Scambook Advises On the Green Coffee Diet, As Seen On Doctor Oz.

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PMBC Group

Sep 11, 2013, 06:00 ET


Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 11, 2013 -- Promoted by Dr. Oz and other celebrity health gurus, the green coffee bean weight loss aid has drawn skepticism from health experts and made consumers suspicious of false advertising and unauthorized credit card charges. Scambook, the Internet’s leading online complaint resolution platform, has received over 370 complaints from users claiming that manufacturers of the green coffee extract products are ripping them off.

“As with other fad diet supplements, if the weight loss claims are too good to be true, they probably are. Most of these products don't live up to their hype and end up costing consumers hundreds of dollars,” says Scambook’s Director of Marketing, Kase Chong.

Green coffee bean extract refers to the coffee bean prior to roasting that contains a chemical called chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid is alleged to have health benefits for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and metabolism boosting effects when taken daily for twelve consecutive weeks. *

However, there is a lack of medical research on chlorogenic acid to supports these results. Most green coffee diet products cite a study published by Dr. Joe Vinson for the journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity. Although Vinson’s study found that participants lost on average seventeen pounds, the results were found to occur over a five-month duration, not immediately, and the study also contained only sixteen people. These participants also lost about the same amount during the study’s placebo phase, leading experts to question the efficacy of green coffee bean supplements. **

To date, Scambook has received over 370 complaints about weight loss products containing green coffee, with over $46,000 in total unresolved reported damages. Whether the product was never received, the product didn’t deliver the desired weight loss results, or the consumer was charged more than expected, there have been various complaints about unsatisfied green coffee diet customers.

Therefore, Scambook is offering the following safety precautions for those who still insist on trying the latest fad diets:

1. Always consult a doctor before starting a new diet or weight loss regiment. This is extra important if consumers have a pre-existing medical condition such as heart disease or diabetes or if they are pregnant. Most weight loss products aren’t approved by the FDA and therefore have not undergone the same rigorous safety testing required of medicines.

2. Use a prepaid credit card for “free” product trials. These so-called free trials often charge hidden fees or enroll consumers in an automatic subscription plan without explicit consent. If planning on trying a free sample and the company requires a credit card number, get a prepaid Visa or other preloaded card with a small balance to avoid being ripped off.

3. Read the fine print! Always read the full Terms of Service agreement or any other fine print before giving personal information to a weight loss company. Manufacturers of diet products often sell consumers’ information to third-party marketers, which means tons of spam and junk mail.

4. Check out real consumer reviews. Search Scambook.com or Google the product to find out what real customers are already saying about it. It’s important to be skeptical of “too good to be true” products. It should also be kept in mind that reviews of diet products are often sponsored by the company.

5. Have realistic expectations. For most people, losing more than 2-3 pounds per week isn’t healthy and the extreme results won’t last. Losing too much weight too quickly can also be hazardous to long-term health. Set realistic goals and stick to them.

ABOUT SCAMBOOK
Scambook is an online complaint resolution platform dedicated to obtaining justice for victims of fraud with unprecedented speed and accuracy. By building communities and providing resources on the latest scams, Scambook arms consumers with the up-to-date information they need to stay on top of emerging schemes. Since its inception, Scambook has resolved over $10 million in reported consumer damages. For more information, visit scambook.com.

** Vinson, JA; Burnham, BR; Nagendran, MV “Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, linear dose, crossovery study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a green coffee bean extract in overweight subjects,” http://www.dovepress.com/randomized-double-blind-placebo-controlled-linear-dose-crossover-study-peer-reviewed-article-DMSO-MVP 1/18/2012

*** Weeks, Carly; “Green coffee bean extract: Does it really help you lose weight?” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/green-coffee-bean-extract-does-it-really-help-you-lose-weight/article6116816/ 12/09/2012

Judy Dixon, PMBC Group, +1 (310) 777-7546, [email protected]