Membership programs

How they work

You're buying from a large, reputable website but just before you click the "confirm" button on your purchase, you see a pop-up window or banner ad with an offer such as "$10 Cash Back on Your Next Purchase!" Here's the catch. By accepting that so-called deal, you're agreeing to enroll in a Web discount program that's run by a completely separate company. Those programs, which have innocuous names such as "Reservation Rewards," "Travel Values Plus," or "Great Fun," often provide a 30-day trial period during which you get discounts on a variety of merchandise and services. After that, a monthly membership fee, usually $10 to $20, will appear on your credit-card bill—even though you never gave that outside company your card number.

Sounds dicey, doesn't it? A Senate committee headed by Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., thought so, too. Last year, the committee launched an investigation into three large companies that sell memberships to those discount clubs: Affinion Group, Vertrue, and Webloyalty. The committee's report was issued last November and alleged, among other things, that "misleading 'Yes' and 'Continue' buttons cause consumers to reasonably think they are completing the original transaction, rather than entering into a new, ongoing financial relationship with a membership club operated by Affinion, Vertrue, or Webloyalty."

The problem is so ubiquitous that in May, Rockefeller introduced a bill to ban that and other misleading sales practices. Meanwhile, the three companies mentioned in the report have pledged to change their ways. Previously, customers' credit-card numbers were provided to the discount company by the original site without the consumer's knowledge. After the investigation began, all three companies started to require consumers to type in, at a minimum, the last four digits of their card number to make it clear that they are entering into a separate transaction. We'll be on the lookout for whether those changes are enough to keep consumers from being duped.

Prevent it

Be wary of pop-up windows or banner ads that promise an additional discount before you complete a transaction. If you do click on an offer, take the time to read the fine print. Scrutinize your credit-card statement every month and question any unfamiliar charges, no matter how small. Check your e-mail inbox and spam folder because Web loyalty programs often send a notification e-mail before they start charging your credit card, when you still have time to cancel.