Have you ever played the old shell game? A con artist puts a pea under one shell and switches it several times with two other shells that have nothing under them? Then you have to guess which shell has the pea under it. This is considered by some to be one of the oldest con games in the world. Allow me to introduce you to one of the newest ... canceling a web service purchased over the Internet with a credit card. This is a story about how I played the old shell game and WON!

In my email the other morning, I got a very pleasant notice from friendly-forwarding.com, the forwarding service I had previously been using with an old domain that I no longer owned. All you really need to know is that this was a service purchased on the Internet with a credit card. They had the shells lined up and my little pea was about to go for one hell of a ride.

The body of the message informed me that my forwarding service was about to expire at the end of the month. Therefore, it was imperative that I renew my service immediately, if I wanted to continue to enjoy "uninterrupted" forwarding service. Renewal couldn't be easier. Now, we are constantly being told that "Life is not easy". Why, then, should I believe that renewing an Internet service would be? Keep your eye on the shells.

The message went on to say that I had "three simple renewal options." (1) I could just ignore the email and they would automatically charge my credit card at renewal time; (2) I could go to http://renew-now.com and renew immediately; or (3) I could reply to the email with "renew me" in the subject line and one of their friendly customer service representatives would take care of my renewal for me. Three wonderful options to be sure. It would have been so hard to choose had I not already gotten rid of the domain and, therefore, had no need for the forwarding service. I read on.

If you would like to disable the automatic renewal option, simply go to http://disable-automatic-renewal-option.com and push the button marked: "cancel automatic renewal". The first pass of the shells is slow and easy.

I click on http://disable-automatic-renewal-option.com and I find myself at a sign-in page where I am asked for my username and password. I try several, different combinations of usernames and passwords that I commonly use and continue to get the message: "We're sorry, but that username and/or password is incorrect. Try again." Confusion is setting in. Frustration ... but then ... HOPE! "Forget your password? Click here. and a new password will be emailed to you shortly." THANK-YOU!!! I press the button. The speed of the shells is starting to pick up. It will take all of my concentration to keep my eye on the pea. But, I can do this. I KNOW I CAN!

Within two seconds, a second email reaches my inbox. It's a brand spankin' new password. I go back to http://disable-automatic-renewal-option.com, type in my username and my brand spankin' new password and get ... "We're sorry, but that username and/or password is incorrect. Please try again." Sweat is starting to trickle from my brow. I have to stay alert. I have to CONCENTRATE!

After several more futile attempts, I find myself clicking on a link to friendlyforwarding.com's homepage and am faced with yet another log-in. So, I give it one last try. I type in my username and my brand spankin new password and I find myself in the MEMBER AREA with myriad's of options at my fingertips ... except one ... disable-automatic-renewal-option. But, with a renewed confidence, I hit the back button and return to disable-automatic-renewal-option.com. I type in my username, brand spankin' new password and get "We're sorry, but that username and/or password is incorrect." OK, we're getting mad now.

I search for a couple of more minutes and find a customer service request form. Well, I proceed to fill it out with a vengeance. These folks don't know who they're dealing with here ... I would like one of your customer service representatives to contact me IMMEDIATELY so that I may cancel the renewal of my forwarding service. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME ANY MORE AUTORESPONSE EMAILS. I WANT A HUMAN BEING, WITH A NAME, TO TELL ME HOW I CAN CANCEL THIS !@#$% SERVICE! Thank you very much!

In about five minutes, another email hits my inbox. It's from Helen Helpful, Customer Service Representative at friendlyforwarding.com. She is terribly sorry that I have been having trouble disabling the automatic renewal option and is sure that if I follow her very easy instructions, my account can be terminated in a matter of minutes. Here's all I have to do: Go to http://disable-automatic-renewal-option.com and push the button marked "disable automatic renewal".

If my hands could have reached through the computer monitor and into Cyber Space, they would have been wrapped around the scrawny little neck of one Helen Helpful, Customer Service Representative at friendlyforwarding.com. But, then I spot a wrench in her cleverly concealed plan ...

Helen slipped up. She inadvertently included an (800) number in her signature! Well, just wait until I get a human being on the phone, I am going to give them hell, I tell ya.. I shut down my computer and dialed the phone. A list of options was put before me. One of which was: If you need assistance disabling our automatic renewal option, hit 6. Now, we're getting someplace. I stand, impatiently tapping my finger on the desk. A voice recording instructs: Type in your email address, using the numeric keypad and press the #, and someone from our office will email you shortly with the requested information.

Reluctantly, I type in my email address and push the #. Bruised and facing defeat ... I trudge back to my computer and boot it up. I check my email. What's this. YES! YES!!!! I have a "Priority" email from friendlyforwarding.com's Corporate Offices. It reads, "Your forwarding account is about to expire at the end of July. If you wish to renew your account, you have three options" ...

The War is over. With head in hands and admitting total defeat at the hands of friendlyforwarding.com, I glance at the bottom of the email, where I spy in small print the words: " ... renewal cost will be charged against the current credit card we have on file."

I run back to friendlyforwarding.com's homepage, as fast as my modem will take me. I enter my username and password and go to the Member Area. I access my account and check my credit card information. The card has expired!

I FOUND THE PEA!