BBB Investigation:  Advertising on Facebook, “The Glamour Place” Provokes Nationwide Complaints

Milwaukee, Wis. – BBB’s file opened on “The Glamour Place” in April, and quickly began racking up a couple dozen inquiries per day from people across the country, as well as complaints, Scam Tracker submissions, and more than thirty negative reviews, initiating an investigation by the Better Business Bureau Serving Wisconsin (BBB).

Consumers report seeing ads on Facebook for make-up and beauty products at very low prices. After making a purchase, products did not arrive and complainants could not reach the company, according to complainants.

The website, www.theglamourplace.com lists only two pages of make-up, brushes and other beauty products, and shows slashed prices – for example from $44.99 to $16.95 for “silk fiber mascara” and $9.95 from $48 for “fadeless liquid lipstick.” The website does not have an address or phone number. The only form of contact is the email address support@theglamourplace.com, and BBB has not received any responses to emails sent to that address.

The company’s website was created on 10/29/18 and the registration is private.

“The BBB always recommends that you only do business with companies for which you can verify their existence, especially if answering an ad on social media or purchasing through a website” says Jim Temmer BBB Serving Wisconsin CEO/president. “Although the pictures and prices may be tempting, it is always pertinent that you do some checking before making any type of payment.”

The report rating for The Glamour Place is an “F” – BBB’s lowest. BBB’s investigation points out that this company’s website is newly created, and on the “Shipping and Refund Policy” page it states, “Only regular priced items may be refunded, unfortunately sale items cannot be refunded.” However, BBB notes that the website lists only sale items.

Ann, from Canada writes, “Very disappointed – it was MADE in China and shipped from there. I paid $48 Canadian. I would never have bought makeup made in China if aware of it. Lesson well learned! I paid with Visa for a purchase of foundation and mascara (after) I saw it advertised on Facebook and then Googled it.”

The BBB offers the following tips for Smart Shopping Online:

Think before your click. Be especially cautious about email solicitations and online ads on social media sites. Many sketchy retailers advertise great deals or trendy clothing that don’t measure up to the promotional hype.

Beware of too-good-to-be-true deals. Offers on websites and in unsolicited emails may offer free or very low prices on hard-to-find items. There may be hidden costs or your purchase may sign you up for a monthly charge. Look for and read the fine print.

Shop with a credit card. In case of a fraudulent transaction, a credit card provides additional protections; it’s easier to dispute charges that you didn’t approve. Debit cards, prepaid cards or gift cards don’t have the same protections as a credit card.

Check a site’s security settings. If the site is secure, its URL (web address) should start with “https://” and include a lock icon on the purchase or shopping cart page.

Protect personal information. Read a site’s privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If a site doesn’t have a privacy policy, that’s a big red flag that it may be a scam.

Read “Better Business Bureau Study Shines Light on Prevalence of Counterfeit Products in Online Retail”, a study released by BBB in May, 2019.

For an online version of the story click here

Follow the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube

For more information or further inquiries, contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.bbb.org/wisconsin, 414-847-6000 or 1-800-273-1002. Consumers also can find more information about how to protect themselves from scams by following the Wisconsin BBB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, the Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2018, people turned to BBB more than 173 million times for BBB Business Profiles on more than 5.4 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000 charities, all available for free at bbb.org. There are local, independent BBBs across the United States, Canada and Mexico, including BBB Serving Wisconsin which was founded in 1939 and serves the state of Wisconsin.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.