This isn't exactly polish related, but it is beauty related.
I used to shop online at Fragrancenet.com quite often. They didn't have the best prices, but they had the most perfumes in stock, including a huge selection of old, nostalgic discontinued perfumes.
I no longer shop there. I much prefer Scentiments.com for my discount fragrance purchases.
One thing that FragranceNet does is send you ungodly amounts of spam. Every day I'm deleting anywhere from five to fifteen spam emails from them. They always tell me "insert name of fragrance I've purchased before ON SALE TODAY ONLY!" and crap like that. Really gets on my nerves.
When you order from them, they also fill your box with spam. Probably ten different fliers advertising totally irrelevant things- ceramic angels, fake gold jewelery, checks with animals on them, snowglobes, that type of thing.
While that is extremely annoying, it's not *quite* a scam, but this next item is.
I got a check in the mail from FragranceNet. I believe it's an actual, legitimate $5 check, made out to your name and everything. However, if you look closely, it says on the front, in small print:
By cashing or depositing this check you are purchasing a membership in Just For Me.
A lot of people might not even read that text and go to the bank to cash this check. And what happens when you cash the check?
Well, this happens! (Taken from fine print on back of check)
...I understand that my membership will be automatically extended for an additional eleven months and the $129.99 annual membership fee will be automatically billed to my credit card on file with FragranceNet.com...
Yes, you can cancel after the first month, but most people will forget. And if you forget to cancel?
...At the end of my first year, my membership will be automatically renewed at the $139.99 annual fee for the next twelve months and I will also be billed every year thereafter...
The very worst part? The last line of the fine print:
By cashing this check I authorize Fragrancenet.com to securely transfer my credit card information to Just For Me for enrollment, billing and benefit processing.
I don't even know what to say about this. To disguise a $130 charge as a $5 check is bad enough, but to transfer sensitive personal financial information to a third party is just despicable.
So, if something looks too good to be true, like, say, a $5 check that randomly shows up in the mail, it probably is. Please always be sure to read the fine print on everything you agree to sign.
I will never make another purchase from FragranceNet.com.
Holy crap-thank you for the heads up! That is just disgusting!!!
ReplyDeleteI hate random and scam-ish things like that. FAIL!!
ReplyDeleteJeez thats pretty bad
ReplyDeleteThanks - I just ordered something from them which has already shipped so I can't cancel (plus I need it for Christmas!) However, I will most certainly never order from them again! Thanks for the info and for watching out for us!
ReplyDeleteHopefully you got your order in time for Christmas... I ordered something on Dec. 20th for Christmas morning... Here it is the 27th and the estimated delivery date is in 4 days! Why does it take 11 days to get from PA to South FL. using FedEx? I'll never order from this place again!
DeleteI got that check lol. I didn't take the time to read it, but I sure hope I ended up shredding it! TYFP
ReplyDeleteWhoa...that is seriously messed up! Thanks for pointing that out. I've never ordered anything from there, but now I never will. That's just sleazy marketing tactics at work, and I want none of it.
ReplyDeleteIs there any way you can report them to someone for that? That doesn't sound legal :/
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty typical (though still despicable and borderline legal)-- I get these kinds of checks all the time. Never cash a check that you're not expecting!
ReplyDeleteYep, I got that and thought exactly what you said - "This is too good to be true - so what's the catch?" Thankfully, I read the fine print first!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a crock!!! I used theperfumespot.com and was really happy with them.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mame. I don't shop there, but thought about doing so on many occasions. Now I won't.
ReplyDeleteTY
WOW, just GROSS.
ReplyDeleteBut, what's up with the picture? It's cracking me up.
I've never heard of Fragrancenet.com, but I will absolutely NEVER shop there.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you inform us beauty-lovin' gals of things like this. Like most polish and beauty-product junkies, I'm always looking for things on the cheap. It's good to be made aware of scams like this. Thanks for the post, you've done a public service. It is horrifying that there are businesses like that out there.
Also, there must be some way to report the company for that scam...I have no idea how though. :/
lol what a pic hahah :)
ReplyDeletewowzers! thanks for this post!!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG that is just NASTY! what a horrible way to run your business. Never will buy from them!
ReplyDeleteHoOrs!!! Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeletei work for the company that owns just for me, it's completely legitimate marketing. you probably get the same checks from your bank or credit card company for other services. we market with hundreds, if not thousands of companies, much larger than fragrancenet.
ReplyDeleteamkat ----- i dont think working with larger companies than fragancenet in ANY way justifies something that any consumer can identify as a scam. if anything, it just means you are scamming on a larger level, congratulations. i don't knock you for having the job you have, but be realistic about what the implications of this "cheque" are.
ReplyDeletejust because it is legally legitmate does not mean it is decent or something any reasonable consumer would be OKAY with.
thats what fine print is all about --- ensuring something is legally legitimate, so the customer can't argue when of course they've been screwed. the scheme is designed hoping that the customer is dumb enough to fall prey.
we've all been scammed before on some level (cell phones come to mind) and should be looking out for eachother.
THANK YOU FOR THIS POST!!!
I paid for my order through paypal. Paypal is the safest way to pay b/c the company never recieves your credit card informaton. It may take an extra day or two for your order to process but its worth it. That way companies cant get over on you b/c they do not have that type of info.
ReplyDeleteThank you for people like you, I was just about to place an order.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad, because there are legit places out there.
Elda
i was just abt to place an order!! thanks a ton!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I was checking Franrancenet.com out But I always Google the productfirst.I was lucky and pulled up your story Your story is so true how they scam. It was done to me but I read the check first. But you wrote about it. A BIG THANX
ReplyDeleteThey have people writing in that they work for an affliate company and they are legit. On the comments and complaint page, I am again so glad I found your story.
Lisamarie
WOW! I am so happy I saw this. I was going to order from them because I could get an amazing deal. Now, screw that!
ReplyDeleteI had a really bad experience with them as well. I recently purchased body lotion by Rampage from them and it was completely fake. The packaging was different and the product they sent me had absolutely no fragrance at all and the consistency was completely different from the original product. I would definitely never recommend shopping there!
ReplyDeleteUsed to work for them actually, and now I am in the defense industry. go figure. Screw fragrancenet...
ReplyDeleteNow l am really worried as have placed an order with them and live well across the World.l wonder if l will get the products in time when l want them and 2ndly at least l have PayPal so if they do not arrive or are fakes l will get a refund,some solace as need these items,too hard to get in my country.By the way is FranranceX and Fragrance.com the same company as they are ideentical no only in products but checkout etc
ReplyDeleteWhat I found strange with fragrancenet.com was now that I have ordered from them, every website I go to which has user-directed marketing advertising is filled with, you guessed it, fragrancenet.com ads. Luckily, I used PayPal to pay for my order. The bottles look like fakes, and they came unboxed. Not good.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to do. I purchased from them 6 days ago. Payment gone thru but no shipping email and when I tried logging on it says no match for me user name(my email add). I have emailed the help or info there so interesting to see what happens next. Arent there internet police for ppl like that!
ReplyDeleteHi I also had a bad experience with them. Here's what I placed on other sites as well:
ReplyDeleteI am very disappointed and I believe FragranceNet is a bogus store.
MyORDER # 8295921 has been shipped 2 November 2010 and it's now a month and a half later and nothing yet but they were quick to take my money. I've emailed FragranceNet 5 days ago and I haven't even received an answer yet.
So please FragranceNet, email me a tracking code or something so that I can track this parcel myself and if you don't, then I know you haven't even shipped it.
I will never buy from FragranceNet again and will surely advise all my colleagues to stay away from them. It's such a pity..
I just would like to say that saying you are open 24hours does not mean that your people are 24hours. I am a first time customer..I called at 1:00 am Pst and held for 30 mins before I was disconnected from your end, I assure you. Called back and the recording played over and over about 5 times kept saying to press 4 to stay for a rep....then 10 min later a women gets on the phone and I tried to explain what I was doing and was a little confused. I told her that I tried to place an order online but kept throwing me back to your home page. I was trying to do it the regular way to receive the 10.00 off rebate. Anyway she first off jumped down my throat telling me that I was not to call that line because it was to place orders only. I would have to say being a 1st timer and all that ,,what would not be a great way of keeping customers. Then finally I placed the order through paypal and 10 min..........
ReplyDeleteYJUST TOOK 7 PAYMENT OUT FOR ONE (1) TRANSACTION. THAT NEEDS TO BE REFUNDED BACK NOW. YOU SHOULD ONLY HAVE ONE PAYMENT....
I AM CALLING MY BANK ON THIS MATTER.
Stephanie Chase
THERE WAS 5 TRANSACTIONS FROM ONE CARD AND THEN 2 TRANSACTIONS ON ANOTHER CARD......ALL BECAUSE YOUR WEBSITE KEPT THROWING ME BACK AND SAYING SORRY CAN NOT PROCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this is when it was being done, the transaction: more to follow
here is another letter i wrote to fragranceNet.com.................
ReplyDeleteYOU NEED TO GIVE BACK 6 SIX TRANSACTIONS…..I ORDERED ONE ORDER AND YOUR SITE KEPT TELLING ME THAT IT WAS NOT COMPLETE AND IT WOULD THROW ME BACK TO THE HOME PAGE….SO NOT REALIZING IT I THEN TRIED 6 MORE TIMES WITH 2 DIFFERENT CARDS AND NOT YOU HAVE TAKEN OUT $460.46!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS TOLD BY THE REPS NOT TO CALL THE 24 HOUR NUMBER IT IS NOT THERE PROBLEM…..
THIS NEEDS TO BE STOPPED AND ONLY ONE IS TO GO THROUGH…….
I NEED A CALL SINCE YOUR REPS WORKING THERE DO NOT SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MATTER!!!!!
here is another letter i sent to fragranceNet.com...and no response........
ReplyDeleteDID THIS EMAIL BRING LIGHT TO THAT YOU STILL HAVE MANY ISSUES….
“At FragranceNet.com, our goal is to make your shopping experience safe, convenient and worry-free. Our privacy and security programs make sure that every transaction made at FragranceNet.com is 100% safe and guaranteed”
Thank you for the speedy delivery of my order. Your internet service is an asset to the world. Thank you also for the surprisingly pleasant way of packaging. It was like receiving a special gift! “
— Karen R. (Holland)
HAHAHAHAHAHHA\
THAT IS YOUR COMPANY???
FragranceNet.com may provide your personal and financial information to third parties if you provide prior consent to the exchange of the information. ” I AM NOT GIVING YOU PERMISSION TO DO THIS..
How good is this…100% NOT HELPFUL BUT IN FACT HANGS THE PHONE TO YOU THE FIRST TIME AFTER WAITING 30 MIINS…..THEN TRY AND TRY AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN,,,,THEN TO BE TOLD THEY ARE NOT MANAGED, COULD YOU BELIEVE THAT, I AM SURE YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW HOW YOUR COMPANY APPEARS TO THE PUBLIC. SO FOR THAT I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE EXPERIENCE I HAD…I WAS ON YOUR WEBSITE FROM 12:05 IN THE AM, JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT, TILL 3:49AM…..AND I AM STILL WORKING ON IT…AND NOW IT IS 4:20AM AND NOT ONE DROP OF SLEEP…
REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOW THAT YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH, LITERALY 8,000 EMAILS FROM ME, I HOPE YOU NOW UNDERSTAND MY VIEW OF YOUR COMPANY AND YOUR PEOPLE AT THE 24HR SVC LINE TO TELL THE CUSTOMERS, “THAT YOU WOULD NOT GET ANY HELP, BECAUSE I AM NOT PLACING AN ORDER FROM THEM….
I just would like to say that saying you are open 24hours does not mean that your people are 24hours. I am a first time customer..I called at 1:00 am Pst and held for 30 mins before I was disconnected from your end, I assure you. Called back and the recording played over and over about 5 times kept saying to press 4 to stay for a rep....then 10 min later a women gets on the phone and I tried to explain what I was doing and was a little confused. I told her that I tried to place an order online but kept throwing me back to your home page. I was trying to do it the regular way to receive the 10.00 off rebate. Anyway she first off jumped down my throat telling me that I was not to call that line because it was to place orders only. I would have to say being a 1st timer and all that ,,what would not be a great way of keeping customers. Then finally I placed the order through paypal and 10 min..........
YJUST TOOK 7 PAYMENT OUT FOR ONE (1) TRANSACTION. THAT NEEDS TO BE REFUNDED BACK NOW. YOU SHOULD ONLY HAVE ONE PAYMENT....
I AM CALLING MY BANK ON THIS MATTER.
Stephanie Chase
THERE WAS 5 TRANSACTIONS FROM ONE CARD AND THEN 2 TRANSACTIONS ON ANOTHER CARD......ALL BECAUSE YOUR WEBSITE KEPT THROWING ME BACK AND SAYING SORRY CAN NOT PROCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG I AM LOOKING AT MY ACCTOUNTS AND SEE THAT YOU TOOK 7 PAYMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOT RIGHT, YOU TELL SOMEONE THAT YOUR TRANSACTION DOES NOT GO THROUGH AND THEN YOU TELL THE PERSON TO TRY AGAIN AND CHANGE THE RED AREAS, WHAT A SCAM!!!!!
I WAS GETTING THIS FOR MY HUSBAND FOR VALENTINES AND NOW AS WELL, I CAN’T PAY MY HOUSE PAYMENT IF THAT MONEY IS NOT BACK IN TO MY ACCTOUNG TODAY!!!
YOU WILL NOT ONLY GIVE ME A REFUND BUT YOU WILL PAYING THE CHARGES THAT COME IN THAT YOUR PEOPLE TOOK $460.46..
UNREAL
I AM NOW TAKING MEDICINE FOR MY PANIC ATTACK I AM HAVING RIGHT…..
DO YOU KNOW WE HAVE A LAW ON A STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL THAT STATES; WE MEANING , THE PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO NOT HAVE VIOLENCE OR DISPUTES FOR THAT MATTER. I WOULD HAVE TO CALL THE FBI, “REALLY” TO GIVE THIS NUBER TO THEM AND SHARE THE HISTORY LOG WITH THEM TO SEE HOW YOUR SYSTEM WORKS, I AM VER SURE THEY WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT YOU ARE TAKING MONEY AND STRAIGHT UP LYING AND SAYING YOUR CREDIT CARD DID NOT GO THROUGH SO ONE WOULD KEPP GOING THINKING THEY WERE MISSING SOMETHING!!!!!!!
LIKE ME!
they finally wrote back,,,,look what they said to me...general_ws [general_ws@fragrancenet.com]
ReplyDeleteOur main calling center is available from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday Eastern time. After our phone lines are turned off, any call made after 5pm, will go to our second calling center that will only be able to assit you when placing orders over the phone.
Furthermore, If you keep submitting your order more than once, the payments will go through more than once. If your screen told you otherwise, it seems that you may have had a browser issue on your end.
We tried looking up any payments made under your email address and we had no success. So please provide us your full name and billing zip code.You may also call us by phone during the given business hours only, to speak to a customer representative to further assist you. If we are unable to pull up your account by your name, we would ask you for the credit card number that was used when you placed the orders online. If our company has processed any payments, we will be able to see the order processing. Please note, if your statement says pending order, we will not be able to see your pruchse as to we have not received any of your payments.
Please note, if you call us in time for this information, we may place stop ships on your orders and refund your full amounts. However, we may not garrantee this being that your orders MAY have shipped out.
Thank you,
Thank you.
FragranceNet.com Wholesale Customer Service
Phone: 1-800-PARFUMS (727-3867) ext 3
631-582-5204 (outside U.S.)
fax: 631-582-8433
Email: Wholesale@fragrancenet.com
Online since 1997, Over 8,000 Genuine Brand Name
Fragrances, Skincare, Haircare, Candles, Aromatherapy & more...
www.fragrancenet.com
3162803
(GA)
I'm so glad to have checked your website. I was going to shop for Dermalogica products on FragranceNet because they're much cheaper than getting it local (Vancouver, BC). Even with shipping they were still 20-30% cheaper than buying local (plus the website says they guarantee no extra tax/duty on top of shipping cost). Anyhow, I thought I might check around for complaints/reviews on the website in case of scam and found your blog (of course, the later comments from other readers also helped to open my eyes to the company).
ReplyDeleteNow I'm definitely not buying from them and would rather pay the extra price for getting it locally in case I get scammed/fake products. The extra money is definitely worth it.
Wow. Their horrible fake perfume reviews were bad enough but shady business practices like these just downright disgust me. I will never be ordering anything from them. Thank you sharing!
ReplyDelete