FTC and Maine Attorney General Crack Down on Deceptive Supplement Sellers

Last month, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the Maine Office of the Attorney General took action against several dietary supplement marketers accused of misleading consumers. The marketers, including XXL Impressions LLC, J2 Response LLP, and others, allegedly used deceptive tactics such as radio infomercials disguised as talk shows and fake endorsements to promote supplements claiming to improve memory and alleviate joint and back pain. The FTC and Maine Attorney General filed a complaint and reached settlements with six out of nine defendants named, imposing court orders that prohibit them from making false claims and engaging in deceptive marketing practices. These practices allegedly caused significant financial harm to consumers. Specifically, the defendants were accused of making unsubstantiated claims about their products, such as CogniPrin's ability to reverse mental decline and improve memory by specific percentages, and FlexiPrin's purported benefits in reducing joint and back pain. The defendants allegedly used pseudoscientific endorsements and fictitious testimonials to bolster these claims, failing to disclose that some endorsers were paid based on product sales.