Elderly man allegedly lured into salon, forced to purchase $3.5k cosmetic products and package

An elderly retiree claimed that he was harassed by employees at a beauty salon who pulled him into the shop and then pressured him into paying $3,510 for products and a VIP package. 

Mr Zhang, 80, told Lianhe Wanbao that that incident happened in May this year and he was on his way home when he passed by a beauty salon. 

An employee from the shop then stopped him from leaving.

He said:

“I’m already so old. Why would I need these service? I ignored her but she kept pestering me and refused to let me go my way.

“She even shoved product samples to me.”

Mr Zhang said that the employee kept persuading him to step into the shop so she could explain how to use the product samples.

He finally gave in.

“I saw that she was quite sincere so I obliged.”

However, as soon as he set foot in the shop, several other employees swarmed around him, introducing various products.

Mr Zhang described the scene:

“They just kept pressurising me. To escape, I agreed to buy two products for $750. I hoped that they would just let me go.”

Mr Zhang's plan backfired. Sensing that he was willing to part with his money, the employees then pulled him into another room and plastered his face with some other cosmetic products. 

They reportedly told Mr Zhang that these were "premium products" that normal customers wouldn't be able to try. 

After that, they solicited another $2,760 from Mr Zhang in addition to the $750 for the two products earlier. 

This amounted to $3,510. 

Mr Zhang lamented:

“They told me that the fees include the products I bought, as well as a VIP treatment package. I had no idea what I was buying at all, and I never agreed to any VIP package either.”