Washington – Expect to see fewer “newsy” online advertisements hawking acai (ah-sah-EE’) berry diet pills.
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Federal regulators announced settlements Wednesday with six online marketers who were accused of using fake news sites on the Internet to entice customers to buy acai berry weight-loss products. They promised rapid and substantial weight loss.
The Federal Trade Commission says it was all a scam.
The FTC accused the marketers of designing websites that falsely appeared as if they were part of legitimate news organizations. They flashed investigative-sounding headlines and presented a reporter’s “first-hand experience” with acai berry supplements.
The proposed settlements require the marketers to make clear that their messages are advertisements and not objective journalism. They also would be barred from making deceptive claims about their products.
Glad to see someone at the FTC is still doing his or her job.
I’d like to see them do something about those horrible “Mom’s Wrinkle Trick! Dermatologists Hate Her!” same scam, same ad copy.