FTC Sends More Than $2.8 Million in Refunds to Consumer Deceived by Supposed “Free Trial” Offers for Personal Care Products and Supplements

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The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $2.8 million in refunds to consumers who were charged for purported “free trial” offers for personal care products and supplements.

According to the FTC’s 2018 complaint, Apex Capital Group, Phillip Peikos, David Barnett, and related entities marketed supposed “free trial” offers for personal care products and dietary supplements online, but instead billed consumers the full price for the products and enrolled them in negative option continuity plans without their consent. To further the scheme, the defendants used dozens of shell companies and straw owners in the United States and abroad to process consumers’ credit and debit card payments.

The Apex Capital defendants began the alleged online subscription scam in early 2014, and marketed and sold a variety of products to consumers before the court issued an order in November 2018 halting the scheme at the Commission’s request.

The FTC is sending 153,940 checks totaling more than $2.8 million to consumers who lost money as a result of Apex Capital’s scheme. Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check.

Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Analytics, at 844-541-3531 or visit the FTC’s website to view frequently asked questions about the refund process. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.

The Commission’s interactive dashboards for refund data provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2023, FTC actions led to $330 million in refunds to consumers across the country.