Acai Berry Power "FREE" trial

melcraig

poppy112 wrote: »

Thank you so much. I cant believe how stupid I have been.Do you have any suggestions of what to do next. I have cancelled my bank card - bank already knew about scam-pity they didnt stop payment.
I still have product unopened.

I too was caught out by this company, I contacted my bank, cancelled my card and my bank are refunding my money. I have also complained to my local Trading Standards and BBC Rip Off Britain, who are looking for customers complaints. Put it on your Facebook and Twitter pages if you have them, tell the world about this company. They are miserable rip off merchants. Good Luck, Mel

alfimima

I clicked on the link on facebook and was nearly hooked. I read the small print and as a precaution I tried calling the number they give to cancel and it was dead. Thankfully I had not entered my bank details. Please do be careful. We all want a quick fix to lose weight but, at the end of the day, us piggies just need to eat less!!!

pageace

I was looking at my regular weather site, Accu weather when I noticed the “Acai berry advert”. It was from a trusted source , Stacie Taylor of the Channel 8 nutrition team, and had appeared in the UK in the Telegraph. Guardian and SkyTV. Free trail offer, what is there to go wrong!
I entered my name and details, credit card etc and pressed the button. No mention in the main header that this “Free Trial” was part of a continuous trial.
Trial bottle ordered 3rd July 2011, has still not arrived (2 Aug 2011). No problem, not exactly needed in a hurry and coming all the way from the States. My Tesco Credit card statement was delivered 1st Aug, showing a payment of £2.95 for postage for the trial bottle I had not received, and another whopping big payment £69.95, dated 17th July for something from the same company that I had also not received !!!
I smelt a rat so I logged onto the internet and was surprised by the high numbers of complaints regarding this issue and the number of people who felt they have been cheated by the sharp practices of this company. I read the comments on this Money Expert Forum and it said that when the trail bottle arrives it contains a statement that the “Free trial” is the start of an extended trial and if the Account is not closed within 14 days, the trial will continue. I didn’t get that information as my trial bottle did not arrive. Why hasn’t this Scam appeared on Rogue Traders or similar programs on UK TV ??
I tried to contact the company in Florida using numbers on the Forum site but no answer. I have completed an Email message stating my “trial bottle” had not arrived and I want my money back, waiting for an answer, I have had a read receipt.
I contacted “Tesco credit card security” and explained that an unauthorised amount had been taken from my card, I didn’t know what for and explained the situation. The lady explained that I appeared to have entered into a trial, but as I had not received any goods for the payment made the credit card company would take on the problem and attempt to resolve it. She would send me three forms, one for details of goods not received, plus two others. I asked if I should cancel my credit card and she explained it would do no good. If money was owed on a credit card, then it would be recovered from any replacement card . It was best to put the matter into the hands of the Tesco credit card company and let them deal with the matter on the basis of goods not received.
Lessons to be learnt, even if the advert is on a trusted site, there could still be a problem. In this case it appears that the problems have been on-going since 2008 or before. The advert has not been withdrawn or the problems have still not been resolved and I believe complaints have been made to the US Trading regulators. Read the small print, pay by credit card, and most important check out the internet for any adverse reports on the product or associated companies. It’s interesting that this company appears to have a base in UK, so maybe Trading Standards may have an input into the issue.
It was after all, NOT A FREE TRIAL as the header of the advert indicated. Internet and US rules require the Header give a clear description of the product on offer. It was a Full length trial with a Free introductory offer that included a mandatory opt out clause. Don’t accept the situation. DO COMPLAIN, it needs sorting out.
Good luck to all of you who attempt to get this type of miss-representation off the internet, keep the net clean.

Chadkirk

Miroslav wrote: »

Just as a response to you two, my flatmate ordered from these people without realising what she was getting into, so after tearing a few strips off of her, we have returned the bottles unopened 9 days after the order was placed so within the trial period and we sent it via special delivery (Royal Mail website says package has been delivered), I phoned them on the 0800 012 2544 number and got through to an American chap. I assume the call is free (I may check BT shortly) but they are based in America. He assured me that my flatmate would never be charged so she shall keep an eye on her bank balance.

Do not sign up to things via facebook and always read the smallprint on anything. If unsure, come to MSE - I found this thread via forum search in seconds. Lots of people will advise on lots of things here.

Here's hoping everyone gets a refund or does not get charged.

ETA - My BT online itemised billing shows no signs of any cost of the 0800 number redirecting to America.

ETA 2 - You can buy similar products on Amazon far cheaper without recurring card payments.

Hi, I feel stupid as I have just been taken in. Trying to get refund from either credit card company or the website direct. Will do everything I can by contacting Trading Standards and quoting distance selling etc but I fear the worse and think I will be £75 down. Will be asking credit card company to ensure no further payments for made so hopefully I have just been dupped out of the £75. If anyone knows how to get money back from these people your help would be appreciated. Thanks

Chadkirk

Hi, I feel stupid as I have just been taken in. Trying to get refund from either credit card company or the website direct. Will do everything I can by contacting Trading Standards and quoting distance selling etc but I fear the worse and think I will be £75 down. Will be asking credit card company to ensure no further payments for made so hopefully I have just been dupped out of the £75. If anyone knows how to get money back from these people your help would be appreciated. Thanks

wants2loseFAT

Uh oh, sorry about the hoodie and proaction scams you all went through. i am lucky to have found an acai pill that is different. because i just get deducted with what i purchase. nothing more, nothing less. lesson learned for you all: do not settle with free bottles. look at me, i bought my first ever acai slim pill bottle, it was not given for free. i took and tested it. it worked great on me as appetite suppressant and energy booster. so i decided to buy again from the website. they just give me and deduct me for what i buy.

so you see, i am saying this not to advertise (i am not putting the link where i bought it), but to let you know that not all acai products are scam and to be wary of the free trials.

in every tree of a mango, there's a sweet and there's a sour one.

kayleighjobudd

I to was taken in by this scam last night. Whilst on Facebook it popped up at the side about this girl (Ellie) think her name was and how she had gone from 14 st to a size 4 in a matter of weeks. I always think these sort of things are rubbish but the story was by Sky news or something similar so I thought it looked ok.

I saw the "Free Trial" which actually turns out to be £2.49 and thought hey why not. Only to realise after I had submitted my card details that if you don't return the product in 40 days you get charged £80 a month!! I got the Proactionacai & Proaction Hoodia and the Colon Cleanse.

After reading certain things on the internet about it being a scam I started to panic immediately! I went to bed but woke at 4.00 am this morning and just felt sick! I was awake just crying and then told my other half what I had stupidly done!

Anyways I have phoned them this morning on the 0844 745 44 33 number and got through to an English girl and she was really lovely, she cancelled the Proactionacai & Proaction Hoodia but unfortunately the Colon Cleanse had been sent out 6 minutes before!!!! grrrr!

So she said as soon as I receive it in the post, send it straight back to the PO Box address in Sheffield and gave me a special number to stick on the front.

Im just praying that it does actually turn up.

I don't think its really a scam I think its just more dodgy terms and conditions and yes a money making scheme for people that don't read things properly.

Anyways will let you know how I get on!

Tangible

This says it all

When the entire scientific literature to date and putative health claims of aça! are assessed, experts concluded in 2011 that the fruit is more a phenomenon of Internet marketing than of scientific substance.

Apparently red wine is a more effective anti-oxidant. :j

Feelingstupid

I too have just been caught out. Feel so stupid! I ordered the items today at about 6.30pm, realised my mistake immediately and reported my card as lost/stolen by 6.35pm. I have also sent emails directly and via their website to cancel but have just received ticket numbers like many others seem to have with them never responding. I will call them tomorrow too and hopefully will get through. Can anyone tell me please if they cancelled before receiving any goods if they still got charged?

thanks

paulnjulia

Hey Feelingstupid,
Dont worry, we did exactly the same as you, a while ago. The £2.95 postage will go through, cos the transaction was authorised before your card was "lost", but they won't be able to take the other payments.

The berries will arrive (we tried contacting all sorts of people even the guys in UK, to try and stop them, but I dont think you'll get through to any person)

Dont waste any more time, just send an email when you get the berries and they send you a returns auth number and then you pay for the postage to return them. and Bobs your uncle.

Whilst this maybe a "scam" it is legal and they dont seem to be vindictive. We had no follow ups no bulk emails etc and no problems with our banking, so you should be ok, and relatively unscathed.

We found the £2.95 cost of this lesson to be a pretty good fee.

Cheers

Paul