Have you tried on your bathing suit yet? OMG! How I morphed into this unrecognizable creature during winter hibernation I don’t really know and darn it, it’s almost too late for that “back into swim suit” diet. But I hear the Acai Berry supplement, or as Oprah touts, the #1 superfood, could take these ten extra pounds off that crept in (or on) out of no where!
But wait! I visit
www.bbb.org and find that consumers have reported hundreds of complaints against companies promoting and selling “natures weight loss magic” so I decide to sit down, drink a calorie free glass of water and learn more about this fad!
If you’ve seen the ads, you are aware that unscrupulous diet supplement vendors are touting the Acai Berry as the secret to stars such as Rachel Ray and Oprah and oh, those “before and after” photos is proof positive this product will work.
Warning sign #1 – the use of testimonials, photos, and exaggerated claims are simply advertising ploys to draw you in and of course . . . to get you to read more!
Next, they will offer the product for a free trial period for only the cost of shipping and handling. But wait, there’s another inducement? Drop the price of s/h to $1.95. Okay, now let’s see. Acai Berry has melted pounds off the rich and famous, it’s free or almost free for me. . . . why not? What’s the worst that could happen?
Warning sign #2 – When you order a free bottle, you have to cancel within 10-14 days or you pay the full $80 for the first month
and through automatic billing, you’ll be paying for many months going forward. Consumers report to BBB they don’t get their free supply until after the cancellation date; they are automatically debited or credited the amount for the next shipment; and they can’t get a customer service representative on the phone to cancel their order. Emails bounce or go unanswered. For some, the only solution is to literally change their account numbers to stop the billing, stop the madness!
And of course, if this rip-off isn’t enough, we have the newest twist, or triangle to the scheme – a pyramid scheme. The Acai Berry pyramid scheme requires you to pay upfront to get into a program to sell the berry juice or pills. Of course, you have to go out and recruit others to sell for you under the impression, sometimes even the promise that you will earn additional income on those “referrals”. As with all pyramid schemes (think of the shape now) the only people who make money are those on the top. And remember, the difference between Multi-Level-Marketing and a true Ponzi Scheme is a very fine line – is the organizational structure about promoting the product (i.e., Tupperware, Amway, Pampered Chef) or about getting others to sell for you?
The other side of the coin, the Acai berry is not the problem. Online information reveals the berry is high in antioxidants and fiber, but will never live up the hype of a miracle or quick weight loss solution. So, my solution is to follow the advice of a Maryland consumer who called into BBB one day. He said he wanted to try the Acai berry supplement, called about ordering it online (free trial offer), but after we talked, he decided to just walk down to his local pharmacy and buy it right off the shelf. Hey, the walk probably burned off most of the calories lost! So happy dieting to us all and talk later! Angie
