You’ve probably seen their advertisements online. If not, I put some examples to the left.
They all go by different names, like Everbrite, Celebrity Smile, Celebrity White Smile, Dentasmile MD, Idol White, Clean Whites, and many more. However, they have one thing in common. They lure the customer in with a “Free Teeth Whitening Trial.” Once you order, they start charging sometimes hundreds of dollars per month to keep sending you out a small supply of teeth whitening gel each month.
Fortunately, there is now a lawsuit against one of these companies known as Clean Whites. If you take a look at the Clean Whites website, you will see that they are no longer accepting new orders, but they do say that they are continuing to “serve” their existing customers. By “serve”, I assume they mean “charge their credit cards.”
If you don’t know how these companies work, I wrote about them a few weeks ago in an article called Yes, the $3 Online Teeth Whitening Offer Is a Scam.
What the Teeth Whitening Scam Lawsuit Means
Hopefully, with the filing of this lawsuit by the Florida Attorney General in the Broward County Circuit Court, there will be more publicity surrounding all of these similar teeth whitening scams.
The Florida Attorney General is asking for restitution to the Clean Whites customers that were ripped off. Also included in the lawsuit is an injunction that will prohibit the owners of Clean Whites from starting similar companies to take advantage of people who simply want a good deal on teeth whitening products.
Complaints accuse owners…of billing customers’ cards up to $90 a month, similar to the results of a state investigation of the company. The suit accuses the pair of using misleading advertising and deceptive trade practices, among other issues.
You may also wish to view a similar article from South Florida’s Sun Sentinel newspaper.
Hopefully this lawsuit will succeed and we will see a reduction in these teeth whitening companies.
Of course, a successful lawsuit won’t mean the end of all scams, but it will hopefully make a difference in the lives of a few people who otherwise would have been conned into signing up for an unwanted monthly subscription to a teeth whitening service.
Is it Really a Scam?
My original article on these scams got a comment recently that made me think about this issue. Here’s what Grant said:
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.
In my opinion, it is a scam. A scam is when people intentionally being ripped off. People who bought into the free trial of teeth whitening products simply wanted a good deal. After all, that’s what the advertisements promised. I’m sure nobody wanted to be billed a few hundred dollars for a “subscription activation” fee and hundreds of dollars a month to receive teeth whitening products.
In order to show that this is a scam, let’s compare this service with another service, cell phones. Let’s say someone walks by a cell phone kiosk in a mall and wants to get a new phone. They see an enticing advertisement that offers a “free” telephone with a two year service agreement. This makes sense to the customer because they know that in order to give away the phone, the cell phone company has to make up their loss in the form of subscription fees. It also costs them to provide mobile phone service to the customer.
The customer is satisfied paying a monthly fee because they know they are getting something of value each month. The cell phone companies even make this monthly fee very clear by forcing the customer to choose a monthly plan and compare and contrast the different plans.
However, with this teeth whitening scam, the companies deceive the customer by acting like they are simply giving away the teeth whitening gel and pretending to only need credit card information to pay for shipping and handling. In fine print, they do mention that they will be charging the customer hundreds of dollars each month. This is where the scam begins. Unlike the cell phone company, the teeth whitening companies are not offering a value to their customers. They are charging many times more than what the product is worth, hoping to snare a few customers into their trap.
Comparing Teeth Whitening Scams to a Subscription Fruit Model
How would you feel if you went to the grocery store to buy a peach. You pay with your credit card and sign the slip. You failed to notice that on the credit card slip, you were signing up to an peach subscription agreement. The agreement states that everyday for the next month, a peach will get delivered to your mailbox. The grocery store charges you $19.95 per delivery. Before you know it, you’ve racked up a $600 bill in a month’s time.
That grocery store would most likely face lawsuits and go out of business for their deceptive business practices.
This is exactly how these teeth whitening scams operate, and I think it’s unethical. Do you?
These “offers” are promoted via CPA affiliate networks. The networks create the misleading landing pages with the hidden small print. Affiliates of those networks create the fake blogs etc – affiliates get $30 to $40 for every “free trial” sign-up.
See: http://www.scamtimes.com/product-scams/real-dazzle-smile-stand-cease-desist-farend-services-scam/
And: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2009/10/whiter-teeth-products-stained-by-dismal-advertising-practices/#more-10549
So while the lawsuit is good news, to stop these scams the AG and the FTC need to go after the affiliate networks AND the affiliates.
Otherwise new sites will just keep popping up.
Thanks, John. I agree with everything you said.
It is a clever scheme they have. They probably get people who are desperate for money to create these landing pages in the hopes of earning a quick buck. If the FTC decided to go after the affiliates, they would probably be suing a lot of people without much resources… It is a tricky situation.
“clever” is not a word that should be associated with “scheme and dishonesty”
I agree with Marco 100%.
I didn’t mean to rub people the wrong way with it. One of the definitions of “clever” is “showing intelligence or skill” with the synonyms “cunning” and “crafty” listed among others there.
In no way do I mean to legitimize the deceitful premise under which these companies operate, but they are cunning and crafty.
Hi.
I read all your comments with interest as a UK Consumer caught in the middle of one of these such “scams” -and yes they are “SCAMS”. I signed up for a trial with Action Pro White who use the same distribution address as Blizzard White. When I saw my credit card statement I was gob smacked! They were taking large amounts of unauthorised money from my credit card.
Having now been able to cancel the Blizzard White product (i.e. I no longer receive unwanted products that I am charged for), however ActionPro White which use the same website to cancel so it is advertised to consumers that you have cancelled both are still sending me unwanted cancelled products and charging me for them.
How can I stop them doing this? I have as far as I am concerned no contract with them so surely this is totally illegal!
Can someone in America please help? I have alerted the UK authorities including Barclaycard that this activity is fraudulent but I just want the products to stop coming and them not able to take my money illegally – not theirs!
Thanks in advance
First I alerted my credit card company of this Scam so they block the charges. I then called (800) 916-3487, 888-998-8763, 888-204-3272 for two hours straight requesting to speak to a manager/supervisor and remained nice with the customer service person as they are not to blame. Jotted everyone’s name they provided and alerted them that I was recording the calls to have proof of the communications. 1st they try to blame it on not canceling before trial over date, then after much patience and call backs they offer 30%, then 60% then finally 100% as long as I returned the product and I paid the shipping/handling cost. They provide you with an RME# to submit with the returned product and give you a return “before this date” date. One is to be refunded minus postage the full amount if the receive before the date provided. I’m a bit skeptical still and plan to mail out tomorrow. I will request a PS Form 152 receipt postmarked for proof the item was mailed from the postmaster and cross my fingers it work.
I just did the same thing and mailed back to them yesterday what was suppose to be a free sample but turned out to be a paid trial amount of teeth whitener plus their complete kit which I never ordered but came with the trial unauthorized. I failed to think about getting the post office receipt though that you got. Hope they don’t try to say I didn’t send it back. Credit card knows I’m disputing charges will not accept any more charges from Bella or White Coach which the article said you needed to use together. The article said it was a free sample with reduced shipping costs for their clients of $1.03. Turns out they charged $1.03 for an 8 day trial and $3.87 shipping and then before I received the trial charged me $94.32 and $92. 43 for their complete kit. I expected a free sample not a trial that needed to be cancelled before I even received the product to try. Scammed me with their deception and there was no terms and agreements to read like they told me. I never even went to their site. The articles link just popped up a box to enter your name and billing info. Then they didn’t even send it to my shipping address but to my billing PO Box address which is why it was ordered on the 13th and not received until the24th which was past their 8 day trial. One of the 2 companies even called to confirm my credit card number and tried to get me to try 4 other trial subscriptions which I refused and never even mentioned that the free sample I was ordering was in fact a paid trial. Please be aware of these deceptive practices. If my credit union hadn’t included the transaction in my weekly alert I wouldn’t have known about the unauthorized charges until I received my credit card statement making it even harder to stop.
Exa t same thing happen to me I am currently waiting to see what will happen. The two I got was. BElla at home and spark whitening and to the penny amount and 8day trial supposivley free which was sposed to be 14 days and I also go the call be for the product even arrived a out 4 more other trials which they signed me up any ways charged my account. They are crooks their product must not. e even good enuf to give free trial no one would buy and especial not for a couple hundred dollars a month I was so pissed I did not keep my cool for very long asking to speak to manager or supervisor which they are trained to say they r the best person that can help me so I called my card and reported unauthorized charges and they r lioki g into it send I g me a new card and closing out this one they said my refund was in process not my cars the Company but I wasn’t gonna wait for another $100 charge for a tiny little pen and some syringe of gel . Crooks.
Could You repeat Your Story…. Correctly spelled and with sentences that make a point?
Help.. I don’t know what to do… First it was an email from Costco saying that since I was a valued customer that I could try these items for free all I had to do was pay shipping and handling. They sent me the free trial with long with the month supply telling me I owe them $90 and they would be charging my card. I called them and then they turned around and said to just keep the month supply product for $9. Now they’re calling with a different company name trying to rip me off again they refuse to let me speak to a supervisor they have called me over 30 X. Each time I asked me to the supervisor I tell them what I have been through I am nice and polite and calm they won’t let me speak to a supervisor and they told me I’ll be removed from the list. All lies they call me 30 minutes later. They keep trying to charge my credit card but I made sure that there’s no money on my debit card. What do I do?
It’s a scam. Ship back everything they sent you. Call your bank or credit card and tell them to stop payment. Because they will keep billing you every month and keep sending you their products. It’s not free, that’s the scam!! Happened to me too! My bank reversed all charges!
Hi Susan,
I’m a victim myself and I’m in the process of returning my items for full refund (see my post under Nicole SF California on July 25, 2016). Here’s what I would recommend if your items have not been used and you’re interested in full refund:
:: Call to ask for a return merchandise authorization number
:: Ask for the return shipping address
:: Return your items with receipt confirmation and tracking numbers
:: Be sure to record the name of the person you speak with (they may end up providing you with their ID number) and be specific about the amount that you’re asking to be refunded.
However, if you’re just wanting to stop future charges, call them to make sure your subscriptions are cancelled and call your bank to stop any further charges from the merchant.
Best of luck!
Why don’t you request a different credit card number? If they don’t have your number, they cannot bill you! Can’t you just ask for a replacement card with new account number?
after filling in a survey to win holiday was asked to pick free gift with only postage to pay.
after arrival tried it and it made my gums bleed had to go chemist ect to get help.
about three weeks later noticed had £61 come out of the bank got in touch with bank and they reinbused me
after this they looked into situation three weeks later got reply by letter from the bank with details of me signing up to get products from smile direct on a monthly basis and bank telling me after another phone call to them would have to nationwide back the £61 in two weeks as they had paid it out.
tryed to phone and email smile direct phone automated message that cuts off half way though there speach and no emails back, bank say there is nothing they can do I didnt sigh anything or agree to any thing with smile direct
I am pleased to see one of these scamming companies being sued! I experienced the scam myself with Bella At Home and Alucia (both products were sent at the same time), out of Scottsdale, AZ. I thought I was ordering a trial of the products. When I received them, I was leaving for vacation and set them aside until I returned. Still hadn’t touched them yet when I went online to pay my credit card and found that they’d charged me $92 and $94 for those trials, and there was a $105 charge for the next month’s supply! When I called them, they repeated the phrase, “You had 7days to cancel” over and over again, basically exonerating themselves for the trial charges. What they don’t say, though, is that the 7 days starts when they ship. I was able to get an RMA # to return the monthly supply that had already been sent. Interestingly, their message with the RMA # said they would issue the return immediately upon receipt of the product: it’s been 10 days and my credit card has not received a credit from them! If they can’t issue a return in that amount of time, how is it that a customer can test a new product in 3??
I purchased this teeth whitening product last year. I decided not to use it and returned the product, unopened, because a customer service person said they would give me a further refund. They even gave me an RMA no to put on the front of the package. Since the return of the package they have reneged on what they said and refuse to answer any of my emails. They said that I would not have been given an RMA no but I still have the no. that was given to me. This company is very unethical. I could not get a credit back from my bank because it is outside the time frame that I can claim.
Disgusting outcome.
Christine
I went through the same thing. My bank opened a fraud case, closed my debit card, and gave me 100% money back. I am glad you posted your story about this sleazy “free” offer.
I was scammed a year ago by, oh I forget the name smile, a teeth whitening company.
I did find this while searching on the internet last month and wanted to see if it was for real and it is. So I decided to post it on every board that is about people being scammed by teeth whitening companies.
Apparently, the owner of this company was scammed years ago and decided to start a company doing things the right way. When I called their customer service number I was speaking to American people, “Wow what a change”. They described their program the following way.
They not only sell product on Amazon, in salons and though their website, they are also allowing anyone who was scammed by a teeth whitening company the opportunity to order refill kits from them as if they were originally customers of theirs. He said that they make a dollar or so for each refill kit sold and the owner wanted to give back to any one that was scammed. They are selling refill kits for $10 each. The link to their offer page is here.
[EDIT: URL Removed as this site appears to also be a scam! See my comment below for more info. -Tom]
I order last month, the gel pack arrived 5 days later, and there was no surprises. They did not bill me for additional product, etc… I think this is a great thing they are doing to help everyone else…
Hi Angela – Thanks for sharing that. First, I do think it’s great that a teeth whitening company is willing to be open and honest about their billing practices.
I’m not sure if you’re affiliated with this company, but I would caution people from ordering from them for these reasons:
1 – The title of their homepage is “Untitled Document.” Unprofessional webpages can be signs of a scam.
2 – Their “Terms & Conditions” “Privacy Statement” and “Contact” links are not functional.
3 – They appear to be using the “Verisign”, “Hacker Safe” and “McAfee Secure” images fraudulently. These images are supposed to link to the provider’s website verifying that they are authentic.
4 – The site does not state the content of their whitening gels. This is kind of a big flaw since you don’t know what you’re getting or even if it is effective.
5 – The site wants you to put your credit card information on a non-secure page. This makes it easy for others to see your credit card information as it is transmitted over the internet. Reputable sites encrypt your personal information so that it stays confidential.
Personally, I would not order from that Nice Whites site due to the reasons I mentioned.
Thanks for your comment, Angela.
I feel for this back in April 2010 I have been trying to get my money back since. I ordered it and read the fine print,I called and canceled on the 10th day but 5 days later they still charged me $87.89 (had charged me s&h days before). I called the day they took it from my bank,. the fellow on the other end told me that they had not charged me, it was just pending and it wouldnt be completed. The next day they had refund the $87.89 that had cause alot of items to bounce and the S&H BUT and I MEAN BUT they had recharged me $90.90. This was the cost and s&h all together. I called once again, the guy expalin that even if I canceled before the 15 days it was an automatic charge and they had no control over it.I said BS, you had enough to charge me and refund and then recharge me all over again with the combined charge. And I also reread the fine print that I had printed out to make sure I didnt get worked but be catious was not enough.
This is the part that really got me as he agrued on why theu had to charge me and then I would need to wait 6 to 8wks for are fund I brought up on more fact….we were on day 16 since my order and I hadnt recieved a free trail at all. He said oh yea I know it hasnt been shipped yet but here is what I can do for you..I will wipe the S&H to get that shipped to you today and extend your free trail! You have to be kidding I said..you have charge my account for somthing you havent even sent me and you’ve told me that the cancel with in policy doesnt work but you want to now send me the product that you have already charged me for.
Crazy….I have wrote and called(but can no longer get through) and the address is not correct. In reading your article I wondering do you know where I can look to track them down again?
Hi Angie – Wow, it sounds like they put you through a lot! Unfortunately, I don’t know how to track them down. It seems like once one company goes under, they just go out and start a new teeth whitening scam company to continue defrauding people like you of their hard-earned cash.
Let me kn ow if you have any luck with them. Good luck, Angie – Thanks for sharing your story!
I was explaining that I did get scammed! I would not sdvise anyone to go to that site…mine was EVERBRITE! I was posting to share and to ask if you had anymore info on the lawsuit so that I could try to locate them. i was promised a refund and the contact info I have is no longer working.
Thanks and EVERYONE STAY AWAY FROM THESE SITES>>>>>COST ME TONS!
Tom was referring to Angela T., not you when he wrote not to go to those sites, because she posted another site under the premise that she found a similar site that didn’t scam people. Tom was informing her of the reasons that the site she posted is more than likely a scam also.
It’s a pity that our societal fellows are falling into scam ditches all in the name of free &cheap products. It’s wise to always run a check (on google) concerning any website before making a purchase. Tom’s clues are also reasonable points to note.
I’ll put a link to these on my new teeth whitening review blog.
I got scammed to.. I would like to do something about this I don’t want people to go through this again they need shut down.the company who scammed me is blizzard white direct.. Anyone wanna help me with a law suit??
I’m in with you too Mickie. Blizzard White got me for $94.31I was reading this to see how I could get a class action lawsuit going. The scam I got hooked into said to use two products, one after the other. It was advertised on Newsmax. So I ended up getting charged $94.31 for Blizzard White and $92.13 for Bella at Home plus the $3.87 for s&h. I was livid when I saw the charges! It caused several things to bounce with a $39 for each!!! I got absolutely nowhere with customer service. They kept saying “you knew it was a free trial.” I didn’t even get the product before the end of the free trial plus it doesn’t work at all! I offered to return the product but they would not accept it. I didn’t curse or raise my voice; just firmly demanded a refund. She hung up on me.
I am with ya Mickie. Blizzard white got me too. I called last month to cancel whatever they enrolled me in and got another $95 charge this month and no product. I call again to find out what the deal is and the guy says oh I can cancel for you. No buddy I cancelled it last month!!!!!! Working on getting my money back from them. On top of this right…I call Monday and today I get a shipment from them mailed out on Tuesday. WTF! I have had my card shut off and the bank is going after them.
JUST GOT scammed like this form Blizzard White and Action Pro White. I feel like an idiot. 🙁
I’ve just got scammed by blizzard white and action pro white. They’ve taken money from my account and sent me the full package. As I live in England I’ve emailed them but they say they have no account record of my order. It’s been nearly a month and I don’t want them to take more money I want my money back. Can someone help me pleeeeaseee :'(
Hi Victoria – Have you tried calling your bank/credit card company to see if they can refund the charge or at least prevent any future charges? Good luck!
B White got me too.I cant get in touch with them now. They’ve already taken £61:45. They are also telling me that they’ll take £93 each month.The bank can’t do anything because it’s not direct debit.It’s coming straight off my cash card.
I’ve been advised to get a new card so they won’t be able to take anymore. It means more money for a nerw card,also a new card and pin number to learn and the bloomin hassle of changing my details with other contacts.(I’m afraid they’ve won!!)
i’ve been scammed by bella at home free £1 trial for post and packing on 25/05/13 about 2 weeks later 2 packs in a box arrived. today 16/07/13 another box arrives 2 more in box. check my bank account and £71.25 taken out on the 10/07/13 so i rang my bank and they say that they have taken £61.86 rang bella at home and told i needed to ring them to cancel the free trial so they said they will give me $55 back
Blizzard White Direct is a scam. A scam is when people intentionally being ripped off. People who bought into the free trial of teeth whitening products simply wanted a good deal. After all, that’s what the advertisements promised. I’m sure nobody wanted to be billed a few hundred dollars for a “subscription activation” fee and hundreds of dollars a month to receive teeth whitening products.
The TV add didn’t mention anything about activation fees, or monthly subscription!!! this is FRAUD.. and I will open court and we will see…
I was just scammed and billed $200 for this crap. Im devestated. Im a foster mom and I was trying to pay for my foster childs birthday gift, a new bed, which she’s never had and I had just o ut miney on my card last night and my card was declined I called and blizzard white and action pro white had taken that money from me. I haven’t even used there stupid whitening products yet and it says you can return unopened within 15 of recieving them, but the lady who I spoke to said no thats not true and she would not put me on the phone with a manager saying they are not available and I said id wait she said she’s not allowed to place me on hold and then hung up on me. I am so upset. What am I suppose to tell this little girl, someone please help me with some good advice my email is hope28789@gmail.com
I have a address for you 7565 commercial way ste e henderson nv 89011-6616
I seen a link posted on a FB friends page for free trials so I ordered free trials from Blizzard White and Action Pro White. It said I would only pay shipping of $1.03. I order both at the same time from 2 different websites. They came the same day different boxes of course but the items packaging were both the same. In less than a month, $94.31 was charged to my cc from both companies. I must say, they have a pretty clever little scheme but I am pissed! I want to shut these bastards down! Any advice???
I too was scammed by both Bella at home n actionPro. What I don’t understand is how are these companies continually to operate. They n BBB n courts must get hundreds of complaints a year. Before I received ANY product my account was debited almost 100.00. . Yes thousands of people will eventually recover from money stolen from them, the persons behind this clever scam will never recoup selling their souls to the devil so live off “stealing from others”
I was just ripped off by Bella at home. They charged me $94.31 before my trial period was even up. And now my bank charged me an overdraft because of it. I also have another charge for the same amount from a company called Sedona Beauty Direct. I have no idea who they are. I am now $297 over drawn because of this. I just found info for the teeth whiting company to cancel but they can’t find my account information. I am so tired if these companies getting away with ripping off the consumers. They must be stopped.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS use a prepaid Visa or Master Card for any “Trials” so that if it says $1 for shipping, the small limit of that card is ALL they will get. I have used this for quite a few things when I did not want to use my credit or debit card. Get re-loadable debit card, and put a small amount of money on it, say $10.00, or you can use one of those one use limited prepaid debit cards with a small balance like $10 or $20.
And above all, if it looks to good to be true, read the fine print, before you commit to make sure you are not looking at a recurring charge every month.
Excellent idea. I’m going to get a prepaid card so this never happens to me again!
I was almost scammed by both Bella at Home and Blizzard White. Easy sign up for a free trial $1.03 all you needed was a credit card. The next day, I thought about it and tried to cancel both orders. I had to agree to another $9.41 charge or you could not cancel. I called my credit card company and told them about my situation and they were helpful. I canceled my credit card and had it reissued with a new number. They said to follow up with the cancellations. I canceled both programs and agreed as needed to the $9.41 charge, received my email confirmations and called my credit card company back. They said both companies tried to charge me but the transactions were blocked. Thank you Chase!!! In the box I received today. One kit was marked free trial. The other was the kit everyone who does not cancel in time pays $94 and change for. It was the extra $9.41 they want out of me. Well, they get nothing more. I guess they lost money from me because, I knew it was a scam the minute I received the email confirmation of my FREE TRIAL. That is where all the fine print is, not when you sign up. The live person I talked to at Bella at Home, said that the fact that I entered the security code on my credit card, authorized any future transactions and that I understood the offer. That is so not true. I hope these people are shut down and forced to pay retribution to the people that they scammed.
hi Lisa, I to have been scammed by a different company spark whitening. I didn’t quite understand your write up. did you pay anything at all? did you cancel your card immediately so they could not take your money? after you received your package did they send you more and asking for payment? mine happened 3 days ago and I canceled and they said It would cost 9.41 but I haven’t canceled my card yet. that’s why I’m asking if you canceled your card before paying anything. I was worried that if I did not pay the cancelation fee they would keep sending me these packages thanks Ade.
BlkBear above me has a great solution and a lot less hassle than I went through. I will use a prepaid debit card for $10 if there is a next time, as I doubt there will be. However, I will wait for my credit card bill to make sure there are no charges, and try the product. So far, I have 6 syringes full for $2.06. If it works, I’ll get a debit card and do it under a different name Hahahahaha FU Blizzard White & Bella at Home.
I too have been scammed by these people. I cancelled the trial & returned the product. When I called up to find out when I was going to receive my refund they conveniently could not find my package. After several phone calls & I was finally told they had received the package but it had been received to late to process the refund. I made it very clear that I was not happy & they had no right keeping my money & the product he said he would return the product. I told him I didn’t want the product, I wanted my money!! I requested a manager to give me a call as I had been on the phone for half an hour and it I was at work. needless to say a manger did not call me back. I also sent an email too which I did not receive a reply. Today I called up 4 different times only to be told that they haven’t received my package & when I informed then about the conversation I had about the package being received they hung up on me!!
I usually check my bank statement but this time I noticed an item against my card with the letters usd. I wondered what this was and I was told it was us dollars. As I have not bought anything for yonks from usa I tried to find out what this was. I was annoyed to find out I was still being charged for a “free trial” which I had signed up to, and CANCELLED WITH THEM ON 3RD DECEMBER.
I have got my bank to stop paying any more to this place but – how do I get my money back which they have taken from me?
PLEASE TELL ME.
Many thanks.
Margaret
the same happened to me and Visa are now claiming my money back and also stopping any further payments to this illegal company.
If I had signed up for it, putting in my info (but NOT my credit card, since I don’t have one) can they still bill me and put me out of debt? PLEASE I NEED TO KNOW!
By the way, I had put in ALL information, but not the credit card information. At the credit card, I just decided to stop and turned everything off
As long as they don’t have your credit card number, I doubt they would try to bill you. I think you’re safe!
Thank you SO much! I was really worried there for a sec! I’ll keep in mind not to fall for scams later on in the future…
Ok, now I am getting a lot of phone calls from all these different numbers, some who answer and ask about “education”, and others who just hang up… I can just change my phone number, but what happens if they start mailing me a bunch of strange things?! I can’t just change my address or move away anytime soon! (I’m sorry if I am bothering you with all these questions, but I am really worried!!!) Please reply!
It’s me once again: I can’t change my number right now (my company said in a couple of weeks I can) and the people keep calling me… the number is different each time, but every time it is the same Asian man with a heavy accent who keeps asking me for something (I have no idea what he is asking- his accent is too heavy) and every time I say NO but he keeps calling me and bothering me… I don’t know what to do while I wait for my number to be changed! Any ideas?
I would like to no how to become involved in they lawsuit.I think they should have to pay everyone back for misleading them and making them believe it was just a free trail.Lets make blizzard and bellaathome pay!They won’t even give me a refund if I return the crappy product.FRAUDS!
Same happened to me. When I asked how they could charge $200 for a couple of ounces of teeth whitening gel when I can get more than that for less than $40 at the drug store she didn’t answer me. When I told her I never got the free, note the word “free” here, trial before the cancellation date and that I received both in the same box – free trial and monthly shipment – she essentially said “too bad.” When I firmly but nicely demanded my money back and offered to return the product she hung up on me. I cancelled my debit card so they cannot charge me anymore but I want my $200 back!!! I want to see these guys in court, paying restitution and fines and SHUT DOWN!!!!!
Same exact address I just received on my boxes that I received today! Both boxes have the same address!! I can’t believe I fell for THIS!! I knew better, damn it! I just got my first one today, so I’m hoping I can navigate this right into my bank’s hands and stop any further charges! It’s only been 1 week. So wish me luck!
When you call to talk to a Representative , all you need to do is mention you will contact and report them to the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau.
They will start to tell you 35% back is all they can do.
KEEP MENTIONING THE Attorney General and BBB !!!!!!!
Continue to fight them for a higher percentage back. I did so and received a 75% reimbursement. I did have to send the product back but I got $70 out of my $94 back…
I have an email sent by these people confirming that I would not be billed for any more of their products. That was dated 3rd December 2013. I am still receiving these boxes (one arrived for me only today) and I have got my bank to cancel any further payments from my account. They are still using my card number to collect money (alright they do send me the products) but for £65 a month for a tube of toothpaste would you call this a scam or not? My bank took it in hand last month but was too late to cancel the payment. They have confirmed they will not send any more of my money to these folk but I have paid out far more than I wanted to – I don’t suppose I shall get back the payments since I cancelled the order in December LAST YEAR!
I soon realized that this is a scam and cancelled it. I also got a new debit card (I used the old debit card to purchase the trial). Am I safe? What else I can do to prevent any further payment?
I did the same thing!!!I didn’t see the small print Until it came in an Email! I had the Fraud Dept. Cancel my cc and issue new number. The box came the same day the co.pany called to “verify” my address. Dirty rotten thieves. Blizzard White and Bella!!! The Only way I knew it was a scam?? My cc SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. BE CAREFUL PEOPLE. If you contact your bank as I did, IMMEDIATELY after the purchase hopefully you will be fine. Make sure you inform the bank about giving u new CC or debit card number!
Wow, I was taken in by a free trial two months ago and it sounds like these scoundrels are still operating out of Henderson, Nevada (7565 Commercial Way, Ste E, Unit E, 89011-6616), now as Dental Pro at Home and Genuine White–a tandem offer and double the trouble! My credit card company agreed to stop accepting further charges after I cancelled my “accounts” and returned a second shipment for a full refund. But I am still $209 Cdn out of pocket and it cost $32 to post and track the two returned parcels. Checking on the Genuine White website I see the “terms and conditions” or “refund policy” come up blank so am wondering if in fact they can legally keep any of my money if I return the other unopened products. Meanwhile, I hope these guys are holidaying in Hades!
[…] A Teeth Whitening Scam Company is Facing a Lawsuit …Apr 16, 2010 – Does At-Home Teeth Whitening Really Whiten Your Teeth? …. I’ll put a link to these on my new teeth whitening review blog. … i’ve been scammed by bella at home free £1 trial for post and packing on 25/05/13 about 2 weeks … http://www.oralanswers.com/a-teeth-whitening-scam-company-is-facing-a-lawsuit/ […]
[…] A Teeth Whitening Scam Company is Facing a Lawsuit …Apr 16, 2010 – They lure the customer in with a “Free Teeth Whitening Trial. ….. i’ve been scammed by bella at home free £1 trial for post and packing on … http://www.oralanswers.com/a-teeth-whitening-scam-company-is-facing-a-lawsuit/ […]
[…] A Teeth Whitening Scam Company is Facing a Lawsuit …Apr 16, 2010 – Unlike the cell phone company, the teeth whitening companies are not offering a value … When I called their customer service number I was speaking to …. i’ve been scammed by bella at home free £1 trial for post and packing … http://www.oralanswers.com/a-teeth-whitening-scam-company-is-facing-a-lawsuit/ […]
I was interested in purchasing this trial as everyone one wants a whte smile luckily I have researched who the company are and what they are about before even contemplating on sighing up and am glad I have researched it now. no way will I purchase anything from this company. thankyou for these websites who do allow consumers to research before being mislead by companies
I wish I had read all these reviews before. Only few weeks ago I too got scammed by BellaAtHome and Smile Pro Direct which seems to be one and the same company.
Their web advert stated that they would supple samples at a cost of $1 but hen I was charged some $5 each from both these companies.
They then in few days without my authorisation charged my credit card with $93 each for supposedly one month’s supply which I never got nor do I wanted it.
I have called them and sent them emails none of which has been answered.
Wish I had stayed away from such businesses.
I have informed my credit card company about this unauthorised payments and hopefully I will not lose any money.
My 16 year old went to this website and ordered the (free) trial. Many people called him during school and he gave his student bank account number. I knew nothing until the second set of packages, Action Pro and Smile Pro Direct came to the house and I freaked out. We checked my sons account and they charged him $ 1.37 and then 3.87 . We called the bank and closed the account. Now do I return these items? I called and they gave me rma numbers and said they would email me, they have not. It has to be returned by a certain date but if I pay $ 9.41 I can keep it. Do I pay to return and just continue on with the nonsense. I informed them he was only 16 and not able to make a contract. I want this to stop and my son learned a lesson. Should I let the bank file fraud charges?
Bella at home and blizzard white scammed my bf as well. We called to cancel and of course they said the trial period was over therefore we would be billed $93 and $92. We requested to speak to a supervisor and lo and behold, no one was available. They said someone would call back but we know no one will. By the way these jerks are in India. First thing tomorrow morning we will be going to the bank to dispute the charges. What this company does is completely misleading and unethical. It is a robbery! I honestly don’t why my bf thought this would be a good idea to buy when there are plenty of good at home whitening kits such as crest strips or heck use baking soda and peroxide! Please do research before buying off internet.
OMGosh!I just called them tonight and leave a message Because they charge me last month $94.and again this week $106.I called them and tell them that the product doesn’t work for me it hurts my mouth and it hurts my gum soo bad.I don’t remember calling them to send me more and charge me $300?when I received the trial kit there is no any receipt or anything showed about calling them in a couple days if its not working for you?How could we tell if it works to just use it a couples days only then call them to cancel something were there is nothing tells you with the package to do so.I ordered the trial because I thought it’s a trial and it says FREE RISK TRIAL?They took almost $300 from my credit card?Uh uh,I’m calling my credit card and dispute the charge.and they need to refund me or I am taking them to court.
I almost got scammed by spark white and action pro but after confirmation email feom spark white i realized it was a scam, i immediatly calld to cancel and they couldnt find my account, i was able to do a “easy cancelation” but had to agree to pay $9.41 for products already recieved which is funny considering i canceled within 30 minutes of ordering the free trial. After researching and reading complaints about them continuing to charge after cancelation i notified my bank of the situation, they blockd my debit card and are sending me a new one with new number. that was yesterday and i did it before they could charge my card anything. So as a now they havent gotten a penny from me. Just wondering if they will try to collect anything. O and their comment section of course wont let u post and when i sent them an email thu their “customer service” link, i received a notice that the email wouldnt send
l too have been conned by these people took over 500 DOLLARS from my account and to add insult to injury IHAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING from them. l have my credit card people on the case. Visa Mastercard etc.,
must be aware of what these people are doing, so why do they allow them to use their facilities to conn
people, l think that its simple greed on their part
I’m from UK, I ordered the product last march 2 and I received it on the 17. Tried it on and I reacted to it. My gum swelled up. I phone them straight away telling them that I will return the product. Only to find out that they have taken the whole amount from my credit 10 days after I ordered it. Explained to them that I just received the product and they should know that living outside US, there is a big difference in posting time. And I’m sending it back coz I’m allergic to it, only to be told that I cannot have a full refund only 60% discount. They are very quick in taking the money from your account. Very good money making strategy. Now I have to wait to see if they will give back my 60% discount. They are really a scam. I don’t mind paying if I’m going to use it but since I’m allergic to it they should give me back my money after sending their product back. Don’t trust these people
I ordered from Action Pro White & Genuine White. Action Pro White tried to rip me off as for Genuine White the cancellation was successful with no extra charges. Action Pro White charge my credit card $90 before my cancellation. So I called them & spoke to a lady that was pretty rude. So I told her that if my money was not back on my card within 3 business days, I was going to post bad things about them on all social media websites. I also told her all my posts would shared & the company would lose a lot of money. I was refunded my money the next day.
I just got off the phone with my credit card company. I don’t know how much this is going to cost me but I ordered the trial on March 24th, I had no reason to check on line for information, I’ve bought lots of stuff on line and have never had a problem with it, that changes today. I forwarded the email that I received from Blizzard White to the dispute department of my C.C. so they can see what the terms are. I did call the company because I just received the product yesterday and there was the trial pack and an additional 2 tubes in another plastic container. When I checked my CC there was a charge of $122 dated April 1st. From what I read I would get the trial package and then they would send the additional. The lady on the phone said I was past the 8 days from when I ordered so I couldn’t return the product. I was blown away, I said this can’t be legal, she said it’s on our terns and conditions but the email doesn’t read like that. She did say they would give me a refund of 35% and when I asked to speak to a supervisor she asked me to hold but didn’t put me on hold she came right back and said they could give me a 60% refund. I did cancel on the phone and then went to the website to cancel and it said I was already cancelled so hopefully that ends the charges but my CC company said I should dispute it anyway. My concern is that they will continue to charge me. If I get 60% back I’ll consider myself lucky and from this day on will check for sites like this before I try ordering anything.
I got all my money back thanks to the credit card company. This was a company in Holland, beware.
Tom,
I recently purchased a teeth whitening kit through Groupon. The gel contains 36% carbamide peroxide. I was wondering if you knew if this is a safe product and any potential dangers?
Thank you!
Whitening Coach is a scam. They advertise that you will get a FREE TRIAL. If you don’t like it, then you can return the UNOPENED package. How can you try it without opening it? That was my 1st red flag. I then sent back the product unopened. I called them only to get a robotic run around. They immediately billed my debit cart $28.71 +$3.87 for shipping. I filed a fraud case at my bank. They cancelled my debit card. What they sent was just a sample not worth this. I feel like they mislead their advertising, they have many conditions to make you feel like you are obligated to buy it. I refuse to get scammed! My advise to anyone is do not buy this!!
Misleading as to being a free trial!
I just noticed a charge of $94.31 on my credit card that I use for purchases only. I called them immediately and the message stated it would be removed in 3 days with a confirmatio number. I also called my credit union to dispute this charge since I cancelled the trial also. I will follow up in 3 days and if not will definitely take it further to get my funds returned.
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Same thing happened to me couple weeks ago. I received an email to conducted a brief customer experience survey for an internet service provider company called WEBPASS, which I’m absolutely happy with so wanted to give them the kudos via this survey. After the survey, I was presented with a list of “free” items to choose from as an incentive for having completed the survey.
The only item that I saw I could possibly use was the teeth whitening product. After I clicked on this item, the only language I recall posting on the landing page was a shipping & handling charge that I need to pay for in order to receive the product, and nothing else. Few days later, I was receiving phone calls soliciting their product. There were two calls in different dates, with NO CALLER ID. I remember thick foreign accent both times. Each time I explicitly inform them that I had only signed up for the “free” gift for conducting the survey and to make sure that I’m not signing up for anything else beyond that. I had also specifically asked them to remove me from the call list, as I never authorized them to call. Both times, they hung up on my as soon as I asked to be remove from their call list.
Yesterday, I noticed two separate charges on my bank account (JP Morgan Chase Bank). One is by Blizzard White and the other is by Action Pro White. Needless to say, I’m very upset about the incident, not to mentioned being double charged for something that I did not even sign up for! I proceeded to call my bank to dispute the unauthorized charges, but they recommended me to settle the case with the merchant directly. I’m in the process of returning my items, in the hope of receiving full refund.
I’m being as diligent as I can to document everything now that I’ve came across this forum. Below is a list of some factual information to provide some insight on how their scam works. I plan on shipping the items back tomorrow, and I will follow up to keep everyone informed with the outcome.
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BLIZZARD WHITE: 888-565-8521
1st attempt: Monday, July 15, 4:31pm (PST)
Spoke to Frank Latino (Supervisor: Omar M.)
Offered 30%, then 50%, then 70%
Refused to provide a shipping address for the return
Provided supervisor name Omar M. and informed me that I will receive a call from him within 24 hours
2nd attempt: Monday, July 15, 5:38pm (PST)
Spoke to Kaye ID 29663
Tried offering a partial refund of 30%, which I did not accept
Provided Return #: 5687825
Informed me to ship items by August 9th in order to receive refund of $94.31. The agent explained: “Upon receipt, a full refund will be issued within 24 hours”
Provided return address:
7565 Commercial Way, Unit E
Henderson NV, 89011
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ACTION PRO WHITE: 800-536-0602
1st attempt: Monday, July 15, 5pm (PST)
Spoke to Japil, ID#: 1111754
Offered to cancel my subscription but refused to offer full refund. Only able to offer 50% refund.
Refused to provide a shipping address for the return
2nd attempt: Monday, July 15, 6:04pm (PST)
Spoke to Maya ID#: 6610818
Tried offering a 30% refund, which I did not accept
Provided Return Merchant Authorization (RMA) #: 11-512956
Provided return address:
7565 Commercial Way, Unit E
Henderson, NV 89011
Informed me to ship items back within the next 15 days in order to receive refund. The agent explained: “Upon receipt, a full refund of $92.13 will be processed”
Nicole you need to call your bank or credit card and tell them of this scam. They will open a fraud case and will probably give you a new debit card. Otherwise, this slime of a company will continue to bill your bank. I never did talk to a real person asking for a refund. Good luck to you!
Thank you, Kathleen! I have spoken with my bank couple times in the effort of disputing the charges. But you’re right. I should request a new debit card altogether to be on the safe side.
Also, I’d like to make a correction on the dates I listed above: All calls were made today, Monday July 25.
I, too, was scammed in exactly the same way as Nicole, after completing a questionnaire for Woolworths here in Australia. The only operative reward was for a teeth whitener “free” trial of Titan White, same address in Commercial Drive Henderson Nevada USA. All I had to pay was about A$5.70 for p&p, I am now sorry to say by my Visa card. That was their way IN with the scam: after I had signed up, I read the small print and found that as a convenience”to me, the client, they would automatically ship a regular order each month costing me about A$126. This was without any authorization on my part! Angry, I immediately cancelled the order, but they said that if the sample product was not received back at their Henderson warehouse within 15 days of cancellation, the full $126 plus original authorized $5.70 would NOT be refunded.
In fact, this is what did happen. I am still robbed of this money, and worried about future auto deductions from my Visa card. Of course, there was not sufficient time to return their sample product within 15 days, as it took nearly all that time to arrive from America. But I did send it back. There has been no supply of unsolicited Ist month supply, but I have been ripped off the $126!
I had no operative email address to which I could complain, but I did complain in writing, with photocopies of Visa bank statement, screenshot of their email etc. I was not going to waste yet more dollars on international phone calls. Can someone in the USA, maybe Nevada, come down hard on this slimey operator please.
I’m in Calif. they got me awhile ago. I couldn’t even talk to a live person. After sending back the unopened product I called my bank. They advised me to open a case of fraud. I had used my bank debit card so they issued
me a new one. Once they get your info they’ll just keep billing. It may be wise to contact your Visa account
and tell them you will not accept any charges from them. They may even reverse the charge you already got. Good luck
Never click on an ad for free trials. They got me too.
Sorry to say that I am a lawyer but have been scammed by Prowhitesmile.com, which is out of England. I agreed to fill out a customer survey for some website I access regularly to pay online bills (can’t remember what it was, but it was a reputable company). They then offered “rewards” for filling out the form, some of which was not free but supposedly discounted. I wasn’t really interested in anything but chose Pro White Smile because it was only a small shipping charge. I just discovered they have been charging me $59.69 a month and that the bank slaps on an international transaction fee. The Prowhitesmile.com website says that it sent me account information but I never received an email and it did not recognize my email address as a user. I have demanded return of the money but have not yet heard back. There was nothing on any materials to indicate it was a British company.
I discovered this while investigating a pile of magazines which began arriving a few days ago. Turns out that they set me up for “free” magazine subscriptions at the same time. Those were easily cancelled by a phone call to the publisher, who gave me contact information for the company which sets up the scams.
Kind of embarrassing for a lawyer, but it just goes to show you how easily people are taken in.
Ahh they got me too. I got the double-trouble from “Genuine White” and “Whitening Coach”. I only filled out one form for the single free trial, just pay shipping and handling. Then I get two emails confirming samples and full orders. I called both numbers in the emails. At least Genuine White had a rep, although he just would scream the $9.00 offer to cancel and keep everything. I demanded an RMA, which I got. But now I have to pay shipping to send it back to NV. I called the Whitening Coach phone number… If you truly want to understand the psychology behind the world’s most heinous crimes, dial 1-855-740-8914. There is no customer service rep. They disconnect you and threaten to block your access to a customer service rep if you don’t answer their surveys. You cannot interrupt the survey or the thing actually yells at you and starts over. I’m really not sure if this will ever be cancelled, and it cannot possibly be legal. Anywho, I wound up getting the RMA numbers for both, of course I am shipping both boxes back to 7565 Commercial Way Unit E in Henderson, NV. Technically, it’s legal to mail poop, correct? I think we should all mail them a free trial of something, too.
Dee, You really need to contact your bank if you used your debit cared, or call the credit card you used. My bank opened a fraud case, gave me back all the money I sent them. They said that once they get your CC #’s they can keep billing you!
Sorry I meant Bee – my bad!
Bella and Pearl e Whites are in cohorts with each other ripping people off for their hard earned money, w/o product or consent. All they want is your credit card info so they can take your money!
The two companies I dealt with are Innovation White and Whitening Coach Pro which wants $94.31 monthly from me. I’m meeting with my bank tomorrow (12/31/16) and will probably have to replace my debit card. Three different callers — all with thick Jamaican accents — called me eight times over two evenings demanding my card’s expiration date and its CV. I would not give that info, saying that if they were legitimate, they would already have that info. (I too foolishly fell for the $1.03 “free trial” and ordered one online. I did not think to research the product to see how other consumers were ripped off.) I hope to get that $94.31 reinstated in my account and have the bank block any more demands from these scammers. This might be fraud since there is no product. I’ll get back to this site with more info.
I called my bank when I realized that they were scamming me. I couldn’t talk to anyone at the Pro white office.
How do you use a free sample but then return it unused? My bank cancelled my debit card, I agreed to pay
the shipping. I didn’t open any of their “free” samples. This is a scam so beware, they will keep charging
you every month. 🙁
I’m Monica from 12/31/16. My bank quickly took action and somehow reinstated $94.31 to my account. The bank officer quickly ended my debit card and got me a new one within two weeks. So no more crazy calls from Jamaicans at night. I tossed the “free” samples, and now I am, once again, a happy camper. I will do my research the next time I am tempted by online goodies. Good luck, fellow consumers, on your ongoing struggle against those &^+$# scammers.
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