There's no such thing as a free sample of teeth whitener, either
By Herb WeisbaumIt's time to modify the old saying about a free lunch. MultimediaTurns out there's no such thing as a "free" sample of teeth whitener. Fall for this come-on, and you'll be sorry. The ads are everywhere on the Internet: "You deserve a sexy smile," "Feel more confident," and "smile like a celebrity." Tracy Howard of Bothell was online on a reputable Web site when she saw an ad for Dazzle White. "And it said, 'for a free sample, click here.' And I thought, 'what the heck, I like free.'" she said. To pay for the free shipping, she had to type in her credit card number. The package arrived a few weeks later with a silver tube inside. "No instructions on how to use the product and it had a little brush inside. And it was bone dry," she said. "So I just threw it in the garbage and kind if laughed it off." Howard wasn't laughing when her Visa bill came with the $5 shipping charge and a $58 charge for her second shipment of Dazzle White she hadn't ordered. She says the ad didn't say that accepting a free sample would mean she was signing up for an ongoing program. "Oh, of course not, no. I didn't want a subscription. I just wanted the free product," she said. And Howard's was not an isolated case. Alison Southwick with the Council of Better Business Bureaus in Virginia tells me the council is flooded with complaints about free-trial offers for teeth whiteners. "The problem is that they're getting billed as much as $80 a month for these products that keep arriving at their door. They're also billed $50 to $60 a month for other products and services that they didn't even know they were signing up for," she said. Tracy Howard was lucky. She got her money back. In many cases, the companies running these bogus free trial offers won't stop the charges. Some people have been forced to close their credit card account and get a new one. Dazzle White has an "F' rating with the Better Business Bureau. The company did not respond to my requests for a comment. My advice: stay away from any free trial offer on the Web, whether it's for teeth whitener, weight loss products, or work-at-home-job opportunities. If you have to give them your credit card number to pay for the free shipping, you've opened the door for future charges for merchandise you don't want and didn't order. Most Popular |
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February 9, 2012
- Coos Bay / North Bend, Oregon
