A NEWPORT woman has ended up paying over £90 for a ‘free sample’ of miracle cream offered online.

Pam Watkins, of Bishpool Newport, was browsing online when she came across the offer two weeks ago.

The pensioner said: “I came across this thing that said free sample of face cream. All you had to pay for was postage.”

But 14 days later, after the RVTL cream arrived, a further £89 had been taken from her bank account.

“I would given my card number for the postage and packaging.

“The policy wasn’t there when you ordered it. But when you complain it says you have to send it back within 14 days. I hadn’t opened it so I sent it back straight away.

“Apparently it’s a well-known scam. I’ve read at least 50 complaints all saying the same thing. You are only made aware of the policy when you complain.”

On one complaints website, there were more than 300 registered complaints referring to this ‘offer’ from both UK and American customers.

The terms and conditions the customer is made aware of once they complain, read: “If you do not cancel before the end of your 14-day trial, we consider you as our valued member of home delivery program and charge the credit card on file the full price of eighty nine pound. [...]No further notice will be sent by the Company.”

Ms Watkins went straight to her bank who managed to cancel a second payment being taken but have been unable to track the company’s bank account.

“They tried to take another £140 but the bank stopped it,” she said.

The website where Ms Watkins was offered the so-called “fountain of youth in a bottle” was starplaces.com and no longer exists.

She said: “I’m battling to get it back. I’ve got the fraud squad onto it. I’m not giving up. The more people who know, the better.”

The UK address given by the company is for West Lothian, Scotland. A spokesman from West Lothian council said they had been asked about this issue on numerous occasions and their Trading Standards team were aware of it. However, they believe the company based in Linlithgow, are just a fulfilment house, processing orders for the company. It seems the company itself are likely to be based abroad.

A spokesman from RVTL’s UK customer support said all customers agreed to the terms and conditions when they ordered the product.