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Last July, we told you about the FTC’s settlement with Herbalife, which made the multilevel marketing company not only restructure how it does business, but also pay $200 million to people who lost money trying to run an Herbalife business. Today, we mailed checks to about 350,000 of them.

Are you thinking about a multilevel marketing (MLM) business opportunity? Every year, many people join MLM plans – and many also leave. Before joining any MLM company, do some research. Your time and money are too valuable not to. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Can you realistically see yourself selling to your network of friends and family? Selling is work, and not everyone is good at it.
  • What about the product? Would people you know buy it repeatedly and consistently? Or would they only buy it once as a favor? Can people buy comparable products for less?
  • What will it cost you to run this business? You might get pressure to buy a lot of product – in fact, people have lost a lot of money buying more product than they can sell. Also consider things like gas, shipping and packaging costs, sales aids, trainings, and your time. Does that math add up for you? Lots of people leave multilevel marketing programs without making any money, and many lose money.

If the person who recruited you into the business tells you not to worry about selling because you can make money by recruiting others – walk away. In a legitimate MLM program, you need to be able to make money by selling the product, not by recruiting others to join and buy the product. 

So, what about the money back from the Herbalife settlement? Well, the settlement covered people who worked with Herbalife between 2009 and 2015. If you were an Herbalife distributor who paid at least $1,000 to Herbalife during those years, but got little or nothing back from the company – and we were able to locate a valid address for you – you should be seeing a check. The check is a partial refund of the money we estimate you lost while trying to run an Herbalife business.

If you get a check refunding some of the money you lost in Herbalife, cash it. If you have questions about why you didn’t get a check, learn more on our refunds page. Thinking about whether a business opportunity is right for you? The FTC has resources for evaluating business opportunities, including MLMs.

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maelmark
March 15, 2017

Hi, I just came back from 2 month vacation and see the check today. Will I get check returned if I deposit today? Thank you

jisela
March 16, 2017

In reply to by maelmark

The same thing happened to me. I just saw check today. Did you call maelmark? Can we still deposit check?
JMark
March 21, 2017
If we submitted a claim, how will they contact us? Via mail, telephone or email? Its been almost 3 months now since I've submitted the claim.
late to the party
April 10, 2017
I'm wondering if I can still cash my check? I just found in a pile of junk mail, unaware of its arrival. What are the chances that it will bounce?
ctressler
April 11, 2017

In reply to by late to the party

Please call the FTC's refund administrator at 1-844-322-8146 for more information.

Zebawasay
May 02, 2017
My daughter thinks she is going to make her million with this business. All I see is her getting poorer by the day.she spend most of her mony on buying herbalife product/hear and anything to promote herbalife, spending hundreds on the so called Training/dinner. I call it brainwashing. She left her job/ career & got sucked into it. She losing real friends and family too along the way, lost all perspective...Some one should do something to get rid of these sort of Mafia/cult.
Tp
May 07, 2017
I received my partial check. Will we be receiving another check?
nohichem
June 19, 2017
I haven't received my check because I changed my address, how can I communicate my new address to FTC
FTC Staff
June 19, 2017

In reply to by nohichem

Please read this page for more information about Herbalife refunds.

Generally speaking, the checks went to people who ran an Herbalife business in the United States between 2009 and 2015, and who paid at least $1,000 to Herbalife but got little or nothing back from the company.

Mary
August 10, 2017
What happens if the check was not deposited before the the due date.... I still have my check cuz I just found it a couple of weeks ago.. I called in but always have the machine answer me... have not been able to speak directly with a live person.... please someone help... at the moment I really need this $$ I received.
ctressler
August 11, 2017

In reply to by Mary

Please contact the FTC’s refund administrator, Analytics Consulting LLC, at 844-322-8146.

Sjenson
August 28, 2017
I just learned about this and am wondering where my check is... I have moved so what would have happened to my check? My up line received a check and I invested as much or more than he did, so I should have been issued a check....
LizaC
September 18, 2017
Hi is the refund only for US distributor? What about the philippine distributor? How would i know if i am eligible for refund?
KyColonel
December 21, 2017
I received a mailing his past Fall but haven't heard anything since. Is there another settlement besides 1/2017?
Clr mont
March 06, 2018
My check expired, can I get it reissued?
FTC Staff
May 01, 2018

In reply to by Clr mont

You could call the FTC's refund administrator at 1-844-322-8146.

LU
May 10, 2018
I joined Herbalife in July 2006 as a supervisor not realizing what that mean't With in a two year period I lost 75,000.00 with some money coming by check a month because of selling the business to others so estimated that I lost an actual $60,000.00. I wored very hard to build the business and sale product then I ran out of sources to be able to pay for their generated leads of 2500.00 per month and more. We were always being told to buy more leads that my business whould grow faster. I feel quite duped and stupid at the same time. My husband and I have paid off all the debt and I will never do anything like that again we really struggled financialy and this was during the time when the ecomomy was on a down turn. I do not know if I will get a check or not but I really wanted to share my experience with Herbalife a lot of big Hipe and nothing to really show for it.
Ashlyn
March 01, 2019
Very unfair I called and they said my info is nowhere in the system. I was a member for years and spent well over 2k! I received no check!