Free trial offers are great, but some Burnaby residents are getting duped by a scam that preys on our desire for free stuff.
Several British Columbians have reported to BBB Scam Tracker about signing up for free trials of products from Ontario Farms and getting nothing but unexpected credit card charges in return. Better Business Bureau (BBB) is urging the public to research companies and check for customer reviews before signing up for a free trial.
Since the start of this year, BBB has received 15 Scam Tracker reports from local consumers about Ontario Farms, with dollar losses ranging from $7 to $400.
The victims all report stumbling into one of the company's ads online or on social media about hemp oil or other cannabidiol (CBD) products. They sign up for a free trial offer, where they expect to pay a nominal fee for shipping. However, shortly afterwards, their credit cards are charged for several hundred dollars on multiple occasions for additional items they did not agree to purchase.
Furthermore, consumers also reported receiving a product that is a far cry from what was advertised in the free trial offer or sometimes no product at all. When they try to contact the company to cancel the orders and reverse the charges, some are told "the phone number is... not available to BC residents to make a call". Others could not find a way to contact the company and the few that were able to speak to a representative were told there were no refunds.
Ontario Farms currently has an F rating with BBB due to:
- 24 complaints filed against the business;
- 2 complaints filed that were not resolved;
- advertising issue(s) found by BBB; and
- BBB concerns with their business practices.
A consumer shared the following report to BBB Scam Tracker:
"Paid shipping for a trial period, but then without consent they charged my credit card for multiple full price items, more than once per month under different vendor names. I did not consent to any full price items, recurring or otherwise. The name on my credit card changed every time, and the charge dates were not regular. Each charge that occurred was around $130.00 but this amount also varied. There is no way to contact the company, and no way to 'cancel' the subscription that I never signed up for."
"When the business is legitimate and operating ethically, free trials can be a win-win situation for both sellers and buyers," explained Karla Laird, Senior Manager for Media & Communications at BBB Serving Mainland BC. "Consumers get to try before they buy, and sellers get to cultivate interest in their product and hopefully make a sale. However, when scammers use this strategy, they typically lure in consumers with attractive ads, usually on social media, in particular Facebook, and sometimes use the images and fabricated endorsements of celebrities. Ultimately, consumers share their personal information and credit cards details, expecting to sample a new product and end up with unexpected credit card charges, a product that is not what was advertised or sometimes no product at all."
BBB shares the following tips to help consumers avoid deceptive free trial offers and the unwanted charges that come with them:
- Research the company online. See what other people are saying about the company’s free trials — and its service on bbb.org. Complaints from other customers can tip you off to 'catches' that might come with the trial.
- Find the terms and conditions for the offer. Even if you heard about an offer through a radio, TV, or print ad, the company should still provide the details on their website. As many of the Scam Tracker reports show, if you cannot find the terms and conditions or have difficulty understanding exactly what you are agreeing to, it is best to avoid signing up.
- Want to subscribe past the free trial? Understand how to cancel future shipments or services first. Know the policies for canceling or pausing your subscription. Do you need to respond or cancel by a certain time each month? A cancellation policy should be readily available to clarify these details.
- Review the sign up form and look for pre-checked boxes. If you sign up for a free trial online, look for boxes that have already been checked. The checkmark may give the company the green light to continue the offer past the free trial or sign you up for more products.
- Always protect your personal information online. When you sign up for a free trial online, you will likely need to provide some basic personal information and your credit card number. Before you hand over your information, review the site’s privacy policy and make sure the website is secure. If you cannot find a privacy policy to review, that is a red flag.
- Mark your calendar. Your free trial probably has a time limit. Once that passes, if you have not canceled your order, you may be on the hook for more products. Know the cancellation date and put it in your calendar.
Always review your credit and debit card statements. This will help you to know right away if you are being charged for something you did not order. If you see charges you did not agree to, contact the company directly to sort out the situation. If that does not work, call your credit card company to dispute the charge. Ask the credit card company to reverse the charge because you did not knowingly order the additional merchandise.
