This popup shop opened in august 2017 in downtown santa fe, by owner iyar peretz, per bbb records They are not registered, or bbb accredited however). My husband and i visited santa fe the week of 1/9/2018. After a day hiking we went downtown to eat. We walked by the store at 122 west san francisco and i noticed there was no business name on the front. However a nice looking young man was standing on the stoop offering free hand cream samples and as i took one he suggested we stop inside for a free skin treatment that is like botox but without needles. He asked whether we were locals or visiting, and when we told him we were from minneapolis he said that he was too and showed us a driver's license so we were inclined to trust him. We explained we were driving through on our way to phoenix for a va memorial service for my husband's brother who had just died. He expressed his condolences, and said he was just in town temporarily helping out because he was a dm for the company for 10 years. His name was josiah. He also said he was working to take his parents to europe, and they were using senselife products successfully. He then showed some photos on his phone of the eyes of an older man and woman Presumedly his parents?) to show us the long-term benefits. He began demonstrating on one eye on each of us. There was a slight improvement in lightening the darkness under our eyes. Then he told us the product was $995. This was a shock to us. He started saying it would last two years and was better and cheaper than botox. Then he said he would give me a free lifting facial if i bought today and took me back to show me the two rooms where facials are done.
On the way back i said i didn't think my husband wanted to spend a thousand dollars on skin cream so he motioned my husband over and said he would give him a tube free and would also give him a complimentary facial, and tossed some free eye serum into the bag as well. He then started using a thermal led massager on my face which he said his parents used, but it was $4600. I said we needed to think and talk about everything, and we would return the next day if we wanted to proceed with a purchase. Josiah said the "deal" was only effective for today and that he would be at the store in taos the next day, so that was an incentive to buy now. My husband, to my surprise, then said he didn't want the facial or cream for himself but wanted to buy them as a gift for me. My mother died in september after i was her caregiver in our home for 8 years She had alzheimer disease). So he knew i felt the years had taken a toll on my appearance. I was stunned to see him hand over his bank of america credit card and josiah rang it up. He handed me the receipt and i put it in the bag, without looking, as my husband had already reviewed the screen.
Josiah then set up an appointment for the next day for a facial while my husband was to be at a nearby dermatology clinic for a skin rash. I asked josiah if he would be there and he said he would. This surprised me because josiah had said earlier he would be in the taos store the next day. I don't know if there is even another popup shop in taos but clearly he had been lying. When we returned to our motel later, i took out the receipt and saw the charges of $1083+ were nonrefundable. I asked my husband if he had realized that and he said josiah did not mention it. I then began to research the products online. To my horror, other reviewers here and elsewhere online report this company is a scam operation that has previously operated in multiple locations and kiosks all over the u.S. And even in canada and new zealand. The products have had different names but the hard sell, discount today-only specials, and nonrefundable policy is a standard part of the scam. I also learned from other victims that the products do not work as promised, that the products they receive are not the same as the ones demonstrated in the store, and the tubes only last a month or so, and not years. Some people even developed a rash. In nearly every case the person was badgered and overcharged and typically vulnerable in some way, either by age or disability or being tired and stressed. We are seniors and were very tired and stressed, as we made clear. None of them were aware of a no refund policy until they looked at their receipt later and many said the receipt was folded over to conceal the line stating so. Many of them attempted to return products but they were denied refunds.
The next day, 1/11, i asked my husband to contact bank of america to deny the charges based on fraud. He also called the phone number josiah insisted was his "personal number" to use if we couldn't make the appointment for the facial to tell him i would not be coming in as i had an altitude headache. This was true but in reality i wanted to wait for the response from bank of america and didn't want to be obligated in any way to senselife and other victims said the facial was in reality a way to pressure to buy even more and more expensive products/packages. By the way, the phone was answered by a woman who then turned it over to josiah after my husband said i was cancelling. The charges were pending but bank of america said after they posted they would decline payment. As soon as the charges posted the next day, 1/12, and we confirmed with bank of america that they were declining payment, my husband returned to the store with the bag of untouched and unopened products and the receipt and demanded a refund. The "manager" said she would need to "call" the owner. After she disappeared to the rear of the shop a 30ish, dark-haired, dark-skinned male came out to the counter and said he was the owner. My husband said he had a very thick israeli accent. This does not surprise me as i read that these skin care scams are being run by israelis and specifically recruits from the idf. It is strange that the "owner" was male, since the bbb lists a female, ms. Iyar peretz, as the owner. The man then said the store does not offer refunds, as per the receipt because they are cosmetics and "like medicine". My husband explained the products are not like a prescription at all, but otc creams, and were unopened and in fact had not left the bag since josiah placed them there two days ago so there was no reason not to take them back and give a full refund.
This man then offered a 40% discount, and my husband said, "i have a 100% refund because bank of america is refusing to pay you". The man then became very agitated and asked my husband why he was there, if that was the case. My husband said he was there so he could return the products so the shop could give us a full refund. The man then shouted and said "you already have your refund through bank of america so this conversation is over", and told my husband he has "7 attorneys and 27 stores". He did not hand back the products or receipt. My husband left the store, leaving products and receipt behind, and we filed reports with the mayor, the local press, the state attorney general and the bbb. On 1/18/2018, we saw a credit on our statement from bank of america from senselife. We also noted that senselife had answered our bbb complaint of 1/15 stating they refunded us in full on 1/08, prior to the complaint, which was two days prior to rhe purchase and clearly a lie. Even if it was a typo and they meant to say 1/18, they were still lying about the response being prior to the complaint. They also claimed we were informed about the no refund policy, which is another lie. We are cancelling the bank of america account after having it for 10 years, because other reports have said these scammers retain the numbers and sometimes charge other phony purchases to the card at a later date.
We will continue to pursue this matter, because these fraudsters need to be stopped. They get caught and then reopen shops elsewhere, and change their name. Not only have they violated the unfair practices act in new mexico And probably other consumer protection laws in other states) but i also learned that they have been prosecuted in minnesota for using israeli nationals in their kiosks and stores who are not legally authorized to work in the u.S. In addition, they are in violation of the ftc's cooling off rule in that they do not inform customers of their federal 3-day right of rescission nor do they supply the requisite cancellation forms. Note to Yscam staff: by the way this report indicates we did not use a credit card but i cannot discover how to change that to a "yes" even after clicking "edit". Please correct.
I had a very similar experience as yours last week. I was basically forced to buy $300.00 “product” before I could leave the store. I didn’t realize there were no refunds until I got home after visiting Santa Fe.
Senselife Reviews
This popup shop opened in august 2017 in downtown santa fe, by owner iyar peretz, per bbb records They are not registered, or bbb accredited however). My husband and i visited santa fe the week of 1/9/2018. After a day hiking we went downtown to eat. We walked by the store at 122 west san francisco and i noticed there was no business name on the front. However a nice looking young man was standing on the stoop offering free hand cream samples and as i took one he suggested we stop inside for a free skin treatment that is like botox but without needles. He asked whether we were locals or visiting, and when we told him we were from minneapolis he said that he was too and showed us a driver's license so we were inclined to trust him. We explained we were driving through on our way to phoenix for a va memorial service for my husband's brother who had just died. He expressed his condolences, and said he was just in town temporarily helping out because he was a dm for the company for 10 years. His name was josiah. He also said he was working to take his parents to europe, and they were using senselife products successfully. He then showed some photos on his phone of the eyes of an older man and woman Presumedly his parents?) to show us the long-term benefits. He began demonstrating on one eye on each of us. There was a slight improvement in lightening the darkness under our eyes. Then he told us the product was $995. This was a shock to us. He started saying it would last two years and was better and cheaper than botox. Then he said he would give me a free lifting facial if i bought today and took me back to show me the two rooms where facials are done.
On the way back i said i didn't think my husband wanted to spend a thousand dollars on skin cream so he motioned my husband over and said he would give him a tube free and would also give him a complimentary facial, and tossed some free eye serum into the bag as well. He then started using a thermal led massager on my face which he said his parents used, but it was $4600. I said we needed to think and talk about everything, and we would return the next day if we wanted to proceed with a purchase. Josiah said the "deal" was only effective for today and that he would be at the store in taos the next day, so that was an incentive to buy now. My husband, to my surprise, then said he didn't want the facial or cream for himself but wanted to buy them as a gift for me. My mother died in september after i was her caregiver in our home for 8 years She had alzheimer disease). So he knew i felt the years had taken a toll on my appearance. I was stunned to see him hand over his bank of america credit card and josiah rang it up. He handed me the receipt and i put it in the bag, without looking, as my husband had already reviewed the screen.
Josiah then set up an appointment for the next day for a facial while my husband was to be at a nearby dermatology clinic for a skin rash. I asked josiah if he would be there and he said he would. This surprised me because josiah had said earlier he would be in the taos store the next day. I don't know if there is even another popup shop in taos but clearly he had been lying. When we returned to our motel later, i took out the receipt and saw the charges of $1083+ were nonrefundable. I asked my husband if he had realized that and he said josiah did not mention it. I then began to research the products online. To my horror, other reviewers here and elsewhere online report this company is a scam operation that has previously operated in multiple locations and kiosks all over the u.S. And even in canada and new zealand. The products have had different names but the hard sell, discount today-only specials, and nonrefundable policy is a standard part of the scam. I also learned from other victims that the products do not work as promised, that the products they receive are not the same as the ones demonstrated in the store, and the tubes only last a month or so, and not years. Some people even developed a rash. In nearly every case the person was badgered and overcharged and typically vulnerable in some way, either by age or disability or being tired and stressed. We are seniors and were very tired and stressed, as we made clear. None of them were aware of a no refund policy until they looked at their receipt later and many said the receipt was folded over to conceal the line stating so. Many of them attempted to return products but they were denied refunds.
The next day, 1/11, i asked my husband to contact bank of america to deny the charges based on fraud. He also called the phone number josiah insisted was his "personal number" to use if we couldn't make the appointment for the facial to tell him i would not be coming in as i had an altitude headache. This was true but in reality i wanted to wait for the response from bank of america and didn't want to be obligated in any way to senselife and other victims said the facial was in reality a way to pressure to buy even more and more expensive products/packages. By the way, the phone was answered by a woman who then turned it over to josiah after my husband said i was cancelling. The charges were pending but bank of america said after they posted they would decline payment. As soon as the charges posted the next day, 1/12, and we confirmed with bank of america that they were declining payment, my husband returned to the store with the bag of untouched and unopened products and the receipt and demanded a refund. The "manager" said she would need to "call" the owner. After she disappeared to the rear of the shop a 30ish, dark-haired, dark-skinned male came out to the counter and said he was the owner. My husband said he had a very thick israeli accent. This does not surprise me as i read that these skin care scams are being run by israelis and specifically recruits from the idf. It is strange that the "owner" was male, since the bbb lists a female, ms. Iyar peretz, as the owner. The man then said the store does not offer refunds, as per the receipt because they are cosmetics and "like medicine". My husband explained the products are not like a prescription at all, but otc creams, and were unopened and in fact had not left the bag since josiah placed them there two days ago so there was no reason not to take them back and give a full refund.
This man then offered a 40% discount, and my husband said, "i have a 100% refund because bank of america is refusing to pay you". The man then became very agitated and asked my husband why he was there, if that was the case. My husband said he was there so he could return the products so the shop could give us a full refund. The man then shouted and said "you already have your refund through bank of america so this conversation is over", and told my husband he has "7 attorneys and 27 stores". He did not hand back the products or receipt. My husband left the store, leaving products and receipt behind, and we filed reports with the mayor, the local press, the state attorney general and the bbb. On 1/18/2018, we saw a credit on our statement from bank of america from senselife. We also noted that senselife had answered our bbb complaint of 1/15 stating they refunded us in full on 1/08, prior to the complaint, which was two days prior to rhe purchase and clearly a lie. Even if it was a typo and they meant to say 1/18, they were still lying about the response being prior to the complaint. They also claimed we were informed about the no refund policy, which is another lie. We are cancelling the bank of america account after having it for 10 years, because other reports have said these scammers retain the numbers and sometimes charge other phony purchases to the card at a later date.
We will continue to pursue this matter, because these fraudsters need to be stopped. They get caught and then reopen shops elsewhere, and change their name. Not only have they violated the unfair practices act in new mexico And probably other consumer protection laws in other states) but i also learned that they have been prosecuted in minnesota for using israeli nationals in their kiosks and stores who are not legally authorized to work in the u.S. In addition, they are in violation of the ftc's cooling off rule in that they do not inform customers of their federal 3-day right of rescission nor do they supply the requisite cancellation forms. Note to Yscam staff: by the way this report indicates we did not use a credit card but i cannot discover how to change that to a "yes" even after clicking "edit". Please correct.
Same experience
I had a very similar experience as yours last week. I was basically forced to buy $300.00 “product” before I could leave the store. I didn’t realize there were no refunds until I got home after visiting Santa Fe.