Is the e-cigarette right for me? See how our products have worked for others!
Free e-cigarette trials are not always as free as they make themselves out to be!
Every few weeks or so we seem to get a spate of people ringing us up demanding to know where their money is.
They’ve had an electronic cigarette from someone advertising a free trial – and they’re wondering why their money is suddenly disappearing from their bank account. (Unfortunately, one of the companies involved has a similar name to us – check out this list here and guess which one it is!)
Here’s what happens:
1. You see a website which advertises a free e-cigarette.
2. Even though the e-cigarette is free, you are required to put your credit or debit card details in.
3. You get your electric cigarette. Chances are, it is a low quality version, with leaking e-liquid and dodgy components. Let’s just hope the company didn’t skimp on testing their e-liquid too!
4. After a short period, money (usually £50 or so) starts going out of your bank account on a regular basis – for refills! Here’s what Julie has said below in the comments
5. Your bank tells you it is a legitimate scheme, and you need to get in touch with the e-cigarette company which sold you the e-cigarette to cancel it. Here’s a comment from our YouTube video warning about scams:
I know from making other enquiries that my bank wouldn’t stop anything. They’d take it as an ordinary direct debit. Once you’ve made contact with whatever company and paid them for something, the bank will refuse to step in.
6. You try to cancel the trial, and find it impossible or very difficult to get hold of the company.
7. You end up cancelling your card, and have to change all your direct debits as a result.
Here’s what Julie Parnell told us in the facebook comments on this post:
Got my fingers burnt! I ordered a cheap trial starter pack for £7.99, then at Christmas time I had £59 taken from my bank account. My bank refused to refund me, so I had no alternative but to stop my bank card! I couldn’t get any money out until my new card and pin arrived! Very stressful and upsetting! I had to borrow money to buy food and put petrol in my car! The company were impossible to get hold of!
Obviously, there may be some variation, and for all we know there may be some companies which are a bit more legitimate who are doing it. However, if you are thinking of using one of these free trials, consider doing the following:
1. Check the company is not on the consumer protection list run by Vapers Network.
2. Google the name to see if other people have reported.
3. Consider posting a question on an e-cigarette forum or on a facebook group such as Ecig Users or Vapors Lounge to see if anyone else has used them. There’s even a facebook group specifically dedicated to exposing scams: Ecig Vendors, and Ecig Products that are NOT Recommended!
4. If it is a UK company, check to see if it is a member of the UK Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association.
We’re a member of the association, and to become a member had to pass through a strict audit of our processes, as well as undergo UK lab tests to ensure the purity of our e-liquid. (And no – we don’t offer free trials!)
In my opinion, one of the worst things about the scam is that it is likely to put some people off the electronic cigarette for life. But the electronic cigarette remains a device which has the ability to change people’s lives for the better.
1. Get in contact with your bank immediately. When I had a similar experience, my bank were able to stop the company from taking any more money from my account.
2. It may also be worth getting in contact with Trading Standards, although unfortunately some of these companies are based overseas.
3. Contact the company – and be persistent! In the comments below, Peter Edis describes how he got his money back:
To successfully get a FULL REFUND on unsolicited packs mailed to you and money taken from your account without your consent, you HAVE to be persistent, never give up!
See the comments below for the full story of how Peter managed to get a refund.
Electronic Cigarette Scams Exposed
I leave you with a video warning from our MD:
Have you been scammed? Please leave your story below in the comments so other people don’t have the same experience.
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I have just fallen for this with e cigs to the tune of £66!! I am totally furious that this has been taken from my bank! Who would know to look for a scam? What can I do about it? I have emailed threatening trading standars of course, but cant even remember the website! I feel sure this will be one of many cases brought to their attention….
Thanks! Today I received my ‘Trial Offer’ and then saw your article. I immediately rang my Credit Card Customer Service that confirmed I couldn’t do much about it. They did however agree that the easiest way out would be cancelling my card. This they happily did for me and will be sending a new one with a new number.
Hi OceanEagle, sorry you had to cancel your card! I don’t know that every free trial is a scam, but I think it is best to be careful.
I have fallen victim, this is the company as the telephone number is the same on the letter that came with 2 cartridge boxes this am
http://www.ecigsbrand.com/webstore/default.aspx. Initially I ordered the free trial pack on August 17, and to day became suspicious when I received 2 cartridge boxes, phoned them up and asked if they had taken funds from my account. The rep said that they had removed £73…I went totally ballistic !! I shouted at him, and informed him that I would involve a solicitor. I spoke to the bank and disputes..the customer adviser is aware of this company and scam..he said that he was blocking it, and advised me to send back the products which are actually unopened, and then they will pursue a refund.
I am really sorry that you have been scammed – glad the bank seems to be on the job, though, as far as I am aware banks have been reluctant to take action until now.
Hi,
I ordered the free trial for my dad to get him to stop. I received the free ones then 1 week later, 23rd Dec got two more packs for which I didnt sign ! On xmas day they also deducted £74 from my account which I didnt realise until later, I rang and returned on 2nd Jan, well within the 15day timeline, I recorded deliver returned the products. Its 19th Feb and still no refund. Did you ever get your money back ? I have emailed several times.
Have you tried contacting trading standards, and your bank? If you have a receipt for the recorded delivery they might force them to give your money back.
i have been scammed they have took £73.98 from my account! luckily the bank are going to stop the payment.
There`s now real hope for all who have been scammed by this E-Cigs bunch of tricksters ! I DID it,I BEAT them, I NEVER gave up ! To successfully get a FULL REFUND on unsolicited packs mailed to you and money taken from your account without your consent, you HAVE to be persistent, never give up! First of all, their advertised Customer Service Email address is cleverly rigged so that you can NEVER receive a reply, and their phone number will always keep you waiting with the message that they are servicing `other oustomers` which is usually a pretence to try and ward you off! Initially,though,you do actually have to wait and speak to them, in order to demand cancellation of your unsolicited so-called `membership` and demand a full refund . They will then try and tell you that you have agreed to their `terms and conditions`etc.(which of course were never mentioned in their Trial Pack offer), and instead try and get you to accept another cheaper deal ! Refuse this adamantly,stand your ground,demand your refund,and tell them you will be taking numerous actions if your money is not refunded ! The first thing you MUST do is to contact your bank,report the scam,stop any future access to your account,and change your bank debit or credit card immediately! My own bank also promised to investigate if they hadn`t refunded me within 15 days ! Unfortunately, they will in all likelyhood STILL send the unwanted merchandise to you, claiming that the order has already been processed – they did to me, and that`s when I acted ! The next move is to immediately send them back UNOPENED in a jiffy bag to their WIGAN address,with their RMA number on the front if you`ve been given one ! You should also enclose a detailed letter threatening a battery of actions you propose to take if your money is not refunded.I personally threatened them with aggressive legal action following already taken sound advice; a full report on the scam to the appropriate Lancashire Police Authority covering the Wigan area; a full report to the BBC WATCHDOG team; Trading Standards ;newspaper articles to be submitted exposing the sca;, a fully researched awareness of their unethical operations,evasive tactics,and numerous website complaints against them, and anything else you can muster to unsettle them.Believe me,they do NOT want any adverse publicity and the potential closure of their UK operations. All it takes is for you to take ACTION ACTION ACTION,and I wish you luck – I`ve now got £73.98 BACK im my bank account ! PETER EDIS
Well done, Peter!
Thanks James, I appreciate your support and contributions on this great website. There are far too many online scams going on nowadays – this particular E-cigbrand Trial Offer rip-off actually appeared as an ad on a GUMTREE page would you believe !! – and it`s vitally important that we all take a stand against these soulless fraudsters ! Watch out, too, for the SANDA WELLNESS/WELLBEING etc. rosehip pill scam which targets the elderly by phone and then uses similar dirty tricks tactics as these E-cigs crooks to rob you of your money !
Thanks, Peter, it’s good to share our experiences so hopefully other people can avoid them!
Well Done !
The latest ploy from them, after my bank stopped them taking any further money, is now to tell me that is the reason thet cannot make a fefund ! what do you advise, shall I release the account ?
Hi Jack, A similar thing happened to me (but with with redsave.com, not an e-cigarette company). The bank were able to stop the company from taking any more money, but not to obtain a refund, and the company didn’t answer emails or phone calls. I’ve written the money off, but the bank told me that no more money could be taken from my account. As long as the bank has put a block on payments I don’t think there is any need to close your bank account.
Hi Jay, if you`ve read my previous post then you know what you have to do,you seriously MUST take similar action – you cannot let them get away with what amounts to the downright THEFT of your money ! Avoid bad language but threaten them with the same battery of actions I have already listed,and don`t fall for their rubbish excuse that they that they can`t refund you because your bank has blocked any further attempts on your account – they ALREADY have your account details from the original Trial Pack scam ! Don`t release them AGAIN (that`s asking for trouble !), because they can easily REFUND to your account even though they can`t ever TAKE from it again ! Phone your bank helpline again and get them to confirm this, and make sure they`re going to investigate on your behalf if the refund hasn`t been credited within a stipulated period (usually 15 days).And even though these scamsters advertised email address is deliberately rigged NEVER to give replies, you CAN actually reply to them if their CUSTOMER SUPPORT outfit (all phoney sweet-talk about now `top-notch`they are etc.) sends YOU an email – by simply clicking on reply to: support@ecigsbrand.com Repeat in brief the battery of actions you`ve got lined up, ask for an immediate reply and tell them you`ll not tolerate any more trickery or evasion ! It worked for me and it WILL work for YOU – so get moving ! One final comment : their brand of e-cigarette is truly obnoxious, and in my opinion a serious health hazard which merits reporting on those grounds alone !
I am sorry to hear that, Fiona
One of the worst things about the scam that it puts many smokers of switching to a product which, when it is of good quality, is so much better than smoking.
I want to know if there is any way to get my money back from the sapphire cigarette scam on Amazon.
I’ve just had an encounter with Optima E Cigs and same thing happened to me. I ordered the free trial for my husband and he got the trial package and tried it. Terrible…had a very bad taste left in his mouth so he was not impressed at all.
Free trial did not say anything other than you pay for the shipping and that was it. This trial was on 2-7-2013 and today on 2-20-2013 I found $116.93 + $3.51 ISA fee(International Service Fee)debited from my account! Same response I received an email Thanking me for my order of which I did not order anything and I returned the email to say just that. I then called them and was put on an ever ending hold. I called back several times and finally got a person and was very upset with her and she kept trying to sell me on all sorts of things but would not answer my refusal to just give me a refund of my money until the very last minute. I told her I had contacted my bank to dispute this charge and she said well then the bank has already given you back your money! I told her no they have logged a dispute and I am calling her to get a refund and to make sure they do not do it again. Finally she gave me a RMA number and told me that the shipment had already been sent so I was to return the complete shipment and all and they would refund the $116.93. I will not get the $3.51. So the bank sent me my dispute documents to fill out and they said it would take 10 business days to see what else could be done.
This is really bad since if you were someone who would want to continue on their program they don’t even give you a chance to choose the strength of the nicotine or a flavor should you want it so they are doing themselves as well as everyone else a real disservice…..:((
I am really sorry to hear that, Sandy – do hope you get your money back!
I Have also been took on with this scam.. I seen an e cig advertised on facebook for £4.99 which i ordered,after checking my bank account i was very shocked to find that they had taken not only £4.99 but a further £29.99 for 2 packs of refills which i did,nt order,,I never recieved the e cigerette just the refills,,,lot of good they are without the cig,,I also had a further £73.98 taken out of my account,,I have been on the phone to them on numerous occassions and they eventually said i could have a refund when i returned the products,,bit hard to return an item u haven,t recieved, have returned the refills and am still awaiting the remainder of my refund,,this is totally ridicously and should be banned by law,,,SO BEWARE PEOPLE….TAKE THIS AS A WARNING…..
hi i also NEARLY got caught with this . saw ad on amazon, free trial just pay £4.99 p&p. i keyed in all my details (c.c. ) and after they had accepted order they then e-mailed to say they would send me supplies after 15 days and every 30 days thereafter. needless to say i hit the roof, luckily there was a uk phone number, so at about 9.45 pm a man felt the full force of my anger, i INSISTED the order be cancelled, pointing out that they could not have posted in 15 minutes, insisted i receive an e-mail confirming cancellation, and threatened them with all sorts of unwanted publicity if they sent goods. i seem to recall my parting words were ” you will regret ever hearing my name if this goes ahead ” i did get an e-mail confirming cancellation but i did contact credit card company the following day, they said they could not flag the site to not pay BUT if anything went from my account they would refund and then take the firm to task to get the money back.
i must admit it made me very wary of trying the offer in a ladies magazine for the smokersangel, in the end i thought that if i did have a problem i would go through the magazine, however the offer was exactly what it said and the company have waited for me to re-order what i wanted with no scams.
i have yet to receive my credit card bill but i know i can go to them and they will sort, fingers crossed i wont need to.
I am sorry to hear you had a bad experience, although at least you seemed to have escaped losing any money. One of the worst things, IMO, about the scam is that it puts off smokers who have had a bad experience from switching to a safer alternative.
I also got scamed to the tune of £73 pounds taen without my permission I ordered the free trial just to try gutted
Sorry to hear that