Extreme Acai Berry Review: An Extreme Acai Berry Scam?
I wasn’t planning to review the Extreme Acai Berry product (we’ve got lots of material on Acai on the web site already) until our scientific and technical advisor Elissa dropped me a line to inform me that there’s word out that the retailers of Extreme Acai Berry are seriously bamboozling their customers. Several consumer sites are posting irate customer comments from folks who have had their credit cards charged without authorization (see PissedConsumers, Complaints Board).
Extreme Acai Berry is being promoted with a free trial offer. In fact, if you check out the product web site, there is no other way to obtain the product than to sign up for this offer. In other words, you can’t get the product without signing up for the free trial.
Not a good thing.
Let me explain…
In an ideal world, free trial offers would truly be a retailer’s good faith demonstration of the effectiveness and efficacy of a product.
In reality, free trial offers are not free at all; they are designed to part you with your credit card information, and add you to a recurring billing program (a recurring billing program is a program where you are sent a fresh bottle of product every month and your credit card is charged accordingly).
Although merchants claim to be happy to remove consumers from the program, feedback to this site indicates this is the exception, rather than the rule.
In all cases I’ve investigated, the merchant does have his/her “policy” or “terms” clearly outlined, although you sometimes have to look hard in order to find them (most people simply do not see and read them at all). And when you do, you’ll see the “deck is stacked” in favor of the merchant.
It’s not uncommon for a merchant to offer you 14 days to evaluate their product, but start the 14 day trial on the day you place the order.
When you factor in the shipping time, you may find yourself added to the recurring billing program after barely trying the product.
Anyhow, the free trial scam is a common one, and it does not benefit the consumer. We do not recommend experimenting with any product that offers such a trial (We’ve also created a video all about this scam, detailing how you can protect yourself—watch the “free trial scam” video now!).
Incidentally, the FTC calls this “Negative Option Marketing“, and has begun to crack down on some of the most flagrant abusers.
Obviously, we don’t recommend you try Extreme Acai Berry simply on the basis of its marketing tactics.
But what about its claims of flushing out pounds of fat and toxins?
Complete and utter nonsense.
Fat is not flushed from the human body. Fat is a stored energy source. To have less of it on your body, you need to reduce caloric intake and increase caloric output (i.e., you need to diet and adopt an exercise program). The only way to get rid of fat without addressing these realities is to have liposuction.
I’m serious.
And what about Extreme Acai Berry’s claim it can “flush out” toxins, improve your wellness, and so on?
Don’t get me wrong; acai is a great source of antioxidants and probably qualifies as a “superfruit” (click here for the complete acai review).
It’s probably worthwhile as a “healthy” addition to your regular consumption of fruits and vegetables.
And much has been made about Acai’s amazingly high ORAC score, but as Elissa explains in this blog post, ORAC is mostly an overhyped marketing term, as there’s no guarantee high ORAC foods will offer measurable benefits—certainly not beyond those offered by less “sexy” anti oxidant rich fruits and veggies.
But there is no evidence anywhere that it flushes out toxins of any sort. In fact, the entire “detox fad” is based on marketing myths and pseudoscience… not real evidence (click here to read more about the “detoxing fad.”)
Extreme Acai Berry is, by all accounts, a product to be avoided. As are ALL acai products making claims of weight loss, detoxification, “cleansing” and so on.
Experimenting with an acai product as part of a sound nutritional program might make sense—if you can find a high quality, moderately priced product at your local grocery store. But don’t expect miracles. You won’t find them here.
Other articles you may be interested in: The Top 5 Acai Scams
October 16, 2008
I tried Acai berry for the trial period at 2.95 and I could not tell a bit of difference. I called and canceled my trial membership (took 27 minutes to get a person) and had a shipment sent out after I had canceled.
I sent it back with delivery confirmation and was told they would credit me when it got to them. The USPS delivered it on Sept 8 and as of Oct 15 I still have not received my refund of $89.31.
Stay away from this company and good luck getting a hold of someone. The average wait to talk to a rep is about 15 minutes.
October 28, 2008
I have the same problem!
When I ordered the “free trial” the terms and conditions did not become visible until AFTER I placed the order.
I tried 17 times via phone using 4 different phone numbers I found to try and cancel any future shipments. On the 15th day (yesterday) after my “free trial” was ordered, I was charged a total of $91.10 on my credit card.
I immediately filed a dispute with my bank. I have called the phone numbers all day again today and can’t even get someone to speak with. All four numbers go straight to a busy signal after I hold for a while.
They even tell you you are number so and so in line to speak with someone, and then as soon as you are “next” it goes to a busy signal. I have never been able to reach anyone to cancel this order because nobody answers, but I do not intend to pay it.
I began researching this online and there are COUNTLESS complaints filed about it, which I plan to provide to my bank to support my claim!! I only wish I had seen them BEFORE ever ordering! I can’t believe this.
October 28, 2008
Your link to “Elissa explains in this blog post” is broken. Great article though!
November 2, 2008
I ordered this supplement with a $1 trial period. I understand that I had to cancel 14 days after I ordered it, not when I receive it. I have called numerous times and have not been able to get in touch with anyone! I get busy signals all day and am very frustrated! I have talked to my credit card company and they also tried to get in touch with the company with no success. Luckily, they are willing to help me, but i already am 89.33 short 🙁
November 5, 2008
I ordered the free trial of Acai aslim. I also did not notice the terms until too late. I have emailed this company 3 times and after 2 weeks still have had no response. I can’t get anyone on the phone # 877-317-0189 that it states to call. Does anyone have a phone # other than this that they’ve actually spoken to someone? Has anyone had this problem resloved, and how did you solve it? Please advise of any help you can offer.
Thank you
November 9, 2008
I too ordered the “free” trial of extreme acai berry extreme, only to be ripped off. Like everyone else, I attempted to cancel via phone with no luck. I just notified my credit card company that unauthorized charges were made on my account and closed that account. What they are doing is illegal. They will not get my hard earned money.
November 14, 2008
I too ordered the Extreme AcaiBerry and like the person earlier in this list of unhappy customers, when I ordered the free trial, the Terms and Conditions did not show up until after I had placed the order. Had they shown up on the original order page, I would not have continued with the Free Trial purchase.
Also, like many others I have read about… I have tried various different telephone numbers and e-mail addresses and all of them appear to be bogus.
I’ve never had replies to e-mails, nor answers on any of the telephone numbers. It’s a total and utter SCAM and they are stealing money right out of people’s accounts! It’s a total outrage.
I have spent hours trawling the internet for proof of this SCAM simply so that I can produce all of this to my bank to stop any further payments. Wish me luck. I hope to stop these criminals, Extreme Acai Berry, from taking more money from my account, illegally!
They are the lowest of low! BEWARE do not buy any Free Trial products from anyone. Listen to your Grandma… you don’t get anything in this life for nothing!! Please don’t get caught like me! I feel very stupid about this whole annoying episode! It’s been such a waste of time and money AND, it doesn’t work anyway! It’s a rubbish product.
November 16, 2008
I too had ordered the trial. I did reach somebody by phone, don’t know if it will do any good but here is the phone number: 1-877-350-8480.
I finally got through late this evening. He told me to send it back and call them with the tracking number.
November 29, 2008
I too had the same problem, the “conditions” did not show up until after I entered my credit card information, and then they charged my card 79.95 as well as sold my credit card information to a company called Fitfit.com who then charged me $19.95!
DON’T BUY THIS!
November 20, 2008
I too ordered the trail & did cancel within the 14 day trial period, then within a couple days of that I received another bottle (which I canceled!)
I called 1-877-350-8480: it worked but with a long wait!
In order to get your money back you need to send the product back & call them with a tracking number or confirmation number & they have to make sure they recieve the product before you get the credit!
They also said it will be 4-5 business days to process the credit card!
Just wanted to let eveyone know what to do if you were foolish like me & thought it would be okay!
November 20, 2008
I fell for it too… I called just today and spoke to someone who said they could refund my money IF I returned the bottle unopened.
Since this is the only bottle I received I thought it was the trial so I opened it. Big mistake, now they say I can’t return it. They said they could cancel my account so I wouldn’t get future charges, but they cannot refund my money.
I went to the bank and am working with them to get a refund AND had to cancel my credit card just in case.
I should know better… IF there was a pill that could help us get skinny I’m sure my doctor would’ve suggested it. The phone number to call for a refund is 1-877-350-8480.
Good Luck!
November 27, 2008
After ordering and canceling the Acai Slim, I’m now getting an email from http://www.bromalite.com stating that I signed up at their website for something and they’re processing my request. It doesn’t even say what I requested. I did not ever go to that website and sign up for anything.
They don’t give you any phone # on how to contact them. Has this happened to anyone, and how do I contact this scamming company? PLEASE HELP.
Editor’s Comments: Valerie, any company that engages in deceptive tactics like these is probably not going to be too easy to contact. Our recommendation is to have your bank/debit/credit card canceled right away!
November 27, 2008
I called the number 1-888-771-7029 and actually talked to someone who quickly pointed out the terms to me. Then I felt I was at fault.
I hadn’t received anything yet except a charge on my credit card along with a charge for a fitness website for $29.95.
I called the fitness website and they said I would be credited their charge. When the product arrived the same day as the free trial, the free trial bottle was broken, so I opened the other one (big mistake).
Can’t get a hold of anyone today!
November 27, 2008
I ordered the Acai berry trial…. makes me mad just thinking about it. Instead of taking 4-6 days to get to me like it said, it took a month.
Then by the time I got it and read their little note that said I’d be charged $89.31 after 14 days of ordering I freaked out. I had already been charged and didn’t even know it would happen. I’m 19 years old and I for sure don’t just have $90 to just throw away. I called them and they said they had a no return policy!
I also started getting phone calls from a telemarketer; who called me a million times. I looked up the number on the internet and it freaked me out when I read that other people had to get their credit cards changed cause they got random charges and phone calls all the time from rude people.
Anyways, the telemarketer called about giving me a free gas card, but of course there was a fee. I told him about what I read… he said he got my info from the Acai berry product.
I was so mad because the site said it was secure and this made me feel really unsecure.
Then just today I saw I had a charge from a “factory fit” for $29.95. Supposedly when I ordered the Acai berry product it signed me up for this program which is just access to an online fitness center or nutritional center or something. Had never heard of it.
Shouldn’t they have given me some kind of conformation before just charging me for some crap I’ll never use or wouldn’t have even known about if I wouldn’t have looked on my online banking.
The whole thing is messed up…. I wish I could tell the whole world about my experience… so ridiculous! DON’T BUY THE ACAI BERRY TRIAL!
November 27, 2008
I fell for it too.
I was leery when first the free trial didn’t show and then the charge on my card did not show up as they said it would. They claimed it would appear as “Online Health” and it showed up as DIET OFFER STORE 877-8590952.
I called this number and was told a new trial would ship ‘free of charge’ and I had until 11/22/08 to cancel. This trial did finally show up and it was not what I expected. The site I went to did not say it was a cleanse product.
Now, I have been charged $89.31 on my cc and they refused to refund me my money.
I called the number on the charge on my card (IP-HEALTHIERFORME- 8887717029, 877-350-8480 is the # on the bottle) 3 days after the ‘trial’ period and they said they DO NOT REFUND AND THEY DO NOT ACCEPT RETURNS after the product ships.
I asked to speak to a supervisor and get this – she would love to let me talk to the supervisor but he was ill and on medication… and that he would tell me the same thing.
I don’t recall seeing Terms and Conditions at all. I remember wondering how much the product actually costs. Now if you go to the site the Terms and Conditions are directly below the enter Shipping info area… was it there before? I don’t recall.
I certainly do not recall ever seeing $89.31 anywhere on the page I signed up on… I never would have done that!
This company is bad news. Three different numbers, three different company names appearing on the charge..
STAY AWAY – Don’t get screwed like I did. They bank on people not reading the Terms and Conditions and they are now laughing at me!
November 27, 2008
I am in the UK and the same thing happened to me. I received the trial yesterday (which was the 14th day). I made the order on the 3rd Nov 08 and they only shipped it out 10 days later. I tried the online cancellation but it don’t have the right link.
I will be pursuing this as I only paid for a free trial they charged me for the full month’s supply before the trial period expired (charged me on the 13th day of the free trial).
This makes the Terms and Conditions null and void in my view. I paid for a free trial which I did NOT get.
I finally spoke to someone after trying 4 times, the person didn’t speak very good English and
I spent 10 minutes spelling out my name to him.
I was told that my credit card would be refunded after 14 working days but I have read that no-one has ever received a refund from your company. This was all after I was offered ‘deals’ to keep me
enrolled in the program.
I have just received the 31 day supply and have returned it to the address on the label. I just want to know that I will be refunded for this and that my details have not be sold to other companies who are now scamming me money for products I don’t even know about!
December 1, 2008
A definite SCAM, and so is Colon xR aka total cleanse aka TCleanse. I did finally speak to Mallory @ 877-317-0189 but had to wait a long time. She said the pending debit against my account of $79.95 would be credited in 6-12 days.
I’m not holding out much hope. In the meantime I have canceled my debit card, a pain, but who needs to be out more money.
If I don’t get the credit the bank will file a claim. Has ANYONE received a refund? Makes me wonder what exactly is in the pills. Mine are going in the trash untouched.
I’ve learned my lesson!
December 4, 2008
I searched online and been looking how the Extreme Acaiberry works and how much it can actually help you lose your pounds.
It has been effective on me and I have no problems canceling and reading their terms and conditions.
I have canceled before my 14 days period ended and also read about the $29.95 charge that I canceled within my given 7 days period.
I’m sorry to contradict your claim but when you read the terms and condition carefully, you could have canceled so you won’t have the monthly shipment.
The same thing goes to a friend. She said she can’t find the terms and condition, I pointed out to her that by the time you have put your in your credit card #, there is a “terms options” that you can read and cancel the subscription at that time if you don’t want to have all the hassle.
Editor’s comments: Emmy, we’re a bit confused. The product worked for you, but you canceled your subscription – that’s what you said (you also contradicted yourself; is it a 7 or 14 day grace period?). How did you come to the conclusion of the product’s effectiveness if you only tried it for a few days?
And if it worked so well, why cancel further shipments?
Additionally, if you review the visitor feedback here, you can see that this “customer service issue”
is not an isolated one. We would also argue that adding people to a recurring billing program is not a
good business practice. Nor do we agree that a “terms” option should only be available for review only
after you enter your credit card information. All visitors should know what the terms are before entering
and personal information.
December 7, 2008
If any one reads this information please listen to this: I tried it before I read the comments and they are correct 100%.
This company is a big rip off. I received the pill the day of my cancellation date. I was trying to honestly give the pills a chance to see if they worked before I canceled my subscription, but they took away that chance for me.
Then on top of all my card was charged for pills that don’t even work. I wouldn’t be upset if I could return them but you can’t even send them back to get your money.
Times are hard and they are cheating people out of the little money they have. Shame on the owner of the company and the rude customer service people that work there.
January 6, 2009
I had an unexpected charge of $79.95 show up on my account from Acai slim. Then another unexpected charge from “Fit Factory.”
Anyone know of any other surprises coming up for me? I really don’t want to have to cancel this card!
January 5, 2009
Yea, the same happened to me, I ordered both the colon cleanser and the Acai berry products, which arrived a month later.
So I naturally got charged $89. I called to cancel, and got a confirmation number saying they would refund the amount, but it has yet to happen.
I also got charged 29.95 for three different products including, Fit Fact, Health Options, and two others. I just got hit with another charge of $79 dollars today, for TCleanse.
I’m calling and calling, but of the line is busy or they put you on hold. I recommend you cancel your card ASAP… which I have just done .
January 6, 2009
I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEMS AND I FEEL VERY STUPID.
NEVER AGAIN!
I HAD TO CHANGE MY BANK ACCOUNT!
December 11, 2008
I just called Extreme Acai Berry to cancel and try to return the two UNOPENED bottles they sent me but they said that all sent items are not refundable and that it says so on their site. I go on their site and it says that they’re not returnable. Okay, fine. So their loss right? I just want my money back, I’m going to call them again tomorrow. To top it all off, they never even sent me a free bottle! That was what started this hot mess, signing up for their so called “free trial.” I should have looked into it more instead of making such a hasty decision. 🙁
December 16, 2008
The customer service number I was given does not exist. I have tried many times and the number just disconnects. I have been charged over $180 in 10 days and had to cancel my credit card. And the product, waste of time. Please do your due dillegence. I wish I had.
December 17, 2008
My husband ordered the free trial also. Even though we have yet to receive it, our credit card was just billed $89.13.
I called the credit card company and they stated that it is not fraud because my husband gave the company our credit card number. They said we could dispute the charge if we did not get any results from the company.
I will start calling the company tomorrow. I wish I had found this site prior to my husband ordering this product.
December 21, 2008
Actually, it’s really the customer’s fault because they failed to read the terms and conditions.
Customer’s are “OBLIGED” to read terms and conditions when they buy or order products. Even if its just a free trial. Every literate people knows that!
Editor’s Comments: We agree, customers should read the retailer’s policies. But frankly, some retailers hide these away in dark corners of their web sites, where they are nearly impossible to find. So they aren’t really playing fair.
Additionally, the “free trial” offer only exists for one reason: to add customers to a recurring billing program. In our opinion, such programs are not representative of ethical, and customer-focused companies.
December 22, 2008
I have been ripped off too, and you would think someone could do something about this. If we all got together and sued them as a group it would make a bigger statement.
Personally I am tired of being made a fool of.
I was charged before I got my products too. I called the company before 14 days were up but they would not budge, they kept telling me they were not going to do anything to settle my claim.
December 23, 2008
To the editor:
Why didn’t you publish the one I sent to you?
Editor’s Comments: Dwayne, your comments are posted – see below.
December 24, 2008
A total rip.
The US Attorney General’s office is “quite familiar” with the “deceptive practices” of this company. My daughter ordered the product and canceled within the proper time. Although she canceled within the proper time, her credit card was still being charge HUNDREDS of dollars from other companies (actually it’s the same parent company) for products that she never ordered nor authorized.
A phone call to these companies (the ones I could actually reach) yielded results such as : “Well you have to cancel with us too.”
QUESTION: How can one cancel something that one has never asked for, and how would one know that you were being charged until you receive a bill?
She received charges from companies such as : TCLEANSE, PRICELIMBO, MY VIP FIT, CLEANSE, NETPURCHASE, for well over $200.00 by the time the first statement came!
They are still trying to charge the card (it’s been canceled and is being “investigated” as I type this.
I URGE everyone here to PLEASE contact the Attorney General’s office ASAP! It will be worth your while.
Editor’s comments: The US Attorney General web site can be found at http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/. We also recommend contacting the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.ftc.gov.
December 27, 2008
OMG!.. another one?
Mr. Mack, your daughter was charged by those other companies because she failed to read the TERMS and CONDITIONS. The T and C explains everything!. ALL WEBSITES HAVE TERMS AND CONDITIONS!
Even the NBA website has T and C at the bottom of the webpage and it’s even smaller than the T and C of this EXTREME acai berry company.
Editor’s comments: Dwayne, for an individual with no declared connection to the Acai Berry web site, you seem to be awfully interested in defending the “indefensible.”
If you read through the comments below, you’ll see evidence of “less than ethical” behavior by this company. For instance, using the free trial offer to add customers to the recurring billing programs of other, non-related companies is unscrupulous and underhanded.
There are also complaints of customers being added to the recurring billing program long before the trial period is up. In other words, the company does not appear to be honoring its own terms and conditions. If this is true, what is the point of reading them and abiding by them?
Last time I checked, the only way to receive the product was to sign up for the trial; you couldn’t buy it directly. It certainly appears therefore, that this company uses this trial to “rope” customers into a long-term contract with the company.
Additionally, you seem to have forgotten something Dwayne; good companies thrive on selling quality products, delivering stellar customer service, and being attentive to their customers’ satisfaction – not trying to trick them into signing up for a regular monthly supply of a product they do not want.
You seem to think that having a “terms and conditions” page somewhere on the product web site is license for the merchant to treat his/her customers like sheep and indulge in unethical business practices. Sorry, but it’s not. This is not a sustainable business model.
January 2, 2009
I ordered online and then read the contract, and realized that there was no way to get a “free trial” because even if the product arrived IMMEDIATELY I would have to return it immediately in order not to be charged for subsequent shipments. That’s not a “free trial” because there’s no time to try it!
Fortunately, I ordered late at night on a weekend, and I assume the system was down. I called my credit card company immediately and canceled the card itself. They said the charge still might go through.
I also wrote to the company and told them to stop the delivery of my “free trial.” We should know what happens in a few weeks.
January 3, 2009
I signed up for the Acai Burn free trial. Some free trial, I was charged $89-37 and how does one cancel when the phone number doesn’t seem to exist?
My bank said it wasn’t fraud but I have opened a dispute with them. It will be interesting to see if I get my return of money. Sucking people into getting their credit/debit cards and charging them a high amount of money is not the Australian way of doing things.
If you are so confident that your product does work then why are so many people disputing your company’s charges and canceling credit/debit cards? Yes, I have been caught but I have now canceled my card with a sigh of relief.
The only way I can look at this is once you get caught the first time is a mistake, use this as an experience. I feel for you all as I know what I am still going through but I will fight this one to the end.
Take care one and all. Shame on the companies doing this!
January 10, 2009
I too got ripped off, but I immediately reported them to the BBB and canceled my credit card.
Hopefully I wont see the charges. I highly recommend reporting these thieves, you can do it online. Also report this to your bank. Good luck everyone!
January 15, 2009
Total rip off!!
They charged my credit card account even AFTER I called them to cancel & let them know that I did not want anything after the free trial. Not to mention how hard it was to actually get someone on the phone to cancel. Placing the order for the free trial was EASY but trying to get to speak to someone within the time frame they gave you to call back – was almost impossible.
I am still battling with them up to today & it has been over 3 months.
So very frustrating; I can’t begin to tell you what an inconvenience it has been to me trying to get through to someone and then explaining the same story every month & still not seeing a refund. I would NEVER advise anyone to try ANY of the ACAI free trials!! So don’t say you weren’t warned!
Editor’s comments: The time limit for charge backs on most credit cards is 90 days. Unethical companies will try to drag the “appeals process” out to the three mark to ensure you can’t do a “charge back.”
January 15, 2009
I just placed an order on this damn product for a free sample with $4.95 shipping fee! When I entered my card details they charged me $24.95 for shipping because I am from the UK. However they failed to mention this to me before I entered my card details!
I feel used and ripped off. I contacted my bank straight away for a new account, but was told the payment was authorized and likely to go through. All the numbers provided for the company do not work. The only number I have seen people have had success with is 1-877-350-8480. However I cannot get access to this number? Does it not exist? Or do I have to add extra digits as I am from another country? SOMEONE HELP PLEASE!
I have sent an e-mail requesting the full shipping amount, but fear it maybe too late! and they may not reply or worst refund.
Editor’s comments: Tas, most U.S.-based 1-800 numbers only work in North America. If the company has not provided a direct access line, it’s unlikely you can reach them with this line – if it’s a legit number, of course.
Most credit card companies provide a direct number of the retailer on their billing statements, so it’s possible you can reach the company this way. I wouldn’t hold my breath though; based on what we’ve heard from visitors to date, we’d recommend canceling your credit card immediately to prevent further charges.
January 17, 2009
Scam… NO. Overhyped… yes.
This site is more of a scam. Come on. Every comment negative experience? Ha!
Editor’s coments: Jim, you obviously don’t know much about us, what we do, or who we are. We post ’em, as we get ’em, period. We have no reason to do otherwise. Why would we? We are not promoting a competing Acai product, so we have absolutely nothing to gain from doing so.
The question we would ask you, Jim, is why you feel you have to diminish the valid comments of all the visitors here? What’s your relationship with this company, Jim? Because there’s no way you can come away reading this feedback and feel like the company selling this stuff is on the level. Get real, Jim.
Oh yes, and perhaps-since you’re convinced this product is not a scam-you’d like to present us and our audience with some journal references that validates this products claims and show it works as described? We’d love to see that!
January 20, 2009
I too got screwed. I’m usually pretty smart about these things, but they got the best of me. I have spoken to people at the 877 number who don’t speak English, nor do they understand what you’re telling them.
I was charged $112 CAD on my visa and caught it almost immediately. I got a refund confirmation number and cancellation number from this company. This was 4 months ago, and still no refund.
My bank informs me that they have had many complaints but nothing can be done because I gave them my visa number.
I’m outraged. I too have canceled my credit card number and would like to see someone get even with these guys.
January 24, 2009
To the editors:
I am a big fan of this site, and have been using it religiously to hopefully find a good diet product out there. However, with that said I must say that your claim of being unbiased with this site is a little off. You say yourself that people are entitled to write good and bad things about products, but on this page in particular, whenever anyone says something “good” about the product, or even anything but bad, you write a paragraph of your own opinion about how that person is wrong.
Because of this site, I will not be purchasing the acai berry cleanse because after reading everything, I DO believe it’s a scam. But you are making it difficult for me to trust this site for other things when all of the comments that do not mesh with your own opinions get thrashed and discredited.
You might want to think about your strategy. I’m sure that my comments will get turned down as well, but since you put everything people send you up on the site, I thought it important to make my opinion known.
Editor’s comments: Elisabeth, we understand your concern. However, if you review the comments we’ve edited here, you’ll notice very little of them have anything to do with the effectiveness of Acai, but instead the deceptive billing tactics of the company (as we’ve pointed Acai is a great source of antioxidants and monounsaturated fats, but there is no evidence it “melts fat” or “detoxes the body”).
Recurring billing practices, adding consumers to programs they never signed up for, and hiding or not abiding by the terms and conditions of the posted offer are egregious customer service issues that must be addressed. This is a whole different story than posting “pro” and “con” comments for a particular product.
And frankly, these “positive” comments need to be addressed, since it is extremely likely the people defending the billing tactics of this company are either earning affiliate commissions from it or are directly involved in the sale of this product.
For the most part, we let ALL comments that appear to be genuine to be posted. Moderating this site requires a careful hand; we don’t want to interfere, but we can’t allow visitors to deliberately mislead other readers either. A lot of the time, visitors arrive here directly from the respective review at UltimateFatBurner.com.
However, for visitors who have not yet read the review, it’s important to point out the realities of the product so that those who are motivated by profit cannot unduly influence others who read these posts.
January 24, 2009
Well now I don’t feel so badly. I too ordered the free trial version of Extreme Acai Berry $4.95 shipping. I do online banking and check my account often. A $59.95 and 99.99 charge appeared two days after the $4.95.
I checked with my bank and sure enough it was for a 60 day supply of Extreme Acai Berry and a box of WU-Yi Tea. I immediately canceled my Visa card and had a new one supplied. I won’t make this mistake again. Nothing is FREE.
I called the company and got a foreign speaking person who gave me absolutely no satisfaction. Oh well, live and learn, eh!
January 26, 2009
I, too, ordered Acai Pure but after seeing many reviews of this product I called to cancel the very next day(1-888-820-2656). The wait on the phone was not long (5 min. max.) I was told it would be cancelled and would receive a credit for the S&H within 2-10 business days. As soon as I got off the phone with this company I called my bank and cancelled my card. After 3 days I did receive a credit for the S&H. Today I just received the pills in the mail but they will go in the trash. Hopefully I will not receive any more problems from them. My prayers are with the rest of you trying to escape this insanity.
January 28, 2009
You would think after so many many ugly but true comments, someone could get ahold of a consumer protection agency and see what could be done. After all sending in for this junk and/or getting charged for something that was not sent to you but they have your credit card # for the saying ( they will only charge the shipping and handling) and then putting an extra 2 or 3 charges on your bill, Hey!!!!!!!!!! we are at a time when money is hard to come buy and they are taking advantage of it
December 28, 2008
Why is it when something good is found in this world that so many people want to find reasons why you should not use it.
In this case Acai delivers so much goodness without the side effects from natural sources it makes you wonder if the anti Acai groups are paid from the pharmaceuticals companies.
Sandra & Ted
Editor’s comments: A few things about your comments, Sandra…
First, we’ve removed your promotional link from your post. If you read the terms and conditions of this web site, you’ll see such links are not allowed.
Second, if you review the comments on this web site, you’ll see the majority of visitors are not discussing Acai, but the deceptive billing practices of this company.
Third, although on one is disputing the fact that Acai offers great value as an antioxidant and is a rich source of fats like oleic, palmitic, and linoleic acid, there is exactly ZERO credible, clinical evidence that it “detoxes the body” or “helps you lose weight” – some of the most common claims for this product
Forth, are you seriously suggesting the “pharmaceutical industry” has hundreds, if not thousands of employees whose only job is to sift through the billions of web pages online, posting negative comments about products for which no proof of effectiveness exists? Or for products sold using deceptive billing schemes? What evidence do have of this?
Fifth, you are actively promoting an Acai product yourself. You therefore have a financial stake in the positive presentation of Acai. Please explain how the financial conflict of interest that apparently applies to the “pharmaceutical industry” does not apply to you.
The idea that the those involved in the manufacturing of prescription medications are inherently evil, while those selling natural products are on the side of “good” is ridiculous, and not borne out by the facts.
Check this blog post for more information, and learn how hundreds of individuals and companies have used the “relaxed” supplement regulations to royally stiff their customers. No one is going to argue that the drug companies haven’t made mistakes or aren’t motivated by profit (as are you, with the sale of Acai) but they also do a lot of good.
From what we’ve seen in 10 years online, the “pharmaceutical industry conspiracy theory” is used by folks who would like to prevent others from thinking clearly and critically, and taps into the preconceived conception that pharmaceutical companies are bad.
December 28, 2008
TERMS AND CONDIDTIONS @ FRONT PAGE OF http://WWW.EXTREMEACAIBERRY.COM
I understand that by ordering Extreme Acaiberry, I am agreeing to receive Extreme Acaiberry for a free 14-day trial period (days of availability for actual usage could be less depending on shipping time) beginning on date of order. $3.95 (non-refundable) for S&P.
I understand that unless I cancel by calling 1-877-350-8480 within this 14-day period, beginning on the 14th day my credit card will automatically be charged $92.58 (Free Shipping) for a 31 day supply of Extreme Acaiberry to be shipped at that time to my door.
Thereafter, until and unless I cancel, my credit card will automatically be charged an additional $92.58 every 31 days for a new supply of Extreme Acaiberry.
I understand that I may cancel any future shipments Monday through Friday by calling 1-877-350-8480. Our hours of operation are from 8am to 5pm MST. We do not accept returns on any products that have been shipped.
Extreme Acaiberry
4650 SW 51st Street
Suite 711
Davie, FL 33314
Editor’s Comments: Jmay, we appreciate you posting the Acai Berry terms and conditions here.
While we’re of the opinion that selling a product via a recurring billing program is misleading and benefits no one but the retailer, we agree that the onus is one the customer to read the terms and conditions.
We’d suggest, however, that you make clear that the 14-day trial period starts on the day you place your order. Your comments “days of availability for actual usage could be less depending on shipping time” does not make this clear.
Additionally, if you review the feedback below, you’ll see that your customers allege that…
1) They are being added to the recurring billing programs of companies not mentioned in your terms and conditions.
2) Your company is not abiding to its own terms and conditions, and is adding customers to the recurring billing program prior to the 14-day grace period.
3) Your customer service is severely lacking.
4) Refund requests are not being honored.
None of these things are adequately addressed by the posting of your terms and conditions material. Also, just for your information, the Federal Trade Commission is beginning to take action against companies using this marketing tactic!
January 12, 2009
I have read all of the complaints here, and I’m wondering, is there an Acai Berry supplement that works, and if so, is there a vendor without a scam?
I’m glad I came to this site before ordering anything. It seemed too good to be true.
Editor’s comments: Tracy, there’s nothing wrong with Acai – it’s a great source of antioxidants and monounsaturated fats (see this review for more information on Acai).
However, there is actually ZERO evidence it does anything for weight loss, nor is there anything unique or special about its pharmacology that would suggest it might. If you want to try it for its antioxidant benefits, check your specialty grocery store to see if you can find a juice blend or some frozen Acai.
January 12, 2009
If you’re ordering acai berry, expecting it to melt fat off of your body, you can forget about it. Acai Berry is an effective energy, metabolism and overall boost, but it doesn’t shred fat off of you. When paired with diet and exercise, it does work.
Also, it defense of the company (not that I’m affiliated with them in anyway), a free trial is a free trial. Everyone SHOULD know by now that something that is free, you get to try, and pay for later.
There’s ALWAYS terms and conditions, and always an agreement that you click yes to. It’s not a scam, it’s a simple over-sight by the average American..
No one’s getting scammed out of hundreds of dollars, they are signing up and agreeing to be.
Editor’s comments: First of all, we’re sorry to break it to you Jason, but there’s no evidence Acai boosts the metabolism, or does anything of the sort (a full review of Acai is available here). If you have any real evidence to validate its metabolism-boosting powers, we’d love to see it!
Secondly, the only way you can come to the conclusion this company’s billing policies are not a scam are – either you work for the company, or you are not reading the same feedback we’re seeing.
No ethical company makes their product only available via a free trial, and then, as alleged by our visitors, does not adhere to the terms and conditions it sets out in them.
No ethical company signs up its visitors to the recurring billing programs of completely different companies. This is not a matter of simple oversight by consumers. This is the retailer abusing the trust and confidence of his/her customers.
February 12, 2009
I am a banker and I deal with disputes as a part of my job! Always when purchasing something online, read, read, read!!
Nothing is free, and if you do order it, order with a credit card b/c there are more charge back rights then when you use a debit card.
Always read the return policy, this is where these companies get you! Document everything!!
Write down names, dates and times when making calls, be specific.
Return your “Trial” shipment when you receive it if you are billed unfairly. Most of these places charge a restocking fee so you may not get all of it back.
Be aware of what you are buying! Then there will be no hidden surprises!
Keep any information for correspondence sent.
Also if you return the “Trial” offer and any shipments after get proof that you did so, always make copies, and again document!
In most cases the merchant has 30 days to provide a credit to your account. Always remember…
NOTHING IS FREE INCLUDING TRIAL OFFERS!! IF IT SEEMS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT IS!!!
February 13, 2009
Wow, was I glad that my credit card company called me stating there was a $88 charge from Israel that was suspicious for fraud. I stated I had not made a purchase and the card was immediately canceled. To my surprise a week later I receive a letter that states the charge was investigated and found NOT to be fraudulent that it was a purchase I authorized over the internet. I had to get the phone # from the credit card company and followed up only to find that yes this is automatically charged to the account if the account is not canceled with in 14 days.
How was I to cancel within 14 days when I did not receive the product for 25 days, and in the box there was no contact information? I did however, let the rep know I was not happy at all and that I would be doing anything possible to let everyone know it. When asked if there was anything else they could do for me, I answered not unless your taking your ads off of the web altogether. By the way the original charge and the additional charge was made by two separate companies with two different contact phone #s.
Watch out everyone!
March 3, 2009
Back in November 08 I TOO WAS HOODWINKED! I won’t say the product did/didnt work for me as I would not be able to make an honest assessment due to there being other personal life changes & stressfull issues (causing eating habits to change dramaticly) that occured around the same time of getting this “GREAT GIFT FROM ABOVE”.
However, the billing & “customer service” was complete and utter bull@%^$! I mean that whole heartedly… I was charged the $1 shipping then shortly after a $29.99 charge from fitfit.com (which was credited back to my bank acct after raising all sorts and matters of HELL).
I’m really not sure about anybody else but reality is times are really tightening bugets, so I check my bank statements every morning before work. Well, ‘BOOM’ there you have it a charge for $89.31!
I called the 1-800-number to have a broken half-ass English speaking prick tell me that he couldn’t credit my account (mind you I had not yet received the “free trail” and to top it all off the charge appeared exactly 11 days after the order) i asked to speak to a manager or supervisor to only be told that, and I quote…
“… managers and supervisor dont take phone calls, they do paper work and if I wanted to get a response from them (management) the its best that I write a letter.”
I had never been so outraged. I hired a lawyer (called my older bother… LOL) and explained the situation to find out if I “had a case” only to find out that even though the terms of agreement were not visible at the time of purchase there was a link to the terms always availible through the site map so they were covered – of course, it was bull#&*^!
So I cancelled the card my bank credited the charge back and issued a new card….
Now let’s all be honest adults here… there is no way possible a person could first reaserch this product, come accross this site, read these ratings and/or the well composed review, and still buy any acai berry product (free trail or otherwise) from a site that you’ve never heard of. In my opinion if you do choose to go forward and puchase the product as a free trail fully aware of what could possibly happen, you suffer from 2 things…
1) You just want something to fuss and moan about.
And/or…
2) You have too much money & time to blow.
To all of my other fellow pissed off consumers “it is by trial and error we learn” – continue to spread the word!
March 4, 2009
Just a note to all. I tried the $4.95 trial for AcaiBurn. After reading this website, I was so freaked out that I just cancelled it! I was EXTREMELY relieved to find no problems what-so-ever. It was one phone call. I took it for about 2 weeks. I really didn’t notice any change ie; the energy it touted or the fast weight loss. I realize I didnt give it much time, but all these and other stories of these “free trials” scared the heck out of me. Incidentally, I was surprised to find that since the 14 days lapsed, I would be charged $59.95 for the bottle I thought I was paying $4.95 for. Funny how no one mention a thing about losing weight – just losing money!!
March 18, 2009
Please do not get acia berry online. Most are scams that say they only charges s&h, but two weeks later you’ll find $80 dollars are taken your from debit/credit card. You’re better off going to GNC; it’s cheaper and a lot easier to get your money back. Taking the stuff I’ve only lost 1 inch and have very little extra energy.
Read the fine print! If it sounds too good to be true, it is!
March 29, 2009
OMG! I am so shocked and scared right now, I dont know what to do? I just ordered acai online and right now and I am reading all these things about it! What am I supposed to do now? Could somebody please help me? Does anybody know if I should cancel my card after one day or if i should just call my bank and tell them that they should not allow them to charge my credit / debit card? Please, I need advice ASAP!
Editor’s comments: Nadja, we’d recommend phoning your bank immediately, and trying to block the charge. If the charge has gone through already, and you’ve used a credit card, ask to do a charge back. If you can’t do that, cancel the card and have a new one issued. This will at least prevent further charges.
April 3, 2009
I wish I reviewed this website before I made the big mistake to order through this big scam. Everyone, it’s a complete and total rip off, the T&C were not clear, and did not mention anything about two other monthly charges (membership fees and something else where they send you advice by email!).
I ended up paying $90 CAD + $12.00 membership fee and $6.95 for something else, for something that does not work! I feel very stupid and I have learned the hard way. Be careful guys!
April 6, 2009
Okay read about 90% of the comments here, and the stuff looks like a scam, I get it.
To bad, I just ordered the stuff, was hopeful that it would do even a little of what it said it would.
Yes I saw read and understood the terms and conditions (and saw it was an international number… Hassle but not OTT) but thought okay, 3 – 5 days product gets here, take it for 2 days, and if any effect cancel membership… finish the 14-day bottle and then reorder it… that was the plan at least. Have not yet seen the charges on my card and have not yet got product that was ordered approx. 8 days ago.
Good news though; having worked in a bank some years ago I know it is very easy to dispute charges on a credit card. Also guys, in most cases (and the banks will not tell you this) all transactions under $500 AUD amount are returned to the card holder with little or no investigation. It is just not worth the bank’s time or money to investigate a $14.95 AUD bill when there are MANY MANY more much larger ones out there.
So when the first charge appears on my card I shall dispute it.
That is assuming that there is a need to of course.
I will of course call the company tomorrow.
Love, Light, and Service to you all.
Theosis
April 9, 2009
Total scam!
They are laughing in our faces!
Free trial… oh yes madam, there is a free trial but you will be charged in the next couple of days. What part of free did I not understand? And besides, now I’m getting charges from “web access” at $6.95 monthly. I don’t even know what the heck is that! Stay away! Don’t be the next!
April 21, 2009
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT !
It is completely useless and does not work.
I did not sign up for the automatic shipping program and it was sent to me anyway. The company of course, billed my credit card, too. I called and spoke to some kind of mumbling idiot in the southern USA.
DO NOT BUY IT!!!!
May 1, 2009
What a RIP-OFF!
The ‘trial bottle’ just cost me $91! I just got off the phone with one of their reps and they refuse to refund my credit card. It works like this… they advertise like crazy about this wonder pill and say you can get a ‘free bottle’ for only the shipping costs. Well, I got the bottle, tried it for 15 days, noticed no difference in anything. Nothing happened on my credit card except the small shipping fee of like $4.
Well, 2 months later, I get a $87.13 charge on my credit card! These people charged for the trial bottle! Be very careful and read all of the fine print or you will get charged too. I do NOT recommend this rip-off company. Good luck!
July 15, 2009
I ordered the ‘free’ trial of these pills and within 2 months I called and emailed to cancel my trial, yet I had already been sent 4 bottles, and within 2 months and over $900 charged to my credit card.
I let my bank know and they said that I gave them permission to take this money.
I GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO TAKE $4.95, NOT 900 DOLLARS!!! Plus I canceled my “membership” so why do they keep taking money out?
THIS IS A HUGE SCAM AND I ADVISE NO ONE TO TRY THESE PILLS.
August 19, 2009
I to ordered but i used a pre-paid mastercard.
Anyone that is ordering A FREE trial products; this is the best way to go because they can’t bill you for more then you have on the card. If you like the product, you can reorder it for the full cost. I tried. I eat pretty good and exercise. I don’t think it has made a difference in my weight loss but you will feel more energized without getting the jitters.
August 20, 2009
Thanks to all you good people who’ve posted here to prevent others being ripped off. My wife also ordered the “free” trial a few days ago. After reading the overwhelming proof that this is a scam, she canceled her credit card and was assured by the bank she won’t be charged.
September 5, 2009
I am so sorry to all of you that have gone through this, but thank you so much for this site to save other curious souls from this damage.
Question: has anyone bought the berry or colon cleanse from a health food store and had any luck?
Editor’s comments: Marie, Acai is a great source of antioxidants, but there’s no evidence it helps with weight loss. Colon cleanses are usually fiber supplements with “liver beneficial” ingredients (like dandelion root and silymarin root) thrown in for good measure. You’ll get the same results from Metamucil.
September 5, 2009
Bravo to Pauline – that is a great idea!
October 28, 2009
I’m from Ireland i too ordered the free trial of Extreme Acai Berry, I now realize it’s a glorified scam. In Europe the Terms and conditions have to be clearly shown and not hidden. It even made news on an Irish radio talk show today where a lady said she tried the product for the trial period, tried to cancel it couldn’t get through to the phone numbers given, and ended up getting charged for 4 months supply at once and eventually had to cancel her credit card.
Well, I have just canceled my credit card too!
November 11, 2009
I visited Extreme Acai berry website two days ago, in an attempt to look at the information and make a decision about whether or not to pay for the free trial. I entered my information and clicked to go to the next page. Then I saw some of the “requirements” and I decided to opt out. So I clicked the “back” arrow, deleted my information, and got off the site. Over the past two days, they have called my phone eight times! When I finally was able to answer the phone today, the representative said that “For some reason, the information and the shipment was never processed” and he wanted to see if we could get that resolved. I said, “no, I’ve decided to lose weight the old fashioned way.” He immediately said, “Then stay away from our website. Thank you so much,” and then he hung up the phone!!! Now I’m very worried about what information they do have about me, and whether or not they will use my card information to charge me for something I never “agreed” with.
Editor’s comments: Marissa, don’t worry – since you didn’t press the “order” button, you never agreed to purchasing the product, or their terms and conditions. That’s why they are calling you; because they cannot complete your order until you do so. If they are underhanded enough to process your order, call your credit card company and do a charge back. Tell them that you never finalized the order, backing out after you read the fine print.
January 2, 2010
Not only is this a product that probably doesn’t work, it doesn’t exist. My wife has had her credit card charged and received nothing. Others have also been scammed by these ****. A physical location for these ****** would be good, so suitable retribution could be carried out.
January 7, 2010
I am so glad I didn’t fall for the scam. My aunt did however, and she is now in the process of cancellation. DON’T BUY THE ACAI BERRY PILLS!!!
March 19, 2010
This is one of the worst product. I didnt see any improvement. i have totally wasted $350/-. Please dont even try and waste the money. This is complete cheating.
April 9, 2010
My credit card was charged $149 by berry pure on FREE trial offer. Their products are high in caffeine. I purchased 2 bottles at walmart for $15. Acai berry is high in antioxidents & may be a health benefit.
Editor’s comments: For those of you wanting to learn more about acai’s benefits, you can read the full acai review here!
April 29, 2010
I am sorry for all you people this company ripped off. Thankfully I was smart enough to get a temporary debit card, put only 20 dollars on it, and purchased the two bottles with that.
I have yet to receive my bottles but its o.k they will no longer be taking money away from me. Yeah they got their free trial membership money but that’s all they’re getting from me.
Like the lady said if it sounds too good to be true, then more than likely it is. Everyone have a good day.
August 20, 2010
Would have been excellent if I had found this website so much earlier!
After ordering my free trial, I recieved another bottle 30 days later and was charged $130. I persistantly called customer service, and dealt with many numbers that ‘could not be connected’. Another bottle arrives, another $130. Same ordeal as before.
Finally after almost $400, Visa got me a contact phone number to whom was making these charges. Visa also said that I was fully responsible for paying these charges because the company -even though it is in fine print- has fully informed me of their guidelines and policies (which I was completely unaware of, I did not see this on the website).
So I thought I may as well start them seeing as how I paid full price for them.
A load of B.S., Acai Berry does not work at all!
September 28, 2010
I too wish I had known about the “scam” before I ordered and paid for this product. When I ordered the “free” trial, I thought I was paying for shipping and handling but after I entered my debit card info, the next page gave the total of $99.96 and then I could mail in a form to get a rebate. Nothing in the offer stated this is how the free trial worked. Also, I was never given an amount that would be charged to my card. That should have been a red flag. I attempted to call to cancel but could not get through. I finally received the product after 2 weeks so it was too late to cancel according to the terms and conditions, which unfortunately I had not read. I never did get a rebate as I printed the mail in rebate form and it states, “to qualify for the rebate, you must be a legal resident of the USA, at least 18 years of age or older and you must have completed the full purchase of the AcaiOptimum Program which is two payments of $99.96.” I didn’t qualify because, fortunately,I cancelled my debit card with my financial institution before they could charge the second $99.96. Lesson learned but it cost me over $100. So please always read the fine print, click on the terms & conditions & don’t give any credit or debit card information unless you are sure of what you are paying for.
January 17, 2011
wow i feel like an idiot. i just found your website but i already ordered the acai berry select…i’m so scared that all my money will be gone, especially because i was so stupid to pay with my DEBIT carD!!! argh..has anyone tried the acai berry select before?
it said my trial was free with a mail-in coupon. and in order to get that coupon i have to buy 4 refills for $14.97 each. doesn’t look to me like its a ‘free trial’ so much now does it? and they never mentioned that i had to pay $14.97 each until after i already gave them my debit card number…..im scared!!! 🙁