Advice Needed, RACV Possibly Wrongfully Charging Me?

LThatOneGuy01 on 23/09/2019 - 22:49
Last edited 24/09/2019 - 13:55

Hi guys, a very very long term lurker here and i needed some advice

So about a year ago, during year 12, RACV was promoting some youth Free2go discount. I accepted that assuming I'll drive one day or another and if memory serves right, I gave them my name and address for that. I figured I was being smart and I'll be saving $, but guess it might cost me some instead

Fast-forward a year, they're now charging me $57 ($144-57) for literally nothing. I don't have any RACV cards, nor did they ever send me any email. Pics of the letter they sent me are here: Racv pic https://imgur.com/a/SZPxVbI

(well I can also show the registration number of that screenshot, but just blurred it incase it's something important. But it's a random string of numbers from what I can tell)

I'm planning on calling them tomorrow, and just wanted some advice on this. Firstly, I'm not a 100% sure if I ever signed up for this and my memory is hazy. All I can recall is me accepting some discount becuase I assumed I'll drive one day and get a car. My biggest concern is, as mentioned not having any racv cards, and them also not having my email or number. There never was any verification process where I had to confirm via email/phone

They also have my car model as "Unknown" on the letter and year as "1900". What baffles me is an entire year of 0 reminders/communication, no cards being sent or literally anything. I don't see myself signing up for this, and I've double checked my email and phone messages

Honestly not trying to avoid paying 57$, but this just feels wrong, as I don't even have a car and can't see how I'd sign up for their roadside care. Surely they would realize they have 0 info on me or my care…but maybe I missed something and somehow I did sign up for this a year ago in school. I'm trying to be reasonable and not play victim here, but believe me, this is just confusing to me

Overall unsure what to do, im just looking for some honest advice, and if I'm at fault, I'll just pay up and act like this never happened. Can't ask my parents, cuz I don't have, this is where having a mentor figure really helps for advice.(not a sob story and don't really care, I'm happy with my life and not bringing this up for dramatic effect)

Thanks in advance for any replies, and I'll get back to them as soon as I can,

Cheers

Update: Had a talk with them, and they said it's fine and they'll cancel it. They also did admit I was meant to get a follow up mail, with a toy car or something, and it's all sorted

Thanks to everyone for the replies late last night! Mods can close the thread if they want to, or whatever the standard procedure is. Thanks for your time and advice, did appreciate it ☺

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Comments

  • AdosHouse on 23/09/2019 - 22:59
    +1

    Free2go is just membership for youths. Benefits listed here, https://www.free2go.com.au/

    I signed up for the same program with RACQ, but I had a car at 17. I think they did it at school?

    They should have sent you a car and welcome pack. Call them and ask for it. But if you don't have a car, probably not worth it. Cancel it or keep it for the cheap admission and amusement tickets, up to you.

    • ThatOneGuy01 on 23/09/2019 - 23:49

      Right, I'll have a look into that link, but nope never got a welcome pack… Which is what confuses me

      Nope don't have a car, so I'll cancel

    • [Deactivated] on 24/09/2019 - 14:29

      They should have sent you a car

      a car

      Where do I sign up for this free car?

      • AdosHouse on 24/09/2019 - 17:17
        +1

        Hot-wheels finest.

  • Wickz on 23/09/2019 - 23:04
    +4

    Are you sure that’s not an overdue bill, but just a renewal notice for the next 12months. Can’t tell from your photo, but it would be easier if you could post the entire page not just a small section.

    Free2Go gave 18 year olds free roadside for the first year and I think a 50% discount for the next two years. That matches your $57 bill as full price is $114. (Source: used to work for the company when the program was introduced)

    IIRC RACV actually discontinued this program a couple of years ago. If it was me, I’d update my car details and take advantage of half price roadside for the next two years. Not sure what sort of car you have, but when i was 18 I had a 20 year old car so roadside was a must have. Especially when my car had transmission issues and needed towing.

    • ThatOneGuy01 on 23/09/2019 - 23:52

      I don't have a car, and mainly use public transport for uni, and that's what confuses me

      I always assumed I'm signing up for a discount, I can use when I get a car. (assumed I'd be able to activate it when I get a car)

      They took only my name and address back in school iirc, and now that's the bill. I guess I'll just have to lose 50 on this, but honestly I do expect a simple confirmation of some sort, I'm honest just confused. And let me know if a photo helps, this is the very first year, it said I signed up on Aug 2018 for this

      • spackbace on 24/09/2019 - 01:15
        +3

        Then it's likely a bill for the next 12 months, not previous. You should be able to just cancel and not pay it

      • Wickz on 24/09/2019 - 08:00

        Just call them then and cancel if you don’t have a car or want to use it for the other discounts and services offered.

        If you signed up in Aug ‘18, then you’ve had the first free year (18-19) and this is your renewal notice for the next 12months (19-20) It’s not and overdue bill, it’s a renewal notice. You can cancel at no cost.

  • Randxyz123 on 23/09/2019 - 23:11

    Call then tomorrow. If you never got your welcome pack is it possible you got it sent to your school? I know they had a thing where they tried to sign students up for free.

    Anyway I would just explain you never got anything and want to cancel(since I’m guessing you can’t drive??).

    • ThatOneGuy01 on 23/09/2019 - 23:54

      Exactly, never got it sadly and can't drive yet. Just didn't like this whole experience, gave my name and address thinking it'd be a good deal when I get a car,

      Guess I'll cancel and pay that 50, but still feel like they really should've better communicated I had commenced this with them… Just feels off

  • ThatOneGuy01 on 24/09/2019 - 00:04

    Actually, I'll just give them a call tomorrow, clarify and update here. I don't know, but I have a nagging feeling it's a misunderstanding on either their or my end

    • tomsco on 24/09/2019 - 09:21
      +1

      As others have said, RACV bill in advance. That's a renewal for the next 12 months. If you don't do anything, it will just lapse, but as you are doing, call them and advise you do not wish to proceed.

      As an aside, I belive the youth option (which I believe you will still be on, just no longer free) covers you for any car, as opposed to the full membership where the membership is linked to a specifc rego.

    • HighAndDry on 24/09/2019 - 13:36
      +1

      Definitely your end. You signed up for a discounted service, not a "discount" that you can apply or use some time in the future. I don't think I've ever seen anything like that.

  • Euphemistic on 24/09/2019 - 05:48

    That sort of free trial is designed to get you in and then start charging you after the free trial ends. They hope you’ll either like the product so much you’ll continue or you’ll forget about it and get charged for something you don’t need.

    Always read the fine print when you sign up, then set a reminder to cancel or you’ll be stuck paying.

    • tomsco on 24/09/2019 - 09:22

      With this one at least there is no automatic renewal. No payment - membership lapses.

  • ThatOneGuy01 on 24/09/2019 - 14:04

    Yep, just did the call, and yea they were meant to send me stuff, like a toy car and a membership card which they didn't. And yea, this was a charge for 2019-2020 as @tomosco explained

    It was just odd their mail never got to me, and they never did any follow-ups of any sort

    Also they reminded me, at school, I get the discount and everything goes into detail on follow up mails, which they messed up on. This was during a 30 Min session, in-between class way back in year 12. This was more on their end for abrupt messages, and only contacting me, when they wanted me to renew a service, they forgot to follow up on. I'm usually super good with these, and do phone reminders or google calenders on

    @HighAndDry your 100% wrong, not my fault in way, and they didn't expect me to remember this without that follow up mail. They apologised during the call and didn't expect to hand kids a card, get their name and address to charge 57 a year later for a service, with 0 context. Pretty sure that's (profanity) up

    But all in all thanks for the replies, I might look like a clown on my very first post, but it was an experience none the less. Thanks for the replies, and even if this sounds superficial, but it did help tons

    Cheers,
    That1guy

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