‘Free trial’ Keto scam almost ripped off small business owner

I am the CEO of a service of process and investigation firm in the South and would appreciate your guidance with a frustrating problem.

“Process servers and investigators have sedentary jobs. We sit a lot, waiting for someone to appear or to do something. This often leads to obesity which was addressed in a letter sent to us by the doctor who sees our employees injured on the job. It included a copy of an article you wrote last year.

“It was about a doctor who sent a warning letter to his obese patients about the greatly increased risk of death they faced from, not just COVID, but even the flu. He became very upset with a family who did nothing to address their obesity, and all came down with COVID.

“All of my employees are overweight and several, morbidly obese, including me. When photos of people who die from COVID are shown on the news, almost all are obese and that scares me.”

Quick Fix – Just Take These Tablets

“I saw an online ad for ‘Keto Day’ tablets which promised a rapid weight loss, saying ‘Eat all the meat, high fat items you want, just no carbs, and watch the pounds melt off.’

“The ad offered a month’s free trial supply of their tablets. I phoned, requested sample tablets for 30 people, and if they worked, we would order more. They agreed, wanted my debit card information in case we would like to continue receiving the product, but I used my credit card instead and declined the discounted monthly subscription.

“Long story short. The tablets don’t work and I have been billed over $900! I can’t get anyone there to respond, my credit card company has been of no help, and I am afraid they will keep on billing me for more of these junk pills! Can you help us? Thanks, ‘Jan.’”

Ketogenic Diets are Nothing New

If you remember the “High Fat Low Carb” diet fad of years ago, well, that’s exactly what Keto – ketogenic — diets are today.

When our intake of carbohydrates is greatly limited for a long enough time, the liver goes to work drawing on our alternate energy store — fat — and turns it into a source of fuel called ketones. So, by virtually eliminating carbs from our diet, yet requiring energy to survive, we burn fat and lose weight. The process is called ketosis.

What if you could speed up the process? Keto tablets to the rescue, claiming to get you into ketosis quickly with little effort. But side-effects aren’t usually mentioned, and there are many, a big one is the money you may lose.

Supervisor ‘Sick’ – Credit Card Reps Need Training

With Jan on the line, I phoned “Keto Day” and “Ima” answered. I asked for her supervisor, but, (of course,) “He’s away from his desk.” We called back 10 minutes later, Ima answered, but now, “He’s home sick today.”

Suddenly, my sarcastic evil twin appeared and said, “Ima, I know your last name!”

“Really? She replied, what is it?”

“It’s Crook, Ima Crook!” And she hung up!

Gee, was it something I said?

Next, I phoned Jan’s credit card issuer, reached a supervisor in the fraud department. Jan gave him permission to review the history of this transaction with us.

After less than 30 seconds we heard, “Oh my Gosh, I am so sorry!”

“Folks, we’ve been working remotely, and it is clear that the rep Jan spoke with didn’t know what to do and refused to put this charge into suspension. She will not have to pay unless the company can convince me it is legit, and it certainly doesn’t appear that way. Also, we have had many similar complaints about them.”

So Fortunate a Credit Card, Not a Debit Card Was Used

As within days of receiving her credit card statement, she contacted the credit card issuer, that charge could be removed pending an investigation. Generally, this must be done within 60 days of a credit card bill with the charge that is being contested.

However, if she had used a debit card – where funds were immediately removed from her account – most institutions would refuse to refund the money. That is the danger of giving your debit card number to a company that offers a self-renewing product subscription.

One Positive to Come Out of This

Jan’s employees are fortunate indeed. For here is a boss who cares about their health at a time when that is so critical.

In a report just released by the World Obesity Federation, researchers found, “COVID-19 death rates were more than 10 times higher in countries where more than half the adults are overweight. In the U.S. 67.9% of the adult population is overweight.”