7. Many health clubs have suddenly closed up in the Upstate. Said Kathy Barrett, President of the Better Business Bureau, "It's been a very big problem and it's getting bigger."
Some were not licensed or bonded. So check their licensing and their record with the Department of Consumer Affairs, or your wallet could get the work out.
http://www.scconsumer.gov/
6. The Better Business Bureau warns you to be careful with lipo-dissolve, injections that are supposed to melt fat. The procedure is not FDA approved, so choose a licensed doctor. The Bureau says 300 people complained injections by a national company called Go Fig, Inc. did not work. The company went belly up.
5. Be leery of buzz words like "breakthrough" or "secret." Said Barrett, "'Miraculous,' 'exclusive,' words that will grab your attention and make you feel like this is going to happen very fast." Those words cannot be scientifically proven.
4. Some studies show hypnotism can help some people lose weight. But check out the refund policy first. Said Barrett regarding some hypnotism seminars, "The guarantee they're offering is only good for a specific limited period of time, typically the time that you're in the seminar. How are you going to know if you quit smoking or lost weight in that period of time?" You can find certified hypnotists here:
3. Speaking of refund promises, that's number three. Many weight loss companies guarantee your money back, but, said Barrett, "A refund is only as good as what is on paper and what you can enforce. If a company is out of business, you have very little recourse other than trying to do a civil suit."
2. Fraudulent clinical trials. The Better Business Bureau says a company called Metacor offers to pay you to test a weight loss drug. The Better Business Bureau says people in six states say after paying $144 to start the program, they never heard from the company again. You can verify whether a clinical trial is legitimate at:
1. Products with unproven claims. The Federal Trade Commission just fined four companies $25 million for what it said was false advertising: Exendrine EFX, One a Day Weight Smart, Cortislim, and Trimspa.