Slim Patches, Tree House Marketing Bedfordshire GB, ripoff orderd month's supply ($ 19.95) of Slim Patches, received 90 and no directions. Visa bill $199.99. ripoff consumer fraud Orem Utah

My order arrived from the United Kingdom and had gone through customs. It was in a plain envelope with a small sentence stating that if undeliverable send to Orem, Utah. Inside were several packets of the patches with instructions for applying. I presumed that it was my order for a month's supply as a trial for which I would pay $ 19.95. Unfortunately, I had given the gentleman on the phone my Visa Card number. When the month was over I realized that I still had quite a few left over and had no idea what to do with them. I think there were maybe 90 patches involved. After giving them to friends to try, etc., I still have 40 patches and that's when we received our Visa bill.

We had the charge of $ 199.95 as of October 22, 2002. I immediately called Visa and they advised me to return the ones I had and complain. Visa would not charge interest for 30 days.

I finally located the company that makes the patches and they have been most helpful. The company from which I purchased them is no longer in business and has been taken over by Tree House. Following several phone calls with no answer, busy signals, etc., I finally reached Tree House and was told that if I hadn't returned the unasked for patches following the one month they then could charge (and collect) the $199.95. No one had ever mentioned the fact that that should be done. She kept referring to something I had signed. I never signed anything!

Harrriet
Urbana, Illinois