. A small percentage of your purchase price will help support Oral Answers. Don't worry -- you'll still pay the same everyday low prices at Amazon.
Yes, the $3 Online Tooth Whitening Trial Offer is a Scam
Are These Ads Legitimate or Scams?
Lately, it seems as if half of the advertisements on major news websites are advertising a cheap or free tooth whitening trial. A lot of these offers sound too good to be true. In response to a question posed to me by a reader, I decided to look into these offers that claim to charge only $1 to $3 in shipping for a month's worth of tooth whitening supplies.
If they only charge for shipping and handling, I wondered how on earth they were paying for all of the advertisements that they've plastered on half of the internet.
After clicking on one of these ads, I came to a page that told me a nice story about a mom who discovered an amazing tooth whitening "trick." Here's the problem: the story is a lie.
The Fake Story About a Mom
Where is Amy from? She's from wherever you happen to be surfing the net from at the time...
Right after you click on one of these ads, there is a story about an average, all-American mother. The salespeople try to make her sound like she's just a poor woman who had yellow teeth. Amazingly, her teeth went from an ugly yellow color to sparkling white in just one week.
It's interesting to note that the mom is always from the same city in which your internet service provider is located. In the montage of images to the right, you can see four renditions of Amy's "story." Amy is from the same city that your internet service provider is from!
While the website does have a disclaimer at the bottom telling you that it is an advertisement, I still think telling this fictional story is slightly unethical.
If you can't believe a simple story they tell on their website, then it makes me wonder if you can believe anything they try to say.
There seems to be tons of websites out there. I researched a lot of them and found one that had an ad that stated that this is a teeth whitening trick that dentists don't want you to know about.
An Interesting White Lie
Is it really dentist approved?
For one of these teeth whitening sites, the advertisement that leads you there states that this is a tooth whitening secret that dentists don't want you to know about.
However, once you get to the site, there is a prominent image of an intelligent-looking dentist telling you how clever these whitening solutions are. Has this dentist never seen teeth whitening products?
If dentists don't want you to know about it, why would they approve it?
Also, does it make any sense for a dentist to not want you to know about something that can make your teeth look better? I don't think so.
When the dentist states that "this is a clever way to get whiter teeth", I have to wonder if he really think it is clever to shell out hundreds of dollars per month to get a teeth whitening gel subscription? I hope not!
The Whole Site is "Fiction"
At the bottom of the page, it states:
This page, and any page on this website, are not to be taken literally or as a non-fiction story... This page receives compensation for clicks on or purchase of products featured on this site.
It all makes sense now! If nothing on the site is supposed to be a fact, then they can say anything they want. Does this mean that all of their success stories are simply fiction stories?
This definitely explains the story about Amy who is from hundreds of thousands of cities at the same time.
So... What Happens If You Buy It?
Here's an analysis of your costs if you decide to buy both teeth whitening systems and end up waiting for three months before canceling once you realize the damage they have done to your wallet when you see your credit card bill.
DentaSmile MD will cost you $92.86 per month for three months. I am assuming that once you pass the 10-day trial period, they begin billing. $92.86 per month for three months plus the original $3.49 in shipping and handling comes out to a total of $282.07.
Celebrity White Smile will cost you $169.95 per month for three months plus a $12.95 one-time membership fee, plus the original 99 cents (I put in the discount code!) shipping and handling. That gives us a total of $523.79.
If you add up both of those numbers, you end up paying $805.86 for three months of teeth whitening gel. That's the same gel that you can find online for much cheaper from reputable sources. Also, you don't even get teeth whitening trays that are custom-fitted to your teeth like you would receive in a dental office.
Here's an image showing the checkout screens for the aforementioned whitening products:
The two trial offers end up being very expensive. Click the image to read the fine print.
If you ended up subscribing to these two trial offers for a whole year, it ends up costing $3,171.15. It's easy to see how they can afford to have such a large online advertising budget!
Note: some sites feature a third trial called Everbrite Smile. This product is similar to the two mentioned above, except it costs $89.95 per month.
It is a Scam that Appeals to the Frugal
Who wouldn't want to get a month's supply of teeth whitening gel for only $3? Theoretically, it could be a good deal if you are able to cancel in time. However, since the whole site is supposedly "fiction", who's to say that your card won't be charged hundreds of dollars when you initially sign up?
Have you fallen victim to this scam? Please let us know in the comments if you had any success in trying to get your money back.
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Hi, I'm Tom. I'm currently a 4th year dental student in the USA. I started this blog to help people take better care of their teeth. You can 
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I had always wondered how that worked. I have seen those ads and I remember reading somewhere that they are scams.
That's really sad that people have to resort to tricking poeple like this in order to make a living.
Yeah, Melissa, it seems that too many people are making their livings by taking advantage of the “average consumer” by using these tactics that draw in the people that want something at a bargain price.
It goes to show how important it is to read the fine print before you give out your credit card info on a website.
Do you know the phone numbers for Celebrity White Smile and Everbrite? I really need to cancel! Thank you
-Mitch
Hi Mitch - Here are the phone numbers for Celebrity White Smile and Everbrite:
Everbrite Tooth Whitening Phone Number: 1-866-556-6914
Celebrity White Teeth Phone Number: 1-877-262-4128
I recommend calling early in the morning. If you call later at night, I have heard reports of people being on hold for a few hours before they get through. If you have a speakerphone, I would just use that and make use of the time while you are waiting. Good luck! Don't worry, lots of people have gotten ripped off by this tooth whitening scam. The best way to put a stop to this scam is to choke their cash-flow by canceling.
UPDATE:
I have found another online service aside from the three mentioned. This one is called "Idol White." They give you tooth whitening pens, and have a "Free Monthly Refill" program that appears to cost $119.93 per month.
I think they keep on popping up because people keep buying them. That gives more people an incentive to link to them and get a commission on each sale...
If you got tangled up with Idol White, here is the phone number to cancel: 1-818-303-9253. As always, it's probably best to call early in the morning.
Why do you call these sites a scam? People have eyes, they can read the screen. They know what they are buying. If they are dumb enough to think that the companies will just give away their product without making any money then they deserve what's coming to them. Just a thought.
hey i ordered some tooth whitening stuff from this ad as well last week and i still havent recieved ANYTHING!! i need to cancel mine as well then! it was everbrite and some other one.... white n go?? it was a pen! i need those numbers to cancel as well!!!!!
thanks
Hi Courtney,
As mentioned above, the number for Everbrite is 1-866-556-6914.
Sorry, but I'm not sure which "company" is offering White 'n go, that just seems to be a brand name. There is also a pen called White Glo, maybe that is it... I wish I could be of more help!
Good luck getting it canceled.
There seem to be a ton of scam teeth whitening companies out there. I hadn't heard of Stay White Forever before Carolyn's comment, I guess new ones keep popping up.
If anyone is trying to get in touch with them to cancel, here is the phone number for Stay White Forever:
Stay White Forever Customer Service:
1-888-846-3488
Call our customer service line toll free at the number above. Live customer service agents are available 6 Days a Week, Monday - Saturday 9:00AM - 7:00 PM EST.
Everbrite let me cancel with no problem(that I am aware of yet- no charges but shipping and like $.04???) on the six day after I ordered. The second one I ordered from is Stay White Forever. The duped me, It is now the 7th day since my order was placed and I haven't even received it yet. Also I called to cancel earlier and was told I can't cancel until I receive it and so she extended my trial by 2 days. She also told me that I have to pay for the product @ $129.99 unless I return it before they charge for it. Yea right - I haven't even received it yet and I would have to have it returned by Sunday 5-16-10 in order not to be charged the $129.99. After I return it I will be credited the $129.99 however, they charge a $38.00 RESTOCKING FEE - (BULL!!) I thought it was a trial! Make Sure you read the fine print on anything you order over the internet.
Wow Carolyn, that doesn't sound like a fun experience. I guess Everbrite can technically take your money for the shipping and handling since it was in the fine print.
That's horrible that Stay White Forever won't let you cancel until you receive the whitening pen. At least you got the trial extended.
If it comes in the regular mail from the US Post Office, you can simply cross out your address and write "REFUSED, RETURN TO SENDER." The post office will return it to Stay White Forever without you needing to pay for return shipping.
If they do charge you an insane amount for restocking ($38 is too much) then tell them you will dispute it with your credit card company. If they still don't budge, you can call your credit card company and have them take the charge off of your account.
I've done this in the past (I have a Citibank credit card) and they have always reversed the charge when I've been over-charged.
Good luck -- I hope you get your money back!
Carolyn is correct. Stay White Forever did the same thing to me. They dropped their price from $129.00 to $80.00 if I would stay with them. Then to $60.00, and then to $48.00 if I would just keep the pen. Their sales pitch was that I was getting the pen for $10.00 since I was already having to return the pen for $38.00 restocking fee. I was told that it was in the fine print. SO, you do get a free trial offer for 10 days (that of course isn't really free - $3.00?), but it's the return of the product (which they say is for the FDA not them - "they don't get any of that money" - that is such crap! Anyway, stay away - both are unethical and in my book, that's called a scam!
Oh, yeah...forgot to mention, that they dates of all their so called "happy customer reviews" keep having the website manager change the dates of when they posted. In fact, the website I was taken to is completely different than the one now linked to the "Alpine White." Mine was called, "Stay White."
Sounds like their “free trial” costs $41 ($38 restocking fee + $3 shipping).
I’m sure they make some good money doing that, but to me it is almost the same as stealing since they are deceiving people to get their money. If it was written in bold on their site that there was a $38 restocking fee, I’ll bet their sales would drop dramatically.
I don’t think the money could go to the FDA as the FDA doesn’t really regulate teeth whitening products, since they are classified as a “cosmetic.”
As for the companies, it seems like there’s new sites set up each day to promote a new whitening company so they can get a share of the profits. It’s sad that they run these deceitful businesses. I’m sure they’re smart people and that their intelligence could be better used to help people in legitimate business dealings…
Anyways, thanks so much for sharing your experience, Nathan!
For those who are interested, there was a news investigation of Everbrite by Channel 8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan yesterday. You can read the article here or watch a video of the newscast on Youtube here.
To anyone speaking about Stay White Forever.
I have dealt with Stay White Forever before. This is a legitimate family owned business based out of Long Island, NY. ALL of the terms and conditions for the trial offer are clearly stated on the website when you order the product. They ask you to read the terms and conditions for the return and cancellation policy, and to please order carefully. You cannot order the product unless the terms and conditions are agreed to. If you don't read the terms and conditions and you order the product then that is your own fault. When entering into any contract you need to read it to know what your getting into. Why on earth would any person agree to something without being fully aware of what your agreeing to. This company isn't a scam, UNLIKE everbrite or vivid white who I have heard take money out of your account unauthorized. EVERYTHING on Stay White Forever is legitimate. It sounds to me people are just upset that they didn't read something fully before ordering. That isn't the companies fault that is the consumers fault. Don't point fingers at a company who is being upfront and honest from the get go because you feel unintelligent for not reading what is clearly stated in front of you. Take it as a lesson learned, don't order something unless you read the full terms and conditions, because you are entering into a legally binding contract. Stay White Forever never gave me any problem whatsoever, the product worked wonderfully and they even discounted the membership fee which is only a one time charge for a lifetime and sent me a free product. I'm pretty sure that in anyone's book that isn't a scam, that's an honest to goodness deal from an honest company.
You are correct, Sally.
I think what upsets a lot of their customers is that on the order page there is no mention of the $129.95 fee if you don't return it. In order to find that, you have to scroll down their very tiny terms and conditions box which has tiny text as well.
Also, they highlight that the costs are only $2.95 for your trial and then ask you for your credit card information. MOST people would assume that they are charging you ONLY $2.95.
If the product is really that impressive, then people would come back and order it like crazy. The company shouldn't have to sign you up in a monthly whitening plan without making it very clear.
While Stay White Forever may not be a scam, I believe that their order page is rather deceptive. They should lay out the terms clearly so everyone knows what they are getting into. That's just my two cents.
I haven't tried the product -- it may be very good. Also, I'm sure that it is a great family-owned business. I think if they tweaked some things on their site to make their terms more prominent, they could be better.
Thanks for the comment, Sally!
Just to clarify a few points you made: It is not a monthly charge it is a one time LIFETIME membership fee, which gets you a discount on the pens for the rest of your life and you can order as many as you want. Also you said that you have to scroll down in the very tiny terms and conditions...i double checked that myself, it is not tiny its in plain text yes you have to scroll down but the text is normal size and it is all clearly stated there:
Offer Details: Within our 10 day trial you should be able to decide if Stay White Forever teeth whitening pens are right for you. Take the next step for a more confident you, do not cancel your trial in the first 10 days, and you will be eligible to take our lifetime membership which qualifies you to purchase replacement products at anytime for $29.99( including FREE shipping). This is a discounted price that can save you hundreds of dollars over similar teeth whitening products, or the cost of professional dental whitening! If you decide to continue with the membership your initial order will be charged to the credit card for the sum of $129.95. Please read our full terms and conditions for cancellations and returns policies. Please note results may vary, but use of StayWhiteForever is recommended every 6 months. For further information call us 1-888-846-3488.
That is as clear as glass. Of course the 2.95 charge is highlighted because its what you are paying at that exact moment. You can call within the 10 day trial to cancel. It states all of that. I don't see how you can find anything deceptive in that whatsoever. It's all there!
I'm just tired of people complaining because of their own stupidity. READ EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU SIGN AND ORDER!!!!!!!!
Sally
Thanks for your reply, Sally. I do agree with you that they may be the best company in a niche crowded with others that do charge you without your permission.
All I was saying was that perhaps if they put "Pay only $2.95 today, and if you decide to continue, pay only $129.95." in big type-face so people would be aware of what they're getting into.
When I install software on my computer, I don't take the time to read through the pages of license agreements. I don't think most other people do read through the fine print either. I wouldn't call it stupid, but I think people have so many demands on their time these days, that they expect the important information to be clearly highlighted.
Thanks for your reply.
Tom, I think you are being far too kind to Sally - there are a number of issues with the Stay White Forever site:
Uses CNN, AOL, USA Today, MSNBC, FOX and MSN logos - I asssume because people will 'trust them' more if they have these logos on their site - but they are used without permission and none of these sites have endorsed or recommended the product in any way.
The charge is in a scroll box in small print - this is against FTC guidelines
The website uses almost exactly the same design as was used by a scam website called Dazzlewhite - I assume Clickbooth did the landing page design?
Several other scam websites use a VERY similar design eg: http://celebrity-smile-white.com/
The Verisign Trust Seal logo should be clickable in order to verify it on the Verisign site. Yours isn't.
Thanks for your comment, John!
Looking back on what I wrote, it looks like I might be agreeing with what Stay White Forever is doing. To clarify, I don't agree with how they do business.
Thank you for pointing out the problems with their site. I was able to learn some things that I had not thought about.
I do think that these types of websites are stealing from the customer by being deceptive. My wife illustrated an interesting analogy to me. She said that when she goes into Motherhood Maternity to shop, she is careful because she knows that unlike other stores that allow you a 30 day period for returns, Motherhood Maternity only lets you return items within 14 days of the purchase date. Since this is not the norm, Motherhood Maternity has made a point to have numerous signs plastered throughout the store and by the checkout to be sure their customers understand this important difference between them and other stores.
Likening this to the teeth whitening websites, we can see that they appear to be offering a very low cost sample, but they HIDE the fact that they will be charging an exorbitant fee if you don't cancel. This is deceptive.
I once ordered a free sample of a new type of Kashi chips from the internet. According to their television ad, the sample appeared to be free. I signed up, got my chips and was impressed. Nothing else happened. If Kashi conducted business the same way that these online teeth whitening companies do, then they would've sent me a couple bags of chips a few weeks later, charged me $40 for them, and then charged me a $140 activation fee. I think that's ridiculous, and I think that's what these companies are doing to their customers.
If they were more open about their policies, then they could have a chance at being a reputable company. Motherhood Maternity is one of the top maternity stores in the United States, even if they do have a more limited returns policy.
Regarding Everbrite - The company behind the Everbrite scam is called XM Brands - they are in Florida.
They are being investigated by the Florida Attorney General.
http://www.myfloridalegal.com/lit_ec.nsf/investigations/E2B4046B28E10B148525768C005B8E6C
As can be seen here: http://www.teethwhiteningreviews.com/item.php?id=76 they run over 80 sites selling teeth whiteners under various names as well as other scams - work at home, colon cleansers, acai etc - all the usual suspects.
If people have been scammed by any of the above file a complaint with the Florida Attorney General at:
Office of the Attorney General
Economic Crimes Division
1515 N. Flagler Dr. Suite 900
West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
Telephone: #561-837-5000
http://myfloridalegal.com/Contact.nsf/Contact?OpenForm&Section=Economic_Crimes
I ordered both products and, yes, I read the terms and conditions, I always do. But I have called for 3 days now to both companies for hours and have not gotten a live person to receive confirmation to cancel my LIFETIME membership! I am furious! Now, I have gone to my bank and cancelled the card I used, I am not going to be billed when I was guarenteed I would be happy with these products or I could cancel at anytime during my "trial period"of 10 days and it arrives 7 days into the "trial period". Well, I'm not happy and they have not kept their guarentee by not being available. I will send the products back with every certification and tracking known to man, I'll even have them vaccinated, but I won't be continually charged for deceit.
Thank you for your comment, Marion. I have heard of this from Everbrite, but I had inferred from the earlier comments by Sally that Stay White Forever was above those illegal tactics.
I'm glad you did read the terms and conditions. Most people complain about the fact that they didn't read them and now have the huge fees to pay. You did read them, understood them, and planned on getting your whitening gel and canceling. Unfortunately, they aren't even letting you cancel.
That's sad that you have to go through the expense of sending them back.
Not surprisingly, it seems like nobody is happy with these companies that continually rip off their customers. Hopefully you're safe now that you have your card canceled. Good luck!
I do know for a fact that no one at stay white forever is trying to rip anyone off. They do have a high call volume because they do take orders over the phone as well as on their site. If Marion will just be patient and keep trying I know she will get an answer. You have to understand, I myself work in customer service for the cable company, and we have hundreds of calls coming in every minute of the day and people complain about the wait, well we get to everyone as fast as possible but there's only so many people at one time taking calls and we don't have 5 heads to take 5 calls at a time. With Stay White Forever there is no recurring billing so she wouldn't be charged every month or year or whatever unlike everbrite. Keep trying Marion, they are not trying to scam you and they are available between 9am and 5pm EST, just understand they can only take 1 call at a time and to be patient.
Sally,
Can I ask you how long you've worked for this company? Your dedication to defending a company seems to go above and beyond what a consumer would do. You should just be upfront about who you are and what you're actual relationship is with this company, but I guess if I thought about that-- you're probably being as upfront about who you are as the company is with their fine print. Or to head off your reply to this-- maybe you don't work for them, but I'm guessing you're either paid by them in some way or you're writing these comments on behalf of someone who is.
You can sugar coat a scam, but it's still scam. I don't know how people you like or these companies can sleep at night......wait- oh that's right, you can sleep because you sold your conscience with the first time you ripped someone off.
Hi, yea i just ordered from my vibrant smile the Vibrant Smile Tray Kit for i dont know, 5.95$? i just ordered it about 20 minutes ago(4:10am) and after reading everything thats been said, im scared about the charges and i want to cancel but i dont know what will happen. HELP?!?
do you have a number or something?
im quite scared after all this of what will happen.
):
Hi Tattiana -
You can contact Vibrant Smile at 1-888-948-5508 (Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm Mountain Time.)
After a quick run-through of their website, it looks like they have the same sort of business model as the others.
If that fails, they do have a Live chat option, you can click here for it: Live Chat for Vibrant Smile.
If you end up never getting a hold of them, you can call your credit card company if they give you any outrageous charges and tell them that you never approved those charges. Your credit card company will then hold those charges in "dispute" and won't make you pay them or pay interest on them until you can get it worked out.
Good luck!
i just called and they said they canceled my account i got a cancellation email and what not, i feel scared still but i feel more relieved. this stuff is scary i cant believe they all do this to people.
I'm glad you were able to cancel it so easily! If you look around, there are many legitimate places to buy teeth whitening kits.
You will probably see the best results if you go to your dentist to have custom whitening trays made to fit your teeth. Good luck in your teeth whitening quest!
lol yea, me too. and well my teeth arent too bad, i just thought itd be interesting or whatever to see how well itd work.
i know itd be best to go to the dentist but i was just curious. lol curiosity isn't always the best thing apparently though.
but thank you for helping me, i appreciate it alot.
~have a good day. (:
Do you know any info on vivid white smile?
I was on the site with that chick and the two products that were on there at that time were, pure white smile and vivid white smiles. I was able to find the site for pure white smile and so I luckily got the contact info that I needed. However I wasn't so lucky at the vivid white smiles site. Apparently nothing exists. If you have any info PLEASE get in touch or post it. It was my mother's card I used!
Hi - Vivid White Smiles seems to be run by the same people that run some of the other scam sites.
Their phone # is 1-888-869-2674. They say that they have "customer service representatives" available from 9 AM to 7 PM Eastern Time Monday through Friday.
Their mailing address is:
Syndex Industries
398 E. Dania Beach Blvd Suite #395
Dania Beach, FL 33004
Here's their support page: http://vividwhitesmiles.com/support.html
Good luck getting it canceled!
Uh, ya, I ordered the vibrant smile and the pure white smile products, I received them within a week, paid 3.95 for one, and 2.95 for the other. Received the product, and no fine print was involved, no billing is going to occur, and my teeth are so white, it worked great! You guys are high!
Not a thought, reality!
That's great that you got it at such a good price, Jewels! Just out of curiousity, could you tell us what website you got it from?
If there is a genuine website giving out free trials to entice their future customers to make a purchase (how most legitimate businesses do things), then I would love to get the word out so people don't get deceived by these sites that hide the true cost in the fine print.
Yeah, I don't think that there is such a site. Either Jewels is in for a rude awakening when she gets her $300 credit card bill or she works for one of these companies. Nice try!
I wish I had read your page earlier! I am the victim of this Teeth whitening scam! I bought the products only three days ago(08-23-20100. I found out today that they charged $99.96 plus the $1.99 ship/handling fee on my credit card. When I called immediately, their answer is they will not refund my money even if I send their product back to them. But they cancel the future charges. What future charges? I only signed for a trial! I I feel like something wrong here. So, I started to search internet about this TeethID and Altra White. To my surprise, there are a lot of victims like me, thinking we ordered the trial, actualy, there is no trial at all. They will charge you for the so called trial no matter what! People, do not make the same mistake as I did. I have already filed a complaint on the internet @ http://www.ic3.gov, and I will definately dispute the charges on my credit card!
Sounds like two new names for the same old teeth whitening scam companies...
I just don't get it - people want white teeth. These companies have gel that can whiten teeth and they could sell lots of it legitimately, but they insist on sneaking in hidden charges and ripping off their customers.
I hope you get your money back, Penny. If enough people dispute these charges, hopefully Visa and Mastercard will stop allowing them to be merchants for them.
Tom
Do you have any contact for PureWhitening (advanced teeth whitening system)
I looked through all the bogs but that one is not mentioned.
Although I cancelled my credit card due to no contact info have been unable
to cancel the test kit or anything else. This all happened yesterday 03/02/1010
so other than already receiving (mailed overnight) my new credit card have not
heard from any one else.
Hi Emily - I did a bit of digging during lunch today but couldn't find any contact info for PureWhitening. It seems like new "businesses" keep popping up with new names to perpetuate this old scam.
As long as you told your credit card company what was going on, I'm sure they'll be able to take care of it. They're probably used to performing chargebacks for many online teeth whitening scams.
I hope that helps. Thanks for your comment!
Thanks, Tom! I am working on it! My bank has already started the process. I will let you know the result! Thanks again!
My credit card company notified me yesterday that they got every cent back that those thieves took out of my account! I am so....relieved and grateful to my credit card company! I also file the complaint via their local BBB at: complaints@phoenix.bbb.org and http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx, which is an internet crime complaint center, to try to get those crooks out of business to prevent them from scamming other people. I will be very careful in the future when I buy something on internet.
Thanks for sharing the update, Penny. I'm glad this you got your money back and that this turned out to be a good learning experience, if nothing else
I didn't know that there were local BBB complaint email addresses. Thanks for sharing that!
How can I get these people from sending this Product. They keep sending every 2month another one. I don't have address to company because they don't send a return address. I am soooooooooo embrassed to find my self in this. Please send me any information to put this mess under the jail house....I will report them to BBB.....this is horrible
Don't mess with me
Sharon,sb
Hi Sharon - Do you remember which teeth whitening scam company you signed up with? One thing you can do is call your credit card company and tell them to not approve any future charges, then when the products come, just write "Refused, Return to Sender" on them and take them back to the post office. Good luck with this and let us know what happens.
They send you a tray and the gel. It claimed you could return even if you used it all up with a fifteen day trial. Well what they did not tell you is that you must return it before you 15 day trail is up. It must be in there possession by the last day.You also have to take out a 100.00 insurance on it or they will not receive it. That alone cost 10.00 just think how much more it would cost if you had to over night it. Plus you receive pop ups for free coupons which in turns takes your personal information and charges you money even if you said no. I love using Chase Bank because they alerted me with in 30 of what was happening and warned me of scams plus they put a hold on my account so no other company could intrude.The only way to cancel the product is by calling the company. Please hope they answer. Not all of them have a central call center, some have people working from home with no clue as to what to do.
Hi Cheryl - I'm glad your Chase was able to let you know what was going on and save you from some trouble down the line.
The interesting thing about their "15 day trial" is that it begins when you order the product, not when you get it. So, if it takes you 10 days to get it, you have 1-2 days to try it and then you can ship it back fast and hope it gets there before it's been 15 days since you ordered. That's how they get you! Thanks for your comment!
I do have a cheap teeth whitening solution -- it's only $1 and you can find it at any local drug store. It's called peroxide! I've been using it for years and not only does it make your teeth white, but it kills all the bacteria and makes your mouth as clean as a whistle. If you have any mild tooth pain, it will generally take care of that, too. I call it my dentist in a bottle. It's cheap, it's awesome, and it WORKS.
Hi Vicki - I'm glad that the peroxide works great for you. Most of the teeth whitening gels are composed of some form of peroxide. One thing to be careful of is that the peroxide can burn the soft tissues in your mouth (like your gums, tongue, and the inside of your cheek.)
Thanks for your comment!
I just ordered My Vibrant smile and Pur whitening like Pearl. Received both products. Will call and cancel both tomorrow to be on the safe side. I got mine from http://vanityreports.com/laura-teeth-p/
After getting the link for you now before the coupon expired the day I ordered it and the comments were from the day before. Now it expires today and the last comment left was today.
I am such an idiot. I hope I don't have any problems. Maybe I should just change my credit card #...HELP
Hi Jamie - I took a look at that site, and I saw good old Amy with her beautiful white teeth holding her daughter on her back. They say she's "just an ordinary mom", but with all of the places she is from, I'd have to say that she's extraordinary! Good job on canceling - I have heard from numerous readers that it's hard to get a hold of someone to cancel.
Don't feel like an idiot! We all love good deals, and a lot of the good deals online are legitimate. Usually a Google search can help you find out if something is true, or too good to be true.
I wouldn't worry about it too much. If they do charge your credit card, just call your credit card company and dispute the charges as unauthorized. All major cards in the U.S. (Visa, MC, Discover, Amex) shouldn't make you pay anything for the unauthorized charges, if there are any.
I hope that helps. At least you got both products and can try them out. Have a great day!
Tom - Its my bank card...does that make a differnce?
Hi Jamie, In the past debit cards used to not offer protection for charges like this. I think right now, some do and some don't. It's probably best to call your bank and find out what would happen if that teeth whitening company were to charge your card in the future. Maybe it is best to change card numbers; I'm not sure. Let me know what you find out. Thanks, Jamie.
Thank you, thank you thank you.
For some one who rarely uses credit cards on the internet I can not believe how stupid I have been.
I signed up for PurWhitneing $1.99 for a trial kit.
Or so I thought (advertised by dear Amy with her child)
On printing out my order, I realized I had incorrectly typed one digit of my zip code. I quickly hit the “contact us “button only to find the phone number they gave was a non working number. Tried getting a contact through Google still no go. Just site after site giving glowing reports of the product, Then searched Google for problems with the product and thankfully found your site.
All of this took about 30 minutes.
Quickly phoned my credit card company. They were wonderful cancelled the card and have a new one on the way, I never got around to ordering the second whitening gel the add said should be used in combination (do not
remember what it was). They wanted $19 something for that.
REALLY appreciate your help
Hi Emily - I'm glad it helped. Good decision with the credit card. Although I'm sure it was a hassle, now they don't have any way to start billing you outrageous monthly fees. There are many reputable sites online, the trick is trying to figure out which ones you can trust with your credit card information. Thanks for your comment!
I too got suckered into this! I order from pure whitening. I have 14 days to cancel which Im doind ASAP but it also so i can email and cancel my order that way...is that a good idea or should I call. Also the whitening kit hasnt even worked! Thanks
Amanda
Hi Amanda - I'm not sure which is the best way to cancel. They could always claim that they never got your email, whereas if you call you can get the name of the person you spoke with and hopefully get a cancellation confirmation number.
I hope that helps - Thanks for your comment, Amanda!
As a dental assistant for over 10 years and a dental assisting educator for 3 years, I find it wild that people will order whitening products from websites, tv ads, etc without being checked by a dentist first. Not every person is a candidate for the whitening process, and if your teeth aren't clean (free of calculus, aka tartar, and plaque as well as stains removable in the professional cleaning process) then whitening isn't going to help your natural teeth. Whitening seems "harmless" but there are a lot of things that can go wrong - from soft tissue burns to sensitive teeth problems. Also, realize that teeth aren't supposed to be paper white...celebrities have either had professional whitening or veneers placed for that bright white smile you see in magazines - and those magazines use Photoshop too. Consult a dentist - they are the professionals, they know the right products to use for this purpose. And, remember - if it sounds too good to be true....it probably is!
Hi Angela - Thanks for your comment! I wrote an article in the past about why you should visit your dentist before whitening your teeth. Unfortunately, many people want to go the cheaper, easier route.
You're right that it is important to understand that many celebrity white smiles are simply veneers placed over the natural teeth and/or Photoshopped.
Thanks for your informative, insightful comment!
After a screaming session on a three way call with the credit card's fraud rep. me and Mark the customer service agent. Mark reluctantly agreed to accepting unopened the 2separate items had to be returned registered and on receipt a credit would be issued. Minus a processing fee of $19.95 for each return! So the bottom line is it cost for Vitality Smile $1.95 initially and $3.95 for the Lucky Brite professional teeth whitening pens (which my dentist said to never use as it will make your teeth extremely sensitive and won't do what you wanted anyway Whitening)! Plus the processing fees $19.95 X 2 = a grand total of $45.80 for NOTHING!!!!! Vitality Smiles (after the well concealed cancellation time) transaction amount was$78.0and the Lucky Brites $119.00 so I hopefully will get a credit to my card of $151.20. How clever are they to separate the products into two different items!
Wow Robert - It sounds like that was an interesting conversation. I've had a Citibank card since 2005 and I've only had to dispute something once. They simply changed my bill and didn't give me any problems about it.
That is disappointing that they want $40 in "processing fees" when they knew that they were sending you something that you most likely didn't want.
Thanks for sharing your experience - hopefully it will give some others the encouragement to take a stand against these deceptive marketing tactics.
help been scammed by alpine white offered free trial paid postage £1.95 just noticed £50 taken from account cant find contact details for this company can you help
Hi Fiona - If you paid with your credit card, you can probably dispute the charge with them. If not, I would call your bank and see if you can get the money back.
From what I've read online, Alpine White's numbers have been disconnected. However, you might be able to find a number if you remember the website you bought from.
I wish I could be of more help! Let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for your comment, Fiona.
I too got scamed falling for the teeh whitening trial offer for $1.99 USD. It happened on line for a product distibuted by a company called PUR WHITENING out of MIAMI FLORIDA. Thier phone number is 1-800-765-2060. I signed up for the trial offer and then about a month later I had an $80.00 charge on my credit card and then recieved a package from them of more whitening solution. When I called them they they said to send the package back and they would remove te charge to my credit card. So I sent it back and waited for the charge to come off my credit card. When it did NOT get reversed, I again called them and they said that the product had NOT been recieved. SCAM!!!
I filed a comlaint with the Better Business Beura in West Plam Beach FL. They sent it to the company and rcieved NO response, suprised?, and since closed the complaint for no action by the company.
Tis is a lesson learned!
Hi Douglas - Thanks for sharing your experience. Hopefully it will help others to not get scammed by a similar company in the future.