As the new year begins, many of us set our sights on achieving weight loss goals. If you are at the beginning of your journey, it’s important to be aware of the various weight loss scams being promoted. These scams deceive consumers with false promises and employ questionable business practices.
In a recent report to Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker, a consumer was persuaded to participate in a 30-day trial for supplements that claimed to increase metabolism and reduce appetite cravings. Despite receiving the initial batch of supplements, the consumer never received any more of the product but was subsequently charged over $1400 over 6 months. Despite multiple attempts to cancel the subscription and request a refund, the consumer was forced to cancel their credit card and is still in the process of trying to recover their funds.
Many weight loss products and plans use unrealistic promises to entice consumers, including claims of “melting,” “flushing,” “burning,” or “dissolving” away unwanted fat quickly. These products may be advertised with before-and-after photos of supposed users, and glowing five-star reviews.
Some of these companies engage in unethical business practices, such as making it difficult for consumers to cancel a subscription or obtain a refund. It’s important to read the fine print and be aware of any weight loss product that makes unrealistic claims or is difficult to cancel.
To help avoid weight loss scams, the Better…
