Fraudulent Charges
Complaint
Mahmoud Gouda
Country: United States
Direct Marketing-Continuity Subscription company is scamming customers. I ordered Activatrol/testosterone from them under free trial through popped up ad on one of my APPS on my phone. The offer was to try the product free for just shipping and handling charge of $4.95. The bill before paying showed the product name and cost free (0.00) and Shipping and Handling $4.95. After entering the credit card number and submit the order, the cost was increased by $4,99 the total of $9.95 (I remember it was a little higher may be tax, not sure). I called my credit card bank immediately, report it as such. The bank representative advised me to lock my credit card so that they can't charge me any more without authorization and I did, yet the charge still was charged and when I asked the bank, they said that when the charge come as recurred, they pay it even with the account is locked which the bank did not tell me about that part when they advised me to lock my account. I called the marketing company by phone, I got the number from an email came to confirm I placed the order, and questioned the additional charge. They said it is for another product that works good together with the product I bought and that I must have checked a box to agree to buy the second product and they canceled it. At no time anyone during the calls I made informed me about charging for the product I ordered after 14 days unless I cancel, or that I am subscribing to a recurred charge. I did not see anywhere anything from the list below which I found out upon calling them and after the order is placed never before:
1. They said the product is not free the trier for only 14 days that start on the day of the order is free and if not canceled within 14 days, a charge of the product cost will be charged. A) The trier offer is miss leading. They offer a 30 days to try, mentioning the 30 day supply but they do not say to try for only 14 days, they hid the short period of trying and put it under "Terms" so you would think 30 days supply to try for 30 days and the period is not really 14 days; it is 10 days because it takes 4 days to arrive. B) The bill at the time of the order showed that the product cost is $0.00 not the actual price of $89.95 which is differed for 14 days not free , and so, I did not even know the price of what I am buying (why would I care if I am under the impression that it is free to try for only the shipping and handling), if they wanted, they could charge me anything. C) There was no referral to the “Terms” where they said over the phone that the offer is detailed under. D) There was no check box (I think) that I read and agreed to the terms. E) Nowhere I was informed that by accepting the offer, I am subscribing to recurred charges (may be they submitted the charge this way because I told them on the phone that I locked my account and they cannot charge me anymore (the representative laughed when I said so) it might was not recurred charge and they change it later to be recurred so that they get the money. F) I made my order though a popped up ad on my cell phone which did not have the information on the website.
2. For one week after I made the order, I kept receiving calls from them telling me that the reason they are calling me is because they see that I started an order online but did not finish it and that they want to finalize my order, even after I received the product. When I told them that this is a lie and asked if it is scam, the caller would say hold on let me check, and come back and say some time it shows as double order apologize, but then I get the same call again from someone else.
3. The conclusion is, this company does the best to hide the actual offer which is a differed charge for only 14 days and not free, they hide the actual cost, you will not know what is the price of what you are buying until charged, they hide that you are subscribing to the product (as if it is a magazine) not one time buy and at no time, when they realize that you might be misunderstanding the deal you purchased, would clarify it, they did not at any time say, if you don't cancel in 14 days, you will be charged for the full price which you do not even know.
1. They said the product is not free the trier for only 14 days that start on the day of the order is free and if not canceled within 14 days, a charge of the product cost will be charged. A) The trier offer is miss leading. They offer a 30 days to try, mentioning the 30 day supply but they do not say to try for only 14 days, they hid the short period of trying and put it under "Terms" so you would think 30 days supply to try for 30 days and the period is not really 14 days; it is 10 days because it takes 4 days to arrive. B) The bill at the time of the order showed that the product cost is $0.00 not the actual price of $89.95 which is differed for 14 days not free , and so, I did not even know the price of what I am buying (why would I care if I am under the impression that it is free to try for only the shipping and handling), if they wanted, they could charge me anything. C) There was no referral to the “Terms” where they said over the phone that the offer is detailed under. D) There was no check box (I think) that I read and agreed to the terms. E) Nowhere I was informed that by accepting the offer, I am subscribing to recurred charges (may be they submitted the charge this way because I told them on the phone that I locked my account and they cannot charge me anymore (the representative laughed when I said so) it might was not recurred charge and they change it later to be recurred so that they get the money. F) I made my order though a popped up ad on my cell phone which did not have the information on the website.
2. For one week after I made the order, I kept receiving calls from them telling me that the reason they are calling me is because they see that I started an order online but did not finish it and that they want to finalize my order, even after I received the product. When I told them that this is a lie and asked if it is scam, the caller would say hold on let me check, and come back and say some time it shows as double order apologize, but then I get the same call again from someone else.
3. The conclusion is, this company does the best to hide the actual offer which is a differed charge for only 14 days and not free, they hide the actual cost, you will not know what is the price of what you are buying until charged, they hide that you are subscribing to the product (as if it is a magazine) not one time buy and at no time, when they realize that you might be misunderstanding the deal you purchased, would clarify it, they did not at any time say, if you don't cancel in 14 days, you will be charged for the full price which you do not even know.
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