Acai Berry Scams - How to Avoid Them

BUT – and this is a big but – before you whip out your credit card to buy the latest Acai berry product, you need to know that there are about a zillion Acai scams out there.

So, how do you know what to look for and what to avoid? Keep a wary eye out for Acai products that claim celebrity, or physician, endorsement. Many Acai scam sites post photos of popular celebrities, like Oprah or Angelina Jolie, on their site to make you think that these people are recommending their product, when in actuality, they only mentioned the Acai berry – NOT this specific product. It’s the same thing with celebrity doctors too.

A lot of the scams also have logos for popular authority websites or companies, like About.com or NBC, on their site – again trying to make it look like these are endorsements or recommendations. Most of these sites have only mentioned Acai berry in general, and not specific products, and some of them don’t even mention them at all.

Another thing to watch out for is labels that list acai as the last ingredient. Labels are set up to list the ingredients by how much of each is actually in the product. If acai is last, it means there is the least amount of it in the supplement.

Don’t accept these claims without checking them out to make sure they’re real. The easiest way to check out if anybody really is endorsing their product is to search around. Google it and read the reviews. See what people who have actually tried the product are saying. If they claim that Oprah is representing them, go to Oprah’s site and try to find a link – any products she truly endorses will be there. Search the NBC site to see if they have a link, or any mention of the product at all.

Additionally, use your own good sense, just as you would with any other site you’re buying from. If you are uneasy about ordering online, any legitimate company will have a VALID phone number and customer service that can place your order for you. In addition, this customer service should be willing to answer any questions or resolve any difficulties.

In fact, the lack of customer service or valid telephone numbers is one of the biggest complaints that people have made about acai berry scams. Companies will charge your credit card and disappear, leaving you with no money and no product.

Another thing – BEWARE of FREE TRIALS! The biggest Acai berry scam going right now is centered around a free trial. You pay shipping and handling only, which comes to around $5, and you get a free 14-day trial of their Acai supplement. However, they only send you a 7-day supply – if you get anything at all – and you are automatically enrolled in their monthly plan.

But many of these scam companies aren’t even waiting until the trial period is up before charging you for the first month – and it has a hefty price tag. The LOWEST amount that people are reporting was fraudulently charged is $79.82, but for most people it was over $100. Unfortunately, a lot of these people had no recourse, because they failed to read the terms and conditions of the trial period, and in some cases, there weren’t even any terms available on the website.

BE SURE to read anything and everything you can before giving your credit card numbers away – and if a company or website doesn’t have any terms or conditions – DO NOT buy anything from them.

It is only a matter of time before the FTC comes crashing down on these deceptive companies—but until then, you need to protect yourself.

Now, with all of that said, don’t be discouraged from buying Acai berry supplements. Acai berry truly is beneficial, and there are reputable companies offering excellent products.