Retinolla scam

AliceBanned

I think I have just been scammed (or at the very least seriously misled) by a company called Retinolla and/or Dermaelle.


Not sure what to do. They have taken £97 from my credit card which my banks says cannot get back because I agreed to a contract online. Apprently the company was going to take this monthly - for face cream/moisturiser! It must have been marketed in such a way that this bit was in the small print. I have been in touch with the company and they say they have stopped the 'autorefill'. Apparently they tried to take a second payment but there were no funds. They are now chasing me for this £39.


This is so disheartening with all the other money struggles I have. I thought I was paying £8 postage for a free trial. It sounds dim and I've never fallen for a scam before. I can't even remember which website I was shopping on - it popped up. Stupid I know, that is a red flag. I know that now anyway.


I doubt I can get any of the money back. The company concerned said it was 14 day free trial so if I didn't return anything within 14 days they took the full amount. They have now said even if I returned empty pots in the original packaging within 14 days, I would have been charged nothing. I had no idea. Thought it was free for the first pot and then I could order more if I liked it.


Not sure where/how to complain because there is clearly a loophole in the law meaning they can get away with this. They can't get away with future payments (I hope) because my bank is monitoring it. Bank said it happens to customers all the time.

hollydays

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/shopping-and-consumer-news/11834096/Stemologica-scandal-the-200-charge-for-a-free-trial-of-anti-ageing-creams.html

soolin

This one seems more common overseas

http://www.skincarehelp.co.uk/retinolla/

AliceBanned

Thanks. I am upset at wasting £97 but they have now emailed me and said they won't charge me the other £40 for the other cream.


I don't think they are even safe to use. I feel so stupid. I was right though according to the comments on the link above - the terms and conditions are obscured. Everyone else who bought was under the same impression. Let's face it not many people would spend £200 a month on face cream.


So I have agreed not to pursue any further refund as long as they agree to take no further payments. I await their response.


I wouldn't usually accept the loss of £97 and can't afford to but I am really struggling at the moment with depression and my debts and I just can't handle the pressure. I just need to not have them take any more and I feel nervous now about all my bank accounts and credit cards.

wealdroam

AliceBanned wrote: »

So I have agreed not to pursue any further refund as long as they agree to take no further payments. I await their response.

AliceBanned wrote: »

I just need to not have them take any more and I feel nervous now about all my bank accounts and credit cards.

Do not rely on any promises the company may make.

Speak to your credit card supplier again and insist that they cancel the continuous payment authority that is in place.
This will ensure that the company will not be able to take any more money, even if they manage to 'forget' that they have agreed not to take any more.

AliceBanned

wealdroam wrote: »

Do not rely on any promises the company may make.

Speak to your credit card supplier again and insist that they cancel the continuous payment authority that is in place.
This will ensure that the company will not be able to take any more money, even if they manage to 'forget' that they have agreed not to take any more.

Thanks wealdroam. It has been awful. I might copy and paste some of their self righteous emails on here at some point. It really is crazy - they make the T&C impossible to see and then blame the customer in a really nasty way.


I will speak to First Direct again. I will speak to my current account bank as well in case anything happens there though I would hope they can't take from any other accounts. If so I will have to close them all.

Alice_Walker

They don't make the terms and conditions impossible to see, there is a link at check out, what they do is rely on the customer buying without bothering to check them. But I'm sure the bank will refund if you explain, they generally err on the side of the customer in these situations.

What worries me more is the number of people that are willing to put high strength creams on their skin without any idea of what they are really applying. Retinol can do a lot of damage if not used correctly - and there's no guarantee that is what is even in the product.

wealdroam

AliceBanned wrote: »

I will speak to First Direct again. I will speak to my current account bank as well in case anything happens there though I would hope they can't take from any other accounts. If so I will have to close them all.

Have you given them your current account details too?

If not, there is no need to worry about that.

AliceBanned

wealdroam wrote: »

Have you given them your current account details too?

If not, there is no need to worry about that.

I haven't, but I read online about someone says they had this happen to them - despite only giving one card. That would be blatant fraud surely but these things make you wonder how secure things are. That's the effect it's had on me anyway. I think they count on a lot of people not monitoring their accounts - £100 a month would go out and you couldn't get it back if you didn't see the first one and stop it.

AliceBanned

Alice_Walker wrote: »

They don't make the terms and conditions impossible to see, there is a link at check out, what they do is rely on the customer buying without bothering to check them. But I'm sure the bank will refund if you explain, they generally err on the side of the customer in these situations.

What worries me more is the number of people that are willing to put high strength creams on their skin without any idea of what they are really applying. Retinol can do a lot of damage if not used correctly - and there's no guarantee that is what is even in the product.

I was going to throw the cream away after this happened as I don't trust it.


I'm usually more careful. I paid for it with a First Direct credit card. First Direct are blocking future payments 'if possible' they said..but said they can't get a refund because I clicked to say I signed a contract. I fully accept this but will ask them again just in case. Lesson learnt.

hollydays

Alice_Walker wrote: »

They don't make the terms and conditions impossible to see, there is a link at check out, what they do is rely on the customer buying without bothering to check them. But I'm sure the bank will refund if you explain, they generally err on the side of the customer in these situations.

What worries me more is the number of people that are willing to put high strength creams on their skin without any idea of what they are really applying. Retinol can do a lot of damage if not used correctly - and there's no guarantee that is what is even in the product.

I had a friend who bought some obscure tooth whitener off the net. I mean, would you mess with your teeth and gums! I managed to persuade them not to use it.