Health and Diet Products

The Schemes

Health-conscious Californians are often the targets of scam artists and snake oil salesmen whose goal is to exploit our concerns over weight loss, beauty, and good health. 

Some of these scammers focus on consumers worried about diets and better looks.  Most of us know that real and lasting weight loss can only be achieved through a careful balance of safe dieting and exercise.  But many consumers are lulled into believing that a “miracle” diet or process will produce easy and instantaneous results. 

Some examples of this kind of diet or beauty scam include:

            “Plug in the ShockAb electrical muscle toners, sit back, and watch that six-pack            grow!”

            “Roll back the clock 10 years!  New all-natural HGH anti-aging pill guarantees a           return of energy and vitality!”

            “Eat all you want and still lose weight!”

            “Lose weight and keep it off – permanently!”

Other fraud schemes target even more vulnerable consumers who suffer from serious illnesses which should be treated by competent medical professionals.  These sad cases often involve naïve consumers who are tricked into the use of quack remedies and thus forego proven medical treatments which could help them recover.   Examples include:

            “Anti-Cancerlin – the new drug that suppresses or reverses pancreatic cancer.”

            “Herbal anti-depression treatment.  Welcome to natural happiness!”

            “Miracle tea will cure your diabetes!”

Help For Consumers

For ideas on healthy eating, visit Nutrition.gov at http://www.nutrition.gov/index.php?mode=homepage