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Check out some of our greatest hits below, explore the categories listed on the left-hand side of the page, or head to <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CR.org</a> for ratings, reviews, and consumer news.</p> <p class="full-width"><a class="notice-cr-logo" href="https://www.consumerreports.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://cdn.consumerreports.org/etc/designs/cr/images/common/footer-logo.svg" alt="Consumer Reports" /></a></p> <div class="clear"></div> </div>  </div>  <div id="inner"><div class="wrap"><div id="content-sidebar-wrap"><div id="content" class="hfeed"> <article class="lf-post"> <header class="lf-post-header" style="background-image: url('https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/greenmillionaire.jpg');"> <h1> <p class="lf-post-tags"> <a href="../../tag/subscriptions/index.html" class="post-tag" rel="tag"> subscriptions </a> </p> <span>Don't Fall For Green Millionaire's 'Free Trial' Offer</span> </h1> </header> <div class="article-wrap"> <div class="lf-post-meta"> <p><span class="date published time" title="2010-08-12T13:15:00+00:00">8.12.10</span> <span class="date published time" title="2010-08-12T13:15:00+00:00">1:15 PM EDT</span> By <span class="author vcard"><span class="fn"><a href="../../author/chrismorranconsumerist/index.html" title="Posts by Chris Morran" class="author url fn" rel="author">Chris Morran</a><a href="https://twitter.com/themorrancave" title="themorrancave" class="twitter"><i class="fa fa-twitter"></i>@themorrancave</a></span></span></p><p class="lf-post-tags lf-post-header-tags"><a href="../../tag/subscriptions/index.html" rel="tag">subscriptions</a> <a href="../../tag/as-seen-on-tv/index.html" rel="tag">as seen on TV</a> <a href="../../tag/bad-customer-service/index.html" rel="tag">bad customer service</a> <a href="../../tag/the-green-millionaire/index.html" rel="tag">the green millionaire</a></p> </div> <p>If you watch enough TV, there’s a good chance you’ve seen ads for The Green Millionaire, which purports to be a free book that will teach you how to take advantage of government programs to do things like “keep your gas tank full for free” and “get big dollars to ‘green’ your home, even if you rent.” But some complain they’re getting more than the free book — they’re getting a pricey magazine subscription they can’t get out of.</p> <p>According to the book’s site, when you order your free copy of the The Green Millionaire you are also subscribed to The Green Millionaire eMagazine and will begin being charged $29.95 every 60 days if you don’t cancel within the 14-day free trial period.</p> <p>However, over at ComplaintBoards.com, there are numerous complaints from consumers claiming they were charged $89.95 — three times the quoted price on the site’s Terms & Conditions page. And some say the charge was made on their credit card before the 14-day trial period even ended.</p> <p>One complainant says he ordered the book on July 24 and called to cancel on Aug. 3, well within the two-week time frame. But on the same day he canceled, he claims Green Millionaire charged his credit card the $89.95 fee:</p> <blockquote><p> I called them again, got a different rep who tried to tell me that I hadn’t called and that their system logged each call that was made to them. If so, they need to fix their system. What I suspect is true is that he was just trying to bluff his way through, but it didn’t work. At first, he said that he couldn’t refund the money. As I escalated it, he offered to refund half. I stuck to my position and he finally agreed to refund the full amount, but it will take 7-14 business days for them to undo what they did in seconds with their unauthorized charge.</p></blockquote> <p>So before you get sucked in by author Nigel Williams’ vaguely British-ish sort of accent and sleek bald scalp, you’ll probably want to give The Green Millionaire a pass.</p> <p><a href="http://www.complaintsboard.com/bycompany/the-green-millionaire-a173233.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">The Green Millionaire Complaints</a> [ComplaintBoards.com]</p> <blockquote><p>Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization,<strong> <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank">Consumer Reports</a></strong>, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.</p></blockquote> <footer class="lf-post-footer"> <div class="lf-post-meta"> <p><span class="lf-post-footer--dates">8.12.10</span>By <span class="author vcard"><span class="fn"><a href="../../author/chrismorranconsumerist/index.html" title="Posts by Chris Morran" class="author url fn" rel="author">Chris Morran</a><a href="https://twitter.com/themorrancave" title="themorrancave" class="twitter"><i class="fa fa-twitter"></i>@themorrancave</a></span></span></p><p class="lf-post-tags"><a href="../../tag/subscriptions/index.html" rel="tag">subscriptions</a> <a href="../../tag/as-seen-on-tv/index.html" rel="tag">as seen on TV</a> <a href="../../tag/bad-customer-service/index.html" rel="tag">bad customer service</a> <a href="../../tag/the-green-millionaire/index.html" rel="tag">the green millionaire</a></p> </div> </footer> </div> </article> <div class="wpcom-related-posts widget widget_related_posts" id="wpcom-related-posts-10010024"> <div class="widget-wrap cs-related clearfix"> <h3>Related</h3> <ul> <li> <a href="../../tag/what-have-i-done/index.html" class="cs-tag" rel="tag"> what have i done? </a> <a href="../../2017/08/22/more-than-a-third-of-americans-have-been-unknowingly-enrolled-in-auto-pay-plans/index.html"> <div class="cs-related-image-cover" style="background-image: url(https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/moneybagcash.jpg?w=360&h=360&crop=1);"></div> <span class="cs-related-title">More Than A Third Of Americans Have Been Unknowingly Enrolled In Auto-Pay Plans</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="../../tag/do-your-research/index.html" class="cs-tag" rel="tag"> do your research </a> <a href="../../2016/12/02/10-things-you-should-consider-before-paying-for-any-retail-membership/index.html"> <div class="cs-related-image-cover" style="background-image: url(https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/gwdollar.jpg?w=360&h=360&crop=1);"></div> <span class="cs-related-title">10 Things You Should Consider Before Paying For Any Retail Membership</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="../../tag/taking-aim-at-big-red/index.html" class="cs-tag" rel="tag"> taking aim at big red </a> <a href="../../2015/05/05/t-mobile-to-dangle-risk-free-14-day-trial-for-verizon-customers/index.html"> <div class="cs-related-image-cover" style="background-image: url(https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/tmoneversettle.png?w=360&h=360&crop=1);"></div> <span class="cs-related-title">T-Mobile To Dangle “Risk-Free” 14-Day Trial For Verizon Customers</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="../../tag/negative-option/index.html" class="cs-tag" rel="tag"> negative option </a> <a href="../../2015/09/25/7-things-we-learned-about-the-shady-past-and-problematic-business-practices-of-justfab/index.html"> <div class="cs-related-image-cover" style="background-image: url(https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/justfab_header.png?w=360&h=360&crop=1);"></div> <span class="cs-related-title">7 Things We Learned About The Shady Past And Problematic Business Practices Of JustFab</span> </a> </li> <li> <a href="../../tag/infotainment/index.html" class="cs-tag" rel="tag"> Infotainment </a> <a href="../../2016/09/09/new-car-infotainment-systems-will-cost-you-once-free-trial-is-up/index.html"> <div class="cs-related-image-cover" style="background-image: url(https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/lincoln_mkz.jpg?w=360&h=360&crop=1);"></div> <span class="cs-related-title">New Car Infotainment Systems Will Cost You Once Free Trial Is Up</span> </a> </li> </ul></div></div><div class="navigation next-previous-post"> <div class="alignleft"> <a href="12/which-credit-cards-are-best-for-which-uses/index.html"> <span class="pagination-previous-label">Previous </span> Which Credit Cards Will Help Me Meet My Goals? </a> </div> <div class="alignright"> <a href="12/turns-out-walmart-has-raised-prices-6/index.html"> <span class="pagination-next-label">Next </span> Turns Out Walmart Is Quietly Raising Prices </a> </div> </div><div class="after-post-ad"><div id="text-5" class="widget widget_text"><div class="widget-wrap"> <div class="textwidget"></div> </div></div> </div></div></div><script type='text/javascript'> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-10697639-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 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