FTC shuts down Canadian scammers, freezes assets
Bio Lab, maker of Cellu-Fight, Quick Slim - International scammers use Mail Boxers Etc. locations in Toronto, Montreal, Plattsburgh and Lake Placid, NY.
Finally, some good news. The long arm of the U.S.'s FTC slammed a Canadian based diet fraud operation. It's Bio-Lab, based in Quebec. The bad news is that these folks have operated out of two Mail Boxes Etc. two locations in upstate New York, and several other locations in Ontario and Quebec and have not been shut down in Canada.
So, don't expect Health Canada to come to your rescue if you've been scammed. Canada's Competition Bureau was given credit for helping the FTC, so why doesn't the Canadian government put leg irons on these folks on this side of the border? Until the body bags start piling up, they won't do a thing about consumer ripoffs like this. So, don't buy this junk. It's as simple as that.
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Pure Health International - www.bodyweightloss.com Diet Book Scam
Are you going to give Toronto's notorious scammer Amro Aleish your sensitive credit card information when you order his e-manual for losing weight permanently? If you do, you might as well kiss your money goodby. He lies about his location in Toronto. He fails to place PMB on his web site as required by U.S. law, when he uses a MBE location in Plattsburgh, New York. Plus, he can't even spell it correctly.
PhytoPharma - Plant Macerat continue operations from Canada
Latest ads running in Prevention Magazine - July 2002
Despite the CTV W-FIVE show in January and February, and despite numerous official complaints to our government, Patrice Runner seems to be the "teflon don" of diet products. He's been around so long, I am beginning to wonder if he really is who he says he is. According to the July issue of Protégez-Vous, Quebec's consumer watchdog magazine, Runner and his associates have been involved in at least 30 different schemes, all of them diet related.
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Cellu-Fight - another MBE based scam
Latest Toronto based cellulite scam
Why does Mailboxes Etc. franchise holder at the Pickle Barrel Plaza on Leslie Street in Toronto harbour yet another diet scam?
Don't expect Health Canada to come to your rescue. Until the body bags start piling up, they won't do a thing about consumer ripoffs like this. So, don't buy this junk. It's as simple as that.
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Dr. Bernstein's diet panned by CBC Marketplace
Leading expert on low calorie diets endicts Bernstein
Despite lawsuits and celebrity hawkers, his diet empire continues to grow.
"If you are thinking about shedding a few pounds and you see Mike Bullard's ads for the Bernstein Health and Diet Clinics, look beyond the famous face and make sure it's right for you."
PharmaPlus sells dubious weight loss products and devices
Take a look at this week's flyer for your favorite diet scam
Why would Canada's second largest drug store conglomerate risk their reputation in the marketplace. Why do they market bogus products like AbSolutions, Fat Trapper, Ezee Slimming Patches, and Cellasene?
Vitamin Fitness and Weight Loss Products Targeted.
FTC's Project Absurd - takes aim at abdominizers
WASHINGTON - May 9, 2002 - FTC Charges Three Top-selling Electronic Abdominal
Exercise Belts with Making False Claims
Alleges Electronic Abdominal Gadgets Won't Provide Six-Pack Abs
"Now you can get rock hard abs with no sweat"
"Lose 4 Inches in 30 Days Guaranteed"
"30% More Effective Than Normal Exercise"
"10 Minutes = 600 Sit-Ups"
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Health Canada considers abdominal exercisers - May 14, 2002
Health Canada is investigating claims made
by the makers of several abdominal exercise belts. The
move follows lawsuits filed by American authorities
against the marketers of three belt brands: AbTronic,
AB Energizer and Fast Abs.
Consumer Information on Electronic Muscle Stimulators
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission takes action against Abtronics
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - May 9, 2002 - The ACCC alleges that Danoz Direct Pty Ltd, sole director Mr Moshe Ozana and other
individuals engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct, or were knowingly
concerned in the conduct, while promoting the Abtronic as a muscle stimulation
machine.
Media Warned About False Advertising
- ConsumerAffairs.com
WASHINGTON, April 16, 2002 -- A
member of the Federal Trade Commission
wants media companies to take a stronger
role in policing advertising touting
vitamin supplements and weight loss
products.
"There is nothing that prevents us" from
going after media companies, Sheila
Anthony said during a speech to the Food
and Drug Law Institute. "We are looking
at the advertising and where it is
running."
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Montreal Based Diet Scams
SLIMMAX - Latest Montreal based MBE scam
Over one dozen so far and counting.
Rainbow Investigations is hot on the trail of over one dozen scams based in Montreal. Eight of the promotions are part of the overall PhytoPharma
operation, operating under InfoGest. These are the
infamous Plant Macerat, Algoxyll, SLIMMAX, PhytoLab HCA, Naturlab Apple
Cider Vinegar Capsules, Boreal Health and Beauty, Hollywood
Weekend Turbo Diet, and Genesis Health PhytoTrim.
PharmaPlus promotes diet quackery
Hollywood Celebrity Fast and Dr. Martin lead the way -
When one of North America's largest drug store conglomerates markets bogus weight loss products it's all part of the profit game. The fact that these diet juices and pills don't work doesn't bother PharmaPlus. Would you buy your stuff from a company founded by a chiropractor who earned his PhD from a discredited mailorder diploma mill in Louisiana?
Ephedrine nixed by FDA - Utah firm burned by consent decree.
All products recalled and ordered destroyed.
Biogenics Inc., of St. George, Utah, doing business as E'OLA International, has signed a consent decree that prohibits the firm from manufacturing and distributing violative products. These include AMP II Pro Drops, any product containing ephedrine hydrochloride, or any synthetic ephedrine alkaloid, or any drug product that is a new drug not approved by FDA.
PatentLEAN - Questionable Credentials
Is it patently absurd, or a miracle come true? Supermarket tabloids help resurrect another diet product that's "patented. Wow, am I impressed. It pops up at various sites on the internet, too. Come along and see if you agree that about the only thing that seems to be patented here, is a hearty imagination.
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Health Canada calls for investigation OTTAWA - Health Canada is investigating a diet drug
used by 9,000 Canadians. Meridia is under review by
European regulators and has been pulled from the
market in Italy.
The drug has been linked
to two deaths in Italy and
at least 28 others around
the world. There's still no
proof the drug killed the
people. Many of those
using Meridia, also known
as Reductil or sibutramine,
are severely overweight or obese.
Don't be taken in by the snake-oil doctors Berkeley Wellness Letter - April 2002
When Cass Ingram (Igram) makes an appearance in your town, chances are he's there to pitch some of his latest snake-oil. He wants you to buy Royal Jelly products. He has no opinion, accept his own, that it works. While on a tour to Southwestern Ontario in March, he happened to reach an audience full of skeptics. If you've got a disease, according to Igram, his royal jelly will probably cure it. If you ask what's in it, chances are it's all there, and it's natural. This snake-oil salesman from Illinois, is nothing short of a major disaster for public health efforts. We can't understand why he is given full access to Canadian media. It's as if someone at the Toronto International Airport rolls out the red carpet for him every time he lands. It's my opinion that he should be banned from entering Canada.
His unconscienable tour through Walkerton a few years ago raised the hackle on my neck. So, the bottom line is this, if your local pharmacy sells royal jelly, call the College of Pharmacists in your Province, or the Board of Pharmacy in your State. There is nothing to it, and it could kill you.
Chinese medicines for slimming still cause health problems British Medical Journal - March 16, 2002
The vast majority of Chinese herbalists and practitioners of other traditional medicines are responsible, professional, and caring. Our recent experience,
however, highlights how the public's trend to believe, often with great naivety, in natural remedies can be abused. Stringent regulation of traditional
medicines, at least to the standards of conventional practice, is urgently needed.
Ed. I say that some Chinese herbalists in U.K. obviously don't care about using contaminated herbs on diet conscious Brits. I say let's string them up, stick acupuncture needles in them wher the sun don't shine, and make them take their own medicine. Then put them on a slow boat to wherever they want to go. That's the ticket!!!
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Diet Ads target of ABC's 20/20
Too Easy?
Experts Skeptical About Weight-Loss Devices The flood of diet advertising has increased 200 percent over the last decade, leaving regulators overwhelmed and dieters on a never-ending mission for the next quick-fix solution among the Wild West of advertising claims, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Absotutely nothin' to Abdominizers
Do Ab Machines Shown on TV Really Work? - This report originally aired on ABC, and this was at at time when the heads of the major Ab Machine makers refused to talk to the media. They changed their tune in the link above.
Diet Fads Tested: Ab Energizer
Company president won't show us his abs!!!
Who wouldn't want to turn love handles into rock-hard abs without having
to do a single situp? If we're to believe the TV ads, all you have to do
is strap on one of those electronic ab exerciser belts. But, do they
really work? - You can watch the video.
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Lose money while you sleep - not fat
Diet Fads Tested: Body Solutions
- SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- There's trouble brewing for Body Solutions, a diet company that's been advertising heavily on Bay Area radio stations.
The company marketing the product, San Antonio-based Mark Nutritionals, is facing class action lawsuits from consumers in Florida and Michigan. The Orange County District Attorney's office is also investigating it for possible false advertsing.
More on Body Solutions from Dietfraud.com |
Slim Slippers: A Precautionary Tale
I thought slimming insoles had gone away But, Mr. Dunkle, a former top Reader's Digest editor, and founder and CEO of DietPower, which
produces nutrition and fitness software for the personal computer and the World Wide Web has just brought a smile to my face, and a spring to my step again. This
article is an expanded version of his first "Duck Hunt" column that will be a regular feature in
DietPower's monthly e-mail newsletter.
Hydro-Gel Slim Patch Scam
Readers of weekend newspaper coupon supplements were treated to a really great scam. Forget about Chantel Legrand, and PhytoPharma. This one's "CLEARLY BETTER", and it's a PATCH. And, they recycle old pictures from the Svelt Patch boys in Montreal.
Latest Government Sites and Warnings
FTC fines Pyramid diet scammers
Waitkus marketed dangerous products through Streamline International
A participant in a pyramid scheme that posed as a multi-level marketing business has
agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the scheme violated federal law.
The settlement bars Robert Waitkus from engaging in illegal marketing schemes in the
future and requires that he give up $30,000 in ill-gotten gains. The settlement also will bar
him from making false or unsubstantiated safety or efficacy claims for dietary
supplements. The FTC's complaint says, "a number
of dietary supplements sold by the defendants contain the herbal ingredient comfrey,
which is not included on the Food and Drug Administration's list of products generally
recognized as safe. In fact, comfrey is known to pose a significant risk to humans,
including liver damage, when used internally or externally on open wounds."
SlimDown Fast - SmartSource promotion
This one is nominated for the Scam of the Month club here at DietFraud.com. Combine two fat women, now thin of course, with a copycat name, a sleezy lawyer's picture, and of course, familiar logos of Visa, Mastercard, American Express to make you feel really comfortable about giving these con artists your credit card number. Sorry, but if I were a betting man, I'd say that this Mailboxes Etc. based scam in Toronto has links in Quebec, perhaps upstate New York, and God only knows who ends up getting rich. Please stay away from these folks, and while you are at it, why not call in your local RCMP, or FBI to investigate the money trail. This one sounds like a real loser. We only hope that the money doesn't end up in some off-shore bank account used to fund some crooked organization.
Slim Down!! - TV Infomercial with Joan Van Ark
A confusing week on TV and direct mail have produced scores of new infomercials and ads to wet your appetite during Super Bowl Sunday. We will compile as many as we can, but beware, they are all losers. That is, they are all losers for you and winners for the bank accounts of those who perpetrate these frauds.
NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw
Fighting back against diet scams
Janet Makinen, a 51-year-old Florida housewife, is
suing the maker of Body Solutions. NBC's Fred
Francis reports.
Do you want to sue food companies?
ABC NEWS - Experts Weigh Holding Food Companies
Responsible for Obesity
Cellu-System - Magnetic Shorts for Cellulite
We nominate this as the Scam of the Month
This one wins hands-down. In fact, it may win Scam of the Year. Our HealthWatcher.net sister web site follows magnetic scams. Just click on the link above. For those who really need a good laugh, just go down to your favourite Shoppers Drug Mart and ask the pharmacist if the alarm will go off when you go to through security at the airport when when you wear the amazing Cellu-System Magnetic Toning Shorts. We put this here, not because of the magnets, but because of the gotu kola that's in their pills and tea.
CBS 48 Hours - "Lot to Lose"
January 18, 2002
- New Research On A Popular Diet Plan
- Gastric Bypass Gets Mixed Results
- Search On For A 'Magic Bullet'
ENFORMA - FAT TRAPPER BUSTED AGAIN The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleged that Enforma, a dietary supplement manufacturer of weight loss products, has not
followed the agency's orders to stop using false and misleading references. That hasn't stopped Shoppers Drug Mart from putting in floor displays in hundreds of its Canadian stores. Only this time Steve Garvey's picture is gone.Enforma Systems busted againEnforma Systems busted
So-called cleansing herbal regimes don't promote good
health, experts say - CAMILLE BAINS - CP - Jan 11, 2001
"There's no research evidence that people who do these regimes are healthier than people who don't."
Health Canada is advising consumers not to use any products containing kava - January 16, 2002
A popular herbal relaxant available was banned in France
as reports tied it to severe liver damage. Joseph Brean - National Post - January 10, 2002
Health Canada has requested a recall of products containing ephedra/ephedrine
immediately because of concerns it can cause heart attacks, seizures and psychotic episodes.
Ephedra compounds recalled by Health Canada
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