05/06/2009
BOCA RATON, FL -- It's promoted as an energy booster, a disease fighter and weight loss aid; however, the only effects Karen Buckner got from the bottle of Acai berry pills she ordered was a giant headache.
It started when she clicked an internet advertisement offering a risk free trial.
She says, "$5.95 shipping and handling, free 30-day supply; what do I have to lose?"
Buckner says she soon learned she had a lot to lose.
After signing up, she realized the manufacturer, SFL Nutrition, would continue sending her one bottle a month.
She would be charged nearly 89 dollars a month plus shipping and handling for each, so she decided to cancel.
Buckner explains, "They said you can cancel at any time, all you have to do is give them a call. The only catch is, when you call...you can't get through."
Buckner says her calls went unanswered for days.
Finally, she was given another number to call. That one didn't work.
After our calls weren't returned, we went to SFL Nutrition's headquarters in Boca Raton.
NewsChannel 5's Marci Gonzalez knocked on the door, but there was no answer.
A light was on inside, but neighboring business owners told Gonzalez that nearly everything inside the office was packed up and moved out on Monday.
They left no forwarding address.
A company manager tells our news partners at the Sun-Sentinel that they weren't prepared to handle the large number of orders and calls.
According to the Better Business Bureau, it appears to be more than just a slip up.
The BBB issued a nationwide warning to consumers about SFL Nutrition and other similar companies.
The BBB has registered 2,187 complaints against SFL Nutrition, and thousands more against two affiliated businesses.
SFL Nutrition has an 'F' rating with the BBB for its lack of response to the complaints and customers like Buckner are still left scrambling for a way to stop the charges.
Buckner says she had to cancel her credit card to make the charges stop.
The BBB recommends checking a company's rating before giving away credit card information.
They also say all requests for a company to stop sending a product should be sent via certified mail. That way, there will be proof of the request.
The Florida Attorney General's Office is also investigating complaints against SFL and the two other associated companies.