“My friend made a post on Facebook saying, ‘look at this air purifier’ and there was a smaller unit, ‘click here to get yours for free for no obligation,’ so I clicked on it,” Vasquez explained.
To get the air cleaning device, Vasquez had to agree to sit through a sales demonstration for the Rainbow Home Cleaning System in her home.
“It’s basically a multi-function vacuum cleaner that has a water tank to filter out impurities and it’s supposed to freshen the air,” she said.
After the demonstration, Vasquez received the small air purifier, but said the salesperson told her if she could sign up 12 other people to buy the cleaning system she could have the vacuum for free as well.
“The next thing you know, she is shoving these forms at me and I’m signing things. She didn't even let me look at the contract to fill everything out myself," Vasquez said.
A Toronto woman says she signed a contract for a $7K vacuum after receiving a free gift.
When the salesperson left, Vasquez became concerned that if she didn't sign up 12 other people to buy the vacuum, the contract stated she would have to purchase the cleaning system for $4,519.
The other option on the contract was to pay the money owing through a payment plan over three years. The 36 payments of $197 per month totalled $7,092.
“I want them to come and pick up the unit and I want something in writing saying my obligation is severed and that my obligation is also severed with the finance company" said Vasquez.
CTV News Toronto reached out to Rainbow and a company spokesperson said when people click on the link it’s clear they will be contacted by the company for an in-home demonstration.
“By clicking submit, I agree to be contacted by Rainbow Systems to showcase the Rainbow home cleaning system. (No purchase obligation). Before submitting to receive the small air purifier, customers have to agree to taking a look at the bigger model, no purchase obligation required, just like her friend who filled out the survey, she received the small air purifier for taking a look at the bigger model and did not purchase.”
Rainbow added “We have looked up this customer and our records show that she has already cancelled her purchase last month, and she is in arrangement with the salesperson to pick up the machine.”
Vasquez said she is hopeful she is free of the contract and says she will be more careful accepting free gifts in the future.
“I would say no to a free gift. It’s not worth getting stuck in this kind of situation,” said Vasquez.
Always be cautious if you see anything advertised for free but if you do agree to a demonstration in your home and sign a contract you have a ten day cooling off period to cancel it for any reason.
As bystanders screamed for help, a man with a knife stabbed four young children at a lakeside park in the French Alps on Thursday, assaulting at least one in a stroller repeatedly. The children between 22 months and 3 years old suffered life-threatening injuries, and two adults also were wounded, authorities said.
The hot, dry conditions that are fuelling wildfires countrywide are just the beginning of what summer could look like in Canada this year, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.
The battle against hundreds of wildfires continues, as almost every jurisdiction in Canada remains under either heat or air quality warnings from the federal government. The day after what was supposed to be national Clean Air Day, dozens of alerts remain in place for unseasonable heat or smoky air quality.
Norwegian officials said the smoke from Canadian wildfires that has enveloped parts of the U.S. and Canada in a thick haze is expected to pour into Norway on Thursday.
New Brunswick students under the age of 16 who identify as trans and non-binary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
Pat Robertson, a religious broadcaster who turned a tiny Virginia station into the global Christian Broadcasting Network, tried a run for president and helped make religion central to Republican Party politics in America through his Christian Coalition, has died.
An official recommendation to wear a mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is being echoed by health experts as plumes of smoke make their way across parts of Canada, causing poor air quality.
An Ontario man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Claudia Iacono, the daughter-in-law of Mafia associate Moreno Gallo, after she was gunned down at the wheel of her car in Montreal last month.
The hot, dry conditions that are fuelling wildfires countrywide are just the beginning of what summer could look like in Canada this year, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.
The man in the spotlight during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Dr. Horacio Arruda, has been appointed assistant deputy minister at the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
Just before 8 a.m. on Tuesday, police say a man entered a business on Dundas Street near Adelaide Street and once inside, tried to steal things and made threats towards employees while holding a knife.
There's high levels of air pollution in Waterloo region and Wellington County as smoke plumes from wildfires burning in Quebec and northeastern Ontario continue to blow into the region, Environment Canada says.
Kitchener is hosting a series of watch parties to cheer on basketball star Jamal Murray as his Denver Nuggets take on the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.
Romance scams have always been around, but they got worse during the pandemic, and fraudsters continue to use social media and dating sites to find victims.
Smoke and haze from wildfires cleared over Ottawa-Gatineau on Thursday, allowing outdoor recreational programming and activities to resume. Officials warm the smoke and haze could return on Friday afternoon.
The Ottawa Real Estate Board says home sales were up six per cent in May 2023 compared to a year prior, marking the first year-over-year unit sales volume increase since early last year.
The shifting winds late Thursday morning are predicted to push high levels of air pollution over the City of Barrie and surrounding areas from smoke emanating from wildfires in Quebec and northeastern Ontario.
Barrie city councillors got a shocking but not surprising reality check into the affordability challenges facing many residents looking to put a roof over their heads.
New Brunswick students under the age of 16 who identify as trans and non-binary won't be able to officially change their names or pronouns in school without parental consent.
The Halifax Regional Municipality says it will announce Thursday when more residents can return to their homes in communities impacted by the Tantallon wildfires.
Irving Oil says it’s undertaking a “strategic review” with an eye to its future. In a release Wednesday, the company says it’s looking at a number of options, including the sale of its assets.
Calgary city council has reconsidered its decision to vote against recommendations made by an expert panel to address the city’s housing affordability crisis.
Police say a man on a mobility scooter has life-altering injuries after he was struck by a vehicle in a northeast Calgary intersection on Wednesday evening.
The hot, dry conditions that are fuelling wildfires countrywide are just the beginning of what summer could look like in Canada this year, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.
The closure of Fort Gibraltar following the collapse of an elevated walkway that sent 16 students and one teacher to hospital has left some couples scrambling to find a place to get married.
An official recommendation to wear a mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is being echoed by health experts as plumes of smoke make their way across parts of Canada, causing poor air quality.
Some of the world's top players are teeing off at the RBC Canadian Open today amid the hotly debated LIV Golf-PGA Tour controversy that shook the golf world this week.
Drivers are being asked to find another way or prepare for delays on the Henday this weekend, because crews need to close a bridge over the North Saskatchewan River.
The Archdiocese of Edmonton will spend $3.2 million on reconciliation initiatives with First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in the Alberta capital region.
A Toronto woman says she signed a contract for a $7K vacuum after receiving a free gift.
