The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has received an onslaught of complaints from consumers about pervasive online ads offering the promise of a whiter, brighter smile. Consumers who thought they were signing up for a free trial of teeth-whitening products say they were repeatedly billed for products and services they didn’t want.
The ubiquitous 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 that are designed to look like impartial third-party endorsements of the products. The phony endorsements then direct the consumer to a main Web site that claims the product was seen on ABC, Forbes.com, CBS News, CNN, and USA Today. The ads often include the logos of these news outlets.
“From the complaints we’ve received, it’s obvious that many consumers are extending the trust they have in respected news outlets to the products being advertised on their Web sites,” Michelle L. Corey, president and CEO of the BBB in St. Louis. “While it may be true that advertisements for the teeth whiteners were placed on major news Web sites, reporters for USA Today or CNN did not write stories about the efficacy of the specific products being sold.”
Web sites for various teeth whitening products claim to offer a no-risk, free trial of the product with a money-back guarantee. Customers must provide a credit or debit card number to cover shipping.
Consumers told the BBB that they are billed before their trial ends and they continue to be billed after they have told the company they want to cancel. Complainants also may find mystery charges for other companies and services that they didn’t realize they were signing up for with their “free” trial.
The BBB has identified several companies that are behind the teeth whitening ads and Web sites online including:
- Dazzle White, White Smile, Teeth Smile and Dazzle Smile – The BBB serving Edmonton, Alberta, has received 450 complaints in the last 12 months from consumers in 47 states, five Canadian provinces, and the United Kingdom, about the three products. Complainants report being billed as much as $79 for the free trial and are charged for several other services—such as a weight loss program.
- Ivory White – The BBB in Denver has received 611 complaints from consumers in 46 states. Complainants say they were charged as much as $78 a month for their free trial. Related companies include Ortho White and Bella Brite which are generating 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 – The BBB in West Palm Beach has received thousands of complaints from consumers regarding Advanced Wellness Research’s acai berry supplements and has begun to receive complaints from consumers about their teeth whiteners, sold under the names including Max White, My Whitening and Gleaming White Smile.
The BBB offers the following advice to consumers on purchasing teeth whitening products online:
- Beware of supposed third-party endorsements. Be extremely cautious of any ad that links to a blog or Web site news articles. The blogs and supposed 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 free trials typically result in repeated billing.
- Check the company out with your BBB first. Before signing up for any free trial, review the business’ Reliability Report™ online at www.bbb.org to see if the BBB has identified issues with the company.
- File a complaint with BBB 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 or by calling 314-645-3300.
