Avlimil - Warner Health Care, Inc - Cincinnati, OH ripoff unauthorized fraudulent charges to my Visa & Amex Cincinnati Ohio
On Nov 14, 2003 I saw a TV commercial for Avlimil, an herbal type supplement. I went to their website & used my Visa card to place a trial supplement order for which I would be charged $4.50 for shipping & handling. I also used my Amex card to place an additional order for the trial supplement "pay only $4.50 s&h" to be sent to a friend of mine at a different address.
I subsequently received my trial supplement, my friend never did. Therefore, I figured that Avlimil was not allowing one person (being that I used my credit cards, which are both addressed to me, to bill the supplement's $4.50 s&h charges to) to take advantage of the "pay only $4.50 shipping & handling trial supplement offer". This being the case I never checked my Visa bill for any charges from Avlimil.
On Dec 13, 2003 I received a second box of supplements from Avlimil & noted that on Dec 6, 2003 Avlimil had charged me a subsequent amount of $35.00. I immediately called Avlimil, spoke to Aaron, customer service representative. I explained to him that although I ordered the trial shipment - pay only $4.50 s&h, I did not place any subsequent orders. He instructed me to send the supplements back and assured me that I would be refunded in full to my Amex card. I sent the product back with a letter enclosed in the box stating my conversation with Aaron.
On Jan 12, 2004 I called Avlimil, spoke to Angel, customer service representative, to advise I had not yet received my $35.00 Amex credit. She assured me I would and that I should call back the next day to check again.
On Jan 14, 2004 I called Avlimil, spoke to Rinardo, customer service representative. He said I should check back on Friday, Jan 16, 2004 about getting the $35.00 credited because it takes 30 days from when they received the "returned" box of supplement for the credit to get posted to my American Express.
On Jan 17, 2004, I called Avlimil, spoke to Kim, customer service representative, she was very argumentative and unprofessional and told me that somewhere on the website where I placed my order for the "pay only $4.50 s&h trial supplements", it states that by ordering this trial supplement you automatically become enrolled in an auto ship & get charged $35.00 each month.
I explained to Kim that on Dec 13, 2003 I spoke to Aaron, an Avlimil customer serv rep. who instructed me to send the box back and assured me I would receive a full refund to my Amex. Additionally I spoke to two other Avlimil customer servic reps who assured me it was just a matter of time and that I would be refunded to my credit card in full. She was so rude she hung up on me!
I immediately called back, spoke to Alyssa at Avlimil & was incredulously treated with the same complete disrespect that I was treated with by Kim & told that they will not issue me the $35.00 credit.
I have been dealing with Avlimil all along thinking it was only a problem with my Amex card, until I came to believe that they are fraudulently charging my Amex which promplted me to scrutinize my Visa. In so doing, I discovered that although my friend is not receiving any Avlimil supplements at all, my Visa card has been being billed each month since I placed the original "pay only $4.50 s&h trial supplement order" on Nov 14, 2003.
I have already contacted Amex to pursue "fraudulent charges" to my Amex card. I have also contacted my Visa card company and I intend on contacting the Attorney General and whatever other agencies I need to contact in order to stop Avlimil from their "unauthorized fraudulent credit card scam" and to work to receive my monies back on both my Visa and Amex cards.
No reputable company would charge a person's credit card and not be delivering the product, as is the case on my Visa card. No reputable company would instruct a person to send the product back for a full refund and not credit your card and be so incredibly hostile and unprofessional (my Amex card).
Please Help!
Patricia
East Islip, New York
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Lucy
Cincinnati,Ohio,
U.S.A.
I would cancel both cards if I were you....
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sat, January 31, 2004
Patricia,
If I were you I would call both card companies and have them change your card numbers and reissue you new cards. Unless you cancel your "membership" to the Managed Care Direct they will continue to "send" or "not send" the product as well as continue charging your cards for the $35. However I have heard many stories of people who cancelled and still continued to receive charges and more unwanted packages. So the only way to guarantee that you will no longer get any charges is to report the card numbers stolen and have new cards issued to you. It is a pain in the neck, however it is the safest way to proceed with out incurring more debt that will be hard to get refunded.
I would also contact the Better Business Bureau of Cincinnati since everyone that I have heard receiving refunds got it by getting them involved. I would also contact the Attorney General of Ohio and the Federal Trade Commission. I believe that this company needs to be stopped. I worked there for several months before I realized what the scam was. I no longer work there but have been doing my own "research" about the company and will try in anyway I can to help people get their money back and bring down Warner Health Care, Lifekey, Berkeley, Wagner, Boland Naturals, and what ever other alias they would like to use.
Other products that they sell or have sold are, Enzyte, Ogoplex, Myoplex, Rovacid, besides Avlimil and there may be others. So I hope that everyone reading this site informs themselves, and anyone else they know, not to get involved with this company. I am amazed that they have been in business as long as they have. They have a long list of unhappy customers and then they just change their name to escape detection and come out with a new "High Quality Neutraceutical". Beware of these swindlers. They just want your money.
Just from having been employed by this company I have become much more conscious about the companies from which I purchase goods, and to whom I give my credit card number.
Good Luck, I hope you get your money back and that Warner Health Care and its affiliates get whats coming to them.
Sincerely,