A scam disguised as an offer to try free CBD oil

Reporter: Rich Kolko Writer: Drew Hill
Published: Updated:
cbd oil
Credit: WINK News

CBD oil is supposed to help with things like pain. The issue is that it can be pretty pricey.

Taking a free offer to try CBD oil could leave your wallet in pain.

The offer, of course, isn’t actually free. It’s part of a scam, and it happens right here in Southwest Florida.

With CBD being so expensive, a free offer or a celebrity endorsement could convince you but, both are fake.

To get your free sample you are asked to give your credit card number to cover shipping costs. Usually, shipping is just a few bucks. But, then you discover that they are signing you up for a trial membership.

You only get 14 days to cancel but the shipment and charges take a month to show up, which is past the cancellation period.

Now, there’s a problem. You’ve signed up for a subscription service without even knowing it.

Bryan Oglesby is with the Better Business Bureau and he says many people have tried to shut down these scammers.

“This is a very hard game of whack-a-mole where these companies set up websites, they promote these free trial offers and then they shut them down and open a new website with a new brand and a new name, all selling these CBD products, pills, and oils,” Oglesby aid.

To help avoid these scams you can:

  • research the company online with the BBB
  • understand what happens when the free trial ends by reading the disclaimers
  • be skeptical of celebrity endorsements
  • report any losses to your credit card company

While this particular scam is all about CBD, this is part of a larger network called free trial scams. These include being offered everything from beauty products to online streaming services.

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