Expensive Lesson Learned

I saw a post on Facebook about two products by Dermalife that might help my skin, and an offer to get samples at almost no cost. I got on the website and ordered the two samples for a total of $10.94 on August 10th. I received the samples from a company called Healthy One out of St. George, Utah. As is usual with promises vs actual results, I was less than excited after using both for a week or so. I thought that was the end of it.

But NOOOOOO!

We got our credit card statement on 8/24 and had been charged four charges we didn’t recognize – one from GreenCoffee for $89.95 and the other from Garcinia for $92.53 – both companies out of Utah.  We marked these, but didn’t file a dispute until we got another charge from each company on 9/10!

The disputes went back and forth. The companies then produced paperwork showing that I had, in effect, signed a “contract” by ordering the samples, saying they could send more any time they wanted and charge me, unless I called them within 10 days to cancel the contract. There was nothing on the website that I saw, and I wouldn’t have gotten the samples if I had seen this. There was nothing on the receipt I received for the samples, either.

Since the companies were able to produce my credit card number, etc., and their paperwork about the contract, the credit card company told us that they were closing the disputes in the companies’ favor.

I called both companies involved today, asking them to be SURE my ‘contract’ had been cancelled. A guy from India told me that the contract had already been cancelled. I called the two companies (two different phone numbers, of course) but talked to the same Indian man both times.

I then called the credit card company back, asking what recourse we had, if any, if either of these companies chose to send – or not send – products and charge me for them any time they wanted. I had no actual proof that I had called and canceled.

I admitted that I felt dumb for not checking for the catch on the samples offer, but that having four different names involved in ordering of two samples bothered me. Since the disputes had been closed, I asked if a note could be put somewhere not to accept charges from either of these companies again.

The nice credit card lady did some checking. She reopened the disputes, gave us one permanent credit (I don’t for how much) and told us they would call if they needed anything more from us.

I don’t know how we’ll come out on this, but I wanted to warn everyone not to order samples online without reading every bit of fine print on the website. Check for any catches in the offer. Make sure you know what the name (or names) of the company are, and keep the receipts. File any dispute early and stick to your guns until the matter is settled.