FTC sues weight-loss company for online ‘gag clause’

FTC sues weight-loss company for online ‘gag clause'

Roca Labs is in BIG trouble. Not only are they being charged with deceptive advertising, but the FTC is accusing them of imposing consumer gag orders!

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing a weight loss powder company over multiple allegations of unfair and deceptive practices, including attempts to bar customers from posting negative reviews online.

The allegations against Roca Labs and its affiliates were made Monday in a federal court in Florida. In addition to the so-called gag clause, the FTC also alleges the company made false and unsubstantiated claims about the effectiveness of the product.

The commission also alleges the company failed to disclose that some positive reviews were made by people who received discounts. The company is also facing allegations that it violated customer privacy by disclosing some health information to banks and payment processors.

“Not only did they make false or unsubstantiated weight-loss claims, they also attempted to intimidate their own customers from sharing truthful – and truly negative – reviews of their products,” the FTC’s consumer protection head, Jessica Rich said.

The FTC said the company had made $20 million in sales since 2010.

Versions of the weight loss company’s terms of purchase in question Monday said that “regardless of your personal experience with RL, you will not disparage RL and/or any of its employees, products or services.”

Violating those terms allowed the company to waive any discounts and authorized it to “seek all legal remedies” to get the negative review retracted or removed.

The FTC alleges those terms violate the commission’s rules against “unfair acts or practices” because they were likely “to cause substantial injury to consumers that is not reasonably avoidable by consumers and that is not outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or competition.”

via FTC sues weight-loss company for online ‘gag clause'

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Disclaimer:  This article is provided for informational purposes only. It’s not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Neither the author nor FTC Guardian, Inc. is endorsed by the Federal Trade Commission.

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