BBB Tip of the Week
Have you ever been browsing online and seen an ad for a great deal – maybe even a free trial offer – that was too good to pass up?
If you signed up for such an offer, gave your credit card information to cover shipping and found yourself overcharged and feeling bamboozled, then this tip is for you.
The Federal Trade Commission recently won a court order temporarily stopping 22 individuals and companies who were touting free trials of Auravie, Dellure, LéOR Skincare, and Miracle Face Kit brand products but charging consumers instead. Once consumers provided their credit card information to cover shipping, the companies would either charge much more than expected, typically around $100, or enroll consumers in a recurring subscription that would continue to charge and deliver products and was near impossible to cancel.
In addition, the ads and company websites used the BBB Accreditation Business Seal with an “A-“ rating when in fact had they had an “F” rating and were not a BBB Accredited Business.
When an online offer seems too good to be true, Better Business Bureau offers the following advice to prevent being scammed:
• Check out the company at www.bbb.org to see its actual rating, and search for any complaints about the company or its products.
• Before sharing your debit or credit card information, find and read the terms and conditions. By doing this you can catch some tricky wording and prevent being scammed.
• Make sure you understand who is making the offer. You may be browsing on a trusted company’s website when an ad from a different company catches your eye.
• Uncheck any pre-checked boxes if you don’t agree to those terms.
• Be sure you understand how to cancel future orders or shipments before you agree to a trial. If you can’t find a cancellation policy, it may be a sign of deceptive practices.
• For legitimate free trial offers, mark your calendar for a reminder of when to cancel before the trial ends.
• Regularly review your credit and debit card statements to look for suspicious or unauthorized charges. Whenever possible, only pay for online goods and services with a credit card so you can easily dispute such activity and won’t be held liable.
To file a complaint about a bogus free trial, visit the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov and BBB at www.bbb.org/consumer-complaints or call (509) 422-4500.
Erin T. Dodge, BBB editor