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• “Free Trial” Smoking Cessation Patch Promoter Halts Deceptive Practices; Trials Weren’t Free, Patches Didn’t Work As Claimed, FTC Alleges 

An operation that offered "free trials" of its herbal products, including smoking cessation patches, has agreed to halt its allegedly deceptive practices, pending trial. The Federal Trade Commission sued, alleging that the trials weren't free, the patches didn't work as claimed, and the operation was illegally debiting consumers' bank accounts without their authorization. The defendants have now agreed to abide by a federal court order that bars them from making deceptive claims, restricts their ability to dissipate assets, requires them to preserve records and other evidence, and account for the money they made from their venture.

According to the FTC, NextClick Media operates several Web sites that offer "free" 10- day trials for their products, including herbal stop-smoking patches called "Nicocure," "Stop Smoking 180," and "Zero Nicotine."

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