
Susan of Clayton, CA on Oct. 28, 2009
I saw a news piece on the Internet about a woman who found that using two different teeth whitening products produced amazing white teeth for her. After clicking on to the article and seeing her story I got on one of the web sites where she said she purchased trial offers. The trial offer is stated as be free and you would only pay for the shipping of $1.95
The name of the product is Premium White. I got on to their web site and decided to order their free trial product. I read the entire page and then decided to order my sample and only have to pay $1.95 shipping. I clicked on to where it said to order (reading everything on that page too) and then filled in the order form including my visa information. The site then said to click on another arrow to fill the order and proceed to get my confirmation/order number. Once you click to the order number page and after you have given your visa number there is small print that has a heading of "Offer Details:". The offer details state you are going to automatically get charged $48.92 and are enrolled in a monthly club where you will receive additional products unless you call and cancel.
When you read the entire details it says you will be sent and charged theses additional products for agreeing to click on to their trial extension. Below this "offer details" description is a box for a "NO and one for a "YES" that you are suppose to choose and click on. I choose the "NO" box and clicked on it.
I became concerned about this web site and regretted my order immediately. Even though I clicked the "NO" box I became worried that I would get products and be charged. I felt that if this company would not reveal there "offer details" until after getting my credit card number then they are perhaps a scam.
I called the cancellation number that was on the web site within moments and was put on hold for about 10 minuets. The person who answered would only give his first name as "Fernie" which I asked him to spell. He told me that he could not give his last name or the name and address of the company or where he was located. He would only give me an address as a distribution, corporate address, yet, no corporate name. The address was: 3600 Army Post Rd Des Moines, Iowa 50321.
I asked to speak to a supervisor and was told they were busy and could not come to the phone. I asked for the name of the person who was of the highest authority there and to speak to him. I was told he could not come to the phone and that only his first name of "Victor" could be given.
I asked "Fernie" to cancel my order. He replied that it had been canceled and that my cancellation number was #624787. He then informed me that even though my order had been canceled I was going to receive a product that I would be charged for and I must the return cost to get a refund. I told him that I did not want anything sent to me and I did not want to have to pay to return anything at all and that I wanted a full cancellation.
I told him that I had just placed the order and that it could not have even been processed yet, let alone, shipped out. He replied that there was nothing he could do and this product would absolutely be coming and I would have to pay to have it sent back in order to get a refund. This statement confirmed my suspicions that even though I had clicked on the "NO", I do not want the extension offer, I was going to be sent this unwanted and unordered product.
What good was a canceling the order for the free trial offer and getting a cancellation number if they are not canceling my order and are still going to send me their product and bill my visa card?????
I got very angry and felt very frustrated so I raised my voice and then apologized to "Fernie" telling him I was sorry I was raising my voice to him. I realize he is just an employee working for this company and was told not to give out any names or information and that he had no power to do anything. But I told him that I thought what the company was doing was illegal. It is definitely deceitful and not giving full disclosure before asking for a credit card payment.
I was under the impression that if you do not order something and it is sent to you then you cannot be charged for it. I also thought that you do not have to pay out of your pocket to return the unordered item either. I don't mind returning an unordered item it it comes with a pre-paid return.
I feel bad that many others are getting scammed the same way that I have. This company need to either get shut down or forced to give any "Offer Details" BEFORE a customer has to give payment for an order. I also do not want to be stuck paying anything for this unordered and canceled product.
How can you help me? Is this company doing something illegal? What are my rights as a consumer regarding this? I am going to call Visa and see if I can stop this company from billing my visa account.