Can't Get Off Mailing List!

ComplaintsInternet ScamsGuthy-Renker & Proactv Solution

Complaint

0
Ben
Country: United States
Guthy-Renker continually gives me problems! One year ago, I ordered Proactiv Solution, I tried it and was allergic to the ingredients. I sent it back, got my refund, and I thought that was it. WRONG! I started to receive annoying phone calls, trying to get me to buy more. I also received pamphlets from Proactiv in the mail.

Getting off their mailing list is a torture! I called the Customer Service number SO many times, I can't count anymore. Each time, they said that I was off the list, and wouldn't receive any more mailings. WRONG AGAIN! It's been eight + months of calling their support number, and the Guthy-Renker Corporate Office number (760-773-9022) trying to get off their stupid mailing list. Renee, an agent in the Corporate Office has been "helping" me in the last four months, and I'm still receiving pamphlets in the mail for the Proactiv! She said that the Guthy-Renker IT Department is looking into it and will take care of it once and for all. WRONG AGAIN, AGAIN! Although Renee has been kind and patient with me, MY PATIENCE with GR is about to the end. I HAD IT WITH THESE CROOKS!

So in conclusion, I would NOT recommend that ANYONE to order from Guthy-Renker. Their "Customer Service" is a complete joke and a lie, and the Corporate Office hasn't helped me much either. DO NOT ORDER FROM GUTHY-RENKER, or you'll be sorry! I wish I NEVER would have ordered Proactiv in the first place, I never really needed it anyway. So BEWARE of marketing tactics, once they get you in, it's hard to get out!

Comments

  • 0
    tj
    Try a complaint through BBB.  They might be more responsive when not dealing with it becomes visible to other consumers.
  • 0
    Ben
    Hi tj. Thanks for the suggestion, but I've done that plenty of times already. In fact, the BBB discontinued the dispute because they "could not continue with the rebuttal, even though the companies response is unacceptable, this case cannot continue." What in the world is that? So what, now the BBB is a public enemy too?

    I've gone to the LA.BBB.ORG Website and looked for complaints against Guthy-Renker, I couldn't really find any. For unresolved cases, the chart said "0." Yeah right, you must be kidding BBB!
  • 0
    tj
    BBB varies in effectiveness, both based on the local management, and based on the desire of the problem company to maintain its reputation.

    Some companies with long track records of consumer fraud complaints visible on various consumer forums, even with Attorney General lawsuits, may still have pristine BBB records, and even be rated "A+", which requires that they pay to be a member, and that they "respond" to complaints, whatever that means.  

    Other local BBBs kick out members with a pattern of complaints that never get corrected even when they respond, and fully describe the details to warn consumers.

    Go figure.

    As for their unresolved cases count, you may have noticed that often BBB categories other than "failed to respond", categorize the result as one or another variant of "company responded but consumer failed to acknowledge".  Most of these categories implicitly label the consumer as flaky for failing to accept some "reasonable" response.  They don't actually appear to have a routine category of "company responded but didn't address the issue reasonably".

    I also have had a bogus company response counted as "resolved".  I pushed the matter, and the count went to "company failed to resolve", where it stays, but I had to catch it, since the default BBB reporting would have checked it off as resolved, making the company appear clean.

    Push the issue, by filing a complaint on the LA BBB with national.  They should be reporting their failures, not just their successes, particularly when there is nothing unreasonable about requesting that a company take you off their mailing list.
  • 0
    tj
    As for the phone calls, put your number on the Do Not Call list, then notify them IN WRITING that they are to cease calling and put you on their internal Do Not Call list.  Send your notification certified, for proof they received it.  Check the usps.gov site to obtain the notification of delivery.

    Within 30 days they must cease calling, or you can sue under TCPA.  $500 a call.
  • 0
    tj
    One area you could use BBB is as a separate and independent documented notification.  For example, if you notified them as above to cease calling, under the Do Not Call law, yet it looks like your notification has disappeared down a black hole and they kept calling, you could then dispute their Do Not Call violations through BBB.

    You have multiple notifications, through different channels, and probably even the name of their contact through BBB, to overcome their likely defense that they just made an innocent mistake.  It would help show that they are just ignoring the law, should you then need to sue.

    BBB doesn't have to be very competent to be used in this way.
  • 0
    tj
    One more thing:

    If valid account information, either credit card number, or worse, checking account or debit card information, is in the hands of any health product company, you would be wise to close and block such account due to the possibility of fraud.  

    This industry has a high rate of complaints of unauthorized "autoshipment" charges.  Just look under the "health and beauty" category for examples.

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