More spas targeted by Botox bandits
RENO -- The search is on for another "Botox bandit," the latest case in which patrons skip out on spas without paying for treatments designed to erase signs of aging.
Police said a middle-aged woman left Genesis Medical Spa in Reno on March 12 without paying for more than $1,300 worth of Botox and facial filler treatments.
The woman said she had an important phone call to make and would be right back for her waxing appointment. But she last was seen getting into her car with California plates and driving off.
It was the third time since last summer that a woman left without paying for Botox services at the spa, which bills itself as the second largest provider of Botox and face fillers in Northern Nevada and Northern California, owner Scott Seidenstricker said.
Last summer, other women bilked the spa for $2,275 and $1,000 on separate occasions after receiving similar services.
Reno police spokesman Steve Frady said the cases were under investigation, and that he could not provide more information.
Elsewhere, a well-dressed woman walked away from a Houston clinic in February without paying for more than $2,600 in Botox treatments and skin care products. The woman said she had to leave to get her credit card and never returned.
In Phoenix, a woman left a spa in January without paying for more than $2,600 in Botox and other cosmetic procedures. When a spa manager raised a question about her credit card, the woman screamed and walked out.
No arrests have been made in any of the cases.
"I think it's becoming more and more prevalent based on our experience," Seidenstricker said. "This should put other practices on alert because it can and will happen.
"If they're obsessive-compulsive about aging and don't want to look older, some of these people will go to illegal lengths to correct this. If they can't afford it, they'll steal it."
Botox is injected into a person's face to smooth frown lines and wrinkles. To retain the appearance, follow-up injections are needed every three to six months.
Seidenstricker said he's taking a wait-and-see attitude before deciding whether to revise payment procedures.
