The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[horsey girl]

Did anyody watch the 20-20 expose' of L.A.Weight Loss last night? Anybody been exposed to these kind of sales tactics?

[bikipatra]

I called them once for info and they insisted I come that day so as not to miss out on one second of weight loss. When I said I couldn't I was told I had one more day of being big that I could put behind me. I didn't see the show and never called them back.

[j0j0ruca]

I forgot to see the show

[horsey girl]

WOW! Biki, I can see why you never called them. That would have been the end of it for me

[MusicalMomma]

I went to them in the early 90's when they were known as "Quick Weight Loss". I did not see the 20-20 bit...I did see the advert for it tho. Let me tell you, if they are still doing the same thing they pulled with me...YES they are total shiesters! They told me what I'd have to pay per week, made me pay a big chunk up front, then gave me a contract to sign. I asked the woman, "if I end up not liking this program, since I never tried it before, can I cancel my contract?" She said she didn't know and pulled in her manager who promptly told me "sure, but we KNOW you will LOVE It!".

Well, I HATED it...quit after two weeks and called them to tell them I quit. Did not ask for my deposit back because I figured it was my dumb mistake.

WELL...two months later...I get a call from their COLLECTIONS department! Telling me how much I owed. I told them, well I quit! She said I was still responsible for for $500+!!!! I told her NO friggin way!!! Told her what the manager had told me. After a few weeks of harrassment from them...I threatened to call the media and expose them for the crooks they were!!! They promptly apologized and released my contract without further payment!

With all that said...I do know a lady that is doing the L.A. Weighloss program who loves it!! However, in all the months she's been doing it and paying for it...she doesn't appear to have lost too much weight. Go figure!

[bdg]

Unfortunately, this is prevalent in the weight loss industry. I have many friends who are leary of trying the Take Shape for Life program because they have been burned by LA, or Metabolic Research Centers or others in our area. All require sign-up fees of in some cases $400 or more and none show results like this program. They see my results, just don't believe it when I say there is no sign-up fee, or weekly fees. Just buy the food. There are way TOO many of these type of centers out there.

[electra000]

I had the same thing happen to me. I went for a consultation last year and they ended up pulling me in too. They tell you how much weight you need to lose then estimate the number of weeks it will take you to lose the weight. They make you pay for all of the weeks in advance and sign a contract. I didn't like the program after I paid $500.00 and they would not give me my money back. I got ripped off once again ! (as usual)

[Mike]

Well, this is one reason that everyone out there should tell people about this program. It works, the food tastes great, there are no hidden costs (in fact there are savings), and you lose weight faster and in a more healthy way than those other "programs" or "diets".

[MerryMary]

I saw the program and am glad they were exposed for the crooks they are! They interviewed some former "consultants" who admitted they knew nothing about weight loss, they were not dieticians and their primary job was to sell the products and plan. They even used personal, emotional and painful confessions from the questionnaire to guilt people into buying. Their aim was to make people feel bad and cry. Their mantra: "When they cry they buy!" Simply horrible.

Mary

[nickieluv]

I wish I'd known about this to watch it. My mom did LA weight loss a while ago and really liked it at the time - lost weight, did great - but she thought about going back to it and was told it would be $1800 up front, which was not how it had been the first time for her. Ridiculous! I'm sure she would have been interested in this expose.

I ALMOST had her talked into MF but she was put off by the cost of the food, no matter how I tried to explain that it evens out in the end. I wonder if LA was part of her reticence - I didn't ask. Now she's doing Atkins - I hope she does well whatever she chooses, of course! But MF is for me all the way to thindom.

[Mike]

I didn't see it, but I went to the ABC website and found a 5 minute piece they have in their 20-20 section called diet hard sell. Looks like part of the story anyway. Interesting.
Perhaps they will have a rebroadcast at some point.

www DOT abcnews DOT go DOT com/2020/

[VictoriousNat]

I got gouged in 2004! They stink! Glad their dirty laundry got aired. One stunt that they pull is to make you by one year's worth of bars up front. You CANNOT purchase bars as you go. You fork over the $1500 up front and they give you a box of bars at each weekly weigh in.

[GucciGoo]

Yeah, I got sucked in back in 1998 I think. Paid about $500 up front and hated it and never went back. I felt like such an idiot.