BBB warns consumers of weight-loss scams

The Better Business Bureau of Utah issued a warning this week that unwary consumers looking to lose weight may do just that if they're not careful. But the weight they lose could be in the form of "lighter wallets."

The Internet has put products that promise help to would-be weight losers just a few clicks away. But it's also increased the availability of worthless products.

The bureau has seen a rise in complaints about weight-loss products and programs, said Jane Driggs, BBB of Utah's president and chief executive officer.

"It used to be the weight-loss schemes were more along the lines of an ad you saw in a newspaper," she said. "With the invention of the Internet, people are just making up things that will help you to lose weight. And it's making it so people are able to buy things over the Internet more readily. But there's nothing to back up what they're selling, and the FDA doesn't have the resources to go out and research all these products being sold."

Last year, the BBB of Utah received more than 7,000 requests for information on weight-loss products, companies and health clubs. In that time, the bureau also received 200 complaints. Since 2002, complaints to the watchdog organization against weight-loss related companies and their products have increased by more than 40 percent.

"People are taking what they're seeing at face value and thinking it's going to work," Driggs said.

Among the complaints to the BBB nationwide last year:

• The office serving Boulder and Denver heard from consumers in six states who thought they were in a clinical trial of a new weight-loss drug. The company, Metacor (also known as Progenics), got people to "enroll," pay $144 up front and take a new pill every day. The company was to refund the money after a month and compensate consumers for participation. Consumers didn't get a refund, compensation or additional pills.

• A Texas BBB received complaints from people in eight states about Changes International, a quit-smoking and weight-loss hypnosis program that said it had BBB endorsement. Consumers said they paid more than $250 for a hypnosis seminar and CDs that didn't work and then were ignored when they wanted refunds.

• In the Northwest, the BBB heard from consumers in 19 states displeased with Wu-Yi Source, about a weight-loss tea. They said they were stalled when they asked for a refund, and then their requests were rejected because they passed the 60-day mark listed in the refund policy.