change this policy.

Per that article, they need at least 30 days before renewal in order to process. What bullshit this is!

Re: ECA ; An Important warning to those who signed up for free!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhg83 (Post 9866525)

Good point. L & O can you change the thread title?

Nope.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

I'm kinda happy to see a company trying to scam the scammers, to be honest.

(it sucks for anybody that used it as it was intended, obviously).

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Everyone who is a member should just cancel right now to let the ECA know that we all think they are assholes. I'll have to write my letter when I get a chance.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

LMGTFY - Video gamers' Community & Gaming Consumer Advocate: Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA)

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by PixyJunket (Post 9866757)

I'm kinda happy to see a company trying to scam the scammers, to be honest.

(it sucks for anybody that used it as it was intended, obviously).

Sounds more like the ECA were lazy/incompetent in setting up their code system. I don't think anyone broke any rules or scammed anyone - they just took advantage of the broken system. It's like a pricing error on a website, but instead of fixing the broken system, the ECA just scrapped it completely and now seems to be punishing everyone by making it difficult to cancel a membership.

It's hard for me to imagine anyone actually taking the ECA's side on this issue.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by PixyJunket (Post 9866757)

I'm kinda happy to see a company trying to scam the scammers, to be honest.

(it sucks for anybody that used it as it was intended, obviously).

This seems to be a common response, but it still makes no sense to me.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by fujishig (Post 9866784)

This seems to be a common response, but it still makes no sense to me.

Agreed. The people who were stacking codes (and I'd hesitate to label them as "scammers") are a small subset of the affected.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleGramps (Post 9866780)

It's hard for me to imagine anyone actually taking the ECA's side on this issue.

It seems like Kotaku sort of is.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decker (Post 9866821)

It seems like Kotaku sort of is.

Between their near-constant typos, poor sourcing, and this sort of thing, I've started to give up on Kotaku. Joystiq, on the other hand, seems to be on a roll lately.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

As a paying subscriber, please accept my FU. :lol: that they think they can handle written letters better than emails.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decker (Post 9866821)

It seems like Kotaku sort of is.

It doesn't sound like it to me based on the article. They gave a fair report of the issue for both someone who signed up and the ECA.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Joystiq is now on board with the story: http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/ec...ation-hassles/

The ECA forum is hilarious right now. It's a steady steam of locked and disappearing thread.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groucho (Post 9866894)

Joystiq is now on board with the story: http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/02/ec...ation-hassles/

The ECA forum is hilarious right now. It's a steady steam of locked and disappearing thread.

"We're too big and busy to deal with a cancel button on our site.... Dammit that's the fiftieth thread we have to lock and delete today! "

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

So even if we send a letter USPS Return Receipt Requested or USPS Certified Mail, there is no guarantee that the account will be canceled. I don't see them sending a letter back saying they canceled the account. And sending it that route is only going to show that the letter got there, not what was in the letter. I'm guessing canceling your CC # and warning them about this company is your best bet.

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groucho (Post 9866820)

Agreed. The people who were stacking codes (and I'd hesitate to label them as "scammers") are a small subset of the affected.

...and pointed out previously it was possible to stack without even knowing you did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhg83 (Post 9866922)

"We're too big and busy to deal with a cancel button on our site.... Dammit that's the fiftieth thread we have to lock and delete today! "

rotfl

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

Does anyone know if you have to give credit card info to create an ECA account? I remember when the signup deal was live with the Amazon discount, but as soon as I saw credit card info necessary I was concerned. I didn't think I signed up, but I do have an account through the ECA with an email login and password.

The my account area doesn't have any orders listed or credit card information, so is there any way to know for sure if I'm signed up for a paid account or not?

Re: ECA - BASTARDS CHANGED POLICY An Important warning to ALL MEMBERS!

I saw this within a post by the president of ECA, Hal Halpin:

Quote:

But if you can't behave civilly and continue to send our staff abusive and threatening messages, we will terminate your membership and we will not allow you to renew.

So there you go, another option for canceling. ;)