So explain this scam (?) to me

[Wade Lippman]

A couple weeks ago I bought a bottle of Dr. Tobias Omega3 through Amazon.

Today I got an email from them. They want to send me a completely free bottle. If I reply to the email with my name, someone will email asking me my shipping address.
My first thoughts are that it is phishing for my information; but it is pretty easy to get that information by googling. Besides, they already have all that information, and the email address is legitimate. And it seems like they are doing it the hard way.

The other possibility is that they really want to give me a free bottle of capsules (they pay the shipping). But why on earth would they want to do that? It is just one less bottle that I might buy from them. I can see a trial bottle, but they sent it to me because I bought one already.

So, is this some kind of scam that I just don't get?

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

They like you ?
Maybe this is a scam, but I don't see, as you, what is a benefit of it.

Ed.

[Roger Nair]

Wade, I think that if you reply and exchange info over several contacts, then the marketing company will have a verified lead and opening for whatever miracle supplement they would offer, plus your info might become more marketable.

[Keith Westfall]

If you have to give a credit card for any reason, then sometimes the "trial period" (for you to try and then to return) is pretty short and you will be charged for it and most likely be put on an 'auto ship' and then the hassle of stopping it.

DAMHIK (perhaps I just heard that someplace...)

[Chuck Wintle]

A couple weeks ago I bought a bottle of Dr. Tobias Omega3 through Amazon.

Today I got an email from them. They want to send me a completely free bottle. If I reply to the email with my name, someone will email asking me my shipping address.
My first thoughts are that it is phishing for my information; but it is pretty easy to get that information by googling. Besides, they already have all that information, and the email address is legitimate. And it seems like they are doing it the hard way.

The other possibility is that they really want to give me a free bottle of capsules (they pay the shipping). But why on earth would they want to do that? It is just one less bottle that I might buy from them. I can see a trial bottle, but they sent it to me because I bought one already.

So, is this some kind of scam that I just don't get?

It could be legitimate but I doubt it. Scam artists are so clever(sneaky) in stealing information that likely the next email you might receive is a request for bank account/credit card information since a level of trust will have been established between yourself and whoever is sending the product. I have heard of this kind of scam before.

[Dan Hintz]

Just use a junk email account. Sending your mailing address is harmless, and the email, even if spammed after the fact, is a throwaway. As long as no other info is asked for, I dn't see it as a problem.

[Scott Shepherd]

Or.....pick up the phone and call them. No need to wonder about it, contact them directly and ask them.

[Yonak Hawkins]

They already have your e-mail address as they sent you the offer by e-mail. They, almost assuredly, already have your mailing address as they drop-shipped the product to you originally. It seems to me they are wanting to make direct contact with you so you will buy directly from them, and not through Amazon, in the future.

[Wade Lippman]

They already have your e-mail address as they sent you the offer by e-mail. They, almost assuredly, already have your mailing address as they drop-shipped the product to you originally. It seems to me they are wanting to make direct contact with you so you will buy directly from them, and not through Amazon, in the future.

That might be right. If I view Amazon as my vendor, I might buy a different brand next time; so they want me to go to them directly. They must have a huge profit margin to justify it though.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

If you have to give a credit card for any reason, then sometimes the "trial period" (for you to try and then to return) is pretty short and you will be charged for it and most likely be put on an 'auto ship' and then the hassle of stopping it.

DAMHIK (perhaps I just heard that someplace...)

^^ here's the scam

they give you a "30 day trial period" in which time you can return for free. They'll want a credit card for "shipping and handling"

30 days will start when you order, not when you receive

you conveniently receive the product about 2 days before your actual 30 days expires, or you'll receive the product after the 30 days is up.

so you can't return it - and you're automatically enrolled for new shipments every 30 days.

[Andrew Joiner]

If you pay for it expecting a health benefit it might a waste of money or some would say a scam.

Google -Omega 3 "placebo"- to see results of controlled studies. Very little if any health benefits.

Same thing for multivitamins vs placebo.

[Bert Kemp]

If I don't get it in 5 days I automatically go and cancel it saves a lot of hassle

^^ here's the scam

they give you a "30 day trial period" in which time you can return for free. They'll want a credit card for "shipping and handling"

30 days will start when you order, not when you receive

you conveniently receive the product about 2 days before your actual 30 days expires, or you'll receive the product after the 30 days is up.

so you can't return it - and you're automatically enrolled for new shipments every 30 days.

[Kev Williams]

Years ago Talk.com (part of aohell) had a clever scheme. First part was to never answer the phone for at least an hour. Second part went like this: "I want to cancel my long distance service". "Well, you're in the middle of a billing cycle, and you can't cancel until it ends." "Ok, what day does it end?" "Ends on the last day of the month". Part three went like this: "Today's the last day of my billing cycle, I want to cancel." "Sorry, but a new billing cycle started today..."

--So, the cycle starts and ends on the same day. Pretty ingenious... and unethical. Took me 4 more months and a mailed-in letter typewritten in 2" red letters to cancel that service.

I've read that 'No-No' is accused of basically the same thing with their 60 day trial policy; can't return it within the 60 days, and AT 60 days you're too late.... All of this is all on public record.

Can't people just make money honestly??

[Wade Lippman]

I ordered the bottle; no credit card involved. I gave them no information they didn't already have. I don't understand, but can't resist anything free.

20 years ago I took a trial membership in AOL because they offered internet access. I found there was absolutely nothing on the internet (some things don't change...) and I tried to cancel. They simply never answered the phone line you have to call to cancel. I had to dispute the charge on my credit card bill. Geez.

[Frederick Skelly]

TANSTAAFL. (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch)

There's a hook in that bait, someplace.

Fred