Category: Writing And Branding
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BULLETIN: FTC Charges Central Coast Nutraceuticals In Acai-Berry Fraud Case That Alleges Overbilling And ‘Fake Endorsements’ From Oprah, Rachel Ray
UPDATED 4:56 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) Calling the operations of Arizona-based Central Coast Nutraceuticals Inc. (CCN) and affiliated companies a “$30 million” scam in 2009 alone, the Federal Trade Commission has obtained a court-ordered asset freeze in an acai-berry fraud case. Charged along with CCN were Graham D. Gibson, Michael A. McKenzy and four companies that…
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BULLETIN: Florida-based XM Brands Inc., Kenneth Jacobi Named In North Dakota Cease-And-Desist Order That Alleges Deceptive Trade Practices, Refusal To Cooperate In Probe; Firm Sells Acai Berry, Teeth-Whitening Products
BULLETIN: (UPDATED 6:10 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has issued a cease-and-desist order against Kenneth Jacobi and his company, XM Brands Inc., amid allegations of deceptive trade practices in the sale of acai berry and teeth-whitening products on the Internet. Jacobi’s enterprises are based in Hollywood, Fla. In the order, North…
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SEC: Oil-And-Gas Scammer Paid Belize Company For Ad That Ran On CNBC, Fox Business News; Offer Proved To Be Fraudulent; Jon C. Ginder Charged In Emergency Action
A Texas man paid a Belize company to produce ads that ran on CNBC and Fox Business News for his oil-and-gas venture, but the offer proved to be fraudulent and the SEC has filed an emergency court action to stop the scheme, the agency said. Jon C. Grinder of Houston used “at least” $210,000 of…
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DEVELOPING STORY: Online Claims About Acai Berry On FTC’s Radar Screen; Agency To Announce Action Against ‘Internet Marketers’ Next Week In Chicago (Oprah’s City)
In 2009, Oprah Winfrey sued more than 40 companies for trademark infringement amid claims they were fleecing the public by implying she endorsed their Acai berry products. Winfrey, an American television and business icon, is based in Chicago. Harpo Productions, which produces The Oprah Winfrey Show and The Dr. Oz Show, filed the infringement lawsuit…
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BULLETIN: Data Network Affiliates Gets ‘F’ From BBB After Purported Data Firm Did Not Respond To Complaints
BULLETIN: The Better Business Bureau of Southeast Florida and the Caribbean has given Data Network Affiliates (DNA) an “F” rating after the company failed to respond to complaints. DNA, a purported multilevel-marketing (MLM) firm, publishes a street address in Boca Raton, Fla., on its website. The BBB’s file on DNA lists the Boca Raton address.…
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‘Con Artists’ Who Ran Domain-Renewal Scam Hit With $4.2 Million Judgment; Thousands Of Website Owners Tricked Into Paying Bogus Bills, FTC Says
Thousands of U.S. consumers, businesses and nonprofits were tricked into paying “bogus bills” for the renewal of their website domains by “con artists” in Canada, the FTC said. A federal judge now has issued judgments of more than $4.2 million against the accused scammers. In the cases of three defendants, the judgment was suspended based…
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EXPLOSIVE REVELATION: FBI, IRS Find More Than $400,000 In Stashed Loot In Trevor Cook Ponzi Case, Including More Than $200,000 In $100 Bills, Gold Coins, Watches, Baseball Cards
Trevor Cook’s brother was hiding more than $400,000 in cash and valuables from a $190 million Ponzi scheme, according to an extraordinary statement by the court-appointed receiver in the case. The loot was found July 23 — after Trevor Cook, whose plea agreement in the case required him to submit to a lie-detector test if…
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SEC: Felons, Recidivists Pushed ‘Green’ Energy Securities Swindle Through California ‘Boiler Room’; 6 People Charged In $11 Million Fraud Case
About 200 investors turned over $11 million to a boiler-room operation selling investments in a purported “green” energy company, the SEC said. The alleged swindle in which Kensington Resources Inc. sold unregistered shares of American Environmental Energy Inc. (AEEI) was pulled off by a convicted felon with the help of a recidivist securities offender, the SEC…
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BULLETIN: Montana Declares ACN Inc. A ‘Pyramid Scheme’; Cease-And-Desist Order Issued Amid Allegations Deck Is Stacked Against MLM Participants
BULLETIN: ACN Inc., a North Carolina-based multilevel-marketing company that bills itself “The World’s Largest Direct Seller of Telecommunication Services,” has been accused by the state of Montana of operating a pyramid scheme. Monica J. Lindeen, Montana’s Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, has issued a cease-and-desist order against ACN and a Notice of Proposed Agency Action.…
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BULLETIN: DO NOT INGEST: ‘Miracle Mineral Solution,’ Also Known As ‘Miracle Mineral Supplement’ Or ‘MMS,’ Produces ‘Industrial Bleach’ And Causes ‘Serious Harm,’ FDA Says
“Serious harm,” including “life-threatening low blood pressure,” may come to consumers who drink “Miracle Mineral Solution” (MMS), an “an oral liquid also known as “Miracle Mineral Supplement,†the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned. The FDA warned consumers to “stop using it immediately and throw it away.” The product is being marketed online. When used…