To whom it may concern:
I received a pop-up for a free trial of acai berry. I (naively) entered my debit card number understanding that i could cancel within 14 days. After entering my debit account information, i did not receive (like legitimate sites) a confirmation e-mail.
When the free acai berry sample bottle arrived (a bottle which i did not open), i noticed that there was no invoice included inside the package, which left me with no number or contact information to actually call and cancel my trial membership.
I later discovered a charge on my checking account for about $90.00. When i saw this i immediately searched on-line for any information about this company and found numerous forums filled with people complaining about the exact same experience. I then, after 40 minutes of searching, was able to find a contact number that someone else from one of the forums had found.
I called the company and asked a representative to refund my money for the new acai berry shipment. She said, and i quote, "i'm sorry ma'am, but if you do not cancel before the 14 day trial membership, we cannot refund your money".
I then proceeded to tell her that after i ordered the free sample, i received no confirmation e-mail with any information and no invoice with either the sample acai berry package or the new one for which i was charged. I explained how long it took me to find a contact number and how i found all of the forums of people who were reporting the same problem.
After she told me the policy was "no refunds", i asked to speak to a supervisor various times and was told that they were either "all busy" or "unavailable". It was not until after i threatened to report the company to the better business bureau that the representative asked if i would hold for her for a few moments.
When she came back on the line, she told me that they were "willing to make an exception and refund my money" if i sent the unopened bottle back. She explained where to ship it to (fullfillment, 4650 sw 51st st., bay 711, davie, florida 33314), and to make sure i called back with the tracking number.
On 12/18, i shipped the package via ups back to the proper address and i have my receipt with the tracking number. I called the company as soon as i arrived home and gave another customer representative the tracking number. The representative told me that my money would be refunded and that i would be taken off of their "list" for the future.
Then amazingly on the 29th, i looked up my checking account activity to find no refund (as of this point) and yet another charge of $29.95 for a website that i had never even heard of. I called my bank and warned them that i had not made this transaction, and they assured me they would alert me after it passed through pending status.
I proceeded to look up this website and found a number. I called numerous times, only to get busy signals. While continuing to reach someone, i also looked up the information on this website through a search engine. Again, there was nothing but forum after forum of people who claimed they got scammed... And all of them also had signed up for the free trial of the acai berry.
Finally, a representative became available. I was asked my name, my number, and my address. When explaining my situation to the man who's name was albert, he unprofessionally said to me "wow! You have a beautiful voice. Where are you from?", (after asking my last name). That is absolutely unacceptable! I became firm but not angry, and conveniently got disconnected.
I called countless times until i finally spoke with a woman. For the second time, i explained what was happening and again threatened to report the company to the better business bureau, and that my bank was already aware of their scamming. I asked to speak to a supervisor and again was told that "they were in a meeting".
It was not until i literally threatened legal action that i was given an apology and was assured, with a confirmation number, that my money would be refunded to my account.
As of today, 12/31/08, i have not received any refunds to my account. I want something done about this immediately, not only for me, but for the hundreds, maybe thousands of others who this has happened to.
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