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Some condensed information from Strell:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/...&postcount=543

How to Cancel Now

Originally Posted by major morgan I had mine set to not auto renew, but I was still able to login. I was also a part of the giant CAG box of cancellations. You CAN cancel through the website immediately, if you wish. 1. Login to the website 2. Go to your profile and select membership status 3. Go through the steps, but be careful on the steps because step 3 says "Yes/No auto renew" and Step 5 says "Yes/No Cancel my membership now". Step 5 defaults to "No" so your membership will still be valid if you just click submit. I just did this and after I terminated I was unable to log back in. I also got a cancellation email right way. Now if people still end up being charged after this, then you should be angry.

4/23/10 UPDATE: Some CAGs have been renewed even though they received cancellation notification:
Click here to jump to this current discussion

Originally Posted by lilboo FUCK I just got charged $19.99 I have an e-mail from Dec 18, 2009 still saved when my membership was canceled. EVERYONE WHO CANCELED PLEASE CHECK. Ugh, sick of these cock sucking crooks!!!!! Look for: Visa - ent. Consumer asso $19.99

As the original thread has gotten too unweildly, I've created this thread for general discussion on The ECA.

I'd like to remind our users to stay on topic, and to be respectful of CAG rules.

Latest Update: According to Hal Halpin, the ECA has received the CAG box of cancellations and they will be processed ASAP.

I had just joined CAG to comment and they closed the old thread :'( Here was my post:

I'm a little late to the party here on CAG but I've been following your thread since day 1. It has been very satisfying to read about everyone upset about all of this. I actually submitted the first message to Consumerist about this and am quoted and referenced a few times in their article. Just figured I'd finally get a CAG account and comment. It's sad to see people buying into Hal's statements and I've argued with him in the forums before about false advertising. It's moot at this point but they still did have Amazon advertising when the codes were down. It was only for a week or so but they most definitely were there. I've done some additional research and so far here is what I have concerning existing "benefits" still posted on his site: Direct2Drive - should be 10% off but instead is an expired $5 off Borderlands code. Tritton - new codes being "worked on" for months with no word if they ever will be back Prima - code doesn't work, comes up invalid on their site Buy.com - code is for new members only. Gypsyfly told me they were "fixing" this but is has been months Maxmodz - code seems to be a scam. You never get a promo code box though the site claims it will eventually appear. I got all the way to the point where paypal sends them money and still no promo box. I would highly advise against using this site. Maingear - should be canceled as per their CTO's statements but it still exists. Cell Zenith - has no codes still. Again it has been months as far as I can remember Gamepro - Link takes you to ordering page with the normal retail price Fandango - for some reason they advertise this as a member discount but it is actually a Visa promo and has nothing whatsoever to do with the ECA. I did find a couple working promos like ThinkGeek, IGN Insider and astroturf but for the most part none of their stuff works. We have possibly won some battles but they continue to lie about their promos. And I don't buy it that these changes take time to do on the site. They claim they immediately removed the Amazon promo (even though they didn't) and they removed the PAX promo within a few hours of PA's post they wanted themselves removed. Heck they edit the TOS without issue all the time. There should be no excuse that these promos are still after months incorrect.

There was a box? :(

Any chance of a second box?

I guess that's what happens when I stop following a thread because it moves too fast.

Would be nice if there's a second batch to get in on but I won't count on it.

Originally Posted by CheapyD Latest Update: According to Hal Halpin, the ECA has received the CAG box of cancellations and they will be processed ASAP.

Good to hear. I hope, at the very least, that they learn their lesson and learn to be more transparent (and perform actual consumer advocacy) in the future.

Originally Posted by CheapyD Latest Update: According to Hal Halpin, the ECA has received the CAG box of cancellations and they will be processed ASAP.

Excellent news. I know some people were doubting whether the ECA would accept the mass cancellations.

I forgot to sign up for the mass cancellation box

Originally Posted by KaneRobot I guess that's what happens when I stop following a thread because it moves too fast. Would be nice if there's a second batch to get in on but I won't count on it.

Why don't you guys, you know, start a second batch?

Originally Posted by sefjwm I had just joined CAG to comment and they closed the old thread :'( Here was my post:

Well the general conclusion I have come to is this... this situation was 1 of 2 possible outcomes... Either:

1) This was all a scam. This was a deliberate attempt by the ECA to draw in members, use outdated or unreal benefits to keep members, and change the TOS to maintain membership (as an example, I had checked the no auto-renew function, so I could make the decision after my 1 year based on finances and what I thought of the ECA). This was a deliberate attempt to scam gamers of their money. When discovered, they attempted to keep it hush hush by having forum mods close threads (or now, close the forum) and by refusing to comment until the heat was continually turned up and up again.

2) This was, as one commentator described it, "the perfect storm." They had no ill intent, but despite this, the steps they took were in the wrong direction and at the wrong time. The poor choices made by the ECA and their poor handling of a small problem, allowed it to snowball into the fiasco we see at the moment. This has led to members questioning their benefits, but more than that, questioning what the ECA actually even does. The situation, while not deliberate, became what it is through the arrogance of the ECA and/or their ignorance towards the situation, and how to properly address the concerns of the very group they claim to represent.

Either way, the situation does not bode well for the ECA. Either they were engaging in a scam, which fully justifies the desire for members to sever their ties with the organization, or they were utterly incompetent in keeping their own house in order, which again fully justifies the desire for members to sever their ties.

So no matter what the intent of the organization in this situation, its clear that many people have now begun to question the ECA as a whole, and now too feel justified in leaving that organization for good.

I'm pumped that the box got there. I was just telling a friend the whole story today and they laughed hard when I said that a box of letters had gotten sent there.

Originally Posted by Siterath Well the general conclusion I have come to is this... this situation was 1 of 2 possible outcomes... Either: 1) This was all a scam. This was a deliberate attempt by the ECA to draw in members, use outdated or unreal benefits to keep members, and change the TOS to maintain membership (as an example, I had checked the no auto-renew function, so I could make the decision after my 1 year based on finances and what I thought of the ECA). This was a deliberate attempt to scam gamers of their money. When discovered, they attempted to keep it hush hush by having forum mods close threads (or now, close the forum) and by refusing to comment until the heat was continually turned up and up again. 2) This was, as one commentator described it, "the perfect storm." They had no ill intent, but despite this, the steps they took were in the wrong direction and at the wrong time. The poor choices made by the ECA and their poor handling of a small problem, allowed it to snowball into the fiasco we see at the moment. This has led to members questioning their benefits, but more than that, questioning what the ECA actually even does. The situation, while not deliberate, became what it is through the arrogance of the ECA and/or their ignorance towards the situation, and how to properly address the concerns of the very group they claim to represent. Either way, the situation does not bode well for the ECA. Either they were engaging in a scam, which fully justifies the desire for members to sever their ties with the organization, or they were utterly incompetent in keeping their own house in order, which again fully justifies the desire for members to sever their ties. So no matter what the intent of the organization in this situation, its clear that many people have now begun to question the ECA as a whole, and now too feel justified in leaving that organization for good.

/\ This. You pretty much summarized where we currently are, and our current hatred of the ECA.

The more I think of this, the more fumed I get. I need to play some more LittleBigPlanet or something...

By "CAG Box" does that mean the GoogleDoc file with all the names on it or is it something different. I signed the GoogleDoc cancellation petition so I hope thats what it was.

all I really want to know: can you do the cancellation process online yet or do you still have to write a letter?

Originally Posted by Maestro all I really want to know: can you do the cancellation process online yet or do you still have to write a letter?

You still have to write a letter.

Originally Posted by Maestro all I really want to know: can you do the cancellation process online yet or do you still have to write a letter?

The ECA is currently "working" on an online solution. However, a simple re-uploading to a time when the auto-renewal function was present would immediately solve the issue.

Though I wouldn't count on seeing that button ever again. Giving their CONSUMERS a CHOICE...Is too much to ask.

Originally Posted by NJMane By "CAG Box" does that mean the GoogleDoc file with all the names on it or is it something different. I signed the GoogleDoc cancellation petition so I hope thats what it was.

i would like to know too

I did the GoogleDoc file petition. Was teh CAG Box the result of that?

Originally Posted by chwang0129 i would like to know too I did the GoogleDoc file petition. Was teh CAG Box the result of that?

Yes.

An individual letter was sent for each signer, as well as the overview, with all the "signatures" on it.

Weighed 8 pounds when it was all said and done, 718 (I think) names on the list.

Although there were some that had incomplete information, so you may want to continue to check and see if your membership has been cancelled.

Originally Posted by chwang0129 i would like to know too I did the GoogleDoc file petition. Was teh CAG Box the result of that?

Yes, from what I understand the creators of the GoogleDoc made seperate letters/envelopes for each signature on the form and then placed 700+ (?) envelopes and letters into the box.

From what I remember, it cost near $25 for the entire operation, including shipping.



Changing subjects, it'd be crazy for the ECA to reject any of the letters, or the box. A case of fraud of that scale would mark an immediate end to any hopes for the ECA's future...Even though things aren't looking good for them as present. And rightfully so...I hope this company falls apart within the month.

Bleargh. I can still log into the site. -.-

Oh well. I'll give em time to sort through the 700+ some odd letters before I start getting paranoid. =P

I asked this in the last thread but it was moving too fast to get answered. When I signed up for this shit I used a paypal one time use generated card. SO, when they go to renew my subscription it should just not work because the card doesnt exist any more right?