AdvoCare
TINA.org investigated AdvoCare as part of its larger investigations into unsubstantiated disease-treatment claims and atypical income claims used by MLM companies.
To read more about TINA.org’s 2023 MLM Income Claims Investigation, click here.
To read more about TINA.org’s 2017 DSA Income Claims Investigation, click here.
To read more about TINA.org’s 2016 DSA Health Claims Investigation, click here.
How We Took Action
2024
February 14
As part of its 2023 investigation into 100 MLM companies, TINA.org notifies AdvoCare of its findings that the company has used atypical income claims to market its business opportunity.
2023
April 13
The FTC sends Advocare a Notice of Penalty Offenses Concerning Substantiation putting the company on formal notice that it is unlawful to, among other things, make claims relating to the health benefits, safety, and effectiveness of products without competent and reliable scientific evidence to support them, and that disease-treatment claims must be substantiated by at least one randomized, controlled, and double-blinded human clinical trial of the product.
2021
June 30
TINA.org sends a letter, along with a list of more than 660 direct selling companies that includes AdvoCare, to the FTC urging it to implement a penalty offense program targeting the direct selling industry and its market-wide practice of using deceptive earnings representations and false health claims.
2019
October 9
The Texas federal district court approves a settlement agreement in the FTC’s case against AdvoCare that requires the company and its former CEO to pay $150 million and be banned from multilevel marketing. Two top promoters also agree to an MLM ban and a judgment of $4 million (that will be suspended when they surrender substantial assets).
October 2
The FTC files a complaint in Texas federal district court against AdvoCare, its former CEO and top promoters alleging they operated an illegal pyramid scheme and used deceptive income claims to recruit distributors.
2018
January 26
AdvoCare responds to TINA.org’s 2017 income claim findings.
2017
December 18
As part of its 2017 investigation into all DSA-member companies, TINA.org sends a letter to AdvoCare regarding its use of false and unsubstantiated income claims to promote its business opportunity.
2016
December 22
AdvoCare responds to TINA.org’s health claim findings.
November 22
As part of its 2016 investigation into all DSA-member companies selling nutritional supplements, TINA.org sends a letter to AdvoCare regarding its use of inappropriate health claims to market products.
The Latest
FTC Staff Urge MLMs Not to Rely on Industry Income Disclosure Guidance
Advisory opinion letter raises “serious concerns” with self-reg group’s guidance.
MLMs Continue to Recruit with Deceptive Earnings Claims
TINA.org investigation finds 98% of MLMs using misleading income claims.
Time Freedom Is The New Financial Freedom
Why the MLM industry should avoid the term.
5 Ad Trends to Be Wary of in 2020
CGI influencers are here.
The DSA Waffles Over AdvoCare
Former MLM holds onto its DSA membership in the aftermath of $150 million pyramid scheme settlement.
AdvoCare to Pay $150 Million to Settle FTC Pyramid Charges
Health and wellness products MLM allegedly rewarded recruitment over product sales.
Multilevel Marketing: The Day Job that Doesn’t Pay
More than 97 percent of DSA member companies use or have used misleading income claims.
2017-2021 Pyramid Scheme Class Actions
Pyramid scheme claims against MLM companies on the rise.
Herbalife And Its Distributors Face RICO Complaint
Lawsuit against Herbalife claims attending events is a losing strategy.
Illegal Health Claims By DSA Companies Still Litter Internet
More than 1,000 unsubstantiated health claims remain on the internet nine months after TINA.org’s investigation.
Class-Action Tracker
AdvoCare
Allegations: Operating a pyramid scheme and luring distributors into the scheme by telling them they can achieve financial success
AdvoCare’s 24-Day Challenge and AdvoCare Spark
March 2018: A federal judge dismissed this case When a complaint is dismissed with prejudice, it cannot be refiled. because the plaintiffs did not include “credible or persuasive scientific studies…