Help, website has charged me £650 for a herbal supplement subscription

starqueen27

Hi there,

I really need to know my rights for obtaining a refund for a subscription placed on my credit card. I entered my credit card details to get a free trial on a acai berry diet supplement recommended to me by a friend. The website I was referred to was: acaiberryexclusive dot com.

I entered my personal details, and gave them my credit card number to pay for the postage and packaging and that was that. I was later surprised to find a number of charges on my credit card for an ongoing subscription to receive the supplement on a regular basis. Unfortunately as I did not receive the free trial, I had completely forgotten that I had ordered the product in the first place. It was only recently when I checked my credit card statement that I found I had been subscribed for 3 months, which has amounted to £650.00!!

I obviously immediately contacted the company in question (after lots of digging for contact details), who informed me that products were sent out over this period of time, but were rejected at the address. I received no products or delivery notes to inform me that products were even attempted to be delivered. However whilst the company has now cancelled the subscription, they are refusing to refund any of the subscription charges (because it is outside of the 30 day period which is outlined in their terms and conditions).

I would really appreciate some advice on the best course of action to take. It seems clear now that the site is a scam.

Please help!

Cath.

Debt_Free_Chick

I don't think that non-delivery/receipt of the goods makes any difference.

Did you read and understand part two of the terms and conditions?

When you get the free trial, you are actually signing up for a monthly subscription, which has to be cancelled. The default position is that you are deemed to have subscribed until you cancel.

Many sites operate like this and AFAIK, they are legally allowed to do this - although it's an approach i don't particularly like. The key is in the T&Cs though as you generally have to tick a box to acknowledge that you've read them. Did this happen in this case? If so, I think you're stuffed, but wait & see what others say.

Edit: Note it's only a 15 day trial - a 30 day supply, but a 15 day trial. And yes, you have to accept that you've read the T&Cs before you can even order the trial!

starqueen27

Thanks for the quick reply, that's what I was worried about. It is in the terms and conditions, however the cost is definitely not made clear. Unfortunately I must have agreed to the terms and conditions (when I go to the site now, the terms and conditions is already pre-ticked).

Even if I had received the product, the price is really unreasonable. How can £650 be justified?

Anyone else have any idea of the course of action to take to obtain a refund?

PlutoinCapricorn

If you google "acai berry scams" you will find many similar cases, including some on MSE. Unfortunately, many people do not realise that when they register for a free trial of almost anything, they will start being charged unless they cancel. That is why your card or bank details must be given. They are not all scams: some deliver the goods.

Tozer

If it is a scam - or they are in breach of contract - then your credit card provider should be notified and a claim made.

Apples2

What's worse, not reading the form before signing it which clearly states you are starting a subscription.......

Or thinking you can eat bags of berries and the pounds will simply fall away??


In fact, they have kind of already delivered, the pounds have already disappeared.

Dr.Shoe_2

Contact the credit card company, then contact the courier firm who "triedto deliver" the goods as they will have a record. The vendors should be able to provide the consignment note numbers, if they can't then they never sent them out.

To loose weight there is no substitute for reduced calories and plenty of exercise.