ECA Discussion Thread - WARNING: Some CAGs Who Cancelled Are Being Auto-Renewed

I had kept receiving emails after I cancelled with the mass cancellation, but then I was able to unsubscribe from the emails. At the time there was not option to not renew my subscription. Now when I try logging in, it says my account is not active.

I think I am not up for renewal until July or August, so hopefully I remember to check by then.
 
Those receiveing the newsletter after cancelling should report the ECA to the FTC. By providing documentation that all information was removed and that you are still receiving emails you probably have a case. It sounds like there are enough of you that the FTC might actually take it seriously.
 
I'm sure this has already been asked, I couldn't find it in the long list of pages.

I was recently charged and emailed them twice since last week with no reply to permanently cancel my membership. If I find do get a response will they refund me completely?
 
[quote name='yingfo']I'm sure this has already been asked, I couldn't find it in the long list of pages.

I was recently charged and emailed them twice since last week with no reply to permanently cancel my membership. If I find do get a response will they refund me completely?[/QUOTE]

did you cancel before and this is a false charge or did you just completely forget they were having your card on subscription?

If it's the latter, good luck. They are stingy about refunds. I would say that you should have gotten an email about your anniversary or something, saying that you'll be up for dues billing soon.

Could say that you didn't get any of that, and would press hard for them to refund you because you didn't think you were signing up for a subscription vs one time fee for a year.
 
[quote name='xycury']did you cancel before and this is a false charge or did you just completely forget they were having your card on subscription?

If it's the latter, good luck. They are stingy about refunds. I would say that you should have gotten an email about your anniversary or something, saying that you'll be up for dues billing soon.

Could say that you didn't get any of that, and would press hard for them to refund you because you didn't think you were signing up for a subscription vs one time fee for a year.[/QUOTE]

I actually had no idea that the renewal date was coming, I never received any email except the usual daily one. Do they send out email notifying of upcoming renewal?
 
[quote name='yingfo']I actually had no idea that the renewal date was coming, I never received any email except the usual daily one. Do they send out email notifying of upcoming renewal?[/QUOTE]
After the stuff hit the fan, they claimed they were going to notify people 1 month before they were automatically renewed, but as shady as they've been, I wouldn't count on it.
 
[quote name='Lawyers Guns N Money']After the stuff hit the fan, they claimed they were going to notify people 1 month before they were automatically renewed, but as shady as they've been, I wouldn't count on it.[/QUOTE]


Alright thanks for the help, wow such a shady company.
 
My membership was up yesterday and I didn't get charged, at least not yet. If I do, I am going to refuse the charge on my credit card with the cancellation email as evidence
 
well, im not due to be charged until october, but i went ahead and followed the steps to cancel. I was then unable to login afterward as i agreed to cancel my account now at the final steps. Here is hoping for the best
 
Does anyone else find that it's a joke that if you cancel, you get blocked from the website? It's like a little kid trying to get back at you. Not like I cared much for the ECA after last year, but I did pay for my account and it's ironic that for my year payment I had an account for what, 4 months? Late in coming, but it's always struck me as vindictive. Since the auto renew button back then wasn't working, there was no way to simply turn off payment(like amazon prime or something) so canceling by letter was the only way you could do that, as they explicitly stated at the time.
 
I unsubscribed from the newsletter long ago, as in before the 7 pound package of discontent. I haven't received any emails from them since last year. Until today, when I received this:
[quote name='ECA']
Game Developers Conference Canada
May 6-7, 2010
Vancouver Convention Centre
ECA members get 10% off Conference Passes for GDC Canada !

The Game Developers Conference™ Canada is the premier event for developers and business development professionals looking for best practices for managing established franchises, developing new global titles, or looking to take advantage of new distribution models.

Click here to log into you're exclusive ECA member page and get your code today![/QUOTE]




Obviously my personal information is still a ghost in their machine.
 
I canceled via the CAG box and my membership was renewed last week. I disputed the charge with my CC company and was issued an immediate refund. I also sent the ECA a message indicating my dissatisfaction with their IT infrastructure and incompetence. Here is their response:

"We would like to apologize for the recent charge on your credit card. There was an error in our system and we will be refunding your money back. A check has been cut for the amount that was charged on your credit card. If you have any questions please let us know, again we apologize for the mistake on our behalf.

ECA"
 
[quote name='chakan'][quote name='ECA']Click here to log into you're exclusive ECA member page[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]

Clearly a professional organization all the way around.
 
[quote name='no_exit']I canceled via the CAG box and my membership was renewed last week. I disputed the charge with my CC company and was issued an immediate refund. I also sent the ECA a message indicating my dissatisfaction with their IT infrastructure and incompetence. Here is their response:

"We would like to apologize for the recent charge on your credit card. There was an error in our system and we will be refunding your money back. A check has been cut for the amount that was charged on your credit card. If you have any questions please let us know, again we apologize for the mistake on our behalf.

ECA"
[/QUOTE]

I wonder what happens if you cash the check even though you charged back? Would the ECA then bill you for the $20 they sent you? Or charge you for another membership? Would the world just explode?
 
[quote name='kodave']I wonder what happens if you cash the check even though you charged back? Would the ECA then bill you for the $20 they sent you? Or charge you for another membership? Would the world just explode?[/QUOTE]

It'd be grounds for a fraud charge actually ... in the same way ECA has no right to take money from us, we'd have no right to take money from them.

So as long as the ECA's debt is paid to those it stole from, it'd be a good idea not to cash the check ... of course if you didn't do a chargeback ... cash the sucker :p
 
[quote name='Vortextk']Does anyone else find that it's a joke that if you cancel, you get blocked from the website? It's like a little kid trying to get back at you. Not like I cared much for the ECA after last year, but I did pay for my account and it's ironic that for my year payment I had an account for what, 4 months? Late in coming, but it's always struck me as vindictive. Since the auto renew button back then wasn't working, there was no way to simply turn off payment(like amazon prime or something) so canceling by letter was the only way you could do that, as they explicitly stated at the time.[/QUOTE]

I thought the exact same back when they blocked us CAG boxers out. It was a stupid, childish attempt at slapping us in the face. Honestly though, the company will never come back from this fiasco, they just keep piling dirt on themselves....Their attitude shows it. fucking spiteful little bitches.
 
[quote name='chakan']I unsubscribed from the newsletter long ago, as in before the 7 pound package of discontent. I haven't received any emails from them since last year. Until today, when I received this:
[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]




Obviously my personal information is still a ghost in their machine.
[/QUOTE]
Same here. Unsubscribed long ago.
 
Got my $19.99 refund check in the mail today along with an apology. My card was charged about ~ two weeks ago. I guess in the end, it worked out but I'm not happy about the hassle obviously.
 
[quote name='MattyB']Got my $19.99 refund check in the mail today along with an apology. My card was charged about ~ two weeks ago. I guess in the end, it worked out but I'm not happy about the hassle obviously.[/QUOTE]

I would still do a charge back. fuck Hal Halpin and his short bus business.
 
[quote name='MattyB']Got my $19.99 refund check in the mail today along with an apology. My card was charged about ~ two weeks ago. I guess in the end, it worked out but I'm not happy about the hassle obviously.[/QUOTE]

Is it really a straight check, or does it have conditions like "only good for 30 days" or "if deposited, you will be enrolled for 1 year of ECA" or something like that?
 
[quote name='Siterath']It'd be grounds for a fraud charge actually ... in the same way ECA has no right to take money from us, we'd have no right to take money from them.

So as long as the ECA's debt is paid to those it stole from, it'd be a good idea not to cash the check ... of course if you didn't do a chargeback ... cash the sucker :p[/QUOTE]
Being I was issued a refund from my CC company, I have no plans to cash the check.
 
Looks like the admins JUST NOW decided to remove my "ECA" themed sig.

Some people are fucking prudes, and learn to not take life so seriously...
 
[quote name='Z(+)DIAC']Looks like the admins JUST NOW decided to remove my "ECA" themed sig.

Some people are fucking prudes, and learn to not take life so seriously...[/QUOTE]

that's kinda lame. people have half naked chicks in their sigs but you can't have an ECA branded cartoon penis?
 
[quote name='confoosious']that's kinda lame. people have half naked chicks in their sigs but you can't have an ECA branded cartoon penis?[/QUOTE]

Maybe the jizz took it too far?
 
[quote name='kodave']Maybe the jizz took it too far?[/QUOTE]

Animated...

Either way, I have something new in the pipeline, I can't imagine it will be an issue.

As someone else pointed out, it's beyond skeezy and downright childish that ECA blocks you from their forums after you've canceled. I'm so glad I'm done with this "association".
 
WTF i logged on and clicked on my account and then "edit account" and then "membership status" and it gives me all my account details and says that auto renew is on (of course) but there seems to be no actual way to change it to off or to cancel the membership.

I see here that other people have at least been able to request to cancel on the ECA website via some sort of account feature, but that feature seems to not be available to me anywhere, even under the edit membership status area.

I realize that even if I request to cancel, I may be renewed anyway - but I would at least be able to try it this way so I can get sent some kind of confirmation or something.

Am I missing someything here????
 
[quote name='smcmanus1980']WTF i logged on and clicked on my account and then "edit account" and then "membership status" and it gives me all my account details and says that auto renew is on (of course) but there seems to be no actual way to change it to off or to cancel the membership.

I see here that other people have at least been able to request to cancel on the ECA website via some sort of account feature, but that feature seems to not be available to me anywhere, even under the edit membership status area.

I realize that even if I request to cancel, I may be renewed anyway - but I would at least be able to try it this way so I can get sent some kind of confirmation or something.

Am I missing someything here????[/QUOTE]

Did you follow all the steps in the FAQ: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7117949#post7117949 ? (under My account is still active - How do I turn off auto-renew or cancel my account now?)
 
[quote name='Z(+)DIAC']Looks like the admins JUST NOW decided to remove my "ECA" themed sig.

Some people are fucking prudes, and learn to not take life so seriously...[/QUOTE]
If it makes you feel any better, your sig is why my IP address is permabanned from the ECA forums
 
Well my account has been blocked since the cancellation box and I'm not up for renewal until Sept so here's to hoping that there's some sort of conclusion to all this madness
 
[quote name='badlieut']Got my check today but I've already received the chargeback. Wonder if that's Hal's signature on the check.[/QUOTE]

You should Frame that sucker!
 
[quote name='kodave']Is it really a straight check, or does it have conditions like "only good for 30 days" or "if deposited, you will be enrolled for 1 year of ECA" or something like that?[/QUOTE]

It was a straight check with handwriting on it.
 
Wow wow wow....... They really mailed out checks? Do they not have the ability to do a refund or understand that people could just reverse the charge? o_O Be careful if you already got your money back through your bank, if you cash the check also they might send teh Ninjas for you! This could also give them blah blah blah to fight your reversal! O_O

That was cool of them to act this fast though! I've dealt with some jerk face company's in the past and they would take forever to issue a refund, if it was by check it would take even longer!
 
[quote name='MattyB']It was a straight check with handwriting on it.[/QUOTE]

This only further proves the unprofessional standards ECA has set for themselves...
 
Thanks for the tips on getting removed from the email lists. I kept getting the newsletters even after I tried to unsubscribe. Hopefully changing the setting as an inactive member did the trick so I no longer get the newsletters.
 
just a general warning:

Do not cash the check if you did a chargeback. TheECA could stop payment on it and you would be hit with frees for cashing it (like bouncing a check).
 
[quote name='slowdive21']just a general warning:

Do not cash the check if you did a chargeback. TheECA could stop payment on it and you would be hit with frees for cashing it (like bouncing a check).[/QUOTE]
I want frees. What kind of frees do you get? Tshirts? Avatar items? MS points?

j/k (obviously)
 
[quote name='isofan1']help where do i go to cancel? my renews tomorrow[/QUOTE]
You go to the OP and follow the directions below the huge heading "How to cancel now".
 
[quote name='isofan1']help where do i go to cancel? my renews tomorrow[/QUOTE]

See my sig.

[quote name='Fire_Thief']i lost my account info and everything i'm so screwed. fml.[/QUOTE]

You can email or call them with your name and other personal information in a worse case scenario. But really you don't remember what e-mail address you signed up with?
 
My renewal date was last week and no charges came through. Maybe they did finally fix their system as they promised. I still don't trust them
 
Well, I'm getting these stupid newsletters from them, and can't log in to my account to cancel them due to the fact that they blocked/canceled/whatever. So, I set up to automatic things on my email. First, I made it automatically forward the email right back to them. Second, I delete the message right after that is done.

Yes, bit of an ass thing, but I've also found it's a quick way of getting them to remove you from a list when you can't fix it yourself and they don't reply to emails about it.
 
[quote name='YodaEXE']Well, I'm getting these stupid newsletters from them, and can't log in to my account to cancel them due to the fact that they blocked/canceled/whatever. So, I set up to automatic things on my email. First, I made it automatically forward the email right back to them. Second, I delete the message right after that is done.

Yes, bit of an ass thing, but I've also found it's a quick way of getting them to remove you from a list when you can't fix it yourself and they don't reply to emails about it.[/QUOTE]

There is an unsubscribe link at the bottom of the ECA email. Does that not work?
 
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