RM300,000 spent on hair care

KUALA LUMPUR: Two sisters who claim that they were pressured into spending almost RM300,000 on numerous hair treatments are now planning to sue the company to get their money back, as well as for the stress they underwent.

Auditor Elizabeth Chow of Sungai Buloh, Selangor, said she spent RM264,048 via 13 credit card payments and visited the centre 31 times for treatments since Dec 27 last year until May.

Her sister Margaret, 56, spent RM30,823.73 on various packages too.

Elizabeth, 47, who suffered hair loss, said she received an e-mail promoting hair care with a free trial. After the free trial, she was convinced to sign up for hair care packages amounting to RM12,910.80 with the hair care centre in a shopping centre in Petaling Jaya on Dec 27 last year.

“They told me I needed a lot of treatment. Each time I went to the centre, I was told that my hair was not strong, I have no more collagen and at the last session, that my scalp has bacteria,” she said, adding that she was asked to sign up for a variety of treatments such as anti-dandruff, hair care, hair weave and herbalogy, as well as for products and vouchers.

She said that on May 2, she was told to get her scalp treated or suffer otherwise.

Taking action: Chong briefing the media after Elizabeth (left) and her sister Margaret discussed the matter with him at Wisma MCA.

 

“I didn’t think that I had a bacterial infection on my scalp and they told me that I would feel itchy but I did not,” she said during a press conference at the MCA Public Services and Complaints Department yesterday.

Suspecting something amiss, Elizabeth said she decided to see a dermatologist, who told her that she did not have any bacterial infection.

The following day, she called up the centre’s headquarters and complained, but was told to continue with the treatment.

Both sisters lodged police reports at the Damansara police station yesterday.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Seri Michael Chong urged people not to fall easily for beauty treatment claims.

“If there is a bacterial attack, please seek a second opinion and go to a qualified skin specialist,” he said.

Last year, he said, the department received 11 complaints – nine relating to facial treatments and two on fitness packages – and the victims were all women.

The packages cost RM3,000 to RM20,000.

This year, the department received two complaints on facial treatments and one on hair care.