Like you, I was also taken advantage of by this scam. You have to play hardball with these people and don't back down! I got the NY BBB involved in this one (and a local news station that investigates scams). Amit Narine from the BBB is the one I have to give a big THANKS to for getting me my money back. Every last penny of it, too. I highly recommend that you file a complaint with the BBB. I'm not making any promises, but it's worth a shot and Who's Who needs to know that you're not taking NO for an answer. Good luck!!!

If I were you I would try small claims court.   Meanwhile you have the right to not be called and harrassed for payment on a service you cancelled.  Read up on the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act and send a letter to their offices - you can look them up on the internet.   Meanwhile, below is some info on New York law that might be of help to you.

Both Stanford Whos Who and Cambridge Whos Who are located in the state of New York.   This is important because under the New York Uniform Commercial Code (U.C.C.), the statute of frauds requires all contracts for the sale of goods with an underlying value of five hundred dollars ($500) or more to be in writing, or the agreement is not binding on the parties. Further, telephone agreements with a total value of five hundred dollars ($500) or more without a subsequent written contract are not enforceable.    Im sure this is one of the reasons that these pushy sales folks from Standford, Cambridge, and other Whos Who organizations are so willing to drop their price to $199 and then to $99 because it falls under the $500 limit.

Cooling-Off Law

Under the Federal Trade Commission's Cooling Off Rule, a consumer has until midnight of the third business day after a contract was signed to cancel either of the following:

         door-to-door sales contracts for more than twenty-five dollars ($25), or

         a contract for more than twenty-five dollars ($25) made anywhere other than the seller's normal place of business--for instance, at a sales presentation, at a hotel or restaurant, outdoor exhibit, computer show, or trade show (other than public car auctions and craft fairs).

Under the Cooling- Off Rule, after the buyer has cancelled a purchase, the seller has ten (10) days to:

         Cancel and return any promissory note or other negotiable instrument signed by the buyer;

         Refund all of the buyers money and inform the buyer if any products in their possession will be picked up; and,

         Return any trade-in.

Within twenty (20) days, the seller must either pick up the items left with the buyer, or reimburse the buyer for mailing expenses, if there was an agreement to send the items back. If the buyer received any goods from the seller, the buyer must make them available to the seller in as good condition as when the goods were received. If not, or if the buyer agrees to return the items but fails to do so, the buyer remains obligated under contract. Complaints about sales practices involving the Cooling-Off Rule should be directed to the Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580.

There is no general cooling-off law in New York. Therefore, consumers should be very wary of salespeople calling from the state of New York attempting to sell them services.   Below are 2 rules within the state of New York regarding those types of memberships that can be cancelled.  One could consider that membership in Whos Who is similar and should fall under the same rules.

         Membership Campground Contracts. (May be cancelled within three (3) business days after the date of receipt by the buyer of a copy of the written contract.)

         Social Referral (Dating) Services.  (Consumer has three (3) business days to cancel the contract.)

Sorry to hear, Stanford who's who is the biggest rip off in the county.   Steven Thomas, Blake Davis and Elisa Doughery, if these are even their real names are the biggest con artists in New York.  Once they have your money they move on.  By the way your credit card is billed even before you get off the phone.  Good luck in getting anything from these people.