INDIANAPOLIS — Consumer advocates are trying to make sure people don’t get scammed if they are working to lose weight this year.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are warning people about weight loss scams. This includes those claiming “miraculous” weight loss.
“Any time you see miracle claims for weight loss, be very skeptical,” the BBB said in its consumer alert. “There is no such thing as a ‘secret ingredient’ or ‘breakthrough formula’ that can result in weight loss virtually overnight.”
The FTC said it has investigated, sued and stopped many companies that made false weight-loss claims. Advertisements for these products may use images of “doctors” or even “news” reports to make people believe the product works.
The BBB said many consumers end up purchasing and using products such as body wraps, topical creams, dietary supplements, skin patches, and even earrings promising to “melt,” “flush,” “burn,” or “dissolve” away unwanted fat.
While it may have started with a free trial or a one-time purchase, the BBB said many consumer complaints described weight loss programs as difficult to cancel. Some people say they received recurring charges to their credit cards for more of the product. When they contacted customer service, they were informed that they had signed up for a subscription, which was only disclosed in the fine print of the terms and conditions of their…
