The following news release was posted on the FTC website yesterday. It’s a much anticipated and necessary blow (although very late) in the battle against the plethora of Acai Berry Scams that have been preying on desperate consumers for nearly 2 years now.
The headline does sounds promising, but if you read the news release, you see they are announcing a lawsuit against a SINGLE COMPANY! There are dozens of companies participating in these scams. We do hope the message being sent will scare some others out of the business, but if prior such actions are any indication, we doubt it. Check back next week and we’ll have an update on the repercussions.
FTC to Announce Action Against Internet Marketers of Acai Berry Weight-Loss Pills and “Colon Cleansers”
Millions of consumers who are anxious to lose weight or prevent cancer have seen the ads: “…USE WITH CAUTION! Major weight loss in short periods of time may occur,” or “detoxify your organs,” and break down and remove “toxic waste matter which may have been stuck in the folds and wrinkles of your digestive system for years and years.” Come and learn from the victims themselves what the “free” trials of these products have cost, and how the Federal Trade Commission and the business community are taking action.
| WHAT: | The Federal Trade Commission will hold a press conference on Monday, August 16, 2010, at 10 a.m., to announce a lawsuit against a company that marketed acai berry weight-loss supplements and “colon cleansing” supplements by promising consumers “free” trials of the products. |
|---|---|
| WHO: | David C. Vladeck, Director, FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Martin Elliott, Senior Business Leader, Payment System Risk, Visa Inc. Two consumers who lost money on “free” trial offers promised by this company. |
| WHEN: | Monday, August 16, 2010, 10 a.m. (The room will be open 30 minutes early for media set up.) |
| WHERE: | Federal Trade Commission, Midwest Region 55 West Monroe Street, Suite 1825 Chicago, Illinois Call-in Information: The toll-free phone number in the U.S. and Canada is (866) 363-9013, the confirmation number is 94253184, and the chairperson is Gail Kingsland. The lines, which are for media only, will open at 9:45 a.m. CST. Please reference the confirmation number when joining the call. |
| PRESS CONTACT: | FTC Office of Public Affairs 202-326-2180 |
Diet News
You know? How the ***** are these IDIOTS getting AWAY with this crap??? I got scammed by the SAME ordeal about a year ago with opting for my “free” one full month trial bottles. I should have seen red flags when they “required” my card number to pay for the S/H (which by the way, if you have to pay even for S/H, it is NOT free!). So OF COURSE on my bill, there are a few smaller ammount of charges, THEN there’s the BIG one! Called the bank. All they said they could do was to put a “stop payment” on company; no need to replace my card. NOT!!! They (acai berries company) continued charging me ANYWAY from other companies which were obviously affiliated with them! Called the bank, demanded a cancellation AND replacement. THAT’S what I had to do about all that crap! What a convenience, huh? I was charged big payments for two or three months; causing me to overdraw along with overdraft fees! I will NEVER, EVER, EVER again opt for some bull**** who solicits ANY of their products through a “free” trial!!! I NEVER ONCE could get a hold of ANYONE to cancel the charges either! So…….I got screwed. I KNOW that makes this company happy along with the rest of us they’ve screwed over. NOT the bank’s fault….particially my OWN and OR COURSE, the company’s itself.
I ordered the Acai Berry appetite suppressant sample (pay shipping cost only) received the product and thought no more about it until I saw strange charges on my account, one for $6.95 and another for $99.95. When I called I was informed that this was only the first of several charges that would be made against my account. I was eventually given a cancelation # which I am sure is just as phony as their claims, so I am off to the bank to change my card number, and then to the attorney generals office to file a complaint.
I just wanted to thank you to guide to solve problem. I have read what you wrote over and over and it all makes so much good feel. I appreciate in your wrote. I want to thank you so much for the help and advice you have shared with me. Thank you so much for your words of advice.
SOMETHING needs to be done PURELIFE COLON CLEANSE (Streamlite) Pure Cleanse 125 E main #240 American Fork, UT. 84003. STATES ON THERE EMAIL ORDER THAT I AM GLADE3 I PRINTED, BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER FOUND ANYWHERE, THAT THE DISCOUNTED COST IS 1.74 shipping charge, MY ACCOUNT WAS CHARGED 89.41, I CALLED MY BANK AND THEY ARE RESEARSHING IT HOW EVER THE PHONE NUMBER ON THE EMAIL WHEN CALLED IS THE WRONG COMPANY NUMBER. THIS IS CALLED FRAUD IN MY EYES HOW CAN A PERSON ROBBED PEOPLE LIKE THIS…AND GET AWAY WITH IT. I am mad!!!! These SCAMS need to be SHUT DOWN!!! I want to join thisclass action law suite. I also sent this in an e-ail to the Gov. Charlie Crist
i cant believe this im so mad. called the bank they said the only thing to do is to change my account number because they will keep charging or change the amount they charge to get around any block the bank makes for that auto withdraw.aaahhhhh,I cant do anything to get my money back and these people can just rob whoever they want whenever they want.
Ok so, I fell for ‘what seemed like a miracle way to loose weight, like anyone who is desparate to loose weight, I didnt see the tell tell signs of a SCAM! After reading the (fake) news article, which I clicked on via Facebook, where they have the little ads on the right side of the page…
So foolishly I signed up for the two free trials … Acai Max Cleanse and Colon Get Slim! I was only due to pay the postage and packaging, which yes I handed over my bank details to do so. I told friend, who asked the nutritionist what he thought of Acai, who sent a link to this page…so about a couple of hours after I signed up, I ran to the bank and checked my account to find I had $2.94 / $1.48 / $99.52!! / $7.67 taken out from my account. Hang on a minute, I only signed up to pay for postage! Furious, I asked the bank to check where the payments were taken from and all she could say, was that my card was swiped, like I gave them my card. I told her I did the purchases online, so now I am going through a fraud investigation. I cut up my card there and then, and spent the whole weekend brooding about it. But seriously, I want to make sure these scam companies are SHUT DOWN!!
I just ordered on Oct.27th And 87.13 was charged on my card on the 5th day, It was a free trial and only to charge me shipping. My daughter also ordered on my card and another 87.13 was placed along with 2.49 and 1.49 and .09 and .04. I’ve cancelled before my 10 days and calling them makes me want to hurt someone, Please do something!!!
I would like to start a class action law suit! I was wondering how to get it public and have all victims join. I will be starting pages on as many websites as i can to get a big enough group together and looking for the right lawyer to help us. Family and friends have recieved all sorts of national charges after paying for the free trial anywhere from .4 cents to 1.50! This is separate from your order so please read your bank statements carefully!!! We also have talked to what I think was the GM named MARK ROBINS OR ROBINSON HE IS NO HELP AND HAS HUNG UP ON US AND COULD CARE LESS! IF YOU HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF HIS AIDING THIS SCAM I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW. HE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO COURT ALSO FOR HIS HUGE PART IN SCAMMING THE PUBLIC BY FALSE STATEMENTS! i will be starting pages all over to find any and every way to get us all together! please look for acai berry scam pages to join this class action law suit! Others have won their cases WE CAN TOO!!! THEY HAVE ALREADY PAID OUT 1 MILLION ALSO 200,000 AND STILL HAVE NOT STOPPED!
Hi Drew, like you I’ve been scammed. i come from Australia, i ordered my free trail acai max cleanse where you pay $2.95 for the shipping. I immediately rang and cancelled. Never received the cancellation email but I rang back again and received a CANCELLATION CONFIRMATION NUMBER which I keep incase they tried to bill me for more than the $2.95. What a joke though. They then charged me about 10 days later $88. 17 plus all the conversion charges to my account. I have tried ringing but can’t get onto anyone…OF COURSE…. I will ring my bank on monday morning first thing and cancel my card. What a joke. How can they do this…..??? and keep doing this… i have the company name that I retrieved from some where. Here is what I have – Acai Maxi Cleanse. PANAMARIAN COMPANY, NUTRIMAX LABS, INC. Customer Service- phone 61 390086242
Hope this helps someone else …… obviously this is usa number, so I am reluctant to call and pay the toll fee on top of what i’ve already lost.
Please keep us informed on the class action.
I was scammed as well although I was able to speak to a representative at the time I placed the original TRIAL order and he promised he would cancel it. A week later, a representative from the company called and I repeated that I had canceled the order and asked him to confirm his company had done so. He said “yes.” A short time later, an envelope arrived with “my” trial sample and several weeks later VISA called to say the company charged over $87 to my account for future orders. I was furious – and these companies are smart. Their “customer service” links are shams. I tracked the envelope with the sample, which had a return address of Chicago, has a post office notation stating it was mailed from Broward County in Florida. There is another notation that states “Weight Loss Systems and the number 1821612 – this information MUST help identify which of the many scam companies have taken advantage of me. I can’t stop future charges unless I find this company. Please keep me informed.
I wa one of the first one that orderd this product over a yr ago. still have a few of the skittles left.
I was also one of those people who got ripped off by this company. I will like to konw how I can get my money back.My phone # is 585-360-5105.I still have my pills.I also tried to contact the # that was in the brochure that came with my pills, but has no such luck. Thank you and good luck.
i am a consumer in janesville wi. i have just been scammed on friday, aug 13 2010, on the acai/cleanse ad. already started the cancellation on am of saturday, 8/14.
But i found out that the co. already put a pre auth hold on $100 at my bank.
am trying to go after co also, have the original copy of ad i ordered from which displayed abc logo and others, saying it was tried and recommended, so i foolishly trusted it. i cancelled and they said i would rec an email confirmation but have not.