U.S. files suit against ab devices
Source: http://www.msnbc.com/news/749508.asp?0na=x22022H0-
May 8 — It certainly sounds too good to be true — devices that promise toned abdominal muscles, with no work. But wishful thinking is a powerful thing, and so are infomercials, and tonight, the government is warning that a lot of Americans are getting ripped off by those electronic ab products, while the people selling them are getting fat and happy.
KIM NASH is one of 3 million Americans who asked, “why exercise for a flat stomach” ... and instead, bought one of those electronic belts seen in infomercials.
“I’m surfin’ through the channels, watching this thing, and this woman’s stomach was just jumpin’ and I’m like ‘I don’t have to sit-ups ever again, let’s get this,’” Nash says.
Just listen to what the infomercial for one of the electronic ab belts promises: “With the touch of a button, you can go from flab to hard rock abs ... Gives you the results of 600 sit-ups in 10 minutes without any effort.”
Today, the Federal Trade Commission Chairman says, that’s not so.
“We think these claims are false and deceptive,” says Timoth Muris, FTC Chairman. “The simple fact of the matter is, you can’t lose weight, you can’t lose inches, you can’t get rock hard abs, you can’t get anything of that nature without diet and exercise.”
In fact, the FTC went to court against the makers of Ab Tronic, Ab Energizer and Fast Abs, demanding an end to the claims and money back for purchasers.
Fast Abs says it’s stopped making the belt, but adds: “The Fast Abs product is a safe and effective product to use,” says Jeff Knowles, attorney for the distributor of Fast Abs.
And Ab Energizer “looks forward to presenting the merits” of its product “to the FTC.”
As for Kim Nash? “There was absolutely no difference whatsoever, I even tried on my thighs, on my backside and absolutely no difference at all,” she says.
The FTC says Americans may have wasted $100 million on belts instead of exercising their judgement — and their abs.
