Mark Harpe, a 38-year-old architectural intern in Houston, says he closed his account this year after the firm refused to credit him for promised airline miles, got his e-mail address wrong despite repeated calls and served him with sales reps so clueless he hung up on some and called back.

FORBES: After the Bubble

France called him up less than 14 days after he came back - and they played him in the whole game.

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"Once you submit your papers and passport, along with the visa fee - which is by the way non-refundable and ridiculously priced - there's normally a 15-working day period after which you are called back to pick up your passport and your visa which you may or may not get, " he said.

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