In a recent article titled Hair Growth Treatment Leaves Big Hole in Woman’s Wallet, the Chicago Tribune reports that Shelley Lindsay, a forty-year-old hairdresser, paid almost eleven thousand dollars for a hair loss treatment in which she was offered a money back guarantee.
In this Chicago Tribune column, Lindsay states, “He wanted the money right there, upfront, And of course I made a bad decision.” Jon Yates reports:
“Lindsay wrote a check Sept. 4 and began the six-month regimen. Twice a week, she spent 30 minutes under an NHGI laser machine, a slick contraption that looks like a hair dryer from “The Jetsons.” She took three pills three times a day, dietary supplements supposed to aid the re-growth process. She used Bennis Hair Sciences shampoo, conditioner and cleanser. She applied two tonics— “morning formula” and “evening formula”—religiously.
Because the program was so expensive, Lindsay took her own before-and-after photos. She also shot video of her hair on the night she signed the contract and again several weeks ago.
She saw no results.
After the six months had ended, she complained to Bennis, who extended her treatments one more month, she said. When that month was over, she still hadn’t seen a difference, she said.
Lindsay said she tried for about two months to schedule a final appointment to discuss getting her money back, but Bennis would not return her calls. On April 11, she sent him a certified letter. For weeks, he did not respond.”
It was at this point Shelly Lindsay wrote the Chicago Tribunes’s “What’s Your Problem” column written by Jon Yates on April 30, 2008.
Be a smart hair loss treatment consumer and remember to check with The American Hair Loss Association before buying any product or service to treat your hair loss.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I was a customer of NHGI and I’m now trying to get a refund. He said, he will send me a package of my before and after photos within 30 days and it’s now week 3 and I haven’t received anything yet.
Please contact me at Getstevebennis@yahoo.com if you’ve been scammed by this organization.
I have filed a complaint with both the BBB and the Attorney General against the Natural Hair Growth Institute. After 6 months of this very unprofessional procedure, I did not grow (1) hair on my head. NOT ONE! Now I’m trying to collect the so called 100% money back guarantee. It is my opinion that the owner Steve Bennis is the biggest liar I have ever met in 47yrs of life.
Speaking of Steve Bennis and his trickster ways. I went in for my 30 minute free consultation and within 10 minutes knew that this was more of a sales ploy than a cure for hair loss. After the consultation, Steve presented the pricing of that being around $10k or more. I am currently paying student loans and car loans and informed Steve that I just couldn’t afford it. This goes back to August of 2008. Now its February of 2009 and I just received a letter from one of his attorneys to repay the $14,800 that I was contracted to do so. Wait a minute? I never received any services, never signed a contract? Any recommendations on attorneys?
I just left the NHGI for a free consultation. After waiting an hour late for my appointment, I was finally seen after the paying customers were taken care of. I thought I was at a car dealership or a contestant on “Let’s make a deal”. He goes to question me about my life and activities. He barely looked at my scalp. He waved a wand on it and I saw a picture of my scalp. But he seemed like he was in a hurry and very impatient to tell me if the scalp condition was due to medical illness. He was more concerned about how I can pay for his services and sign a contract. After refusing one price he goes down and down and then he told me to just sign a contract and leave a credit card number and I would have three days to cancel or make up my mind. I noticed he got agitated with each rejection. When I finally said no, I need twenty four hours to think about it, he became from short, the sweetness went away quickly, he quickly escorted me to the door and said goodbye. No thank you, no come back and see us, no call me if you have any questions. I guess out of the abundance of a man’s heart his mouth speaks. In other words, if someone gets quickly angry after a customers refusal, that tells me he is no good and will not be someone I would want to do business with.
I was under the Steve Bennis program for 8 months without any success. Steve gave me one lie after another. 100% refund if you are not satisfied with results is nothing but another one of his lies. This man should be put in jail for all the pain he has caused people that went with his program because they trusted him. I have since hired a Lawyer who is working on my case. I WOULD NOT refer Steve Bennis/ Natural Hair Growth Institute to my worst enemy. This man is nothing but a liar and a theft Watch out for him!!!
I met with Steve Bennis almost 3 years ago. I put down 5,000 dollars in good faith to think about it for 3 days. I spoke to my physician and he advised me to cancel for my hair loss was due to my anorexia. I called Steve and he gave me a verbal agreement that my money would be refunded. Then it began, he was never in the office, never answered the phone, or out of the country, and no one else seemed to be able to give a refund. The Oakbrook address on the web was false so I could not just drop in. SoI had my sister call as a new patient set an appt. and I went instead. When Steve saw me it was like he saw a ghost. He did meet with me and said if I would meet with him for lunch we could work something out. So I did. Of coarse he came with no check . He offered me jobs selling papers for him, joked about taking people to court, and then asked me if he could go back to my apartment with me. I was in awe…….I said certainly not. We left the restaurant and again another empty promise, call me in two weeks and I will have something worked out……..No Answer. I continued to call and then he gave me some nonsense about tax problems he was having. I have since moved to nashville, but I am not going to give up. This man is a criminal. Not a friend as he says. Be careful please.
I got the same problem they stol my money eight thousand dllrs