I have a confession to
make, actually two admissions:
- In dealing with many
people I find it almost impossible to say NO.
- I am very easily
exploited.
I am aware of both of these psychological issues, but usually do not recognize that I that I have been exploited until after the fact. This has become increasing a problems
since I became “totally and permanently disabled” in 2003. Since then I have given
away tens of thousands of dollars to people I perceived as being “in need” but I now realize were exploiting me. These included:
- $13,000 loan to a person
to keep their failing business afloat
- $1,000 payment to my
lawyer to process a bankruptcy so a family wouldn’t lose their house.
- $3,000 supporting a
teenager who should have been supported by her parents.
- $2,500 loan to a man so
keep his failing business afloat and to repair his business delivery truck.
- $300 loan to a man to
purchase supplies for his business so that he and his family could have food.
- $10,000+ supporting a drug addict who kept showing at home “in dire need.”
Only $45.00 of the above has ever been paid back to me. I have accepted that via my philosophy of sharing; even so, now, at 66 years old and dependent upon a small pension and Social Security, I so wish I had been repaid some of
that almost $30,000! However, that's another story.
The problem now is, even with my paucity of resources, I am still allowing myself to be exploited, no so much by people as by businesses.
For example, a few months ago I discovered that my Internet
access cost had risen from $28/month to $55/month, which I felt I could not
afford. So I telephoned my provider, AT&T, and was told that my $28 charge
was a "special' that had ended and that $55 was the new monthly charge.
When I explained that I had not known that the $28 charge was
temporary, the AT&T person told me that I could reduce the costs by
bundling Internet, a landline telephone, and cell phone for only $72/month. I didn't need the landline phone because I have already MagicJack at a cost of less than $20.00 a year.
I did not need the cell phone because I already had one for emergencies at a
cost of $22.00 a month.
Somehow, that $72/month sounded good, so I agreed to the bundle. (See my confession, above).
My next AT&T bills were a whopping $200 that I was able
to pay only by pawning my guitar. (It remains in pawn and I must pay the pawn
shop $50.00 monthly as a fee to prevent them from selling it.
 |
| I miss my guitar |
Then, in July, when received 2 statements totaling in excess
of $200, I telephoned for an explanation and was told that these bills included
"other charges" which I had not been told would be due. I attempted
to terminate all services but was told that I cannot.
I feel as if I was exploited due to my age, my lack of
understanding what the bundle was, and my disabilities, of which clinical depression is one.
AT&T has since discontinued all of their services and I am isolated in my
apartment with no way to even contact an ambulance (the only reason I had a
cell phone) should a fall or become seriously ill.
I believe that the marketing procedures used by AT&T,
including not informing a customer of the complete charges for a service, are
unjust and unethical. Therefore, I have begun a crusade for legal protections
for folks from such practices:
If you are willing to participate in thus crusade, please go
HERE to petition for the protection of the elderly and the disabled.
Thanks!
