Ruby Beauty is one of two parlours that signed an undertaking to stop its unfair practices.

Customers who wanted a $38 facial treatment ended up paying almost 50 times more for a beauty package.

Two beauty parlours - Wishing Well Beauty Centre and Ruby Beauty - were singled out by the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCCS) for unfair trading practices.

According to a CCCS statement, both beauty parlours had staff approach customers in Bencoolen Street to entice them with a discounted facial at $38.

In other instances, some customers initially agreed to a single mole or skin removal at $5, but the staff would perform a more expensive facial treatment or additional removals, without the their consent, chalking up a few hundred dollars in the end.

Alternatively, the staff would pressure customers to buy a 10-session beauty package, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

LED TO BELIEVE

Customers were also led to believe that the packages were transferable with an unlimited validity period, while printed invoices and appointment cards stated otherwise.

CCCS told The New Paper that some customers ended up paying about $1,980 for the packages. It found that Wishing Well and Ruby Beauty had engaged in unfair trading practices of charging a price for goods or services that is substantially higher than an estimate provided and misleading consumers into thinking that the transactions gave them certain rights.

The parlours also omitted material facts to consumers by using small font sizes and insisted on payment for the supply of unsolicited goods or services.

Both parlours have signed an undertaking to stop the unfair practices.

REFUNDED

CCCS told TNP that the parlours have refunded affected customers after the competition watchdog and the Small Claims Tribunal intervened. It said it will continue to monitor the conduct of both businesses.

According to CCCS, the beauty industry has consistently been ranked among the top three industries with the most complaints received by the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case). It was ranked the top in 2018.

CCCS is monitoring other businesses in the beauty industry, and they are reminded to not engage in any unfair practices that mislead consumers.

Customers who come across unfair practices can approach Case at www.case.org.sg or call the hotline on 6100-0315.