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Proactiv

Proactiv review: deceptive trade practices 7

L
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12:23 am EST
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Ordered promotional $19.95 (free shipping) Proactiv after viewing TV ad. Provided credit card information to make payment in January/2011; received this order within a few days ... this should have been the end of this order/payment transaction. Then the nightmare began ... February 25th I received a box containing an invoice for $67.84, along with more Proactiv that "I didn't order, nor did they have any authorization to charge my bank debit card on February 15th $27.94" ($19.95 plus shipping/handling), being 1 of 3 payments on this Proactiv "that I didn't order, " with the invoice also showing they were going to charge my debit card another $19.95 on 3-15-11 as well as $19.95 again on April 12th ($27.94 they already charged my credit card without my authorization, plus the two additional payments of $19.95 they intended to use my credit card to pay; adding up to the total charge on invoice of $67.84 they sent me in the box. I called their [protected] number on Friday 25th (the day the box of Proactiv was delivered by mail to my home) ... told them that "I didn't order the material they had invoiced me for, did not authorize them to charge my bank debit card for it, and that I was sending it back for FULL "REFUND." Was told that they would cancel my account effective immediately, but I would have to return to them and pay the shipping costs to do so (why should I have to pay to return something that "I NEVER ORDERED" to begin with is beyond my comprehension but seemed that there was nothing I could do about it if I wanted my "refund?") ... ran into a brick wall, so I took the box to the post office, returning it to them by Certified Mail, that cost me $12.15 to do so. While on the phone with them on February 25th in attempting to resolve this "deceptive practices" issue that they created, I asked that they send me an email stating "that my account had been canceled and that there would be no more charges to my credit card, nor would any more Proactiv shipments be sent to me" (they did so; therefore, I have written evidence from them that they canceled my account, there would be no more charges, and that I would be refunded for the package of Proactive (that I NEVER ordered) that I sent back. Today, February 28th, I tried contacting my bank to put them on notice that there were to be no more charges allowed to clear on my debit card if the payee was Proactive ... they told me that they could not comply, they could stop payment on a check for $25.00; but, they could not stop any debit card charges from Proactiv from going through if Proactiv attempted to do so ... this prompted me to call Proactiv 800 number again; at which time I told them if they charged my bank debit card again (March 15th or April 12th as per their invoice, for material that I didn't order and had returned by certified mail, with my account having been canceled per the email evidence from them stating that they had done so dated February 25th, that I would take all my paperwork/evidence (confirmation of original order for ONLY $19.95 with free shipping, copy of their invoice for material that I didn't order and did not authorize payment for to be paid by charging my bank debit card, confirmation that they canceled my account, copy of certified receipt that they received this Proactive back) to my local District Attorney for legal action against them (charging my account, especially after they acknowledged by email that they had cancelled my account prior to doing so "is construed by the District Attorney as "THEFT" ... furthermore, I was sending in a complaint with all my evidence to the National Better Business Bureau, with duplicate to the State of Texas for mail fraud (since package was sent through the mail without my ever placing an order for it and charging my debit card without my authorization, with is clearly a federal case of "Deceptive Trade" (it's a matter of principal, I fully intend to do everything in my power to get a full REFUND for the material I didn't order and the $12.15 it cost me to send it back to them. I think that all those that have had the same problems/issues with Proactiv's deceptive and fraudlent business trade practices should band together and file a "Deceptive Trade" lawsuit against them!

7 comments
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PARVO IN YUBA CITY, CA
PARVO IN YUBA CITY, CA
Escondido, US
Mar 01, 2011 1:43 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Wow. I feel for you. I get occasional pimples and wanted to try their product. After two days of use I got more pimples. I was allergic to it. I was able to call and cancel the recurring order prior to them sending anything but had this happened to me, I WOULD HAVE BEEN FURIOUS. They state on the commercial that the charge of 19.95 a month will occur until you cancel...not a lump sum.

If this helps you...I use products from this company

http://stores.ebay.com/HELP-FOR-YOUR-SKIN?_rdc=1

I am not affiliated with them in anyway. They just had a moisturizer that didn't make my skin break out and my boyfriend’s daughter used the acne stuff and it helped her. They also guarantee their products. Maybe give them a try.

I presently am using a product from Bath and Body Works that I LOVE. They are expensive though. The name is Wexler. Best of luck to you.

PARVO IN YUBA CITY, CA
PARVO IN YUBA CITY, CA
Escondido, US
Mar 01, 2011 1:30 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

madC -

the person stated above that they cancelled the account and Proactive acknowledged it. "charging my account, especially after they acknowledged by email that they had cancelled my account prior to doing so"

That's all this person should have had to do, or am I missing something?

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Hellahella
Adamsville, US
May 29, 2011 10:54 am EDT

Too bad you're an absolute idiot! When you order anything from proactiv EVER they tell you in fine print that you are being signed up to be billed monthly for new shipments. If you had just read the agreement you would have known. You have no case in court it will be thrown out immediately because you are the one who didn't read the ###ing agreement.

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Lisa20089
Melros, US
Sep 14, 2011 3:38 pm EDT

Wow same thing happened to me. Except the charged me till May I disputed it and then thought everything was ok. But today I received a mail stating that I had to pay $67 because BOA had taken away their money! I was/am baffled!

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TracyRan
Tomball, US
Oct 21, 2011 3:04 pm EDT

LindyA...I have had the exact same issues. I ordered one product and they set me up on reoccuring shipments and made unauthorized charged to my debit card. I sent the 2nd shipment back and called them numerious times to chancel and refund my money that they charged...they continue to charge my card and said they it takes (4) weeks to process the return...a bunch of BS...I finally just cancelled my debit card and requested a new one. I have never in my life dealt with such a deceptive company.

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Proactiv scam
Loveland, US
Nov 15, 2011 1:34 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Wow! I wish I had bothered to look this up before getting involved with Proactiv's game of deceit! Now I am in the midst of trying to get my money back after sending the product back, and they keep charging my account. I am suppose to fax them a receipt of when I mailed the shipment back because they never received it?! What a compete scam. AND the product doesn't help either.

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Sweetchica1983
US
Nov 17, 2011 1:10 am EST

I love how it takes 4-6 wks to get your money back after they receive the return, but yet it takes them only days to take money from you... Another thing I love is when I call, I'm talking to someone that barely speaks English, and is probably sitting in a chair in India somewhere reading off ### from a binder, and keeps repeating the same worthless crap over and over again that has nothing to do with my question in the first place! I will not support companies like this anymore until they bring jobs back to U.S.!

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