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Coming up empty?

The pitch: Pop a pill in the fuel tank and save money. The result: Questionable.

By IVA PENN, The Consumer's Edge
Published September 22, 2007

With gas prices creeping back up and everyone trying to find a deal, thousands are seeking answers to all of the fuel woes in a pill.

They're called Miles Per Gallon Caplets or MPG Caps, produced by Altamonte Springs company Fuel Freedom International, which just completed its annual conference Sunday in Orlando. The caplet purportedly increases a vehicle's fuel efficiency while reducing emissions.

But a word of caution: Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is investigating Fuel Freedom in response to dozens of complaints his office has receivedfrom around the state, the nation and the world.

McCollum's office declined to comment further because of the ongoing investigation.

In complaint documents related to the investigation, the Attorney General's Office stated it was "investigating, among other things, the marketing and business practices of Fuel Freedom International, LLC."

Critics say the "gas pill" (not to be confused with any indigestion remedies) is bogus and provides no reduction in fuel use. In addition, they say the multilevel marketing strategy used to sell the product also is a detriment to consumers.

Randy Ray, president of Fuel Freedom, said in a statement: "FFI has been working with the Florida Attorney General to ensure they have all the information they need. We applaud the AG's desire to protect consumers and are confident that they, like our hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers around the world, will see the value of using MPG-CAPS to lower emissions and save fuel."

Through public relations firm Levic Communications, a Washington, D.C., company that specializes in managing crises in the media, Fuel Freedom says all Better Business Bureau complaints have been resolved. The company promises a 100 percent guarantee of its product or it will refund the consumer's money.

In addition, the company says tests of the product have proved its claims, though the tests were conducted by a researcher hired by Fuel Freedom International.

Another company similar to Fuel Freedom, called BioPerformance, was shuttered near Dallas after the Texas attorney general determined the company's gas pill was "bogus" and sold through a "pyramid scheme." Texas eventually received 10,000 complaints through this summer and reclaimed $7-million for consumers.

Charles Reid, 53, of Tampa is among those who complained to Florida's attorney general about Fuel Freedom. And while he received a refund of most of his money after months of complaining, his experience with the company was troubling.

"These people made me crazy," Reid said. "They stressed me out to the point of insanity."

Reid spent $434.37 for a couple of bottles of gas pills and access to a Web site to help him sell the product himself. But he said the pills did not work. He said a friend invited him to a seminar in Oldsmar.

"They assured me that it was all on the up and up," he said. "Basically, they had suckered me out of $400."

Gregg Laskoski, a spokesman for AAA Auto Club South, would not comment on Fuel Freedom's specific product, but said AAA's tests of gas pills have not demonstrated any fuel savings.

"We've never found one that actually delivered what it promised," Laskoski said.

So here's the edge:

- Test the product first. Does it work? Kevin Jackson, of Hillsborough Consumer Protection, says that before spending any significant money, ask for a sample of the product and test it yourself.

- Know the business before getting involved. Some multilevel marketing businesses are legitimate; some aren't. Jackson says one key indicator whether the business is sound is if it can demonstrate viable product sales. Are the products useful?

- Sleep on it. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

[Last modified September 22, 2007, 00:09:43]