How To Avoid Common Diet Scams

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Article Title: How To Avoid Common Diet Scams

Author: Ellis

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As our country gains weight at an alarming rate, we are

spending more each year on products that promise us easy,

effortless weight loss. Each year in the United States, an

estimated 35 billion dollars is spent each year on weight loss

products. The problem is that in spite of headlines that feed

our hopes that a new, secret, “better” weight loss formula has

been discovered, the truth is there are no easy solutions to

losing weight.

Simply put, weight loss is a combination of lifestyle choices,

and is the result of a firm commitment to making and

maintaining them over a period of time. Any products that offer

weight loss without reduced caloric intake and increasing

activity levels are fraudulent- and a waste of money.

Why Do People Buy Products That Are Scams?

Bruner, MD, MPH, FASBP is a specialist in weight loss,

and a fellow in the American Society of Bariatric Physicians.

She shares one of the major reasons that weight loss scams

flourish today: “We live in a society today that wants

immediate gratification. This is reflected in our willingness

to buy from those that promise ‘instant results’”.

The increasing obesity in our society, and hopes that weight

loss can be achieved without lifestyle changes fuels the growth

of frauds. Bruner states, “In the U.S., currently 61% of the

population is overweight, and the numbers are going up. There’s

a huge market out there for weight loss products. After all, it

appeals to us to find out that you can ‘Lose 30 pounds in 30

days.’ We don’t want to have to deprive ourselves of our

favorite foods, and want something that will ‘magically’ absorb

the calories.”

Jeannette Kopko, Senior Vice President of the Better Business

Bureau for Dallas and Northeast Texas, agrees that illegitimate

weight loss products feed on false promises: “People are fooled

by these scams because they hope that they aren’t scams. They

hope that they’re real, and are an easier, faster, painless way

to lose weight.”

With the huge demand for weight loss products (and their

revenues), companies are more than willing to become

suppliers-whether or not their products work. Kopko states,

“The number of companies hawking bogus supplements and weight

loss products is increasing rapidly in recent years.”

How can you spot a weight loss scam?

Typically, weight loss scams make promises that aren’t

realistic. Headlines that promise weight loss without dieting

are always scams, since calorie reduction is the basis of any

true weight loss program. There are no legitimate weight loss

programs that allow you to “eat whatever you want” without

limit. As Revelle, public relations specialist at the

FDA notes: “If it sounds too good to be true-it is!”

Other tips offs that the weight loss product is a scam include:

* Claims to be a “secret” formula: Products that claim to have

secret formulas are scams. Dr. Bruner feels strongly on this

issue, and states, “There are no ‘secrets to weight loss’ being

held away from the public. In America alone, an estimated 100

people a day die from obesity; we could prevent 300,000 deaths

annually if there was a real product that made weight loss

simple and safe, and physicians would be the first to prescribe

them.”

* There’s no physical address for the business. Legitimate

products and services will have a physical address and phone

number. Be wary of those that only offer a mailbox, or a

toll-free number to call manned by “help center” personnel.

Kopko shares, “While not all companies that have P.O. or

private mail boxes (PMBs) are illegitimate, plenty are. Check

to see if there are the letters ‘PMB’ after a physical address;

this indicates that it’s really a private mail box, that can

forward mail to anywhere in the world.” She adds that the

Internet is also being used to promote frauds, and adds, “You

can’t judge how good or legitimate a product is by how

professional the web site looks. This only reflects how good

their web designer was.”

* They promise rapid weight loss. Weight loss that is too rapid

is not only unhealthy, but is normally quickly regained. The

best plans advocate moderate goals, with slow, steady weight

loss of about 6-8 pounds a month over a long period. Dr. Bruner

states, “Any product that offer overnight or rapid changes is a

fraud.”

* They state that they can help a person lose fat or cellulite

in a specific part of the body. Body fat is lost overall, not

in a spot, and ads that claim otherwise are frauds.

* They promise permanent weight loss. No product can do this,

since permanent weight loss is maintained by lifestyle changes.

By avoiding products with the above “red flags” in their

advertising, you can protect yourself from illegitimate

products-and save money.

Types of Weight Loss Scams

Weight loss scams can range from the highly illegal (and even

dangerous) to the mildly unethical. Kopko states, “There are

degrees of fraud and misleading consumers. Some are scams where

the person doesn’t receive anything at all when they send in

their money. Another form of scam is when the customer sends in

money, and they get a product that has no benefit, such as a

sugar pill.”

Other weight loss scams use questionable practices, such as

making claims for an ingredient-but without scientific studies

to back them up. Kopko adds, “In yet other scams, the product

has very low levels of active ingredients, so the person

doesn’t get the desired result.”

Some products sell because their names are similar to real

products-even though they don’t contain the same ingredients or

quality. Dr. Bruner warns that these knockoffs are frauds: “The

person thinks, ‘Oh, I can get this a lot cheaper here…’ but be

careful, and check it out thoroughly first.”

Kopko has seen all types of weight loss scams during her years

with the Better Business Bureau. She remembers, “Years ago, in

our area, there was a business that sold ‘weight loss glasses’;

one lens was blue, the other brown. Supposedly, the two colors

‘confused the brain’ and the person didn’t get hungry.” She

adds, “Another fraud was weight loss “bath powder’ that a

person pours into the tub, that promised weight loss.”

Today, popular scams are pills, powders, patches, and herbal

teas that supposedly promote weight loss.

One recent scam was a powder taken a few hours before sleep.

Kopko states, “It promised that the fat would “melt away” while

you slept. The only benefit was that the person gave up their

bedtime snack when they took it; there was nothing in the

powder to help. And the person who bought the powder was then

deluged with other products from the company that would ‘make

the product work better.’ It was all a huge fraud.”

Dr. Bruner has also seen a variety of weight loss scams over

the years. She states, “I’ve seen people wearing inserts in

their shoes; the manufacturers claim that they hit pressure

points to relieve hunger (it doesn’t work). Another scam is a

‘“chocolate patch’ designed to reduce cravings for chocolate,

or wearing special clothing to spot reduce areas.” She notes

that in Europe, another popular weight loss fad is getting

attention: “In Europe, right now mesotherapy, injecting a drug

into the muscle, is a very popular fraud.”

FTC’s sokesperson Shirley Rooker notes that the FTC recently

stopped another popular weight loss scam-and the company was

forced to pay back millions to consumers taken in by its

fraudulent ads. She notes, “The Enforma System claimed that its

products increase the body’s capacity to burn fat and would help

the body burn more calories while just standing or sitting

around doing nothing, even while sleeping. And the TV ads

stated that consumers could enjoy fried chicken, pizza, and

other high-calorie, high-fat products and still lose weight.

The FTC complaint charged that there was no proof that Fat

Trapper and Exercise in a Bottle really worked.”1

Why Aren’t They Stopped?

With the huge numbers of weight loss frauds out there (it only

takes opening up a magazine, or surfing the Internet to view

some), the question of why they are allowed to continue is

raised.

Kopko says, “I get a lot of calls from people who ask, ‘Why

isn’t something being done?’ about a scam. Basically, the

answer is: until we receive complaints, a fraud can’t be

investigated.” She adds that many times, people who are scammed

don’t file reports. “They don’t want the bother, or they don’t

know where to turn. The complaints we get are probably only a

fraction of the problem that’s out there.”

She warns that not being shut down is not a guarantee of

reliability. “Just because a business is out there, selling

weight loss products doesn’t mean they’re legitimate; it may

just be that they haven’t been caught yet. This is why it’s so

important to be an aware consumer. “

Once complaints are made, law enforcement will step in and

start investigating weight loss frauds. They often prosecute

illegal businesses, and force them to make restitution to their

victims. But Kopko shares that not every questionable weight

loss product can be dealt with in this manner: “Some scams

might not be illegal-just unethical. They market their products

in a way that implies benefits, instead of stating them

outright, and skirt the legal boundaries of false advertising.”

In some cases, stopping a fraud takes time because of the

decision over who has jurisdiction, and the time needed to

gather the data to begin prosecuting a company. For instance,

the FDA’s Moica Revelle states that they only have jurisdiction

over scams in which a product is proven to be unsafe. “We

monitor the quality and safety of weight loss products; but we

don’t have jurisdiction if there’s no evidence of harm done.”

In many cases of false advertising, the FTC steps in, and uses

information gathered by other agencies to make their case

against a company. Kopko states that the Better Business

Bureau, while not having jurisdiction itself, make their task

easier. “We keep information about businesses on file,

including complaints against them, and share this with law

enforcement and government agencies.”

How To Protect Yourself From Scams

One of the best methods of protecting yourself from weight loss

scams is to seek medical advice from a qualified physician who

specializes in weight loss (bariatric medicine). At times, this

means first coming to terms with a realistic view of weight

loss. Dr. Bruner states, “Losing weight isn’t simple or easy.

Basically, it means reducing calories and exercising, but it

must be individualized to the person’s needs. For instance, the

person with insulin resistance needs a higher protein, lower

carbohydrate diet so they won’t feel that they’re starving; and

those with allergies (such as to wheat or yeast) will need a

diet that avoids these items.”

To protect yourself from scams, check the product out first

with your physician. And if possible, try to avoid “impulse

buying”. First investigate the product and the company’s

reliability with consumer organizations. This can save you

needless expense and disappointment in the long run.

Another method of avoiding scams is to visit sites that

investigate consumer frauds-and check out a company before

buying. Kopko states, “The Better Business Bureau is a

participant with the Sentinel Database (online at

www.consumer.gov/sentinel ) which allows consumers and law

enforcement to view trends and complaints against businesses.

You can also go online to our national web site at www.bbb.org

to check out a company nationally. Just click on the “consumer

info” link, and look up diet fads and scams that have been

reported.”

Weight loss scams are on the rise, and the numbers of companies

using fraudulent advertising are multiplying. By taking the time

to carefully investigate a company and its products, and

choosing to work with a qualified physician on your weight loss

goals, you can save yourself needless expense and

disappointment. Best of all, you can get started on the road to

real, achievable weight loss goals while maintaining good

health.

About The Author: Fitness Consultant Ellis has helped

thousands of individuals lose fat and build more muscle. To

read more about his fat loss recommendations please check out

his site at http://www.fatlosstips.com

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