Beware of the Acai Scam

Are you considering trying acai? If so, you need to know about the multitude of acai scams that are all over the Internet.

Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is a fruit that grows on the acai palm tree in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil. The acai berry is dark purple in color and about the size of a blueberry. About 90% of the acai berry is seed and about 10% is skin and pulp. Only the skin and pulp are edible.

Acai has plenty of nutritional benefits. It is loaded with antioxidants, contains essential amino acids and essential fatty acids, is high in fiber, and is a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Acai got a jolt of publicity in 2008 when Dr. Mehmet Oz included it among tomatoes, blueberries, broccoli, and other healthy foods in a segment on Oprah. A guest on Rachael Ray also mentioned acai. Since then, acai has received quite a bit of media coverage and it continues to grow in popularity. Many companies have sprung up to try and capitalize on this popularity. Many of these companies are selling weight loss supplements that contain acai, and their websites make incredible claims about how much weight you can lose by using their products. But there are two major problems that you need to be aware of.

The first problem is that there is no scientific evidence that acai has any special weight loss properties. Acai has plenty of health benefits, but it is not the secret to weight loss.

The second problem is even more troubling. Many of the companies selling acai weight loss supplements are scamming people.

These companies are using websites and blogs that contain fake personal weight loss stories and fake before and after pictures. They are using websites and blogs that contain fake celebrity and fake doctor endorsements. They are using bogus review websites and blogs that supposedly "review" acai products and recommend the "best" ones. They are even using websites and blogs purporting to warn people about acai-related scams that are themselves perpetrating scams.

The scam works like this. If you sign up for the "free trial" offer on one of these websites or blogs, you have to provide your credit card information to cover shipping and handling for the "free sample." You are then enrolled in an “automatic shipment program” where you are sent cheap, overpriced acai supplements and your credit card is billed $80 or more every month. The details are usually spelled out in the website’s fine print, but most people don’t read that. Thousands of people have had trouble stopping these recurring credit card charges.

Acai is a very nutritious fruit and taking an acai supplement is an easy and effective way to experience acai's nutritional benefits. But you should only purchase acai supplements from a reputable company that sells high quality products. If you have any concerns about a particular company, check that company out at the Better Business Bureau's website (www.bbb.org). It also helps to search various consumer complaint websites, such as complaints.com and and ripoffreport.com. Lastly, but most importantly, avoid all "free trials" of acai supplements.