Received an email ad . Promised to remove skin wrinkles for a small trial size jar with a come-on price of $4.95. Including shipping. Shortly after,my debit card wwas charged for $92.00 before I changed the card # to prevent further rip-off. My bank, Timberland Bank of Aberdeen, WA, declined to refund my disputed charges after their investigation claimed by purchasing I had agreed to their terms and conditions, which were NEVER disclosed to me. I never agreed to anything other than to try it out this one time. This is nothing but a SCAM to withdraw from your bank account!
Florida Native
West Palm Beach,#2Consumer Comment
Fri, November 23, 2018
It doesn't matter which company is offering the "free trial". They all have a catch. The catch is this, the offered price to pay shipping only is for a few days (10 days is common) and then you are charged for the full retail price + put on a monthly or bi-monthly shipping program to pay that high retail amount for each time period.
It is a well-known marketing ploy that is described in their terms and conditions. It is frequently referred to as either a membership or subscription service in the terms. As a side note, just because you didn't read the terms associated with the purchase doesn't mean the terms aren't there. You may have to dig around on the website to find them, but they are there somewhere in little tiny mice type.
I personally don't like these subscription based marketing products because I think they are deceptive. These free trial programs are all over the place now most especially in the make up and skin care arena but also in other types of products. It is best to not ever subscribe to their service because they will get their pound of flesh (the full retail price) from you. I don't know why the FTC or the CFPB doesn't go after these companies for this deceptive marketing but until they do, protect yourself.
If every consumer stopped ordering these products offered on the basis of a free trial, then the companies would stop using that method to swipe your dollars deceptively. JMO.