BBB National Programs Archive

ERSP Refers CRA International To FTC

New York, NY – May 11, 2008 – The Electronic Retailing Self-Regulation Program (ERSP) has announced that it will refer advertising by CRA International, marketer of the Slim Cream with Hoodia Weight Loss Product, to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

ERSP, the electronic direct-response industry’s self-regulatory forum, is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) with policy oversight by the National Advertising Review Council (NARC).

Claims at issue in the initial inquiry included:

  •          “Just a little bit of Slim Cream with Hoodia will cut 1,000 calories a day”
  •          “One single application a day of Slim Cream with Hoodia can burn calories equivalent to 4 pounds a week!”
  •          “Unlike other products or systems, the weight you lose with Slim Cream stays off!”
  •          “No Stimulants! No Side Effects! No Diets!”

Upon the marketers failure to file a substantive written response within the period provided in Section 2.5(A) of the ERSP Policy and Procedures along with a second failure to provide a response within an additional ten days as provided by Section 2.6(B) of the ERSP Policy and Procedures ERSP has referred the matter to the Federal Trade Commission for possible enforcement action.