Deceptive Ads for Teeth Whitening Products Wipe Smiles off Consumers’ Faces
“Free Trials” and Endorsements Prove to be False as Complaints Pour Into BBB
Austin, TX – October is National Dental Hygiene month and Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to be cautious of online ads offering the promise of a whiter, brighter smile. BBB has received a recent increase of complaints from consumers who thought they were signing up for a free trial of teeth whitening products, but were repeatedly billed for products and services they didn’t want.
The ads for teeth whiteners can be found on popular sites such as FoxNews.com, CNN.com and ABCNews.com. The ads typically link consumers to phony blogs and fake news sites designed to look like impartial third party endorsements of the products. The phony endorsements then direct the consumer to a main Web site claiming the product sold is “As seen on” ABC, Forbes.com, CBS News, CNN and USA Today and displaying the logos of these news outlets.
“Unfortunately, some of these teeth whitening ads mislead consumers by implying the products have been endorsed by USA Today and CNN when they have not,” said Carrie A. Hurt, President and CEO of BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas.
The Web sites for various teeth whitening products claim to offer a no-risk, money back guarantee, free trial of the product. To sign up, consumers must provide a credit or debit card number to cover shipping. Complaints received by BBB state consumers are billed before their trial ends and continue to be billed after they have told the company they want to cancel. Consumers may also find mystery charges for other companies and services they didn’t realize they were signing up for with their “free” trial.
Consumers should do their homework with free trail offers because they often involve a “negative option,” requiring the consumer to cancel future transactions, meaning they are not truly free. BBB has identified several companies that are behind the teeth whitening ads and Web sites including:
Dazzle White, White Smile, Teeth Smile and Dazzle Smile – BBB serving Edmonton has received over 450 complaints in the last 12 months from consumers in 47 states, five Canadian provinces, and the United Kingdom, about Dazzle White, White Smile, Teeth Smile and Dazzle Smile. Complainants report being billed as much as $79 for the free trial and charged for several other services—such as a weight loss program.
Ivory White – BBB serving Denver has received over 600 complaints from consumers in 46 states. Complainants say they were charged as much as $78 a month for their free trial. Other related companies include Ortho White and Bella Brite which are receiving complaints as well. All three companies have been asked to add more disclosure to their Web sites regarding the free trial offer. The BBB has not yet received a response to these requests.
Advanced Wellness Research – BBB serving West Palm Beach has received over 2,000 complaints from consumers regarding Advanced Wellness Research’s Pure Acai Berry supplements and has begun to receive complaints from consumers about their teeth whiteners sold under the names of Max White, My Whitening, Gleaming White Smile and many others.
BBB offers the following advice to consumers on purchasing teeth whitening products online:
Beware of supposed third-party endorsements. Be cautious of any ad that links to a blog or Web site news article. The blogs and news articles were likely created by the company and are not the unbiased endorsement of real consumers or reporters.
Always read the fine print. Many Web sites offering a free trial of a teeth whitening product do not disclose the billing terms and conditions or do not have such details prominently displayed on their Web site. Before giving the company any credit or debit card information, review the Web site fully and be aware that some free trials with a negative option to cancel result in repeated billing.
Check the company out with your BBB first. Before signing up for any free trial, review the business’ BBB Reliability Report™ online at www.bbb.org to see if there are any issues that bring concern.
Speak Up if you feel you’ve been ripped off. Consumers who feel they are being deceived by a business selling teeth whitening products online can file a complaint with their BBB at www.bbb.org.
About BBB:
BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. BBB accomplishes this mission by creating a community of trustworthy businesses, setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices, celebrating marketplace role models and denouncing substandard marketplace behavior.
Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB is the preeminent resource to turn to for objective, unbiased information on businesses and charities.
Contact BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas at (512) 445-4748.
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