They're B-A-C-K! I just saw a newspaper ad the other day for the "free sample bottle of epiclear". They haven't advertised in my area for several months. I thought the company had finally "gone where the goblins go...", but I guess not.
I posted a complaint on this website in July after my experience with their "free trial offer", in hopes of warning off others. Unfortunately, folks won't usually read about them until they are frustrated, searching for help—like I was.
I did, in fact, get my money back, after much angst and several phone calls. I was even instructed how to return the product that had been shipped to me. I'm sure it was because I had INSISTED in my initial order conversation that I was ONLY authorizing a charge to my credit card for $12.95 s/h, that I did NOT want any future shipments, and that I WOULD NOT call any other numbers to cancel— that if I could not get the "free" sample without having to do ANYTHING ELSE, then I did NOT want the "free" sample. The salesrep went through the script, but I insisted to the end that if I had to do anything further, I did not want the "free sample".
Now, if you're reading this, you know what happened next. My credit card got charged $164.90 anyway and I got a box in the mail. I was furious, and spent hours on hold before getting a customer service rep who wrote up my complaint.
Surprise! Surprise! There really is a DeDe.initially, all I ever got was her voicemail, but I left a message. She eventually called back and told me that after reviewing my recorded call, they felt the salesrep had not fully explained the autoship program, and for that reason they would issue a refund to my credit card.
I got my situation resolved, but not because VisionLabs or Symphonix has good, ethical business practices. Mine was no customer remorse after the fact. I told the salesrep during the call that I was a veteran of the ProActiv program, so I knew how an autoship program worked, and I DID NOT want to sign up for one for epiclear.
The trick is they get your name, address, phone and credit card number UP FRONT, before they drop the bomb about the autoship program on you. Silly customers, believing their newspaper ad that says "free product sample—you only pay shipping of $12.95". The autoship program was never mentioned. I saved the ad!
So, you are now their unwitting hostage. To get your "free sample" without any further obligation, just cancel. They tell you. But, any slight misstep on your part to exactly follow their cancellation rules for something you never wanted in the first place will cost you at least another $164.90. And they are banking on your forgetting to call to cancel or doing something wrong!
In my case, I knew they had my credit card information, and therefore had access to make future charges. Even though I said I was not authorizing them to make future charges, I think what made the difference was I said I did not want the "free" sample if I had to anything further to prevent future shipments. At that point, they were obligated to cancel my order, but they did not.
I don't know if epiclear actually works or not; after all the nonsense with the company, I never gave it to my daughter. Even if it did work, I would not do any further business with this company.
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