Except for some exercise-related items that may work if the user does not become bored with them, few if any health-related products sold through 30-minute infomercials will live up to the claims made for them. In addition, many sellers fail to honor refund requests and/or make unauthorized credit card charges. This site provides investigative reports and other documents related to consumer protection. Meanwhile, the best way to protect yourself is to ignore all program-length (15 to 30-minute) health-related infomercials.
About Infomercial Watch
General Observations
- FTC Guidelines for Endorsements and Testimonials (posted 9/20/04)
- The ERSP Online Complaint Program
- Financial Misconduct by Infomercial Marketers (posted 3/7/08)
Investigative Reports
- Index of Misleading Infomercials
- Amaze Rx is Marketed with Deceptive Claims (updated 3/7/09)
- Donald Barrett’s “Free Vitamin D” Is Overhyped and Overpriced (posted 11/13/10)
- Don’t Buy the 7-Day Miracle Cleanse (posted 3/3/08)
- Don’t Buy Dual Action Cleanse (posted 2/6/06)
- Stay away from FiberWeigh (posted 9/18/04)
- Comments on The World’s Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets (posted 2/2/07)
- The Rise and Fall of Don Lapre and “The Greatest Vitamin in the World” (updated 6/17/11)
Analysis of Infomercial Transcripts
- Lorraine Day’s “Cancer Doesn’t Scare Me Anymore” (posted 8/3/04)
- FiberWeigh (posted 9/18/04)
- 7-Day Miracle Cleanse (posted 11/13/04)
- Kevin Trudeau’s “Natural Cures” (posted 2/2/05)
Consumer Protection Actions
- FDA Warning Letter to CortiSlim (posted 9/15/04)
- FTC Action against “Ab Force” Belt (posted 9/24/04)
- ERSP Referrals to the FTC (posted 1/13/07)
- Kevin Trudeau’s Sordid Regulatory History (link to Casewatch)
Private Lawsuits
- Cortislim Marketers Sued for False Advertising (posted 7/26/04)
Links to Other Sites
- Ab Circle Pro Review
- As Seen on TV: Hartford Courant’s reviews of non-health-related informercial products
