When FREE is not FREE

Thats right, have you ever jumped at a FREE opportunity only to find out afterwards that it is not FREE.

I receive a periodical email from a company called Freestuff.net.au. Its generally filled with FREE stuff or discounted opportunities. I am a lover of FREE stuff - who isnt?

Well about 8 weeks ago I applied for a FREE sample of a product called PureLift Ultra, it promised results similar to botox, smooth those wrinkles lift that jowl. Okay I said to myself, why not try it...its free.
All I had to do was pay for postage. So after reading all the wonderful things this product was going to do for me, I passed on my Credit card details. The charge initially said $4.95 but because it was coming from the USA it turned out to be $15.95 with conversion etc.....
10 days later my Ultralift sample turned up. It arrived in a padded bag but was damaged, with the lid being broken and the pump had fallen off. Also the product did not come from the USA but an address in Australia Hmmmm not happy but there you go.

2 weeks after receiving my product, I noticed a small charge for $4.09 on my CC from a company called Insidertips in Gibraltar. What the ...???? Had I been secretly betting in my sleep??

I did as I do with most unknowns....I googled it, only to find myself on the complaints board reading complaints of others worldwide who had also had this small charge.
It turned out that the Purelift free sample sign up, also gave my CC details to a weightloss company who was now charging me for information that I did not recieve. Through more research I discovered a phone number that you had to ring in order to cancel the subscription....of course it was a number overseas and after many calls I finally got thru to cancel. I also put in a transaction dispute with my bank.
Another 2 weeks passes and a 2nd charge to my CC for $73.29 from Purelift... I google this and find out I am once again not the only one. Apparently on accepting your free sample you also have been signed up for ongoing product, which you never receive. I once again thru research discover another cancellation number, which I ring, to stop these payments coming out and I dispute with my bank again.
Thinking it is now all behind me, I have another charge to my CC of $72.45 from BeautyPack.... So at this point I am livid, who the hell is this !!

I have disputed this transaction once again and have had to put a stop on my CC and reapply for another. I am so angry with myself and this company. Now I have to wait for another CC, so I cant shop until I get it, I cant get into my internet banking because of the stop on the card, and was trying to pull together $100 cash yesterday to pay for my daughters specialist bill because I had no CC. It has made me realise how much I use it.

So just a word of warning if you ever get offered a FREE sample be careful that that is all you will get.

DO NOT SIGN UP WITH PURELIFT ULTRA. Vasilissis Freiderikis..AND the other ripoff is for..Easy Weight Loss Tea - Wu Yi Tea - Vasilissis Freiderikis.

I have certainly learnt my lesson.

I had some Botox and I think I liked it.

The other day a dear friend of mine asked me to accompany her to have her shots of botox.
I have seen the procedure on tv, but never in real life. So with a plan that afterwards we would head into town for lunch and view the Gucci sale I agreed.
She was getting her forehead, eyes, and lips done, so we arrived early for her to have numbing cream applied to these areas.
We entered his room where I met the Dr, he was extremely friendly and away he went injecting my friend, whilst chatting away to us.
The lip injections looked like a painful process, one I would not have done, but it made her lips look amazing and very natural.
He then turned to me held my face and gave me one of those "what can I do to you" looks.
My friend, immediately chimed in that I should have botox too and was so insistent. The Dr was so charming, easing my fears, that I agreed to a small amount being injected at the end of my eyebrows, to give a lift. A painless process at the time with a bit of a sting and itch over the next few days.
Have I noticed a difference. Yes, all be it subtle, it has encouraged me to return and have my scowl removed. Have a look at the before and after pics....what do you think? do you see a slight lift?