Acai Berry Power "FREE" trial

jackstini

I also have been conned by Pure Slim. I know the terms and conds did not mention sign up or cancel when I first applied for free trial - I checked absolutely meticulously. However, they have now taken 2 lots of 79.95 from my credit card. When I called them today and said I had not signed up to this the man on the phone asked "are you calling me a liar ma'am?!"
He has given me an order number to send the last batch back for a refund but said I can't send back the other one.
Have also contacted Cap One to say payments were not autrhorised and they are sending me a dispute form so we'll see....

jackstini

PS - competitions cafe - anyone who says colons don't need cleansing had never had irrigation. You can see with your own eyes what comes out!!

paulnjulia

WE signed up thru superacai.co.uk, the one that says as mentioned on BBC etc, then read the small print. We did this yesterday at 10.30pm. So we are 25 hours on.

My main concern is the Bank's attitude to protecting me from dodgy websites (a good ole favourite of Martins). They are not prepared to cancel the debit card transaction. So it seems I'll have to cancel the card, as I'm not happy about having to wait for the payment to go out, then raise a dispute with my bank, knowing that as this company is not UK based there's little chance of success.

I paid with a debit card so dont enjoy the cover C/C offer. However, I'm watching my bank account hourly, and as soon as irregular activity takes place, I'll be talking to my bank. There are a few other websites that mention this "con", although I can't say it is a con, just particularly dodgy, but it contravenes UK Trading Standard laws, but it's based in America. I have conducted a little online research, left a msg or two on UK ansaphones and found one or two points of contact in UK. So I am ready to spend Monday morning on the phone.

Would be happy to band together with others to pool resources in finding a solution to this; so if you feel the urge, get in touch.

Cheers

paul n julia

paddyrg

All this grief for fruit juice with no scientifically proven basis for the claims made (ie no randomised double-blind clinical trials, just about the only meaningful type of trial). Medically speaking, until one of these (very rich) companies can medically prove any beneficial effect beyond being fruit juice, it's just insanely expensive fruit juice. 3 years back it was Noni this Noni that, before that Aloe Vera - and yet not a shred of scientific research to support the outrageous claims.

competitionscafe

paulnjulia wrote: »

WE signed up thru superacai.co.uk, the one that says as mentioned on BBC etc, then read the small print. We did this yesterday at 10.30pm. So we are 25 hours on.

Domain name:
superacai.co.uk

Registrant:
Skyway Media

Registrant type:
UK Individual

http://whois.domaintools.com/superacai.co.uk


http://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/super-acai-c145188.html

"Acai berry scam that uses fake newspaper sites to advertise, and claims it was featured on the BBC and CBS news channels, but it was not. Looking at the terms and conditions reveals a £75 monthly charge that is not obvious during sign up, and most if not all the claims made on the site are false. "
http://www.thatsnonsense.com/view.php?id=1031

http://www.canyoutrustthem.com/index.php?go=details&id=14622

Would suggest reporting them (superacai.co.uk/) to Verisign; Mcafee etc as well for using unverified and non clickable logos:
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/1509/superacaiscam.jpg

http://www.verisign.com/support/contact/seal-abuse/index.html

CSU8.com
(Customer Service Ultimate ) Ironic name!
registered to:
Skyway Media CEO: James Leon
146 Second Street North Suite 310
St Petersburg, Florida 33703
United States +1.727111222
http://whois.domaintools.com/csu8.com

The 0800 520 0449 phone number given by Pure Hoodia and Super Acai also matches the one on this website:
http://www.purchasebrazil.com/ registered to:

Craig Mander
Pro-ActiveNet
Skipton Close
ES B-92975119
SG2 8TW
Stevenage
UK
08717343343
http://whois.domaintools.com/purchasebrazil.com

paulnjulia

Sorry, people, but I felt it was important enough to let you all know of this persons wealth of experience in this matter.

I read your post and was truely amazed at the knowledge.

I have found out a lot of the info you posted, just one or two queries, Are you sure the owner of skywaymedia.co.uk is someone called Sawyer, as Nominet don't disclose private individuals on its website details.

The other thing, we traced a Mr Leon, who is the director of a uk registered company, to Surrey.

I'll register the site with verisign and Mcfee etc. and see what happens, I did post under the canyoutrustthem website.

Anyway, will watch with interest to see how this scans out.

Thanks for the help
Paul

competitionscafe

paulnjulia wrote: »

I have found out a lot of the info you posted, just one or two queries, Are you sure the owner of skywaymedia.co.uk is someone called Sawyer, as Nominet don't disclose private individuals on its website details.

The other thing, we traced a Mr Leon, who is the director of a uk registered company, to Surrey.

Yes good point - there is no definate connection between Skyway Media UK and the US (Florida) Corporation with the same name: so I have removed the UK details from my post above.

As for Mr James Leon in Surrey, I guess you are referring to ASD Internet Ltd of PO BOX 363. FLEET, GU51 1XQ ?

Check this out:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=PO+BOX+363.+FLEET,+GU51+1XQ

Plus ASDPromotion.com is on the same server as Skyway-Media.com
http://whois.domaintools.com/asdpromotion.com

As well as the PO Box number, there is a physical address:
ASD Internet Limited
Otters Lair, Long Hill, The Sands
Farnham, Surrey GU10 1NQ
GB
01252781708
01252781708
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Otters+Lair,+Long+Hill,+The+Sands%0AFarnham,+Surrey+GU10+1NQ&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Otters+Lair,+Long+Hill,+The+Sands,+Farnham,+Surrey+GU10+1NQ,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=16

Clearly the 'p0rn and pills' business is going very well for these people judging by the house at that address!

However Companies House webcheck shows no record of an ASD Internet Ltd ?

What we do know from this Google search though is that apart from the hard core pron sites, ASD Internet and that address are linked to:

Pure Slim (hoodiaregime.com/)
Administrative Contact:
Leon, James
Pure Slim
PO Box 579
St Helier, JE4 8XG
Jersey
0845 22 55 618
http://whois.domaintools.com/hoodiaregime.com

Diet Patch (pureslim.com)
Administrative Contact:
Leon, James
Pure Slim
Sandy Farm Business Centre
The Sands
Farnham, Surrey GU10 1PX
http://whois.domaintools.com/pureslim.com

purehoodia.co.uk
Domain name:
purehoodia.co.uk
Registrant:
Vision Logistics
Registrant type:
UK Individual
Registrant's address:
The registrant is a non-trading individual who has opted to have their address omitted from the WHOIS service
http://whois.domaintools.com/purehoodia.co.uk

These domains are all on the same server:

almeriaapartments.com (Founder: James Leon. Phone no: 0871 226 5178)
asdpromotion.com
browboost8.com
goodhoodiaguide.com
oasisdevera.com
purehoodia.co.uk
skyway-media.com
hoodiaslimdown.co.uk
metaboost.co.uk
painfreedom.co.uk
perfectacai.co.uk
purehoodia.co.uk
pureviva.com
theprobateguide.co.uk
youwaffle.com

(I removed a couple of the "adult" sites)


These domains on all on the same server:

pureslim.com
hoodiaregime.com
sweetenemas.com
Pureslim-mail.com

A reverse Whois also shows that:

"ASD Internet" owns about 58 other domains

Email Search: james@asdpromotion.com is associated with about 54 domains

Many of which can be found via a Google search.
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&xhr=t&q=james%40asdpromotion.com&cp=22

paulnjulia

You're well ahead of me now, i did a companies house check on James Leon, under Pure Slim ltd. didn't do a property check, but saw a payment of £62K dividend so assumed they were doing ok, didnt link any other sites, I've just been researching the superacai connection.

Well tomorrow, perhaps i can start the long old slog of bringing this to the general public's attention and see if Mr Sawyer or Mr Leon will talk to me. At the mo I still think Skyway is innocent but could be proved wrong.

Paul

competitionscafe

Aah, I see now - ASD INTERNET LTD changed their name to PURE SLIM LTD in 2006:

Name & Registered Office:
PURE SLIM LIMITED
1 WARNER HOUSE
HARROVIAN BUS. VILLAGE
BESSBOROUGH ROAD
MIDDLESEX
HA1 3EX
Company No. 03995431

Pure Slim Ltd, Unit 10 Watchmoor Trade Centre Watchmoor Road, Camberley, Surrey, GU15 3AJ. UK Company No: 03995431. VAT registration No: 745 1776 14

Previous Names:
Date of change Previous Name
12/05/2006 ASD INTERNET LIMITED

From: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/3fb57cd9af947150018b7dc44517231f/compdetails

This Companies House online form can be used to submit complaints about UK Ltd companies:
http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/complaintformcib.htm

They have taken action against companies in the past for similar acai free trial scams:

"Stephen Speed, Chief Executive of The Insolvency Service said: "The Insolvency Service is determined to come down hard on companies who seek to rip off the public by mis-selling products. I urge all consumers to be vigilant when it comes to 'free trial offers', and remember if it looks to good to be true, it often is."
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2010/09/acai-berry-and-teeth-whitening.html

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/clientmicrosite/Content/Detail.aspx?ClientId=95&NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=415330&SubjectId=36

Also, here is an ASA Adjudication on Pure Slim Ltd:
http://www.asa.org.uk/Asa-Action/Adjudications/2009/5/Pure-Slim-Ltd/TF_ADJ_46283.aspx

Judging by their current website and adverts they have clearly decided to simply ignore the ASA.

Their terms and conditions also breach the distance selling regulations - you can return anything ordered online within 7 days of receipt (if you had not opened the pill bottles) and are not responsible for the return postage costs in that case.

Upon receipt of your cancellation request, you will not be charged for any products that have not already been billed, but you will be asked to return the unused portion of the product if cancelled during the 14 day trial period. Because we send out a 30 day supply of both products we do require that you send back at least 45 Pure Hoodia Capsules and 30 Super Acai capsules. If we receive less than the required number, we will charge £0.52p per pill.

You are obligated to pay return shipping.
From: superacai.co.uk/BAM2010/terms.html

And anyway how is it a free trial if you have to return a specified number of pills??


P.S. By way of a price comparison, for their Super Acai and Pure Hoodia, Pure Slim are charging £70 for a "1 month supply".

A reputable online retailer (iHerb) is charging £12.99 for a 2 month supply (£6.50 per month).

http://www.iherb.com/Paradise-Herbs-South-African-Hoodia-60-Veggie-Caps/4268 60 capsules £7.20
http://www.iherb.com/Paradise-Herbs-Acai-60-Veggie-Caps/7216 60 capsules £5.79
(£7.20 + £5.79 = £12.99)

So Pure Slim is charging £70 per month for something you can buy for £6.50 elsewhere without all the hassles of cancelling ongoing shipments and /or returning unused product to avoid charges! More than ten times the price!

paulnjulia

Thanks for info, i'll post later in week with how and what we should do to solve/stop the scam.