Sunrise Herb Farm, Sage Advise, Valerie Hoffman Fresh Herbs And Teas, Sunrise Herbal Remedies, Fraudulent Charges -CT Attorney General filing class action lawsuit Bethel Connecticut
A class action lawsuit has been filed by the State Attorney General of Conn. against Sunrise Herbal, Sage Advice and Valerie Hawk-Hoffman for unethical business practices. A link to the lawsuit at the state site is following.
Personally we ordered herbs from her by phone via an article in Redbook. She took our order by phone, but never mentioned her company had an auto ship policy... so it was a surprise to us that our credit card was charged again 3 months later. Per our credit card's fraud department recommendation, we cancelled our credit card and reissued it with a new number. After review, our card company found the charges fraudulent and refunded our money and we filed a complaint with the better business bureau, as have many of her ex-customers.
A search on her name or company will reveal some of the blogs left by customers and how she has treated them! We received insulting, irrational and unbusiness-like emails from her when we questioned her charges, which I copied and forwarded to the Attorney General's office and Better Business Bureau. We couldn't believe a business owner would conduct thier business this way. We also don't understand why auto-shipping is required unless the customer requests it and is satisfied with the products.
As a physician my husband was apalled at her lack of ethics. We've never seen this practice with any other health products. She ALSO requires customers to send a letter CERTIFIED MAIL in order to cancell the auto shipment. We did this, but what a hassle! Other victims we've read, were billed even after they sent certified letters...or were billed 3 times in one month on their orders...It is a clear case of complete disregard for customers and taking complete advantage of them.
I pray she has rethought her business practices and has decided to be more ethical and customer friendly, but we have not heard anything hopeful as of yet, especially since her website is still on line as well as a few new ones she has started and they claim business awards with no information about where or who awarded them to her. She has relocated to coastal Maine & part time in Florida so be cautious if she starts a business there!
Lawsuit link:
http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?A=2788&Q=378410
Robert
Bellevue, Nebraska
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Meri
Simpsonville,South Carolina,
United States of America
Valerie Lost the lawsuit
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, January 01, 2013
She Lost the lawsuit. I was a victim of the scams as well. Here is a link http://www.ct.gov/ag/cwp/view.asp?Q=460054&A=3869 I just wish that the attorney general forced the removal of the bogus "feel sorry for Valerie" comments as well. She is paying back tens of thousands of dollars to those bothered by her nonsense. I wish this website would remove the comments Valerie likely made herself
Chloe
United States of AmericaWe all love the Val and Dave Hoffman-they are honest terrific business people and those who posted this crap have been sued so watch out people or you will have a nightmare on your hands!
#5Consumer Comment
Thu, September 02, 2010
I have known Val Gal as we call her and Dave for 11 years and they have always been great to me. Paid my company on time, ordered on a convenient schedule and treat everyone they know regardless of financial or social back round with respect and love which I think is d**n cool as most people with their lives are s****.>
Alley
Wilton,Connecticut,
U.S.A.
I am admitting the Hoffman's were RIGHT and I am SORRY I ever judged them-good for them suing back!! Good people-treated WRONG
#5Consumer Suggestion
Wed, March 11, 2009
In life its often hard to admit when we are wrong but in this case I must suck it up and admit I was wrong about the Hoffmans and the company Ms Hoffman runs. I reported on the hearing you see and when I read all the documents I felt ashamed and embarrased as the reality of this is that the policies of the herb farm were those dictated by Consumer Protection themselves-it was really ironic when I heard the testimony of the ONLY client who had shown up to the hearing and saw her humiliate herself and then break down admitting she DID actually sign up for the Auto Ship program and was simply angry as she forgot to cancel....it really put a light on for me and when I read more and more about this case it was pathetic how people jumped to conclusions and clearly were so jealous of the lovely home the couple had as that kept being mentioned over and over-how is that relevant to the case!? The reality is no one was just put on an Automatic shipping program-they signed up themselves-and when I checked the website Ms Hoffman was right its written all over it ( and on her booklet and receipt too) -page after page and I couldn't even check out on the website without agreeing to it-it is far from deceptive and unclear as people tried to claim and truthfully why did people ( unless they were jealous of a young successful couple ) make such a big deal out of an Auto Ship program case-its a very common thing out there these days. In addition, when I read more I realized they are a simply hard working family and were really treated like crap I must say by a very few small minded and I might add very rude individuals.... the things written by it turns it out ONLY 3 individuals were beyond cruel and as a learned very false.. I am not at all surprised it turned out the complaints were an 70 % less than 8th what was claimed and that the judge sided with the Hoffmans....NOW the State of Ct has bought themselves a huge lawsuit it turns out as I read the documents and the Hoffmans are suing them in 2 states to the tune of 6 million dollars-good for them!
Alley
Wilton,Connecticut,
U.S.A.
Actually we should ALL apologize to the Hoffman's -Consumer Protection MADE them have these polices-good for them counter suing the State of Ct!!
#5Consumer Suggestion
Wed, March 11, 2009
In life its often hard to admit when we are wrong but in this case I must suck it up and admit I was wrong about the Hoffmans and the company Ms Hoffman runs. I reported on the hearing you see and when I read all the documents I felt ashamed and embarrased as the reality of this is that the policies of the herb farm were those dictated by Consumer Protection themselves-it was really ironic when I heard the testimony of the ONLY client who had shown up to the hearing and saw her humiliate herself and then break down admitting she DID actually sign up for the Auto Ship program and was simply angry as she forgot to cancel....it really put a light on for me and when I read more and more about this case it was pathetic how people jumped to conclusions and clearly were so jealous of the lovely home the couple had as that kept being mentioned over and over-how is that relevant to the case!? The reality is no one was just put on an Automatic shipping program-they signed up themselves-and when I checked the website Ms Hoffman was right its written all over it ( and on her booklet and receipt too) -page after page and I couldn't even check out on the website without agreeing to it-it is far from deceptive and unclear as people tried to claim and truthfully why did people ( unless they were jealous of a young successful couple ) make such a big deal out of an Auto Ship program case-its a very common thing out there these days. In addition, when I read more I realized they are a simply hard working family and were really treated like crap I must say by a very few small minded and I might add very rude individuals.... the things written by it turns it out ONLY 3 individuals were beyond cruel and as a learned very false.. I am not at all surprised it turned out the complaints were an 70 % less than 8th what was claimed and that the judge sided with the Hoffmans....NOW the State of Ct has bought themselves a huge lawsuit it turns out as I read the documents and the Hoffmans are suing them in 2 states to the tune of 6 million dollars-good for them!