FTC: American Tax Relief, AdvaCAL, L’Occitane Refund Checks in the Mail

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The Federal Trade Commission is mailing checks to consumers who purchased AdvaCAL supplements, L’Occitane “slimming” supplements, and/or services from American Tax Relief. If you purchased any of these products or services, keep an eye on your mailbox, as you may soon be receiving a refund check. Note that these checks expire, so be sure to cash them soon.

American Tax Relief Refunds

The FTC has announced that it is mailing refund checks worth more than $16 million to 18,571 consumers who paid American Tax Relief to reduce their tax debts.

In 2010, the FTC filed charges against American Tax Relief over concerns the company deceived consumers with false claims that it could reduce their tax debts. Two years later, a court entered partial summary judgment in favor of the FTC, finding the defendants misrepresented their success in reducing the tax debts for thousands of consumers, and that the company falsely told consumers that they qualified for tax relief programs. American Tax Relief and the other named defendants subsequently agreed to settle the allegations, though they do not admit any wrongdoing.

According to a press release issued by the FTC in August 2014, affected consumers will receive an average of 16 percent of the amount of money they lost. NOTE: The checks must be cashed within 60 days of when they are issued.

AdvaCAL Supplement Refunds

The FTC is also mailing refund checks to consumers who purchased AdvaCAL, a calcium supplement that was marketed as superior to other products, including prescription drugs used to treat osteoporosis. Lane Labs-USA Inc., AdvaCAL’s marketer, claimed that AdvaCAL was the only calcium supplement that could increase bone density. However, the FTC notes that there is no evidence to support these claims. The amount each consumer will receive varies based on how much money they lost.

If you purchased AdvaCAL and receive a check in the mail from the FTC, note that the checks must be cashed by May 18, 2015.

L’Occitane Skin Cream Refunds

The FTC has announced that it is mailing refund checks to consumers who purchased L’Occitane skin creams that were advertised as having “body slimming” capabilities. According to the FTC, L’Occitane Inc. falsely claimed that its Almond Beautiful Shape and Almond Shaping Delight skin creams are clinically proven to have slimming capabilities. The L’Occitane refunds will be made from money collected from settlement reached in January 2014. The amount each consumer will receive depends on how many of the L’Occitane products they purchased.

NOTE: The L’Occitane refund checks must be cashed by May 20, 2015.

For More Information

If you have changed your name or address, or if you have questions about one of these cases, call the FTC hotline at 1-888-287-4138.

The FTC stresses that it does not require consumers to pay upfront fees. Further, the agency does not ask for personal information such as your bank account information or Social Security number. If you have any questions about the validity of the check(s) you received, visit https://www.ftc.gov/faq/consumer-protection/ftc-refund-check-legit for more information.

UPDATE: In July 2016, the FTC announced they mailed an additional 12,773 checks totaling almost $76k in a second disbursement of refund checks to customers who purchased L’Occitane “Body Slimming” skin creams. If you have any questions regarding the L’Occitane case you can call the FTC refund administrator at 1-888-286-7543.

UPDATE 2: In March 2018, the FTC mailed out a third and final round of settlement checks for American Tax Relief victims making the total amount more than $16 million.