BioPerformance

BioPerformance is a multi-level marketing company that sells fuel additives, often in the form of "gas pills", which were claimed to increase fuel efficiency in automobiles. It is headed by evangelist Lowell Mims. Research has concluded that the "gas pills" are not effective with regard to fuel efficiency. It has also claimed that BioPerformance made other false claims, such as that its pills are non-toxic (they are made primarily of naphthalene, a toxic chemical also found in mothballs). The company was temporarily shut down on May 17, 2006 by the Texas Attorney General for being an alleged pyramid scheme and also because of the company's alleged false advertising claims. [ [http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagNews/release.php?id=1906 Texas Attorney General ] ]

It has been asserted by former Bioformance representatives now speaking out against BioPerformance that the company appears to have taken early precautionary measures to avoid refunds on the gas pill. The company accepted money order payments or check payments through postal mail. Multilevel marketing companies selling faulty products have been known to not accept credit card payments due to charge backs from unsatisfied customers, which in turn create accrued charge back fees for the company.Fact|date=May 2007

As of May 2007, the company still does not take credit cards and is still selling a napthalene based product. The headquarters is no longer in Texas, and the company no longer ships to Texas, where the owners were sued and ultimately gave over $7,000,000 to the Office of the Attorney General. Nor did they issue refunds or ship over 10,000 cases of product, although complaints arrived from all over the nation. To date, over $6.5 million in refund requests have been processed by the Texas Attorney Generals Office.Fact|date=May 2007

Notes

References

*cite web | first = Staci | last = Semrad | title = Texas: Penalty in Case of False Gas-Mileage Booster | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/24/us/24brfs-mothball.html?_r=1&oref=slogin | work = New York Times | date = 2007-01-24 | accessdate = 2008-02-15
* [http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070330/BUSINESS/703300381 Can pill for car raise gas mileage?] by Russell Ray, Sarasota Herald-Tribune, March 30. 2007.
*BioPerformance, Inc. Fails to Back Up Fuel Savings Claims to Dallas BBB, Better Business Bureau, May 19, 2006

External links

* [http://www.oag.state.tx.us/oagNews/release.php?id=1906 State of Texas news release January 23, 2007] Attorney General Abbott Shuts Down Pyramid Scheme That Marketed Bogus Fuel Pill