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CareVetNow.com - Warning that it could cost you much more

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  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,767 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Savvy Shopper!
    In response to. @Pollycat
    I am not the same person who started this thread; not sure why you have assumed this (so I guess it's not so 'clear', is it? :)  . I was sharing my own experience with them, which should also answer your question: they hadn't refunded me. 
    I assumed that because you gave no indication at all that you were not the OP.
    To reinforce that, both you and the OP have similar user names:
    tryingtoavoidscams
    againstpeoplebeingrippedoff

    You both joined MSE in the last week.

    Companies that make profit off being forgetting to unsubscribe or, even worse, being unaware of a subscription are low and simply unethical- don't think this is quite disputable! 
    What isn't disputable is the fact that the information about this being a subscription service is clearly shown in the pricing section of their website.
    To avoid scams and to stop being ripped off, it would have been a good idea for both you and the OP to have read a page titled 'Pricing'.

  • Pollycat said:
    In response to. @Pollycat
    I am not the same person who started this thread; not sure why you have assumed this (so I guess it's not so 'clear', is it? :)  . I was sharing my own experience with them, which should also answer your question: they hadn't refunded me. 
    I assumed that because you gave no indication at all that you were not the OP.
    To reinforce that, both you and the OP have similar user names:
    tryingtoavoidscams
    againstpeoplebeingrippedoff

    You both joined MSE in the last week.

    Companies that make profit off being forgetting to unsubscribe or, even worse, being unaware of a subscription are low and simply unethical- don't think this is quite disputable! 
    What isn't disputable is the fact that the information about this being a subscription service is clearly shown in the pricing section of their website.
    To avoid scams and to stop being ripped off, it would have been a good idea for both you and the OP to have read a page titled 'Pricing'.

    Not sure why I would have to explicitly say that I am not the OP- you have just gathered bits of information and put it together to justify why you assumed it, which does make some sense. 
    As the OP mentioned, the format of their website on mobile and desktop differs significantly, and even then, Ofcom regulations state it must be clearly indicated when someone is signing up to a subscription. 
    Whilst doing a more thorough check would definitely have been helpful, maybe let's not shift to the blame to the people being scammed and start directing it to the scammers?
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,767 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Savvy Shopper!
    What do you think 'join' means?

    On both my mobile and desktop, the home page says 

    How it works?

    1

    Enter your pet's symptoms

    Provide detailed information about the symptoms your pet is experiencing.

    2

    Pay £3 to activate the trial offer

    Complete the order form to talk with a veterinian.

    3

    You will be contacted by a veterinarian

    A veterinarian will promptly get in touch with you to address your concern



    See #2?
    What's do you think that means?

    I think ofcom would say that it's pretty clearly indicated on the home page of the website that you are signing up to a subscription.

  • Pollycat said:
    What do you think 'join' means?

    On both my mobile and desktop, the home page says 

    How it works?

    1

    Enter your pet's symptoms

    Provide detailed information about the symptoms your pet is experiencing.

    2

    Pay £3 to activate the trial offer

    Complete the order form to talk with a veterinian.

    3

    You will be contacted by a veterinarian

    A veterinarian will promptly get in touch with you to address your concern



    See #2?
    What's do you think that means?

    I think ofcom would say that it's pretty clearly indicated on the home page of the website that you are signing up to a subscription.

    It's not impossible that there are apps/websites and various other things you can join that require an initial fee and then give you the option to pay more for premium access/content etc. Honestly not sure where you found that info because that was not displayed when I joined- and actually I think Ofcom wouldn't agree because (I'm fairly sure) they must indicate it without the customer having to search for it. For example (somewhat off topic), I downloaded insight timer today and when I joined it gave me the option to start a free trial and CLEARLY indicated in the same text that I would pay the fee after 7 days- they even said they would send a reminder two days before the trial ends. That is what companies should do- unlike this vet website, which is clearly aiming to profit off unwanted subscriptions. On top of this, their contact service line does not work, their TrustPilot Rating they display is fake/non-existent and overall their demeanour is dubious...

  • As the OP mentioned, the format of their website on mobile and desktop differs significantly, and even then, Ofcom regulations state it must be clearly indicated when someone is signing up to a subscription. 
    Whilst doing a more thorough check would definitely have been helpful, maybe let's not shift to the blame to the people being scammed and start directing it to the scammers?
    There’s a difference between people being scammed and people not paying attention, and it’s often a case of it being the latter with websites such as this.

    However, to back up the OP, it would appear they’ve used the ‘live’ chat option from the homepage, which is scripted to appear like there’s somebody there (there isn’t, it’s faked). £3 will get you ‘access to connect with the veterinarian’, which isn’t the same as £3 will get you an answer. This then leads to a payment form different from those shown on the other pages and it’s not clear it’s a trial, though it does say ‘join now’ in grey, without specifying what you’re joining (also the ‘terms and services’ link isn’t an actual link, so you’re unable to read them from here before paying).

    Anyway, if you have a pet then perhaps consider registering with an actual vet in your local area instead. Online it’s the Wild West and best avoided.


  • tryingtoavoidscams
    tryingtoavoidscams Posts: 10 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post
    edited 12 May at 3:26PM

    As the OP mentioned, the format of their website on mobile and desktop differs significantly, and even then, Ofcom regulations state it must be clearly indicated when someone is signing up to a subscription. 
    Whilst doing a more thorough check would definitely have been helpful, maybe let's not shift to the blame to the people being scammed and start directing it to the scammers?
    There’s a difference between people being scammed and people not paying attention, and it’s often a case of it being the latter with websites such as this.

    However, to back up the OP, it would appear they’ve used the ‘live’ chat option from the homepage, which is scripted to appear like there’s somebody there (there isn’t, it’s faked). £3 will get you ‘access to connect with the veterinarian’, which isn’t the same as £3 will get you an answer. This then leads to a payment form different from those shown on the other pages and it’s not clear it’s a trial, though it does say ‘join now’ in grey, without specifying what you’re joining (also the ‘terms and services’ link isn’t an actual link, so you’re unable to read them from here before paying).

    Anyway, if you have a pet then perhaps consider registering with an actual vet in your local area instead. Online it’s the Wild West and best avoided.


    I do agree that in some cases these situations arise due to lack of care to detail, but for this website it seems they have purposefully worded things/kept information in a way to intentionally catch people out. (As I mentioned in a previous comment with Insight Timer), they should be clear from the get go- I do understand it's also advertisement to hook your attention; £3 to speak with a professional is eye-catching. They should mention before asking for card details that this will automatically sign you up for their subscription. 

    And yes definitely agree, an actual vet is preferable. In my case, I just wanted some advice before going to the vet and to see my options because pet health-care is no joke, it's so pricey!!

  • Lavendyr
    Lavendyr Posts: 2,610 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I clicked on the link. This is what came up. Seems pretty clear to me. 


  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,767 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Savvy Shopper!
    Pollycat said:
    What do you think 'join' means?

    On both my mobile and desktop, the home page says 

    How it works?

    1

    Enter your pet's symptoms

    Provide detailed information about the symptoms your pet is experiencing.

    2

    Pay £3 to activate the trial offer

    Complete the order form to talk with a veterinian.

    3

    You will be contacted by a veterinarian

    A veterinarian will promptly get in touch with you to address your concern



    See #2?
    What's do you think that means?

    I think ofcom would say that it's pretty clearly indicated on the home page of the website that you are signing up to a subscription.

    It's not impossible that there are apps/websites and various other things you can join that require an initial fee and then give you the option to pay more for premium access/content etc. Honestly not sure where you found that info because that was not displayed when I joined- and actually I think Ofcom wouldn't agree because (I'm fairly sure) they must indicate it without the customer having to search for it. For example (somewhat off topic), I downloaded insight timer today and when I joined it gave me the option to start a free trial and CLEARLY indicated in the same text that I would pay the fee after 7 days- they even said they would send a reminder two days before the trial ends. That is what companies should do- unlike this vet website, which is clearly aiming to profit off unwanted subscriptions. On top of this, their contact service line does not work, their TrustPilot Rating they display is fake/non-existent and overall their demeanour is dubious...
    It's here:
    Get 24/7 access to professional veterinarians for expert advice on pet health and care | Vet Support (carevetnow.com)

    on both desktop and mobile.
    I really didn't have to search for it - it's in rather large bold text - so I think Ofcom would agree.

    It's likely that it was displayed when you joined but you just missed it.

    I would never trust the health of my pet to some random stranger on t'interweb.
    I'd be off to the vet - however pricey it might be. It's part of the cost of caring for a pet.


  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,767 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Savvy Shopper!
    edited 12 May at 3:26PM

    As the OP mentioned, the format of their website on mobile and desktop differs significantly, and even then, Ofcom regulations state it must be clearly indicated when someone is signing up to a subscription. 
    Whilst doing a more thorough check would definitely have been helpful, maybe let's not shift to the blame to the people being scammed and start directing it to the scammers?
    There’s a difference between people being scammed and people not paying attention, and it’s often a case of it being the latter with websites such as this.

    However, to back up the OP, it would appear they’ve used the ‘live’ chat option from the homepage, which is scripted to appear like there’s somebody there (there isn’t, it’s faked). £3 will get you ‘access to connect with the veterinarian’, which isn’t the same as £3 will get you an answer. This then leads to a payment form different from those shown on the other pages and it’s not clear it’s a trial, though it does say ‘join now’ in grey, without specifying what you’re joining (also the ‘terms and services’ link isn’t an actual link, so you’re unable to read them from here before paying).


    If the OP and the other affected member feel that the website is misleading, they should report it to the appropriate authority (I'm not sure that is Ofcom as mentioned above).
  • tryingtoavoidscams
    tryingtoavoidscams Posts: 10 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post
    edited 12 May at 3:26PM
    Pollycat said:
    Pollycat said:
    What do you think 'join' means?

    On both my mobile and desktop, the home page says 

    How it works?

    1

    Enter your pet's symptoms

    Provide detailed information about the symptoms your pet is experiencing.

    2

    Pay £3 to activate the trial offer

    Complete the order form to talk with a veterinian.

    3

    You will be contacted by a veterinarian

    A veterinarian will promptly get in touch with you to address your concern



    See #2?
    What's do you think that means?

    I think ofcom would say that it's pretty clearly indicated on the home page of the website that you are signing up to a subscription.

    It's not impossible that there are apps/websites and various other things you can join that require an initial fee and then give you the option to pay more for premium access/content etc. Honestly not sure where you found that info because that was not displayed when I joined- and actually I think Ofcom wouldn't agree because (I'm fairly sure) they must indicate it without the customer having to search for it. For example (somewhat off topic), I downloaded insight timer today and when I joined it gave me the option to start a free trial and CLEARLY indicated in the same text that I would pay the fee after 7 days- they even said they would send a reminder two days before the trial ends. That is what companies should do- unlike this vet website, which is clearly aiming to profit off unwanted subscriptions. On top of this, their contact service line does not work, their TrustPilot Rating they display is fake/non-existent and overall their demeanour is dubious...
    It's here:

    on both desktop and mobile.
    I really didn't have to search for it - it's in rather large bold text - so I think Ofcom would agree.

    It's likely that it was displayed when you joined but you just missed it.

    I would never trust the health of my pet to some random stranger on t'interweb.
    I'd be off to the vet - however pricey it might be. It's part of the cost of caring for a pet.


     The screenshots provided from @[Deleted User] depict the misleading nature of their website- in addition to this I'll add one I have taken: 
    ''Speak to a professional for ONLY £3''- completely misleading. They should be required to add an asterisk and state somewhere that this is £3 and then an automatic opt into their subscription. 

    It's the ''ONLY'' £3 that people can use to dispute the cost. Ofcom regulations are pretty tight (I'd assume?), so something like this could get them into trouble. In the link you have sent you have to scroll down to see the mention of a trial offer, which, even then, does not mention automatic opt in to a subscription (which yes is somewhat common sense/assumed, but they must make clearly indicate this), or the subscription price..
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