GUIDELINK VIP Card - HOAX or NOT

July 6, 2011 - Wednesday

It was such a stupid day… the telemarketing company, Guidelink Corporation (as what they have introduced to me) / Guidelink Marketing Corporation (as seen in SEC) called me up and offered me a VIP gold card, which I thought at first was a BPI gold card. He went on explaining the privileges I can get from the card which includes big discounts from restaurants, hotels, travel, etc. He also said that I would get a 30% discount from the Philippine Dental Health Club for pasta, braces, prophylaxis etc. He also offered me a waiver of my annual fee for all my credit cards and so he ask my credit card details to ask for approval to the cc companies. I gave out my HSBC and Metrobank details. Darn it!

Afterwards, he told me something about Php5,998 which I really did not understand. The event happened so fast that I perhaps could not comprehend anymore of what he was saying. He then gave the line to a girl and welcome me for being a member of the VIP gold card – availing a package amounting to Php5,998. That was an eye-opener for me. I told the girl to please wait and that I would to clarify what the amount was about. She then gave the phone back to Mr. HARRIS PINEDA, that was the telemarketing agent’s name by the way. Harris kept on talking about the discounts then later on said that it’s going to be in black and white.. so that was the time I relax. I thought I would be receiving the package first then look up all the privileges, then if I agree, they would process my request. So I said ok.

He, by the way, gave me his direct line ____ so I would be able to contact him anytime for clarifications. He is my “consultant” as what he said. To top it all, the phone kept on being disconnected. He said they have a problem with PLDT and kept on apologizing.

After putting down the phone, I searched the internet about their company. And BINGO!! I found several blog sites saying all those things about GUIDELINK and METROCARE. The blogs include the site below:

http://kurkeh.wordpress.com/2010/06/23/our-fight-against-metro-care-marketing-services-comes-to-an-end-and-we-have-prevailed/

I was SCAMMED!!! Just like the rest of those who posted. Well, the Company might not be a scam itself, but their marketing strategies suck!! And a scam in a way, since they were not clear on everything. They didn’t even ask my permission to purchase that transaction online. Damn!

Later on, after finding all those blogs, I called Harris and inquired on the transaction again. I clarified if the transaction won’t push through if I won’t be signing any documents. However, he said, no that’s not necessary. It’s like an online purchase and no signature is required. That’s the time I said he has to cancel the transaction. He said he would have to check if the cc company has already approved the transaction. If not, he can still cancel it, but if the transaction was approved, I would have to wait for the package. The courier shall give them the report that I have received the transaction. Then that’s the time he would call me up and ask me to make the cancellation letter and send it to them through fax. I was furious, but then I said, ok, go check it now.  He told he would call me back after.

He didn’t call back so I called back. He said that the transaction was already approved by Metrobank. Upon knowing that, I called Metrobank immediately and found out that there is a transaction floating amounting to Php5,998.  I told my story and asked if I could do anything to remedy the situation. The agent told me that a dispute letter can be filed but only after the transaction is posted. The remedy I could do is call Guidelink to cancel the transaction.

I felt so helpless I don’t know what to do. I kept calling Harris and he kept on insisting I should accept the package and do the process he told me. He was so convincing. He even told me that if I won’t accept the package and do the process, later on, I would call him back and I would ask to do the process since that’s the only way I could cancel the transaction. He said that he was just following protocol and as his “consultant”, he won’t let anything bad happen in our situation.

However, as advised by the cc, I should not accept the package and go on with the dispute letter. However it is still not a guarantee. It would just avoid giving Guidelink a reason not to cancel my transaction since I already accepted the package. I blocked my card and have it replaced, though I don’t really need the card anymore. I prefer to cancel the card but then I still have to pay that obligation floating. Double darn it!

As I have nothing to do for now, I read the blog and posted the comments asking for help. One person who goes by the name “naz” send me a reply stating as follows:

1.       April Guidelink din bumiktima sakin nung March pa yun.. tinyaga ko lng basahin tong blog nto kya nagawa ko mga dapat gawin.. sa ngaun tingin ko nga nagpapanic ka, magfocus k muna.. please try to read the previous post here, malalaman mo n signature mo ang pinaka kelngan nila para macharge n talaga sayo yung 5k+.. tumawag kna ulit sa bank mo hanggat maaga pa, ireport mo n detalyado nangyari sayo tas pablock or papalitan mo n yang credit card mo ng bago (card replacement mga200 o 400 ata? mas ok nato kaysa dun sa 5k+) papagawin k nila ng formal dispute letter, gawin mo lng yun, medyo mtagal lng aantayin mo bago tuluyan matapos yung case mo, kelngan lang tlga wag ka bibitaw, dapat nga pla masend mo yung dispute letter bago ang next cutoff mo para maalis n sya agad sa floating, pagka nakuha n ng bank dispute letter mo meron sila 60days investigation.. basta tandaan mo wag ka bibigay sa panloloko nila na kelngan mo pumirma, my suggestion ako kung kaya mo gawin, gayahin mo ginawa nila el_pistolero nakuhanan nila sa video yung courier n hindi nila tinanggap yung package, isang evidence narin kasi yun n wala kang tinanggap sa kanila.. madami pang tips dto sa blog nato.. kya simulan mo na at tyagain mo na basahin mula sa simula tong blog nato para malaman mo at maintindihan mo history at makuha mo mga dapat mo gawin.. sana nakatulong ako kahit pano..

July 7, 2011 - Thursday

The next day, I kept on reading the blog and searching for more blogs so I would know what I'm dealing with. Affter so many research, I came across this blog who goes by the name pao.

http://iamsheh.blogspot.com/

She too had the same experience as I did. But her story is more deceving and more expensive than what had happen to me.

Anyways, I posted comments on her blog as well and she was quite friendly and helpful in giving me information on what had happen to her.

According to her blog, she was able to obtained a copy of the credit memo from Guidelink without paying anything. So I tried doing the same.

I called Harris and kept on insisting that he should provide me the credit memo since I immediately cancellted my fraudulent transaction with them. He kept on insisting the standard operating procedure (SOP) they have and that I should first accept the package. I was furious. I even threathened him and I wanted to talk to his supervisor, but he refused to give the phone to her (Ellena Pineda, if I'm not mistaken - that's the name he said). Quite a coincidence that his supervisor's last name is same with his last name.. hmpf!

I also threatened to report them to DTI, police, Tulfo or whatever authorities I could think of during the conversation. He said it's up to me to report to those authorities. I would just be spending money, but in the end I won't win since they are a legitimate company and their transactions are legal. Darn!

It seems like my plan isn't working so I talked with my cousin who knows how to threaten people. He knows some people in media that could surely help us if necessary.

So their conversation went on and on. In the end, he agreed to give a credit memo provided I paid a cancellation fee amounting to Php1,750. Bingo! Just like what Pao said in her blog and so with all the other comments from the previous blogs I read. The difference is with the amount they ask. Hmpf! They think we're stupid to believe everything they say. Thank God for technology and all these blogs.

My cousin did not agree of the amount and said to lower it down. Harris agreed to lower it down to Php750. He will be the one to shoulder the remaining Php1,000. Could you believe that?

Anyways, my cousin agreed with the amount and tried to convince me to pay so we can get it over with. I said okey, but deep inside me I was in rage and would not want to pay anything.

I called Metrobank to confirm if all I need to have to reverse the transaction is the credit memo. They confirmed so I was now confident. All I needed was a good plan to get a copy of the memo without giving a single cent.

I told my cousin to deliver it on Tuesday since I would have to speak with my colleagues to ask help on what plan to do to get that memo. I needed time.

July 8, 2011 - Friday

The next day came and I spoke with my colleagues. We were ready with a plan, though not so solid plan. We just had to wait until Tuesday to get it over with.

July 11, 2011 - Monday

Weekend passed and I was afraid the memo wouldn't be delivered. I asked my cousin to call Harris again and asked to deliver the memo.

Harris said he is not sure if he can deliver it within the day or tomorrow since it's not yet processed.

Thankfully, it was delivered this afternoon through a messenger. My colleagues were the ones to speak with the messenger. They made up excuse that I can't come down on our waiting area and they would have to borrow the memo for my inspection. The messenger agreed so we proceed with our plan. We scanned the memo and sent to Metrobank.

I then, went down our waiting area to give back the memo. I said I wouldn't accept the memo with a receipt of my payment. He called Harris over the phone and said "uy pare, may tinatanong sila e.. di ko maintindhan. kaw na lang kumausap." then again... I argued with Harris insisting a memo is not considered an official receipt anywhere and that I wouldn't pay unless I get a receipt. I would be the one to go to their office if I would be needing the memo (address is: unit 102 G/F Marbella 1 Bldg. Brgy. 13 Roxas Blvd Pasay City as they provided). He agreed and we both put down the phone.

I waited for the next couple of days. According to Metrobank, the floating charges will be gone after 10days if not verified by the merchant. The credit memo or any dispute letter wouldn't be used for the moment. We would need to wait for the transaction to be posted.

July 16, 2011 - Saturday

Exactly, 10 days after the transaction occurred. I called Metrobank to verify if the floating charges were gone.They told me to call back again on Monday. 


July 18, 2011 - Monday

I called Metrobank again as advised.. and voila!! no more floating charges! the transaction was not posted at all!!


I was so relieved. Now it's up to you guys to decide.. HOAX or not? I believe it's hoax!! It's indeed fraudulent! Anything used to deceive people into entering a transaction is fraudulent.. it's hoax!!

However you see this, I learned my lesson! You guys should also beware of all those telemarketing companies. Let's all learn to say NO when needed. 

*By popular demand, here is the copy of the credit memo issued to me. The letterhead has no references of office address, contact details, VAT information, etc.

I had to seal my full name and credit number for my protection but here is the full picture of the credit memo.