I can't believe I fell for a free sample scam! I always read the fine print, and I can always figure out when something isn't what it seems. Yet, I got sucked in.
I saw something come through my Facebook for free samples from Shopper's Drug Mart (a large pharmacy chain in Canada). I love Shopper's and go there a few times per month. So I clicked on it. I was taken to a page where I had to answer a couple of generic questions, and then taken to another page for the samples.
The page indicated that I could get a skin cream for $4.95 S&H. And an Advanced Eye Gel for $2.99 S&H. I decided on only the skin cream because the eye gel had snake venom in it.
When I proceeded to checkout I was given another window that said that people who got that one also got the other, so I figured, ok, why not, it's only $2.99.
I went through the checkout process and at one point, the shipping for the eye cream showed $5.99 instead of the advertised $2.99.
There were 2 options for me; Decline or Proceed. I clicked "Decline" but it processed it anyway, and I was charged $5.99. Since it was only for shipping charges, I let it proceed but I sent an email (using reply on the free sample invoice sent to me) including screen shots of the ad as well as the invoice showing the overage charge, and I asked for a refund of the difference. I NEVER received a response to that email.
In less than a week I got a parcel for the creams, and was very surprised to see that they were full size. I tried them and they weren't anything great. In fact they had a bit of a medicinal smell to them. But at least I didn't break out.
Last week Thursday, about 2 weeks after I ordered those samples, I got an invoice for $98.27 USD. It had my name, address, and listed one of the products I received with "Completion" in brackets next to it. There was no company logo, no mention of the name of the company sending me the invoice, no links to any website, and the email address it was from did not produce any results in Google when I searched for it.
I immediately went to my credit card account and saw that there was a pending charge of $130.41 CAD.
Since there wasn't any company name on the invoice and no way I could contact them through a website, I clicked on reply and told them that I did not authorize that charge and demanded that they immediately refund the charge because it was not authorized. I also threatened them with a charge of fraud.
Then I immediately got on the phone to my credit card company to let them know that my credit card was compromised and I was charged for something that I did not authorize. They told me that I had 100% fraud protection, and to wait for the charge to be posted to my account and then call them back and they would file a dispute about it.
After that I decided to search Google for the product in question. Well! It pulled up a whole bunch of links to complaints posted on Rippoff Report. Many other people also took advantage of FREE offers for the same products, only to be charged up to $200 for them a couple weeks later.
On Monday I saw the charge was posted, and I contacted the credit card company and filed an official dispute. I told them that I had all of the emails (confirmations and invoice) that they had sent me as well as the ones I made in response. The charge resulted in an overage of my limit which meant that I was also going to be charged an over limit fee and that because this charge was unauthorized, I shouldn't be responsible for the over limit fee since it wasn't me that put it over the limit. They agreed and credited back the amount.....almost $40.00.
That same day I also got an email from the company again, only this time it was from a different email address and this email indicated a typed company name ""Wellness Health Customer Support." Here is a portion of it, and I also provided it to my credit card company.
I immediately sent them another email telling that that it was NOT ok! And that given the currency exchange rate, I never would have ordered something for almost $100 USD because it would cost me almost 30% more in Canadian dollars. I told them that I searched online and found numerous complaints about their shoddy and covert business practices, and that I have filed a complaint with my credit card company and provided them proof of the other complaints in support of my claim, and that I was in the process of filing complaints both in Manitoba and in Florida with the Better Business Bureau. And once again demanded that they refund me 100% of my money and I will consider the matter closed.
They sent me another email saying "I understand" and asked if I had already filed a dispute with the credit card company. I replied that I had, but that they can stop it by refunding me the money.
Today I checked my credit card account and see that there is a credit back of $130.41, plus the overage fee.
However, I lied. I have no intention of rescinding my complaints to the credit card companies or the BBB.
Stay far and away from CA Skin Cellvia which is the name of the cream that got me into this mess.
Moral? If it's too good to be true, it is. And these companies always find a way to justify their scams with covert wording.
I saw something come through my Facebook for free samples from Shopper's Drug Mart (a large pharmacy chain in Canada). I love Shopper's and go there a few times per month. So I clicked on it. I was taken to a page where I had to answer a couple of generic questions, and then taken to another page for the samples.
The page indicated that I could get a skin cream for $4.95 S&H. And an Advanced Eye Gel for $2.99 S&H. I decided on only the skin cream because the eye gel had snake venom in it.
When I proceeded to checkout I was given another window that said that people who got that one also got the other, so I figured, ok, why not, it's only $2.99.
I went through the checkout process and at one point, the shipping for the eye cream showed $5.99 instead of the advertised $2.99.
There were 2 options for me; Decline or Proceed. I clicked "Decline" but it processed it anyway, and I was charged $5.99. Since it was only for shipping charges, I let it proceed but I sent an email (using reply on the free sample invoice sent to me) including screen shots of the ad as well as the invoice showing the overage charge, and I asked for a refund of the difference. I NEVER received a response to that email.
In less than a week I got a parcel for the creams, and was very surprised to see that they were full size. I tried them and they weren't anything great. In fact they had a bit of a medicinal smell to them. But at least I didn't break out.
Last week Thursday, about 2 weeks after I ordered those samples, I got an invoice for $98.27 USD. It had my name, address, and listed one of the products I received with "Completion" in brackets next to it. There was no company logo, no mention of the name of the company sending me the invoice, no links to any website, and the email address it was from did not produce any results in Google when I searched for it.
I immediately went to my credit card account and saw that there was a pending charge of $130.41 CAD.
Since there wasn't any company name on the invoice and no way I could contact them through a website, I clicked on reply and told them that I did not authorize that charge and demanded that they immediately refund the charge because it was not authorized. I also threatened them with a charge of fraud.
Then I immediately got on the phone to my credit card company to let them know that my credit card was compromised and I was charged for something that I did not authorize. They told me that I had 100% fraud protection, and to wait for the charge to be posted to my account and then call them back and they would file a dispute about it.
After that I decided to search Google for the product in question. Well! It pulled up a whole bunch of links to complaints posted on Rippoff Report. Many other people also took advantage of FREE offers for the same products, only to be charged up to $200 for them a couple weeks later.
On Monday I saw the charge was posted, and I contacted the credit card company and filed an official dispute. I told them that I had all of the emails (confirmations and invoice) that they had sent me as well as the ones I made in response. The charge resulted in an overage of my limit which meant that I was also going to be charged an over limit fee and that because this charge was unauthorized, I shouldn't be responsible for the over limit fee since it wasn't me that put it over the limit. They agreed and credited back the amount.....almost $40.00.
That same day I also got an email from the company again, only this time it was from a different email address and this email indicated a typed company name ""Wellness Health Customer Support." Here is a portion of it, and I also provided it to my credit card company.
As I said, I am good with fine print and figuring out if something is a scam. I've never been taken in by anything like this, until now. I did not see anything about signing up for a subscription or that it was only a 14 day trial and that I would be charged for the products after that.
I immediately sent them another email telling that that it was NOT ok! And that given the currency exchange rate, I never would have ordered something for almost $100 USD because it would cost me almost 30% more in Canadian dollars. I told them that I searched online and found numerous complaints about their shoddy and covert business practices, and that I have filed a complaint with my credit card company and provided them proof of the other complaints in support of my claim, and that I was in the process of filing complaints both in Manitoba and in Florida with the Better Business Bureau. And once again demanded that they refund me 100% of my money and I will consider the matter closed.
They sent me another email saying "I understand" and asked if I had already filed a dispute with the credit card company. I replied that I had, but that they can stop it by refunding me the money.
Today I checked my credit card account and see that there is a credit back of $130.41, plus the overage fee.
However, I lied. I have no intention of rescinding my complaints to the credit card companies or the BBB.
Stay far and away from CA Skin Cellvia which is the name of the cream that got me into this mess.
Moral? If it's too good to be true, it is. And these companies always find a way to justify their scams with covert wording.
