Monday, July 27, 2009

Please, Take My Money!

Free Trial. Hurry, Limited Trial Offers Left. As seen on CNN. Only for people who are serious about losing weight and achieving incredible results!


These scams are everywhere. I even found a website that warns about scams, and then promotes the top three scams. Each product has a different name, but the claims, prices, and terms of conditions are almost identical. And, if you try to navigate away from their pages, each will throw up another last-chance offer. Two of them have the same embedded CBS news report on "Conquering Colon Cancer" that promotes nothing other than getting a colonoscopy.

What will really happen? If you forget about your free trial, the terms which are not listed on any of the website's front pages kick in. You will be charged the full amount for what was sent (~$80, you already paid for shipping), and then sent another bottle at full price. With any luck, you will get both charges before you realize what is happening, putting you out north of $160. And when you try and call their customer service number? Well, imagine how many other suckers are on the phone trying to do the same thing? I spent more than an hour on hold without getting through. You have to call at the very earliest of their "hours of operation".

I immediately called my credit card company to dispute the charges. I filed a complaint with the Oregon Department of Justice, claiming "deceptive advertising practices". I then manged to get through to the company and "cancel" my account draining agreement with them. I did get my money back, more than a month latter, less the $4.95 shipping and handling fee. That is about what it would have cost me to buy some laxative. A small price for a good lesson.

4 comments:

Eldon and Janeil Olsen said...

It's a lesson for all of us. Thanks for sharing. Glad you got your money (mostly) back.

Eldon and Janeil Olsen said...

I'm proud of you for standing up to the scum balls. Dad

Neil said...

Wow- glad everything "came out alright".
But did it remove all the fatty plaque that coats your colon?

Sweet Polly Purebred said...

Neil, oh boy, thanks for the laugh! I'm sure Ken appreciates the humor. ;)