DSSRC Refers Earnings and Health-Related Product Performance Claims for Alliance in Motion to FTC

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Jul 22, 2021, 09:00 ET

MCLEAN, Va., July 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) of BBB National Programs referred certain representative product performance and earnings claims to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for possible enforcement action after Alliance in Motion Global, a direct selling company that distributes and markets food supplements and premium blended beverages, failed to respond to DSSRC's inquiry.

At issue in DSSRC's inquiry are earnings and health-related product performance claims disseminated on the company website and by salesforce members implying that Alliance in Motion's products can protect against several serious health-related conditions, including COVID-19. In addition, Alliance in Motion salesforce members have made unsupported representations in social media posts about the ability to earn significant income as a member of the Alliance in Motion salesforce.

The following representative claims were brought to Alliance in Motion's attention by DSSRC as part of its ongoing independent monitoring of the direct selling marketplace.

Product claims include, but are not limited to:

"An effective remedy for body pain. The CARELEAF helps all kinds of pain in your body like? Back pain, muscle pain, body pain osteoarthritis, rheumatism, migraine, stress, depression, dysmenorrhea, asthma" (on Facebook)
"Protection against Corona Virus. Strengthening the immune system against diseases; normal blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol; helps reduce stress and anxiety; enhances sexual vitality; helps prevent heart disease, cancer, arthritis, rheumatoid, and other diseases; helps reduce the bad effects of chemotherapy or radiation; cleaning the inside of our body to release all toxins through normal diarrhea; healthy and protecting our liver, kidney and pancreas so that it won't get damaged especially if we take a lot of synthetic drugs; gum and teeth strengthening." (on Facebook)
"In AIM GLOBAL Health, we have a variety of world class Nutritional medicines. They are nutritional supplements which are very effective and are healing a variety of diseases. Sugar diabetes, low or high blood pressure, stroke, heart problems, ulcers, men's and women's health problems and many others. Therefore, boost your immune system and stay healthy with our products. All Alliance in Motion Global medicines are certified in Zambia by ZAMRA." (on Facebook)
YouTube video advertising the Company's products with images depicting effects of multiple factors on health with copy stating, "PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE!" (on YouTube)

Earnings claims include, but are not limited to:

"WHY BUSINESS??? own business, own time; money works for you; passive income; no limit; makers of rags to riches millionaires (start small end big), unlimited income opportunity (you make your own paycheck); infinite possibilities (can easily adopt to market trend changes); non-linear income, passive & residual income system; risk free business (fast ROI if done correctly & systematically); you are your own boss (enjoying time & financial freedom)" (on Facebook)
"Think out of the box and gain financial freedom through residual income in our company" (on Facebook)
"No. 1 Multi-Level Network Marketing Company in Asia It created almost 2000 millionaires worldwide; no fixed salary; it will help you achieve time and financial freedom in short period of time." (on Facebook)
"Do you need a Crisis Proof business? Change of Career? Extra Income? Time and Financial Freedom? (on Facebook)
"'TURNING ORDINARY PEOPLE INTO EXTRAORDINARY MILLIONAIRES.' – AIM Global can help ordinary people achieve their dreams, have financial freedom and have a balanced life." (Alliance in Motion website)
"Our Mission – 'To open the doors of opportunity and prosperity by empowering our distributors to achieve financial independence and economic stability by maximizing the wealth of the market through our breakthrough products and services.'" (Alliance in Motion website)
"Where will your 6,980 PHP take you? Batanes? Cebu? Bohol? Siargao? Davao? Boracay? Maybe. But what if your 6,980 PHP can take you farther like Hong Kong, Maldives, United States, Europe, and a lot more. What if your 6,980 PHP can give you unlimited income, a new car, a new home, and a brighter future? Sounds ambitious right? But no. It's highly possible. So how can you earn millions out of your 6,980 PHP with our program? All you need to do is build an organization of people by using the Law of Leverage. Which is the ability to multiply your time, effort, money, and yourself through others. You can earn unlimited income by retailing our products." (Alliance in Motion website)

In June 2021, DSSRC commenced a self-regulatory inquiry involving these and other claims. Unfortunately, despite repeated efforts, Alliance in Motion did not respond to this inquiry.

In accordance with DSSRC's Policies and Procedures, if a company does not respond to DSSRC or declines to participate, DSSRC will issue a case decision indicating the company was unresponsive or declined to participate in the DSSRC process and refer the matter to the appropriate government agency. Accordingly, based upon Alliance in Motion's failure to participate in the self-regulatory process, DSSRC referred this matter to the FTC.

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For full text of DSSRC decisions, visit the DSSRC Cases and Closures webpage.

About BBB National Programs

BBB National Programs is where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard. The non-profit organization creates a fairer playing field for businesses and a better experience for consumers through the development and delivery of effective third-party accountability and dispute resolution programs. Embracing its role as an independent organization since the restructuring of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in June 2019, BBB National Programs today oversees more than a dozen leading national industry self-regulation programs, and continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-directed marketing, and privacy. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About the Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council

The Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC), a division of BBB National Programs, provides independent, impartial monitoring, dispute resolution, and enforcement of false product claims and income representations made by direct selling companies and their salesforce members across digital platforms. The DSSRC seeks to establish high standards of integrity and business ethics for all direct selling companies in the marketplace.

SOURCE BBB National Programs