Marketers who pitched homeopathic HCG drops as a quick and easy way to lose substantial weight have agreed to pay $1 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their weight-loss claims were deceptive and not supported by scientific evidence. The defendants have stopped selling HCG Platinum drops, and under the settlement, Kevin Wright and […]
Tag Archives: Bureau of Consumer Protection Consumer Protection Advertising and Marketing Health Claims
FTC Charges Gerber with Falsely Advertising Its Good Start Gentle Formula Protects Infants from Developing Allergies
The Federal Trade Commission has charged Gerber Products Co., also doing business as Nestlé Nutrition, with deceptively advertising that feeding its Good Start Gentle formula to infants with a family history of allergies prevents or reduces the risk that they will develop allergies. The agency also alleges that Gerber has falsely advertised Good Start Gentle’s […]
FTC Approves Final Orders Banning Marketer Behind ‘Fat Burner’ Diet Pills From Making or Selling Weight-Loss Products
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved two final orders settling charges that the former CEO and co-founder of an Atlanta-based marketing operation and his company deceived consumers with promises that their Healthe Trim supplements would burn fat, increase metabolism, and suppress appetite. According to the FTC’s complaint, announced last month, […]
At FTC’s Request, Court Stops Supplement Marketers From Deceptive Advertising and Illegally Debiting Consumers’ Accounts
At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a U.S. district court has temporarily stopped a group of marketers in Nevada and California from conducting business using “free” trial offers and health claims that the agency charges are deceptive and illegal to pitch green coffee bean extract and another dietary supplements. The FTC is seeking to permanently […]
FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that L’Oréal USA, Inc. Made Deceptive Advertising Claims for its Anti-Aging Cosmetics
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that cosmetics company L’Oréal USA, Inc. made deceptive advertising claims about its Lancôme Génifique and L’Oréal Paris Youth Code skincare products. According to the FTC’s complaint, announced in June 2014, L’Oréal made false and unsubstantiated claims that its Génifique […]
FTC Mails More Than 400,000 Claim Forms to Possible Victims of Alleged LeanSpa Scam
The Federal Trade Commission, through an administrator, is mailing 449,044 claim forms to consumers who may have lost money after buying LeanSpa, a supplement whose marketers allegedly made deceptive weight loss claims. The claim forms are intended to help determine which consumers are eligible for refunds. The FTC and the state of Connecticut sued the […]
Marketers of the Pro-Form ab GLIDER™ Agree to Pay $3 Million in Civil Penalties for Violating 1997 FTC Order Prohibiting Deceptive Weight Loss Claims
ICON Health & Fitness, Inc. (ICON) and its related entities have agreed to pay $3 million in civil penalties to settle FTC charges that the companies violated the Commission’s 1997 consent order by advertising that use of their exercise equipment for just three minutes a day would result in significant weight loss. “The FTC is […]
Judge Issues Order to Jail Two Dietary Supplement Sellers for Contempt
A federal district judge in Atlanta has issued an order finding that two dietary supplement marketers failed to comply with a previous court order that required them to recall purported weight-loss products that they deceptively pitched to consumers. The current order, issued on September 2, requires Jared Wheat and Stephen Smith to be jailed until […]
Green Coffee Bean Manufacturer Settles FTC Charges of Pushing its Product Based on Results of “Seriously Flawed” Weight-Loss Study
A Texas-based company, Applied Food Sciences, Inc. (AFS), has settled Federal Trade Commission charges that it used the results of a flawed study to make baseless weight-loss claims about its green coffee extract to retailers, who repeated those claims in marketing finished products to consumers. The FTC complaint alleges the study was so hopelessly flawed […]
FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that “BrainStrong Adult” Supplement Marketers Made Deceptive Memory Improvement Claims
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that supplement marketers i-Health, Inc. and Martek Biosciences made deceptive claims while advertising their BrainStrong Adult dietary supplement. The FTC’s complaint against i-Health and Martek, announced in June 2014, charges that the two companies, which sold the supplement at […]