Smoking out bogus product claims

Quitting smoking and losing weight can be enormously challenging. In the quest to kick the habit or drop the pounds, you might be tempted by products promising miraculous results. But take a breath before you buy or try. Those ads could be exaggerations or outright lies that wind up costing you big.

Case in point: The FTC says Redwood, Inc. guaranteed consumers that its TBX-FREE smoking cessation and Eupepsia Thin weight-loss products worked better than others, and that clinical studies backed this claim. In Eupepsia Thin ads, actors (not actual, unpaid users) said they lost a substantial amount of weight using the product. What’s more, Redwood also allegedly enrolled consumers in an auto-pay program, debiting their cards every month without their knowledge or consent.

Looking past the hype is critical in making sure you’re not falling for false promises that will rob you blind. Whether you’re looking to stop smoking, lose weight, or do anything to improve your health, be skeptical about ads promising miraculous results. Most important, be sure to talk to a healthcare provider before you buy – or take – any product advertised with health claims.

To learn more about evaluating health product claims, visit the FTC’s health page. And if you’ve been taken in by false or misleading product claims, report it to the FTC.