14 Apr 08 Tips to investigate GISOL registered with local LA TV stations

In one more attempt to draw attention to GISOL I recently posted tips with local LA TV stations KABC, KCAL and KCBS to investigate GISOL. You can’t go into much detail in their online forms so I just suggested that one of their reporters do a Google search to uncover the massive fraud that GISOL is perpetrating on the public.

Others might also want to try this to see if maybe we can get the media interested. Government agencies often become more responsive to complaints when the media gets involved.

14 Apr 08 Here is my Gisol story. Not over yet.

Ok, my story is this.
I purchased a hosting service from them for a little over $100.
I actually still have this site and was just rebilled by them in January with no problems.
Even their support was decent. When I would send tickets in, they were quite responsive.

Now I am on a committee for our class reunion. All we needed was a simple site. Simple HTML, and the PHP message board.
Nothing else.
So I went back to GISOL because I never had issue in the past. They had a deal for one year for $71.40.
So I made the purchase over the website. Then I received a receipt for the purchase (in which I kept the email and made a screen capture).
It clearly says:
‘Plan: Premium – Windows (Annually) ($71.40).
Order Total : $71.40

A salesman called me, English speaking, was verifying the website purchase and asked what it was for, etc. I told him its just a reunuion site where we were going to post where and when, etc. Needed nothing but simplist plan. He then asked if I had a Mastercard, because I could save an additional $3. I didn’t have an MasterCard.
(I don’t know if the above means anything, but who knows?)

All was well until I got my credit card statement for $1,798.20.

I tried to contact GISOL via email. I contacted Sales[at]GISOL[dot]COM. Admin[at]GISOL[dot]COm, and contacted tech support when I got frustrated. I called all the numbers on the website except the long distance one. I COULDN’T BELIEVE then don’t have a toll free number for billing!

I did the live chat tech support call and brought up my billing issue. I asked him who to talk to, what numbers I could call, etc. He was clueless like everyone else. BTW, I cut and pasted the conversation.

Then I called the all Indian speaking toll free number (866) 244-7925 again and spoke to ‘Jack’, who again told me to email Admin and Sales. I told him I did and received no response. Then he said just contact Admin. (Every email I sent to one, I sent to the other). In my emails I even gave my work and home numbers and asked them to call me.
Jack was getting cranky and hung up on me.
So I called back and spoke to ‘Tracy’. I asked for Jack, and she said he was no longer taking calls.

Then I bit the bullet and called the long distance number. It was busy for a long time. Then I called and it rang and was put on hold. After 9 minutes of waiting, I gave up. (At this time I read on the web that this number rarely picks up and you are put on hold indefinitly).

Then I contacted my credit card company to dispute the purchase. I have a Chase Visa. After submitting the paperwork, I was told it was settled (at least I thought so) and I would pay the original $71.40. I told my credit card company that I forfeit the whole purchase. So the fact they kept the original amount tells me they got an agreement from someone.
I even sent them a copy of my original charge of $71.40.

Well, last Thursday I received a package in the email from Chase with GISOL’s defense. Its a bunch of documents trying to explain that I agreed to that amount and was receivin the ‘benefits’ of the ‘unlimited Upgrade’.
It shows the front page of the website. Big deal.

Most disturbing was a billing statement from them with the amount of $1798.20.

It is a constructed letter made to look like a business letter. It has their address, then my address, then the statement.
It has these words “By signing below, I agree to Pay $1798.20 to GISOL, Inc.
Then my ’signature’ which is NOT my signature.
Then below my signature is this:
————
[My Signature]

Name: [my name]
Email: [my email]
Date: 11/26/2007 12:01:47AM (the time I logged in and bought it)
IP Address: []
Browser: Firefox 5

I AGREE TO PAY THE AMOUNT ABOVE PUSUANT TO CARDHOLDER AGREEMENT. NO REFUNDS, IN-STORE CREDIT ONLY.
————-

So they forged my signature and put it on this fake billing statement.

I have NEVER recieved this statement EVER. Plus, it’s impossible I signed it at the date because I bought in the middle of the night, in my HOME.
They forged this document and my signature.

No where is the orignal billing statement I received mentioned AT ALL.

So, with the package I filled out the paper work, along with 16 attachments of email trails, documents, etc.
I talked to the Senior Financial Advisor of Chase about all of this (who is recieveing all the info above)
I brought up the forged document, and she agreed it was fraud but has to look into it first.
I did tell her about how there are sites of Anti-Gisol and even mentioned how someone had a forged issue with them as well. She said she was interested in looking these sites, so I included links to this site and another in my attachments.
I will be calling her shortly to make sure she recieved my package OK and further discuss the case.

I will report the fraud to the police once I talk to my card about it.

So that is my story.

14 Apr 08 Lame response from CA Attorney General

I received the following form letter from the CA Attorney General last week in response to a complaint that I filed with the AG a several weeks ago.

I personally think this is a pretty lame response, especially the paragraph: “We have forwarded a copy of your letter along with an inquiry from our office to the company you are concerned about. Hopefully, this will elicit from them a response which we will all find satisfactory.”

For sure GISOL will have to respond to the AG’s letter but I’m sure they will wait as long as they can and then simply refute all allegations of fraud. The AG will then forward me a copy of GISOL’s response asking me to respond. This to and fro could go on for months, even years, allowing GISOL more time to continue their criminal behavior.

Perhaps I’m being too negative but I am very disappointed that the AG’s letter was so feeble; as if a letter from the AG is going to affect the behavior of these seasoned criminals. Maybe some one else can read more into the AG’s letter. If so I’d be glad to hear it.

_________________________________________________________
Letter from California Attorney General

April 7, 2008

Re: Global Intenet Solutions

Dear

Thank you for bringing your consumer complaint to the attention of Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. Often, it is only through letters from concerned and responsible citizens, like you, that our office becomes aware of consumer problems.

You should be aware that California state laws do not allow us to represent private individuals in personal civil matters. However, in cases of statewide significance, we can bring legal action against a company when substative evidence is presented to us supporting allegations that a firm has violated California law.

We have forwarded a copy of your letter along with an inquiry from our office to the company you are concerned about. Hopefully, this will elicit from them a response which we will all find satisfactory.

Again, thank you for contacting our office and giving us the opportunity to assist you in this matter.

Sincerely

M. Scot
Public Inquiry Unit

For: Edmund G. Brown Jr.

__________________________________________________________