FTC charges weight-loss companies with false advertising
This is good news. Even though the federal agencies often seem to be losing the battle with scams (mainly due to limited resources and having to fight on multiple fronts), it's nice to see a few points being scored. The FTC has settled with Sensa and LeanSpa, and has announced charges against L'Occitane and HCG Diet Direct.
What riles me, however, is the arrogance of the representatives of these companies. Sensa settled after being charged with making unsubstantiated claims for their product which cost $59.99 (plus S&H) a month, yielding $354 million in profits between 2008 and 2012. Their response:
:mad: No, the core of its business is profit, which it will continue to do, apparently.
According to the article:
:mad::mad:
And rightly so. They should be ruined by it. That's the idea.
Note: I put this in General Skepticism under premise that most "weight-loss" products are woo.
This is good news. Even though the federal agencies often seem to be losing the battle with scams (mainly due to limited resources and having to fight on multiple fronts), it's nice to see a few points being scored. The FTC has settled with Sensa and LeanSpa, and has announced charges against L'Occitane and HCG Diet Direct.
What riles me, however, is the arrogance of the representatives of these companies. Sensa settled after being charged with making unsubstantiated claims for their product which cost $59.99 (plus S&H) a month, yielding $354 million in profits between 2008 and 2012. Their response:
Quote:
"SENSA® made a business decision to settle with the FTC so it could focus on the core of its business: its customers," the company said in response on its website. "The settlement includes no admission of wrongful conduct by the company... The company has agreed to make changes to its advertising claims but otherwise will continue business as usual." |
:mad: No, the core of its business is profit, which it will continue to do, apparently.
According to the article:
Quote:
The FTC shut down LeanSpa leader Boris Mizhen's weight-loss companies in December 2011, claiming they were using fake news websites to promote acai berry and colon cleansing products. The FTC said consumers were being ripped off by paying up to $79.99 in shipping and handling charges for a "free trial." In a statement, LeanSpa said that it "regrets that it was forced by heavy-handed government tactics and financial circumstances, including an unwarranted freeze of the personal assets of LeanSpa principal Boris Mizhen and his wife (who wasn't even involved in the business and has been accused of no wrongdoing), to enter into this settlement. LeanSpa never should have been named in this lawsuit and has been ruined by it." |
:mad::mad:
And rightly so. They should be ruined by it. That's the idea.
Note: I put this in General Skepticism under premise that most "weight-loss" products are woo.
via JREF Forum http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=271684&goto=newpost
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