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
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Do MLM Earnings Statements Constitute Deceptive Advertising?
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TINA’s List
Readers have told us to look into these MLMs.
FTC Pyramid Cases Post-Amway
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MLMs Tap College Campuses for Recruits
MLM and pyramid scheme experts say more must be done to educate and raise student awareness.
Class-Action Tracker
AdvoCare
Allegations: Operating a pyramid scheme and luring distributors into the scheme by telling them they can achieve financial success