SEATTLE -- Mary Pounds could write a book about her episode with a free pair of Silkies pantyhose.

"I guess I wasn't working and so forth, and something was free," she said.

Silkies is a hosiery line sold by a mail order company called HCI Direct. According to their website, they've been selling Silkies for more than 30 years.

The "free" offer appears to be a regular part of their sales strategy.

Mary got her free Silkies. Just one problem: "Didn't like 'em," explained Mary. "And so I sent them back. And then they sent me some more in the meantime."

Mary returned the second shipment.

"And I send those back insured," she said.

But she got a bill for $14.92. The past due letter reads: "We sent you the Silkies shipment you requested."

"And I didn't request them!" insists Mary, "No, I did not!"

Mary continued to get hounded with demands for payment. She refused to pay, and she's not alone.

Women across the country filed complaints, saying they never ordered more pantyhose. Some even paid the bill just to avoid being sent to collection.

The complaints finally worked.

Silkies just agreed to pay $455,000 to settle a consumer protection lawsuit.

They agreed to change their marketing, and refund customers who paid bills they did not owe.

The lawsuit was filed by 15 states including Washington. The settlement is the final chapter in Mary's fate with freebies.

"I wouldn't send for anything free again," said Mary.

In this case, it was all about the fine print that said if you order the free pantyhose, you automatically agree to receive monthly shipments which you'll be billed for unless you cancel.

The company denies any wrongdoing. Washington State's share of the settlement is $29,000.

Bottom line: If some is promoted as free, stop and look for any strings attached. It may be the fact that you're giving up your name, address and other information to be used for future marketing and even sold to mass marketing lists.

And remember, if you have to pay anything, it's not free.

For more information:

www.atg.wa.gov