Complaint Review: Farend Services Ltd. - Aurora Colorado

Like many of the previous postings on these scam artists, I ignored the hair standing up on the back of my neck and stepped into the DazzleSmile trap.  Im in the US and discovered the hard way that the 14-day trial period clock began when I submitted the ordernot upon receipt of the product 9 days later (via express shipping?).  I also didnt see the ultra-fine print at the bottom of the receipt below the summary line that indicated I was also enrolled in the World Club Fitness and Weight Loss Resources programs that would charge me a monthly feefor what, Im still in the dark as I have NEVER received anything in return for these programs.

I called the company prior to the 14-day point and cancelled the membership. At that point I was given Cancellation Number and directed to place my order number on the box.  I sent it back via signature service so I had a delivery confirmation on the box.  The agent I spoke with indicated that if it wasnt received before the 14-day trial period ended that I would be charged.  After much animated, yet rational discussion, we agreed that this was an improper business practice and I would not be charged.  The USPS delivery confirmation came in handy about a month later after a $48.92 charge appeared on my statement as they had no record of its receipt.  To her credit, the customer service agent pulled up the tracking number, acknowledged I had met my obligation to send the whole kit back by the agreed upon date, and credited me the charge on the spot.

The ancillary club memberships, however have been another thing entirely.  I called the same day to cancel these, using the toll-free numbers on my receipt.  This text is all but illegible and I had to do what one of the other posters didI copied a screen shot into MS Word so I could zoom in on the phone numbers.  Cancelled the first one relatively easily.  This was to World Club Fitness.  Received a Cancellation number and was assured I would not be charged.  I then called the second number (for Weight Loss Resources) and spoke to an agent there.  She advised me that the account was already cancelled.  I queried as to whether I needed another cancellation number and she advised that the number I had just received would cover both subscriptions.  Case closed, right?

Fast-forward to November.  I returned from a lengthy business trip and opened my bank statements to find two charges for $8.53 each.  All it has to describe the purchase is: ezykit 8664371621 with the purchase reference number following.  I called this number and heres where the plot thickens.  The same customer service group answers the phones for all these scams.  They have a script that informs the customer they have the authority to provide refunds, but that the charges are non-refundable because the account was not cancelled within the trial period.  Explaining the facts to themthat I HAD, in fact cancelled the account over 2 months ago & well within the trial periodmeant nothing.  They would not pass me to a supervisor upon request because it did not warrant involvement of a supervisor (after all, they have full authority to say no).  After speaking to 3 incompetent lackeys (who all hung up on me when I wouldnt accept their wholly unsatisfying response), I found a fourth person who actually advised me that their ability to provide refunds was actually stripped of them and not even the supervisor had that authority.  While difficult to believe, I took her at her word and she gave me the name of the umbrella company running this internet scam in hopes I could find someone with appropriate authority to reimburse me for the unauthorized overchages: 

Farend Service Inc

P.O. Box 22100 E. 22d Avenue

Aurora, CO  80019

I surfed up their info on-line info and found a 24/7 customer service line (among a series of similar complaints against them for specious business practices.  The gentleman I spoke with there had no idea what these two ancillary companies were, but someone close by said they have nothing to do with them and gave me yet another number to call.  When I called that phone number, I landed on the desk of one of the previous Customer Service reps I had spoken to less than an hour earlier.  I told him he couldnt help me then and I doubted anything had changed before I hung up the phone in disgust.

All of the supposed Customer Service phone numbers ring into a small collective of the same people who access the individual accounts referenced by the specific number you are calling.  The fact that one of these people didnt do her job 2 months ago has caused me several hours of work and several unproductive phone calls which run the customer in a circle back to the same inept office.

All I was looking for was a refund of my $17.06 that I was illegally charged AFTER canceling the account(s).  Ironically, theyre willing to spend many times that amount in man-hours and potential legal fees to preserve the cash cow that must truly provide a lucrative income for them.  I hope someone can use this information to either avoid the trap or provide a basis for putting these scammers out of business. -DBH.