(01/30/06) NEWARK ? Some consumers in New Jersey say they?ve been duped by a marketing ploy that uses mailed checks to enroll individuals into clubs with monthly fees.

Newark resident Hellane Freeman claims she received what she thought was a rebate check in the mail. After cashing the check, Freeman says she noticed an $8.99 monthly charge on her credit card statement. When she called the company to get more information, the organization informed her she enrolled herself in a monthly discount club by cashing the check.

Freeman says she was tricked by the marketing tactic and wants her money back. The company responsible, Connecticut-based Trilegiant, has already been sued by the Connecticut attorney general over its business practices. Trilegiant also faces a lawsuit in California and recently settled another suit in Florida.

A Trilgiant representative says the terms and conditions of its policies are printed right on the check. The News 12 New Jersey I-Team asked Trilgiant to supply a check copy so that claim could be verified. However, the company declined.

Related link: News 12 New Jersey I-Team