Alteril/Biotab Nutriceuticals/Todays Better Health—A Multi-million Dollar Credit Card Scam?
On 12/2/08, in response to seeing a number of credible TV ads for a free week's trial of the Alteril sleep aid, I called the 800 number. I was told that the product was totally free, and that they would also like to send me, also at no cost, samples of a weight lost product. I have been taking prescription sleeping pills due to serious problems with insomnia. But wait! I would need my credit card to pay a mailing cost of 97 cents, but this would include a sleeping mask and ear plugs, and even the free weight lost pill samples. This minimal charge is made, I assume, to help gain access to credit card information. Charging the real cost of $2.03 per mailings could cause some respondents to hang up.
Before giving my credit card number I said that I did not want to become involved with any long term contract without trying the product, and also asked if the seven day trial was from the phone request date or from delivery date of the product. I was told that it was from the delivery date and that I could cancel at any time. That was a flagrant lie. Since then my card has been passed around to sister companies who are part of the same scam, and as of today this free trial has become three separate charges totaling $107 on my VISA card.
In addition to the 97 cents charge of 12/3, my card was billed $36.90 on 12/9. On 12/15 I received both of the sample products (never received a sleeping mask), and a month's supply of Alteril in two envelopes. This included paperwork that included a charge of $6.95 for shipping. Biotatab was the name on the returning address. The claim that clients are given a time period to try the product prior to being billed is a bogus one. The products were both mailed by parcel post—one dated 12/4 and the second dated 12/11. I have kept the original packaging. I have also copies of my phone and VISA records.
Since I live in Connecticut, the parcel post delivery would normally take about a week from the CA address. The delivery date for the trial item item should have been about Friday the 12th. Only the USPO can explain why both items arrived on the same date— the 15th. However, that Alteril billed my card before the item was even sent shows that the idea of having any time to try and cancel the product is a complete falsehood. Obviously, Alteril has no concern about any implied contract made in their ads or on the phone. Nothing is sent free and there is no trial period in this scam.
On 12/16 I called Alteril to complain about the unauthorized shipment and billing that was made. I was told that this would be taken care of and that they would discontinue my enrollment—this proved to be another lie. On (12/19), I called my VISA credit card company and found out that the charge had not been removed. I also talked to the VISA fraud department and they are sending me a form that I will fill out.
On 12/17 a new person using my info supplied to him by Alteril called me, to sell me on the idea of trying out some man's growth and weight lost pills. I talked to him since I wrongfully assumed that the unjust billing had been resolved. I made it clear that I would not pay for any product without having the opportunity to try before buying. He insisted that he did not do any billing. He also said that he would be my personal contact to facilitate communications. I was lied to again.
I received a box yesterday (12/23) from a company called Today's Better Health. Again I called VISA, and there was a new unauthorized charge of $67.95. I did not open this box as I suspect it's part of the same scam.
I did call (12/23) TBH to complain, and was told that a supervisor would look into this problem. This morning I called VISA to cancel my existing card, so that it can no longer be passed around by Alteril and sister companies who are participating in the scam. I did try the Alteril sleep aid last night—and the product was worthless to me—I did not sleep. This morning, I called VISA and asked to cancel my card number and issue a new one.
It's my understanding that consumers should not have a legal responsibility to spend costly time repackaging and also pay for returning stuff that they do not order. It also seem to me that Biobab Nutriceuticals of Monrovia, CA 91016, and Todays Better Health of Burbank CA 91504-2447 are operating multimillion dollar consumer fraud operations that some charge card companies may ignore since they also profit from the scam. This problem needs urgent attention.
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