Innovus Pharmaceuticals Scammed 89 yr old lady. San Diego California

This company publishes newspaper ads designed to look like news releases. The product is for osteoarthritis patients and target audience is the elderly. Once the "risk-free” trial is ordered, of course, the subject is enrolled into their auto-ship program. Of all the geriatric customers I’ve interviewed who have accepted this offer, none was aware that: -The advertisement was not a valid news release. -Their credit card would be charged and they’d receive a small jar or product (at approx five-hundred percent markup) every month. -customer service would be handled by a national call Center located in Maine. Once I was able to reach a customer service rep (my 89 yr old mom get fooled. Are they proud of fooling the elderly?) it took my disclosure of my profession and knowledge of consumer law for then to agree to discontinue my mother’s auto ship status. However, the call center rep claims that Innovus does not allow the customer be provided with written documentation of the cancellation.

This is not legal. They could get shut down for this one item alone. I was instructed to call again and check on the status. The product is okay. It’s like generic Icy Hot, which can be purchased at any pharmacy for approx $5.95 for the same size jar as this Appeaz (unsure spelling) My mom was charged much, much more, although I cannot quite the actual price, I think it was $39.95. This company uses legal, but unscrupulous advertising practices that target a vulnerable population.

Taking money from elderly people coping with the pain of arthritis is beneath contempt. This is among be most-disgusting form of elderly abuse, legal small print (too small for anyone over age 55 to read) meant to take monthly payments for a banal product and entice them to buy by camouflaging their af advertisement as a news release. I wish there was a ZERO or negative star option.