Anyway you cut it, it’s been a bad few weeks for Advanced Wellness Research (now called Netalab) and their products – Pure Acai Berry Pro and New Pure Acai Berry Burn. As we reported in August, Advanced Wellness Research was named in a lawsuit by the Illinois Attorney General for deceptive advertising on their acai products. The same day, Harpo Productions (producers of the Oprah Winfrey Show) also sued Advanced Wellness Research for using Oprah’s image without their permission and misleading customers.
Well, it looks like September is not getting any easier for them. The Florida Attorney General has now also sued Advanced Wellness Research for deceptive marketing of their Acai berry products. As is often the case with Acai Berry Scams, Advanced Wellness Research was offering a “free trial” but then autobilling customers $80 a month.
“TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced his office filed a law suit against a Miami company, a related company and company principals over allegations the companies engaged in deceptive marketing practices. Advanced Wellness Research, Inc. allegedly offered free trials for its products, including Acai berry supplements and whitening toothpaste, but failed to provide reasonable notice that customers would be charged approximately $80 on a monthly basis for products they did not intend to purchase.
The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division began investigating the companies after receiving over 700 complaints about the companies. According to the complaints, consumers who tried to cancel the continuation program were unable to contact the company from which the products were purchased. ”
- Press Release from the Florida Attorney General”
Let’s hope that Attorney Generals from every state continue with these law suits against these Acai scam companies. If you live in Florida and have been victim to an Acai scam, you can contact the Attorney’s Generals office and file a claim – 1-866-9667226.
Additional Resources:
Full Press Release from Floria Attorney General
Oprah and Illinois Attorney General File Suit Against Acai Scam Companies
How I Lost $90 in 30 Days Using the Acai Berry
What Did Oprah and Dr Oz Really Say About Acai
Acai Berry Scams – How to Avoid Them
Acai Berry Maxx named Texas Lawsuit
Free Black Belt Course in Spotting Acai Berry Scams
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
GE Bank PayPal MasterCard is billing me for over $500 plus continual finance charges due to charges made by a scam “lab” in Hollywood, Florida… I finally recovered $87 from the “lab” but still
have 4 or 5 charges for a “club” I never joined. If there is a class action law suit or any other way to settle this outrageous fraud, please contact me. I know this scam has affected numerous other consumers.
I too have been scammed. I ordered a trial offer and they now have billed me almost $260 and I have received nothing for my money. I called the number when I received the first and only bottle, and they said I would receive nothing else or be billed by them. I now have been billed by three companies for over $86 each time. I am now told I had to call all related companies to Acai Berry Detox in Florida to cancel or they can and will continue to bill me. What a scam.
Hey Teresa,
That is outrageous. I would call your credit card company and say you have been the victim of a scam and want the charges stopped. I have even heard of people having to cancel their credit card and get a new one issued just so these scammers can no longer autobill their credit card.
Hopefully, by making people aware of all this – we can finally put an end to these scammers.
Good luck,
Dan