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1/06/2021 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #117
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding four Facebook posts disseminated by Company salesforce members that were identified during DSSRC’s monitoring of the direct selling industry. DSSRC expressed its concern to the Company that two posts implied that the Company’s products offer protection from COVID-19. The two other social media posts referenced the Company’s business opportunity that would allow salesforce members to receive “residual income” and find a source of income during the coronavirus pandemic. -
1/06/2021 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #116
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (the “Company”) regarding six posts made on social media by Company salesforce members. DSSRC was concerned that the social media posts disseminated by these Company salesforce members included unsubstantiated product, health and wellness benefits including claims that the Company’s products can protect against disease and COVID-19 and that the Company’s business opportunity would help salesforce members achieve financial freedom.
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1/06/2021 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #115
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (the “Company”) regarding two Facebook posts by Company salesforce members that referenced serious health-related conditions that purportedly could be addressed by use of the Company’s products.
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1/04/2021 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #114
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (the “Company”) regarding two Facebook posts making claims about the Company’s products. The Facebook posts were disseminated by a Company salesforce member and a former salesforce member of the Company. The social media posts were identified during DSSRC’s monitoring of the direct selling industry. DSSRC expressed its concern to the Company that both posts implied that the Company products are effective to treat health-related conditions including, but not limited to, cancer and diabetes. The Company promptly responded to DSSRC’s inquiry and successfully had both social media posts removed from circulation.
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1/04/2021 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #113
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding three Facebook posts disseminated by Company salesforce members that were identified during DSSRC’s monitoring of the direct selling industry. DSSRC expressed its concern to the Company that all of the posts implied that the Company products are effective to treat a number of health-related conditions including, but not limited to, autism, cancer and diabetes.
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1/04/2021 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #112
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding three Facebook posts that were identified during DSSRC’s monitoring of the direct selling industry and disseminated by Company salesforce members.
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12/21/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #111
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) contacted a direct selling company that is located outside of the United States regarding two Instagram posts and five Facebook posts disseminated by its salesforce members. The social media post came to DSSRC’s attention pursuant to its independent monitoring of advertising in the direct selling marketplace. Specifically, DSSRC expressed concern that the social media posts communicated that the Company’s products can protect consumers from COVID-19 and treat other health-related conditions. -
12/21/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #110
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding two Youtube posts, two Facebook posts and an Instagram post that were identified during DSSRC’s monitoring of the direct selling industry and disseminated by Company salesforce members. -
11/30/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #109
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding two Facebook posts disseminated by Company salesforce members that were identified during DSSRC’s monitoring of the direct selling industry. DSSRC expressed its concern to the Company that the two posts implied that salesforce members can replace their income through participation in the Company’s business opportunity. -
11/24/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #108
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) commenced an inquiry with a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding three Facebook posts disseminated by Company salesforce members.
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11/24/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #107
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding a Facebook video post disseminated by a Company salesforce member. The video came to DSSRC’s attention pursuant to its routine monitoring of social media posts in the direct selling industry and it was determined that the video implied that the direct selling business opportunity offered by the Company could typically result in salesforce members earning and/or replacing career level income. -
11/24/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #106
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (the “Company”) about three Facebook posts disseminated by salesforce members of the Company. Two of the posts in question implied that the Company’s nutritional products could help individuals that consume such products fight viruses including COVID-19. The other post made specific health-related product efficacy claims regarding conditions other than COVID-19.
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11/18/2020 - Case #29-2020 -Governmental Referral- Flavon USA, LLC
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) is a national advertising self-regulation program administered by BBB National Programs, Inc. This inquiry was commenced by the DSSRC pursuant to its ongoing independent monitoring of advertising and marketing claims in the direct selling industry.
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11/17/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #105
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (the “Company”) about two Facebook posts disseminated by salesforce members of the Company. The posts in question implied that engaging in direct selling of the Company’s products could provide replacement income for those out of work due to COVID and/or a new career during the current public health crisis.
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11/12/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #104
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding two Facebook posts disseminated by Company salesforce members. DSSRC expressed concern that both posts suggested that consumers could use the Company’s product to boost the immune system and prevent the cold and flu as an alternative to taking prescribed medication. -
11/09/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #103
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) contacted a direct selling company (Company) regarding three Facebook posts disseminated by its salesforce members. The subject claims and social media posts came to DSSRC’s attention pursuant to its independent monitoring of advertising in the direct selling marketplace.
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11/09/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #102
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) opened an inquiry into social media claims disseminated by the salesforce members for a direct selling company (Company). More specifically, DSSRC identified three Facebook posts which included claims suggesting that the Company’s product can remove the coronavirus from surfaces. Although two posts communicated general effectiveness claims at removing COVID-19 viruses, a third post noted that the product can remove both DNA and RNA viruses although it had not conducted any testing on the coronavirus (the coronavirus is classified as an RNA virus). In addition, DSSRC identified a fourth Facebook post that made similar claims that the product can remove the coronavirus. However, this fourth post was not disseminated by a Company salesforce member but, instead, by a satisfied customer that was unaffiliated with the Company. -
11/09/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #101
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) contacted a direct selling company (Company) regarding three coronavirus related hashtags that accompanied a post stating that the Company’s product can strengthen the immune system. Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) stated that coronavirus related claims and hashtags when coupled with claims that a product can strengthen or boost the immune system can be reasonably interpreted by consumers as meaning that the product is effective at treating COVID-19 and its symptoms. Conversely, at this time, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any non-drug products as being proven effective to treat the coronavirus.
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11/06/2020 - DSSRC Administrative Closure #100
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) contacted a direct selling company (“Company”) regarding two Facebook posts and one Instagram post disseminated by Company salesforce members. All three posts referenced the ability of the direct selling company’s product to prevent and eliminate the coronavirus.
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11/05/2020 - Case #28-2020 -Government Referral- Fortress Network LLC
The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (“DSSRC”) is a national advertising self-regulation program administered by BBB National Programs, Inc. This inquiry was commenced by the DSSRC pursuant to its ongoing independent monitoring of advertising and marketing claims in the direct selling industry.