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CJ Industries

CJ Industries review: Charge for the free trial! 48

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12:00 am EDT
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This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

Like obviously many before I ordered Hoodiaxs from CJ Industries - the trial for $3.99. Even though their terms and conditions tell you that they will autoship after the first trial it also says that within 30 days you can cancel the order. Not even 3 weeks after I ordered and received the trial I got my credit card report which showed not just the $3.99 taken off by CJ Industries but also an additional $39.99 just 2 weeks later. I never ordered anything else nor did I ever receive any further products. So I wrote an email to the company telling them that I never ordered anything else, never received anything else and would like to get my money back. They send this pretty rude email back:

Sales CJ Industries wrote: please read the terms and conditions you agreed to when you ordered the trial
> > www.hoodiaxs.com
> > autoship canceled as of today, but there will no refunds as you agreed to the terms and conditions that you chose not to read before agreeing to them. We have 1000s of customers who read what they sign up for and like it.

My response:

Good for them. But I thought "autoship" would mean to receive a product. I didn't. All I got was a credit card report and my sample on the 22nd of June. And replying with a sort of rude email is not making it better that $39.99 were taken off my account for no product. Then you should chose to read your own terms and conditions were it's stated that you would ship out a product to the customer. Thanks for taking me off the autoship list. Nevertheless am I not paying for something I haven't ever received! So far about your statement that I chose not to read your terms and conditions.

Their response:

Sales CJ Industries wrote: tracking numbers will be forwarded to you later this afternoon showing delivery

Funny though that I really haven't received a product. Never ever even received a confirmation email which they sure were able to sent out for the ordered the trial. It taught me a good lesson: Not to make business with them anymore. If I order a trial I want to a) have the chance to cancel any further "orders" and b) don't want to get charged for something I didn't want and even DIDN'T get and c) don't want to get rude emails back from a business that messed up their shipments. All in all I am upset and angry. I don't think customers should be treated like this.

Oh and their additional email:

Every one of those customers didn't read the terms and conditions before they agreed to them, goto the ftc.gov website, we are doing everything according federal trade commission guidelines

This is all correspondence within 2 hours of just one day. At least they take their time to answer emails. haha!

48 comments
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kiara hick
Nov 19, 2006 2:11 pm EST

I would really like if someone can tell me how to get in contact with customer service for cj.industry, i bought the trial bottle of Hoodiaxs for 3.99 also and i am trying to cancel out the auto order but it seems as though im going around in circles trying to find customer service so an e-mail address or accurate web address will be very helpful to me. thanks

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Patricia Gilbreath
Dec 18, 2006 1:55 pm EST

Has anyone obtained a phone number to cancel their orders.
No one at cj-industry will give any information other then"we are informed not to take calls for this product" HELP

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jamie billeck
Jan 04, 2007 4:10 pm EST

I need to know how to cancel my order

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Warren Shea
Feb 08, 2007 12:25 am EST

I ordered a FREE trial of their hoodia, found that it had a negative effect on me, and tried to cancel the next shipment. They still charged me, and since it was on my wife's credit card, I let it go through. I am now talking to a lawyer about their shipping me something I had already told them was noxious to my health.

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Louise Wise
Feb 23, 2007 3:07 pm EST

No phone number! No way to contact anyone! No way to cancel! You people are very slick its bull crap!

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Betty Barker
Mar 02, 2007 7:20 am EST

What ever you do, make sure you do not do any business with these scammers. You will lose 70.00 or more and they make there products non returnable non refundable when it is received. There trail size will end up costing you a $100.00 or more. I have been buying on the internet since 1990 and it is the first and last time I have been scammed out of money. Someone needs to shut this business down.

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William Holloway
Mar 17, 2007 5:50 pm EDT

Received bottle of Omega tablets today which I did not order. Originally sent for 30 day sample @ $6.99. Do not charge me for this as I am returning it and advising my credit card company to not honor any charge for this

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Patricia Overton
Jun 18, 2007 2:10 am EDT

I bought the free trial 1-4-07. The auto-ship was charged 1-3-07 at $49.99. I did receive the bottle. The stuff doesn't even work. Now I have received an e-mail from this company stating that I never ordered the auto-ship and I am being turned over to collections. There is no phone number so I had to argue back and forth by e-mail. I talked to my credit card company and they showed this company charged my credit card of $49.99 on 1-3-07. Now they are telling me I had a dispute on it which is a lie. My credit card company said there was no dispute. I even asked them how do you order a auto-ship when that means it is automatically charged with out ordering? They couldn't answer me. I had canceled after the first order also and I had received and e-mail showing it was canceled and everything was taken care of. Don't fall for this scam company. Save your money.

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M Beckett
Jun 22, 2007 1:23 pm EDT

I never received any product, and was billed on a regular cycle. I was able to have my credit card credited. Then today, I received a collection letter for 40+ dollars plus interest. This company is not doing business legally. I suggest you file a complaint with the ftc. I already did. Also, I am ready to file suit in PA. So, I will get a default judgment. Transfer same, and collect. If I file it will be for the max amount, in small claims court. Also create a report on /link removed/ For their phone number (cjind), look on your credit card statement. Don't use customer service, leave a message on the creeps voicemail. Until his box is full...

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K Hayes
Aug 06, 2007 8:06 pm EDT

I have also gone through an ordeal today. I haven't done any business with these "people" for over a year. I received a phone call saying that I owed them over a hundred dollars in outstanding charges. I ordered one bottle of breast xl, was auto shipped another. I e-mailed them and made them cancel it. No charges since then, nothing on my credit card statement. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! My sympathies for every one else.

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Laura Clark
Aug 07, 2007 5:26 am EDT

I ordered a trial Hoodia for my mother. TEN MINUTES after I ordered I e-mailed a cancellation telling them DO NOT SEND THIS ORDER. I received an email back and it said it had already been shipped. Next my mother received a bill for around $64.99 and said if she did not pay this they would send it to a collection agency. She had not even received the 2nd bottle. After several letters she finally sent in the $64.99 just to get them off her back. Now one year later a collections agency called and said she owed $70.00 to CJ Industries.

HOW DID I CONTACT CJ INDUSTRIES AFTER I PLACED MY ORDER

I knew immediately I wanted to cancel this order and could not get a hold of CJ Industries. I had my sister e-mail them a question about placing an order and they responded within minutes. We replied with. Now that we know this is a good e-mail address please cancel our order.

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bernard okal
Aug 07, 2007 6:20 am EDT

I bought a bottle from cj-industry last year and paid for the whole entire order. I just received a call today (6aug, 07) from a collection agency asking for $99. I would like to know how to contact consumer fraud agencies so that they can come to my aid. This is preposterous. No one from cj- industry contacted me before forwarding my account to the collection agency. Is there a way i can sue both cj and the collection agency for ruining my credit. (email me at stolwal@yahoo.com)

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Pamela Richard
Aug 07, 2007 10:25 am EDT

This company has sent a collection agency regarding a bill for $68. for 5/06. I received the free trial then canceled this. I was again charged on my credit card for future orders which I never received. Now they say over a year later that I owe them money. For what?

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Tricia Gaylord
Aug 07, 2007 1:06 pm EDT

I also received a phone call from a collection agency stating I owe $67.63 from 2006. I just filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the company has 14 days to resolve the situation. I highly suggest that everyone do this even if you have already paid. Ask for a refund. This is a scam. It sounds like the company may be in financial trouble and thought it could scam past customers into paying what they do not owe.

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opoc
Aug 07, 2007 2:06 pm EDT

My wife also got a collections call even though we allowed them to bill the full amount(s) required under the terms. CJ Industry is clearly a scam profiteer.

Their info from the State of California is below:

CJ INDUSTRIES INC.
Number: C2642057 Date Filed: 2/17/2004 Status: active
Jurisdiction: NEVADA
Address
7223 CHURCH ST STE A-20 331
HIGHLAND, CA 92346

Agent for Service of Process
JEFFREY R WHITEMAN
7223 CHURCH ST STE A-20 331
HIGHLAND, CA 92346

Nevada Corporations are tough to crack but this is available:

Director - CHRIS STAFFORD
Address 1: 7223 CHURCH STREET Address 2: SUITE A-20 #331
City: HIGHLAND State: CA
Zip Code: 92346 Country: USA
Status: Active Email:

President - JEFF WHITEMAN
Address 1: 1306 WEST WHITEMAN A 20-331 Address 2:
City: HIGHLAND State: CA
Zip Code: 92346 Country:
Status: Active Email:

I recommend FTC & Better Business Bureau complaints first. The collection agency apparently is online @ paymybill.com. Also complain to BBB online about them.

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nancy mcclure
Aug 08, 2007 12:12 am EDT

I think all of you are right about this company trying to scam people , they are trying to tell me I owe $114 from two years ago. I payed online with a card and was not on autoship so how could I owe anything. I am going to complain to BBB also.
By the way the customer service # for C J Industries is [protected].

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Rebekah
Aug 08, 2007 1:01 pm EDT

I also am having trouble with this company. A year ago I ordered a trial bottle and then canceled. They told me I had to order another regular priced bottle, so I did that and then canceled the autoship program. I never received any other products or had any other charges on my card, then two days ago I got a call from a collections agency saying I owed them $94.99. I emailed sales@cj-industry.com to ask what exactly this charge was for as I am not on the autoship program and have not gotten anything from them. I received a rude email back with no real answer just saying that I didn't meet the terms or I disputed a charge. What can we do about this scam company?

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Larry Farsace
Aug 08, 2007 5:19 pm EDT

THE EXACT SAME THING is happening to me. A collection agency told me i owe cj-industries $101 dollars. They're saying i disputed the charges. Which is all false.

Birmingham, AL.

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CJ Industries Inc
Aug 10, 2007 5:47 am EDT

Please read the terms you agreed to completely:

http://cj-industry.com/cjindustry/ReviewCancellations.html

We followed the terms that you agreed to, you can not order trial without first agreeing to these terms. You were turned over to collections for not fulfilling the terms you agreed to or for disputing a charge for product you received that we have tracking number showing.

If you feel you did not receive product contact us so we can send the tracking number showing delivery of product.

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CJ Industries Inc
Aug 10, 2007 5:50 am EDT

Wiliam Holloway why are you posting this when in fact you know you were removed from collections and we stated this was an error on our part? Please post factual information.

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Teri Lewis
Aug 11, 2007 12:00 am EDT

Like many other people who have ordered the $3.99 one time shipment of this product, I authorized $3.99 to be charged to my credit card and then within 2 weeks, another shipment and a charge of $39.99 appeared on my card. I called my credit card company and they removed the charge because it was unauthorized. Months later, i received a letter from Credit Management Services (credit collection company) indicating that this matter has been forwarded to them for final collection or judgment will occur. CJ Industries is a fraud and should be put out of business for conducting business this way. I am sure the Better Business Bureau will be happy to help all of the people who are filing complaints take this to the next level.

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Kimberly A McCardell
Aug 13, 2007 12:00 am EDT

Aug. 2006, I tried a "free" sample of CJ Industries Hoodia product. The sample was $3.99. Two weeks later, I was sent a bottle of Hoodia and my credit card was charged $39.99. In the fine print you become "OBLIGATED" to purchase a bottle of their product & my credit card was charged $39.99. I contacted them thru email & was promptly told I had to fulfill their terms of agreement. I fulfilled their "terms" and canceled auto ship. One year later I get a notice from a debt collection agency that I owe CJ Industries $64.99. This company is deceitful and nothing more than scam artists. I tried to call CJ Industries, but they only have an answering machine. Hummm... There debt collection agency is Credit Management Services, are they in on the Scam too...

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Nia Taylor
Aug 13, 2007 9:01 pm EDT

I never ordered anything from CJ Industries and today I received a letter from a collection agency stating that I owe them $98.00. I am Very very very very very very pissed right now! I Swear if I have to get a lawyer involved, I will. I am not giving up $100 to anybody that is not owed it!

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Richard Huang
Aug 14, 2007 9:01 am EDT

I can't agree more that this company is doing something really bad. Something happened to me the same way. I received mails from collecting agency for 4 items charging me around around $300. This is ridiculous! Are these people out of mind? They are just trying to blackmail us. I have an idea here, how about if we can file a lawsuit together?

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Laura Williams
Aug 14, 2007 10:34 am EDT

I did the "free trial" and paid for my obligatory "one month supply" of their product. Now I am being called by the collection agency for $94.99 after receiving nothing else from them.

For everyone in this topic, file a complaint with FTC and BBB. I just did. I'll let you know what happens. Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. I think these people are depending on our fear/embarrassment of having to tell people we ordered these types of products.

If we all stand up to them, they have to back down. Power in numbers. And power in truth: these are fraudulent charges.

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Tricia Gaylord
Aug 16, 2007 6:02 am EDT

I have contacted the collection agency and since I have filed with the BBB and FTC they have returned my account back to CJ Industries and suddenly CJ industry no longer wants to speak with me. I am tired of this. I do not owe them anything and did comply with there "terms". Everyone should check out the Better Business Bureau website and look at what they had to say about this company and all the other complaints. Please file your own complaint as well. The more the merrier!

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jkrause
Aug 17, 2007 2:14 pm EDT

It has been over 8 months since I ordered the trial offer and like everyone else was sent a 2nd shipment. I did pay and did not dispute the charge since I was told I could not. I emailed Chris Stafford at CJ Industries, to cancel any future shipments. He emailed me back and said it was canceled. I also sent a letter to the company, just to confirm.

Last week I received a phone call and letter stating that I owe 64.99, it does not say why. Their website is very misleading as terms are not displayed where you place the order. I just went to the website today and saw that people who order after August 15th, will be agreeing to a different set of terms, that will cost the consumer even more before they will be allowed to cancel. I would like for this company to openly post the terms that people will be accepting. Or advertise that to receive the free offer, it could cost you hundreds of dollars, not 3.99 or 7.99.

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Jenna Baxter
Aug 19, 2007 8:01 am EDT

The same exact thing has happened to me! I ordered a trial bottle one year ago for $3.99 (the cost to ship to me.) Two weeks after I received my freebie, I received another bottle in the mail. Immediately I checked my online bank statement revealing a 2nd charge from CJ Industries for $39.99.

I revisited the Hoodia website and read all of the terms I had agreed to. At this time it said that I would be able to cancel my AutoFill plan and avoid the reoccurring charge. They bill every 30 days, and in order to cancel, you needed to contact them via the email address listed on the page no more than 15 days through the 30 billing cycle. If you were later than 15 days, you were already being processed for another charge and another bottle of Hoodia.

Anyhow, I was well within my first 15 day term. I sent not one, not two, but SIX emails requesting a cancellation. Each email was sent with my cellular phone number, and a copy of my invoice. I requested an email be sent back to me, if not that I be telephoned by this company in order to receive a written or verbal confirmation that I was canceling.

I never got a phone call. I never got a notice to my billing address, and I never got an email confirming my cancellation. However, I was no longer billed, and I never received any additional product.

I accepted the 2nd charge because I after I read the fine print, I realized that it was a mistake I would just have to learn from, and yes it did suck because I never used more than just one tablet of Hoodia before I decided I was going to lose weight the healthy way (diet + exercise).

So now I am being sent to collections for $64.99. I only got a phone call. AND the outrageous thing is when the woman at the collections agency revealed my supposed charge, she also said that they had sent me 5 notices to my billing address letting me know about this charge. That was an absolute lie. I open ALL OF MY MAIL, and I never got a note from CJ Industries or Credit Management Services in the entire last year letting me know that I owe money any further. It wasn't until I spoke with her, and she said she would mark it as a dispute, that 4 days later I got my FIRST notice in the mail saying I now owe them $69.99.

Looks like CJ Industries is doing this to a lot of people. This has got to be unlawful. There was no where in the agreement I agreed to stating that if I canceled at any point in time, even though it was in the window of time not to be billed again, that there would be any further charges. I didn't agree to it. But what CJ Industries is doing is making money after the fact, and making money for a Collections Agency after the fact, because most people will just be too scared to dispute it, fearing for their somewhat pristine credit scores.

However, there are people like me who $69.99 at this time, working on starting a career and working a paid internship that pays squat... that charge is a LOT of money. I cannot afford to simply pay up to get the Collections Agency and CJ Industries off my back. Furthermore, I don't feel that it is fair that anyone should have to pay for any charges they didn't agree to pay, nor any charges for product that they did not receive.

Isn't it suspicious that most of these people on complaints.com are submitting complaints all around the same time? Only in August of 2007? All of us having fallen for this scheme almost one year ago? Something about that seems wrong.

Anyhow, I am going to dispute the charge with the Collections Agency, along with compiled evidence that I don't owe any money and I am going to let them know I am contacting the BBB, the FTC, and the FDA, and I will sent notices to my local Congressman, and I will call Kurtis from KOVR 13 and I will request him to investigate this as fraud. If they want my money, they'll have to take me to court. And I will be happy to furbish all evidence that I don't owe money.

By chance, does anyone here have a copy of the Terms we all agreed to a year ago? The ones on the website have changed this August and are not the ones I agreed to a year ago. I want to have the terms & conditions printed verbatim.

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Jenna Baxter
Aug 19, 2007 8:07 am EDT

By the way, I just went to the website that states the terms I supposedly agreed to in September 2006 on the Hoodia website, the one that is listed by CJ Industries in this complaints forum. However, that is NOT the Terms & Conditions I agreed to. If this were to be brought before court, how am I to prove what was on their website one year ago?

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Valerie Williams
Sep 01, 2007 5:45 am EDT

I am going through the same thing. I sent back the unused pills. They did credit my credit card so I do not know why all of a sudden, I am getting a collections letter. I am sending the letter back, telling the agency that I am disputing this charge. I will not pay it no matter what they say because i know I do not owe cj anything. And my credit is messed up already so they can't hurt that either.

I did research online and there are form letters you can send to companies demanding they not contact you further or you can sue them for up to $1,000.00. I could use $1,0o0.00 lol.

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Jamie Mandel
Sep 17, 2007 12:00 am EDT

I ordered some herbal supplements from this company over a year ago. Like so many others they scammed me through the terms and agreements. I signed up for a free trial then received charges (automatically) after the free trial was up. I paid for these charges (I had no other choice) and then canceled my account. Just a few minutes ago I received a call from a collections agency about a debt I have with this company. I had no idea what they were talking about. Apparently it was $100! I did not authorize any charges after the 30-something that was scammed out of me. I had no choice but to pay it, though. I am absolutely outraged, and there is no other way to contact the company other than e-mail. According to them, they informed me about the charges multiple times via e-mail and mail. I can tell you honestly i received nothing. I was absolutely shocked when I received a call from the collectors. This company conducts business horribly, and I am convinced they are nothing but scam artist.

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Brenda
Sep 21, 2007 12:00 am EDT

My debit card was charged 39.99 from CJ Ind, I called the number next to the charges on my statement and left a message for someone to call me back, no one did. I called the other number listed next to that number and it tells you to go to their site and email them on billing issues, which I did. I did not get a response right away so I waited couple days. I called the phone number again and left another message and no one returned my call. I emailed the company again asking for detailed information of what I was being charged for and finally i received a response to read the terms and agreement that I agreed to. No explanation or response to my questions I was asking. I emailed them numerous times on which product I agreed to, when was the order placed, and if they had the correct person. They couldn't even give me a simple answer to assist me. They kept emailing me the terms and agreement which is irritating! I was not getting anywhere with this company. I DO NOT recall ordering anything from this company and I did NOT received any merchandise from this company. Then 3 weeks later, this company deducted another 39.99 from my visa. And they emailed me that they're sending me to collections. How do you like that? They take unauthorized money from me, don't send me any product, threaten to take me to collections, and don't try to work things out. I am very disappointed, upset and irritated!

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Mike Janneck
Oct 11, 2007 9:11 pm EDT

They are still at it. I just received a call from a collection agency for $73. Thanks for all your input. I will be in touch with the FTC and BBB. I think I will also call them numerous times to give them a little of their own medicine.

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Matt Lancaster
Nov 08, 2007 11:24 am EST

They are trying to say I owe $112 just like many others here. The question I have is what is being done about it?

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kathy walker
Nov 27, 2007 1:22 pm EST

I was called on 11/26/07 by a collection agency & was told that I owed 71.00 for late charges something needs to be done with this company.

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dorothy robinson
Feb 14, 2008 1:33 pm EST

I received my envelope and my order is not in it and my credit card was billed where is my order.

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COLLEEN
Feb 22, 2008 8:21 pm EST

Hi there, This is quite funny to me, on oct 2007 I too did purchase this free so called trial, I payed as per terms the fullprice of a bottle of hoodia. I was charged 69.99. Then I recieved a call from PAY BY BILLS collection agency that told me that I was in collections for 69.79 due to Cj In.

I knew I payed and canceled the same day with stating my last 4 digits of my credit card I used as well as my full name, Today I called back the collections and told them I had payed this and I have legal document stateing this, As soon as I said this they immidiatly said I was off there list. How funny is that? I then emailed cj personaly telling them what documents i have right now, they emailed me back stating that they do not handle this and to call the collection agency inregards to this. As soon as i did this they told me my name was deleted. I spoke with Tanya #[protected]. I am holding all of my evidence incase we as people that have been scammed from this so called buisness go to court. I think this is all fraud no matter what way you look at it. On the site they indorse opra and good day l.a. on there, isnt that even a copy right infringment?

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Rose Hileman
Feb 26, 2008 6:21 pm EST

It has been so long ago that I can't remember when all this happened. I sent back the second shipment of Hoodia as "Return to Sender" "Do not Want" and told them to cancel my membership. However, I continually receive consumer credit calls almost every day, as I "owe a balance." I have told this company twice now to quit calling as I owe this scam company nothing. Next time I receive a phone call, I will contact my lawyer. I owe CJ Industries nothing and it had better not be on my credit report!

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AIASHA
May 12, 2008 10:18 am EDT

I PUT IN AN ORDER FOR TWO MONTHS SUPPLY OF BREAST XL AND I STILL HAVE NOT RECIEVE THE PRODUCT, IT'S BEEN GOING ON TWO WEEKS NOW WHEN IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO TAKE 2-5 BUSINESSS DAYS! I IMMEDIATLY TOOK ACTION CONTACTED THE BBB, THIS IS A BUNCH OF BULL!

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Anonymous
Aug 05, 2008 1:38 pm EDT

I ordered the Breast XL which doesnt work by the way. Still an A cup. lol. But after I received the product I got a letter from a collection agency saying I owed forty dollars for some diet pills, I call and they take it off. I was seventeen at the time, what do I need with diet pills! Well today I get a letter saying I owe sixty five dollars for god knows what. And I call the collection agency and the lady tells me that they will dimiss it and send it back to the company. I'm just now at age of credit actually counting and it feels like they are ruining it. What am I supposed to do? Please email me and let me know how you acted on your behalf. I'm clueless to what I'm supposed to do.