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An administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission is mailing 2,546 checks averaging $71.71 each to consumers who bought Accelis, nanoSLIM, and any Cold MD, Germ MD, or Allergy MD dietary supplements between January 2006 and July 2010.

The FTC charged Iovate Health Sciences U.S.A. and two affiliated Canadian companies with deceptively advertising that their supplements could help consumers lose weight and treat or prevent colds, flu, and allergies.

 The checks, which total $182,573.43, must be cashed within 60 days after they are issued.  The amount consumers receive depends upon the amount of claims they submitted that were approved.  Consumers were eligible to claim up to five of a single product and up to 10 purchases total.

The deadline for filing a refund request has expired.  Consumers who have questions should call 1-877-576-9978 or visit the Iovate Refunds page. For more general information, see www.FTC.gov/refunds. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide information before redress checks can be cashed.

Consumers should carefully evaluate advertising claims for dietary supplements. For more information see: Dietary Supplements.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.  To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).  The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.  The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.  Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.