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?

Acai is a great anti oxidant, don't get me wrong. It's probably worthwhile as a "healthy" addition to your regular consumption of fruits and vegetables. But 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. 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.

Have you used Extreme Acai Berry? Share your comments and read
Extreme Acai Berry Rerry user reviews, click here!

Have you been the victim of a product that makes exaggerated claims? Launch a complaint!

US visitors should submit a complaint to the US Federal Trade Commission!

Canadians, submit a complaint at the Canadian Competition Bureau!