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Ciren 12, Papaya Plus, Supra Svelt Drops - The Latest Montreal Diet Frauds
The Montreal diet fraud community continues on, with virtually no interference from the Canadian government. We continue to monitor the diet scams out there, and here is the latest that we are hearing about.
Ciren12 - This scam continues to go full blast throughout Canada. Full-page advertisements continue everywhere in the Sun newspaper chain. As well, ads have been reported in flyers of the Shop and Save chain, which is a flyer inserted into major newspapers on weekends.
The scam continues to be perpetrated through a shared office complex in north Toronto (which acts as a mail drop). Ultimately, it all leads back to by a fulfillment location in Terrebonne, Quebec. The involved operation just happens to also be involved in the adult video business.
As we have reported many times, there is no connection to McGill University with this promotion. The recent Sun advertisements report a researcher at the "Faculty of Pharmacology" at McGill University who apparently has researched this product. In actual fact there is no Faculty of Pharmacology at McGill, and a search of the staff at McGill does not include the name of the person in the advertisement.
The product is not approved, nor is there any evidence the ingredients will cause weight loss.
Papaya Plus - this Montreal based scam continues to be Canada's longest current running scam diet scam. This scam first came to the attention of Rainbow Investigations in early 2002.
U.S. operations continue through a Chicago based mailbox. In Canada, ads have usually been through a mailbox in Cornwall, although recent ads have shown up directly in Montreal through a Laval mailbox.
The most recent development in this scam is that ads in coupon books within Montreal indicate the fraud artists are now using a Montreal based call center to take orders.
Many people have asked us about refunds with this scam. Since 2002, we are not aware of any refunds being forwarded to victims of the scam. Of course, our role is largely a preventative one, and unfortunately, if you have provided a cheque, which has been cashed, there is little we can do.
We have also had continuous complaints on this one about product coming long after the consumer has paid for the product.
Supra Svelt Drops - We are still getting complaint on this one, although the volume of complaints has decreased in the last few weeks. In the past, this one has been done through a mailbox in Traverse Michigan, which is cleaned out by a fulfillment place just to the south. This operation all leads back to Montreal.
Le Marc de Raisins - this one leads to a northwest suburb of Montreal, and has a U.S. base of operations on Long Island. We have not had recent reports of direct mail outs here.
Liposvelt - We have not had recent complaints on this scam.
So this is where the Montreal based diet fraud scene is at currently.
Always remember, if you want to let us know of an ad, or a promotion that we should be aware of, use email to keep us informed.
Ron Reinhold
Date of Story: Sunday, June 25, 2006
Story Posted By: Ron Reinhold
Source: Ron Reinhold
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