The European Consumer Centre France compiled many pretty similar complaints as regards their motive. They came from consumers who had been swindled online and on social networks by advertisements offering to test beauty products ‘ for free’ . The only prerequisite was to pay for the shipping costs, i.e. about €5/6. Does it not sound interesting?
Well, there is the rub: every test application generated a tacit monthly subscription between €70 and €220. And it is only when they read the general terms and conditions that consumers realized they were actually made to subscribe by default.

Who is behind these cons?

The company names, their addresses and contact details are different, depending on the websites on which they are registered. Very often, they state they are based in the United States and give British or Dutch mailing and e-mail addresses. All this information is systematically false.

Are there any remedies?

The information consumers have is incorrect, so there is no direct or amicable settlement possible, since they cannot identify the company at fault.
So far, the DGCCRF has reported that ‘the only known address in the United Kingdom corresponds to a post office box, and the www.leuxia.fr website does not feature any contact details.’

Still, the European Consumer Centre France recommends contacting the company at stake by email to ask for the subscription to be cancelled, so that they do not send any other unwanted parcel, and then stopping payment by approaching the company’s bank houses to get reimbursed for the amount wrongfully drawn (‘chargeback’ procedure).

Learn more
• Read the alert published on the DGCCRF website

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