No surprise: Diet pills didn't work

By NANCY PARADIS

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 6, 2000

My daughter ordered diet pills for me from Interglade Institute. I took the pills for 28 days with no results as far as weight loss went. There was a 40-day guarantee, so, after the 28 days, she sent the pills back by registered mail. We received the card showing the company got the package but did not receive anything further.

After writing two letters and not hearing anything, we were wondering if you could help get our money back. Barbara Andes

Response: Thanks for letting us know you got the refund.

On the subject of losing weight, it's easy to be seduced that the answer lies in a pill or other product.

In "Paunch Lines: Weight Loss Claims Are No Joke for Dieters" and "The Skinny on Dieting," the Federal Trade Commission says the following kinds of claims should raise red flags: "Lose 30 Pounds in Just 30 Days," "Lose All the Weight You Can for Just $39.99," "Lose Weight While You Sleep," "Scientific Breakthrough . . . Medical Miracle" and the list goes on.

Keep these facts in mind:

In general, the faster you lose weight the more likely you are to gain it back.

Some weight-loss programs come with hidden costs, such as having to buy prepackaged meals.

You can't lose weight without effort. Promises that you can are phony.

Promises of long-term weight loss should make you suspicious. Successful weight loss focuses on what and how much you eat and on exercise.

Don't think that you can lose a lot of weight just because someone else claims to have. Even if true, what worked for someone else might not work for you.

There are no miracle weight loss products.

Finally, before beginning any weight loss or exercise program, heed the advice of health experts and check with your doctor.

The formula for losing weight can generally be summed up in four little words: Eat less; exercise more.

For copies of any of the Federal Trade Commission's free publications, call its Consumer Response Center at (877) 382-4357 (FTC-HELP); TDD, (202) 326-2502, or write to Consumer Response Center, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20580, or see its Web site, http://www.ftc.gov.

Check received

I have tried for more than five months to get a third shirt I ordered from Haband shipped as ordered. The other two shirts were what I ordered, but not this one

I returned the shirt at my expense and wrote numerous letters to the company to no avail. I hope you can help. I will never do business with this company again. Dorothy Stephens

Response: We were glad to get your note that you finally received a check for $19.63 and that it included the $4.05 you spent to return the shirt.

Credit made

In February, I responded to a Video Professor television infomercial offering a free CD. I agreed to purchase an additional one for $49.95

When the CDs arrived, there was a notice not to use them before reading the enclosed booklet. No booklet.

I called to report that and was told that they were out of stock and one would be sent. Three weeks later, I called again, and the customer service representative said the booklets were in, and she would mail one and also extend my trial period another month.

The booklet arrived. I read it and tried to run the CD with no success. Finally, I located a computer-literate friend who came in to help me and determined that my computer was too slow.

I called the company and said I would need to return the CDs for that reason. I was given a return authorization number and mailed them on March 21 in a plain brown envelope by first-class mail as instructed.

In May, I called the company twice a day, Monday through Friday. This company has an automated answering service. Customers are told to leave their names and numbers, and their calls will be returned. It has become obvious I am not going to be contacted. Mary Ranalla

Response: Your credit card has finally been credited.

Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, (800) 333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.

Requests will be accepted only by mail or voice mail; calls cannot be returned. We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.

We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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