I read an article on Yahoo/Reuters about a woman who found several different ways to make make ends meet during our economy crisis by using trial offers, coupons and discounts. One of the things she mentioned was a tooth whitening product that was equal to a professional treatment. She mentioned two companies that would send you a trial package of their product for $3.87 each. The article went to mention how one wasn't better than the other, but they worked great together. Unfortunately (or fortunately after learning form this experience) for me, I could only locate one of the companies.

*** caveat emptor ***

Well, I decided to try this because my brother was getting married. I ordered it online at the end of April and it came in May. The product was called Vivid White Smile - not the Dazling White company I ordered from (first red flag).

About 4 weeks later, I noticed that $87.47 had been withdrawn from my account- paid to DAZLINGBRITE866777875 PANAMA PA 06/10. Now, the interesting thing here is, the number after the company name. It looks like a phone number, but it's one number short. After doing some research online, I found a slew of complaints relating to this company (or ones with very similar sounding names). Many people were charged this amount twice. I wasn't going to let this happen to me.

First, I called my bank to find out what I could do to stop any further charges being deducted from my account. They told me that that they would close my account and reissue me an new card. (Since it was a Visa/debit account, nothing would be reflected on my credit report regarding a new card issue.) I now have to wait a week to receive my new card (which means I have to go to the bank to extract cash or use checks until the new card comes in- a small inconvenience to save myself from another $87 charge by the company).

It seems that there is one standard protocol for dealing with these companies (although I think it is one company with several independent names). Many people have mentioned "to call 888-869-2674 to cancel. Send unused product back. Call your credit card company and have them place any charges from these people in dispute. You do NOT authorize any further charges from them (except the initial trial offer charge). The scammers have 30 days to credit your account. " Other people have said that they were put on hold for an hour.

I decided to look at the number on my balance again.
I dialed it and then added a "1" to it. Guess what? It went through and I waited only a minute (I planned on going through the other 9 numbers if that didn't work). The woman who answered had a heavy Indo-Pak accent and was hard to understand. I expressed my concern about the $87 charge and that I wanted them to cancel my account (whatever they had on record). This company definitely has their people scripted well because they kept saying, "I am sorry that you feel that way, sir" after anything I said that sounded angry.

Another thing that I told them was that I was being charged for something that I didn't think meritted the charge of $87. When the woman didn't understand me, I told her that I was being charged for something that I didn't get (it didn't come out right, but she wasn't understanding what I was trying to say). She asked me to hold while she checked with her assistant. When she came back on the phone, she said that they noticed that there was a shipping error and that they sent me a new one a couple of days ago and I would have to wait 10 days for the new one to arrive. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! I received the product, yet they said that they messed up the order. (second red flag). I told them that I didn't want another product; I just wanted my $87.47 back. They told me that they could only reimburse $20 to my account (which has now been closed). I told them that they needed to send me a cashier's check or money order because the account was closed. They told me to reactivate it so that they could send me the $20. I informed them that I didn't trust their company or their policy and that I would never allow that account to be opened again for them to try to take another $87.47 from it. She then said that they would mail a check for $20 to my address. Do I think I will ever receive that check? No, but I also know that another $87.47 will be taken from my account.