I've just got off the phone, cancelling a service I didn't know I had subscribed to (this time it was credit reporting). I saw the charge on my credit card bill, didn't recognize it, and the run-around started. I was lucky this time, I had a toll-free number I could call directly, and they were open on a Saturday, and the company seemed fairly reputable. So I got my non-existent subscription cancelled and a credit sent to my Discover card account. This has been happening a lot lately, not always easy to track down, either, often they have no phone number listed or the collection is done by some intermediate third party who only sees me and the creditor as numbers in a file, they don't even know what the transaction is about. I happen to remember this case, I used a "free offer" to check my credit score, and even though I scrutinized the fine print of the website, I must have missed something because I was automatically enrolled in a monthly credit reporting service I don't want or need.

There's another trick they've tried on me, this one by reputable (?) companies from which I have purchased software or software services. When the software expires and comes up for removal, they automatically sign me up again billing my credit card, UNLESS I deliberately tell them not to. Of course, they barrage me with emails so I don't read them all and specifically tell them not to renew. They have my CC#, they don't bother getting my permission, or use failure to respond "no" specifically as tacit approval. A few years back when I got rid of my old computer and went to a high-speed connection I had a terrible time disconnecting from my dialup internet provider. Their website had no option for people trying to cancel, it took calling another marketing number (answered promptly, of course!) and then demanding to be transferred to the cancellations manager. Yes it took threats, and I called the Spanish Language operator since that one usually has the shortest wait and is open during abnormal business hours. I guess they think spics have short attention spans and will take their business somewhere else if not attended to immediately.

I rarely use a credit card, only for emergencies or for my infrequent internet purchases, so I can spot these anomalies, but many people pay for everything with plastic, as they are encouraged to do so constantly. How many $12 purchases get past them because they're just too lazy or harried to follow up on them?

Something very similar happens with rebates. They know most people lose interest or forget or just plain give up and the rebate offered for bait-and-switch purpose never gets delivered. If you do get it back, it's eons later and you've earned it because you've made phone calls and written letters and otherwise made a pest of yourself. I almost got stiffed on an automobile service policy I purchased when I bought my car in 2003. I put a lot less mileage on it than I had anticipated, so in order to get my money back I demanded I get the car serviced according to the time schedule, NOT the mileage schedule. The time schedule is a legit alternative spelled out in both the manufacturer's service recommendations and the service department's contract for heavy duty usage (such as summertime urban driving which is what I mostly do). I was completely within my rights, but I had to fight for that one, too. I won, but I'll never buy from that dealership again, even though I like the car and I'm willing to pay a premium for their service. The dealer, of course, did not back me up because their service contract was subbed out to an "outside contractor".

That's another dodge they're using a lot, old companies with good reputations are subbing out a lot of their work to fly-by-night contractors, you go with the company because your dad swore by them, but when they can't install a hot water heater properly they abandon you and tell you it's not their responsibility, it's the contractors. I've been seeing a lot of this from the repairs for hurricane damage being done around town. People go to an old established company they trust and they get some shady gang of lowlifes who botch the job and disappear over the state line.
My sister in law took a $15000 hit for a botched roof job. The old established companies (I won't mention any names) don't care, they've got their finder's fee and they're insulated from lawsuits (read that contract carefully!). The situation is so bad that after being burned at one big home improvement store about my water heater, I befriended a clerk at another national store who recommended I ignore his company for that very reason and that I just call up any mom-and-pop shop from the phone book. I did, it cost me a little more, but I got excellent and expert, courteous service.

Is it just me, or is this happening more often than it used to? I know it's all anecdotal, but I do believe it's more common, and if so, why? This is exactly what you'd expect to see if there were less competition than you used to see.