Acai Berry - Were You Scammed?

by Bev Sklar (Subscribe to Bev Sklar's posts)
Feb 25th 2009 3:00PM

The acai berry isn't a scam. It's packed with antioxidants, essential fatty acids and fiber. Dr. Perricone even named acai the number one superfood over at "The Oprah Winfrey Show." After Oprah praised this purple berry, it became an instant rage.

But the acai berry is often sold as a weight-loss product, and some deals are reportedly typical marketing scams, says the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Free trial acai can turn into a difficult-to-cancel long-term contract with automatic delivery and steep monthly payments of $39-$100 accruing on your credit card. Read the Terms & Conditions over at this example and you'll see what I mean -- keep in mind, the BBB reports there are multiple scams out there.

Even Oprah's good name and face have been scammed by some acai predators. Oprah's not happy, clearly stating on her website that Harpo lawyers are pursuing anyone claiming such an affiliation. Has anyone out there been burned by an acai free trial gone bad? "Julie's Health Club" heard from several victims.

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Comments (4)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

kris 2-25-2009 @ 3:58PM

YES, I was out $280! I usually order free trials all the time and am sure to close withing the trial window, but conveniently these companies don't actually answer the phones or have a website that will allow you to cancel. You end up having to cancel your card in order to avoid future charges. It's pretty terrible! Beware!

Debra 2-25-2009 @ 4:46PM

I had the same thing happen as above. I finally reached someone to cancel the order and was told it was canceled and then recieved 2 withdrawals from my card for different amounts. I had to cancel my card and checking account to stop withdrawals. Thank goodness my bank got my money back.

Bev Sklar 2-25-2009 @ 4:49PM

Debra and kris,

Thanks for sharing your stories -- getting the word out on these acai scams is important.

Bev

Chris 2-26-2009 @ 10:24AM

Eh, eating fresh blueberries probably has the same effect, and probably a whole lot cheaper.

Here's a great tip for dieters before you go reaching for that "cure all:"

1. Exercise more
2. Eat less and more healthily

You'll lose weight and feel great! That simple!