In August of 2010, a United States district court cracked down on marketers that engaged in acai diet scams using deceptive marketing and unfair billing practices. Sellers of acai berry supplements were ordered to temporarily cease marketing their products online after consumers lost more than $30 million in 2009 alone. The acai berry was highly publicized after famous celebrities touted the fruit as a "powerful antioxidant" -- however, it won't help you lose weight.
The History
Consumers first began to take notice of the acai berry in 2008 after it was mentioned as an antioxidant fruit on talk shows hosted by famous celebrities, like Oprah Winfrey. Soon thereafter, acai berry supplement advertisements sprang up in search engine results, on social networking sites and even on the sites of legitimate news websites. Many acai berry supplement marketers used the support of Winfrey to infer that the acai berry diet had their stamp of approval. Fake blogs and websites heralding the benefits of the illustrious acai diet dominated the Internet. However, the claims used by acai berry supplement marketers, as well as their scurrilous billing practices, soon revealed that the products to be scams.
The Claims
Acai berry supplement sellers used a large number of "dramatic" deceptive weight loss and health claims to entice consumers to purchase. One seller claimed the product resulted in 10 to 25 lbs of weight loss each month and that the supplement was backed by "double-blind, placebo-controlled weight loss studies." Yet another seller purported that the acai berry prevented colon cancer by removing "toxic waste" that remained in the body for "years."
The Scam
Many consumers who agreed to a "trial purchase" of acai berry supplements were unwittingly enrolled in a program by which their credit or debit card was subsequently charged each month after the trial period ended. Most consumers found themselves paying the full price of the product, between $40 to $60. Some found it impossible to stop acai berry supplement marketers from continuing to make ongoing, unauthorized charges. This practice is in direct violation of federal law and the FTC's regulations.
The Reality
Acai berry supplements are classified by the United States Food and Drug Administration as dietary supplements, not drugs. Dietary supplements, which do not go through a pre-market approval process, cannot legally claim to prevent, cure or treat any ailment, including weight gain or obesity. Acai berries do have antioxidants, but not as much as other fruits, such as Concord grapes, blueberries, and black cherries. No scientific evidence suggests that acai berry supplements or antioxidants result in weight loss.
References
- Center for Science in the Public Interest: Consumers Warned of Acai-Based Web Scams
- Better Business Bureau: Weight-loss Berry Claiming Oprah Endorsement Makes Wallets Slim and Consumers Angry Warns BBB
- Federal Trade Commission: Court Orders Internet Marketers of Acai Berry Weight-Loss Pills and "Colon Cleansers" to Stop Deceptive Advertising and Unfair Billing Practices
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