Informercial Scam - Alteril Sleep Aid

[moosmom]

For those of you who have been having trouble sleeping, DO NOT go for this scam that you see on tv. I googled it the minute I saw it on tv and here's what I found...

http://www.infomercialscams.com/scams/alteril_natural_sleep_aid_complaints

They claim it'll only cost you $.98 for shipping but then they take $39.99 out of your credit card without your knowledge, on a monthly basis.

[Catlady711]

Actually it's not a scam, this is simply a case of people not reading all of the info.

Found this on the Alteril ordering page of their website. It's right below where you enter the information to order....

http://alteril.com/

Acceptance of this offer requires automatic enrollment in the maintenance program. You will automatically receive a new 30 day supply of Alteril every month after the first trial period. Membership in the maintenance program may be cancelled at any time by calling customer service.

I can't be sure if it's on the tv ad or not (although I imagine it is) because I've never seen this ad before.

[Jessika]

Yeah its another case of "read the fine print". I'm always weary of things on TV in the first place... but yeah, and how could they charge you without your knowledge... I know I check my bank funds on a daily basis and the second I notice a debit that I did not authorize I call my bank and they take care of it, within reason.

That happened to me at Best Buy once, you know when you check out and they ask you about magazine subscriptions and you have to "agree" to the terms? Well in THAT fine print it also says they will charge you X dollars after Y days monthly using the credit card you used to make your purchase. Well of course I didn't read it, it was on the debit card screen and so small and.. well hard to read in the first place, plus they don't give you any papers they just print somethin on your receipt... well six months later come to find a bunch of charges being automatically debited from my account... call up my bank, said I did not authorize this nor was I made aware at the time that it would be an automatic montly deduction and they filed a complaint with the company and credited my account back with the funds that were taken out :)

So since then I am very aware of reading fine prints and declining ALL "free" offers, cause most times they aren't even free.

If it's "too good to be true", then it probably is.

EDIT: Here's another red flag, straight from the first page on their website:


These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Alteril is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Not evaluated by the FDA... no go for me.

[K9soul]

EDIT: Here's another red flag, straight from the first page on their website:


These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Alteril is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.


Just FYI, this statement is on pretty much any non-prescription herbal or dietary supplement. It doesn't necessarily mean it's a bogus product although sometimes it ends up that way. I can't say on the Alteril thing.

ETA: Also being approved or evaluated by the FDA is no guarantee something works and is safe. Drugs approved by the FDA have been found later to be dangerous or even to not work at all, i.e. Zetia and Vytorin http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-01-14-vytorin-qna_N.htm

[Catlady711]

EDIT: Here's another red flag, straight from the first page on their website:

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Alteril is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Not evaluated by the FDA... no go for me.

I could be mistaken but even plain ol vitamins carry that label. I'll have to go check my vitamins now lol.