HOUSTON – It's a new year, which means a lot of people are looking to drop some extra pounds; but before you spend any money, you'll want to hear about a government crackdown on several popular weight loss products. If you have them, you could be getting money back.
The Federal Trade Commission called it "Operation Failed Resolution." The government agency sued four companies promoting weight loss products, saying the only thing you would have lost if you bought them is your money.
Just "Sprinkle, eat and lose weight" was the slogan for Sensa, a weight loss powder sold at GNC, Costco and online. The FTC says there is no evidence to prove the claims. The company charged $59 for a one month supply, and now a judge has ordered the company to pay $26.5 million.
L'Occitane claimed its Almond Beautiful Shape and Almond Shaping Delight skin creams had clinically proven body slimming capabilities. The FTC said fat chance. L'Occitane agreed to pay $450,000 for customer refunds.
Consumers who signed up for a free trial of Lean Spa online were ultimately charged $79.99 and recurring monthly charges that were hard to cancel. The FTC says the weight loss products were bogus.
Lastly, HCG Diet Direct sold more than $3 million of diet drops, a hormone the FTC says has been falsely promoted for decades as a weight-loss supplement.
The FTC has not set up a way for consumers to request refunds yet, but when they set up those claim forms we will let you know where to find them and how to get your money back.