I figured as much, hense the "**bleep**head company" fitting description.
A. They didn't used to do it like that. I have gotten assistance without paid before.
B. That is a STUPID business model change, if someone is going to consider the paid version, in MANY CASES they will NOT do so UNTIL they have basic questions answered to get a clear understanding especially about matters of money. So they essentially demand people pay them without any real and legit communication on the nature of layout in specifics in advance.
C. Their "free" version isn't really "free," from what I recall. They make you do ALL THAT form paperwork stuff then AT THE VERY END they hit you with some underhanded technicality bs where they weasel in to demand a cut for you to go any further. So ultimately they make money on each instance "free" or not but now thanks to their ways of doing things, people like me are likely to do this elsewhere.
D. Their whole approach is exceedingly underhanded and weaselly... scummy / cowardly/ shady. They use round about conniving left and right, much like with the "free" service... where they charge you at the very end... they lay this new "you can't get any questions answered by us without paid help" bs out in a very underhanded dishonest way as well. You get on the phone going through all that stupid **bleep** automated menu crap... then finally at the end they do NOT directly tell you "unless you do paid service we won't help you" in some way... INSTEAD they have their stupid ass machine say "sorry I'm having trouble finding your information. For better results, log into the site." etc etc... which is clearly, a dishonest **bleep**head, weak willed, conniving way of getting people to the site where they try to lock you in and you eventually have to do independant research to even have the question of if they answer questions answered... eg. this conversation. "Independant" research, even though within the site. They have round about ways they sort of imply you have to get the paid version... but do not state that plainly, explicitly or truthfully... only round about, underhanded "hints" ....**bleep**heads
