Phony Good Sam ERS Invoice

Federal Law

Federal law prohibits any mailing which is “in the form of, and reasonably could be interpreted or construed as, a bill, invoice, or statement of account due” but is, in fact, “a solicitation for the order by the addressee of goods or services,” unless the mailing includes the following notice:

This is a solicitation for the order of goods or services, or both, and not a bill, invoice, or statement of account due. You are under no obligation to make any payments on account of this offer unless you accept this offer.

Federal law requires that this notice (or one like it) be printed on the face of the mailing in “conspicuous and legible type in contrast by typography, layout, or color with other printing on its face.”

Perhaps GS is not aware they are breaking a FEDERAL LAW. Because I sure have never seen this disclaimer on the face of these fake bills.

I think everyone that gets one of those fake bills in the mail and/or email, should print out the above Federal Law and insert THAT into their prepaid envelope for payment!! :B Maybe then they will stop.

Simple solution, do what I do. Everything that comes in the mail with a GS label gets dropped in trash before coming in house.

An interesting thought: In many states if you get merchandise that you did not order, you can keep it as an "unconditional gift" and not pay the invoice. Since the item is a membership or service would you be able to use the benefits of that service under the same conditions?
Food for thought

DownTheAvenue wrote:
That is a sleazy business practice. I am not sure why anyone would want to do business with any company that resorts to tricks to gain customers.

It's not tricks to 'gain' customers they do this fake billing to their 'existing' customers! Yup that's how they thank them for doing business with GS. :R

Hello jrclark,

Thank you for contacting Good Sam, I apologize for the mailings you are receiving. I would like to look into this. Please provide your contact number in a private message.

Thank you,
Ella
Good Sam Care Team

I receive mailings from Good Sam all the time for extended warranty on a fifth wheel that I sold in 2006. I write on the invoice that I do not own this fifth wheel and stuff it into the prepaid return envelope and send it back to them. But, I still get the mailings about every two months.

That is a sleazy business practice. I am not sure why anyone would want to do business with any company that resorts to tricks to gain customers.

rockhillmanor wrote:

Still don't know how they legally get away with still doing this. :R

The answer to that is pretty easy:

Your elected legislators are bought and paid for by big business money.

They COULD change the laws.....but they won't.

They could STOP robo calls......but they won't.

They could STOP predatory lenders......but they won't.

The list is virtually endless.

They do it ALL the time. The one they do the most is sending you an urgent renewal notice in hopes you'll quickly send the money in before looking that your membership is NO where's near expiring.

Still don't know how they legally get away with still doing this. :R

A very common business practice. I get them from magazines, Good Sam, AARP, and others. They all go into the shredder.