A suburban skincare technician who recently bought a $39,000 hair removal laser from an online business said her bank account was wiped out when the company wouldn’t refund her money for what turned out to be a broken laser. But when she complained about not being able to get a refund, she said received a disturbing response.
Rocio Fowler bought the equipment from a business called Used Cosmetic Lasers, Inc. The Villa Park woman said she made the major purchase to grow her skincare business.
"It's popular, and I said, ‘Why not?’ So I decided to invest in a laser that I found on the internet,” Fowler said.
She also enlisted the help of her 22-year-old daughter, an army officer in training, who took out a loan to help her mom.
“She did it within the next day,” Fowler told NBC 5 Responds. "And I was so proud of her and I said, ‘Thank you so much. It means a lot to me’ that she was ‘No problem mom, I believe in you and I know you can, you can do this.’”
Fowler’s savings, plus her daughter’s loan added up to a serious sum she paid up front — a decision Fowler quickly came to regret. The laser didn’t arrive, but plenty of excuses did:
“We are in a meeting. As soon as we get out we’ll give you a call,” Fowler said she was told.
Local
“’I’m on the plane.’ Always excuses, excuses,” she said.
Fowler said her suspicions were confirmed when she demanded pictures of the laser. One look, she said, and it was obvious it was broken.
“This is going to be a lot of money to fix, I cannot afford that. I would like to have my money back,” Fowler told the company.
It agreed, to a point, doling out random sums on its own timeline, according to Fowler. And then stopped paying and stopped taking her calls.
“Is this a ghost company?” Fowler said. “Because nobody ever answers.”
Frustrated, Fowler lashed out online, blasting the business for not returning all of her money. Used Cosmetic Lasers fired back with an email agreeing to refund the remaining $8,200, but only if she removed the negative online comments.
"I replied to them there should be no conditions of how I should get my money back,” Fowler said.
She’s right, and a new federal law backs her up: the brand new Consumer Review Fairness Act protects consumers who post critical reviews, and prohibits businesses from taking revenge in the form of lawsuits or penalties.
“So that’s when I reached out to you,” Fowler told NBC 5 Responds. "I asked for help because I was desperate.”
When NBC 5 Responds stepped in, Fowler said the business demanded she make NBC 5 go away if she wanted to get her money back.
"I said absolutely not. If you do not give me my money back, I'll do whatever it takes,” Fowler said. “And that means if I had to put you in the media I'll do it.”
Fowler kept her word. And after NBC 5 Responds’ next round of questions to the business about its threatening tactics, she also got all of her money back.
Used Cosmetic Lasers did not comment on this report.
