Complaint / Review
Mineral Elements by Eden
Fraud

WSECU Cardholder Dispute Form Attachment

Last summer I ordered free trial samples from Mineral Elements by Eden. The products were not satisfactory. They had been advertised to cover redness and not to melt off in humidity. Neither proved true. So, I sent an email to the company immediately to cancel my membership and any further shipments with the stated reason that “your products did not work for me.” I received an email reply stating my membership was cancelled.

I thought this would be the end of it.

Now, six months later, they charged my VISA account with $69.41.

When I called to ask them to correct their error, they refused to reverse the charge. The customer agent, “Donna”, stated I had not lived up my membership agreement. I said it was advertised as a free trial. She said it is free if you mail the little samples back within 14 days. Apparently, this was in the shipping information but I had not been able to read that fine print, which I explained. After getting nowhere with her, I asked to speak to her supervisor. She said her supervisor would call me back.

Several hours later, “Stephanie” called back. She said more or less the same thing. She said the samples needed to have been returned within 14 days of their postmark in order to be free. I told her I did not know that but I would be glad to return them. She said the deadline was past. That now I had purchased them and the amount was $69.41. Again, she said I did not fulfill my membership agreement, although she too acknowledged my email canceling it. She offered to reverse $20 of the charge. I told her that was just not satisfactory as I had ordered nothing and agreed to pay for nothing. Then she offered me a $50 dine-out certificate. I told her I simply wanted the unauthorized charge reversed, that I could not afford such an expensive “free sample.” She just kept repeating that I had not fulfilled my terms of membership. So I asked her for their address and informed her I would contact VISA.

I've filed Cardholder dispute with Visa but as of today 12-22-08 have had no resolution.