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Mr. LowBodyFat A HCG-Diet Success Story?
So, after being thoroughly disgusted with paying close to $60 to watch Floyd Mayweather’s sparring session with Juan Manuel Marquez, I get an email from a fellow fat loss blogger.
This blogger, who will remain nameless, told me that my before and after pictures were being used by a HCG-Diet Clinic in Seattle as if I was one of their patients!
Lose 30 lbs. in 30 days - I guarantee!
As you guys can imagine, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I’ve been blogging for over two years now, and this is the first time that anything like this has ever happened to me. Also, I’ve never even been to Seattle!
After recovering from the initial shock, I went on the offensive. I left a “cordial” voice message and sent an email to the clinic’s director demanding that they remove my image.
Next, I proceeded to report them to the Better Business Bureau and the Seattle PI newspaper.
Not too long after sending my email, I received the following response from the Director:
We apologize as we purchased this business with the website about 4 months ago and did not know they were unapproved photos. We have removed them right away once we have been alerted so please accept our apology on this and we will inform the previous owners about it as well.
Now, I knew from my blogger buddy that other folks had sent emails asking that they remove their image, which they promptly did. So, why didn’t they check out the other testimonials to see if they could have been stolen images too?
If that wasn’t bad enough, I received an email from the what I’m assuming is the co-director of the clinic, asking for my phone number so that we could discuss this matter?!?! I couldn’t help but laugh because what is there to talk about; needless to say, I didn’t respond to his email.
However, I did respond to the Director’s email:
While I thank you for taking down the page on your site that contained stolen content from www.wltips.com (I’ve contacted the owner, Lizza, about this by the way), I find your excuse lame and absurd. How can you not know who your patients are, especially when they are prominently featured on your website?
Anyway, no [name omitted], there is no need to discuss this matter any further, as you’ve removed my image. However, I do think that there will be enough people interested in hearing how this could have happened in the first place, such as the BBB and the Seattle PI.
The final email I received from the Director was one in which she was trying to play the innocent by-stander in all of this because the previous owners didn’t tell her that all of the their testimonials under the patients link on their website were stolen.
You’d think that they would double check things like this before purchasing the business, but, hey, that’s just me.
Anyway here’s the Director’s response to my email:
It was a business purchase they were claimed to be the business previous patients that we purchased that is how. We purchased the client files in a buy out that would include any previous testimonials. I would hope that our apologies and immediate action would suffice for you. We were not happy about hearing this ourselves and contacted the previous owner to discuss this matter. We are not intentionally at fault, we are upset as well. I hope you will understand .
We are simple business people that both have families and are real people as well. Again, we thank you for brining this to our attention.
Whether they are scam artists or irresponsible new business owners, I don’t know and could care less as long as my name is not associated with any lose 30 pounds in 30 days type of weight loss program.
But what I do know is that if you are going to pay for injections while eating 500-800 calories a day and credit the shots with the weight loss, then I have a peice of the Golden Gate Bridge that I’d like to sell you for cheap! 
It never ceases to amaze me the types of folks you encounter on the web …
September 21st, 2009 at 7:21 am
They’ve TOTALLY removed all the “success stories” testimonials from their site now and it’s interesting it included a LOT of low-carbers. I’m working on a story on this for my blog today. THANKS for exposing this on your blog, Muata!
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Muata Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 8:15 am
Yes, they had to remove all of them because every last success story was lifted from http://www.wltips.com! And you’re right Jimmy, a lot of the success stories were from folks following a LC WOE. Go figure? I’m glad you’re going to blog about this because I have a feeling that our pictures and stories were on that site for more than 4 months!
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September 21st, 2009 at 8:26 am
This is shocking. Good job on raising the alarm. Will highlight this on my blog as well.
So Muata, I have a handful of magic beans I’d like to trade you for your piece of the Golden Gate Brigde (they’re organic)…..
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Muata Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 8:45 am
Hey CJ, it all depends if they are all different colors like a rainbow
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September 21st, 2009 at 8:27 am
Forgive the typo in the last post.
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September 21st, 2009 at 2:27 pm
I am always EXTREMELY skeptical about all of the testimonials I see on weight loss product sites, especially the ones that promise “too good to be true” results (always with that little “results not typical” disclaimer). Especially after I watched “Bigger, Stronger, Faster” and saw how easily they can fake the before and after, “rapid results” photos. But outright scouring the web and stealing peoples’ photos off their personal websites? Ridiculous. Can’t believe everything you see on the web!
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Muata Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:23 am
That was an excellent documentary that I keep telling folks that they should check out. You’re right KevinD, you’ll never look at a before and after shot again. Can you say “photoshop” …
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September 21st, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Man, talk about dirty and under-handed!
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Muata Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:24 am
Yeah, I know Dave. It never ceases to amaze me what people try to get away with on the web.
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September 21st, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Muata,
I can’t believe they did this to you. They are not even my pictures and I’m upset.
I’m going to go cool off. But, before I go, which of your addresses did you want me to mail the HCG presciption to?
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Muata Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 7:25 am
Hey Kal! Yeah, I was pretty hot too, but I did leave a PG-13 message on their voice mail, void of any of my favorite four letter words
Kal, as a MD, what’s your take on this HCG injections?
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Dr. Kal Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:58 am
Muata,
With your years of studying weight loss, I know you know much about HCG. However, for your readers, HCG has never been proven in any “good” study to be effective in weight loss.
Do not get HCG injections and stay away from any “health care professional” that is willing to give them to you.
HCG is supposed to increase your testosterone production. Testosterone tells your body to build muscle. However, in a weight loss setting, it tells your body to burn fat instead of muscle.
So, combining HCG injections with a calorie deficit SHOULD encourage greater fat loss. I say should because this has never been proven in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study.
There are more proven, much safer, and cheaper methods to naturally boost your testosterone and encourage greater fat loss. Muata’s blog is an excellent resource.
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Muata Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 6:29 am
Dr. Kal, I really appreciate you taking time out to explain HCG injections!
September 22nd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Man what lecherous carrion feeders! There are many businesses out there to capitalize on peoples health-so sad. If one of the goals of a semi-civil jurisprudence is to dole out sentences that ‘fit’ the crime…(used guardedly)than maybe all the real people should be able to get even somehow…Here’s a suggestion we bring stoning up to date. Yeah, see the actual fat loss people in the testimonials, wouldn’t kill them, only publicly shame those who prey on ‘us’. Each of the violated would be able to hurl those annoying, “this is what five pounds of fat looks like,” at the offenders in a public courtyard. Yeah, and did I mention the individual apportions would represent ACTUAL FAT LOSS of the individual! (ex.g. if you lost booku weight you’d probably feel pretty good ’bout then). LOL
)
Love your site,
Muata
BTW: Update thanks for the 411, second two zero momentum push-ups!!! My last goal was one;) TTYS>>JH
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Muata Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:06 am
Way to go JH, and thanks for leaving a comment Bro
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September 22nd, 2009 at 11:27 pm
I noticed on their website that they removed all the pictures.
I’m sure it’s because they don’t have any to prove that their protocol works.
I also did some digging around and I noticed that the voice testimonials and videos are all borrowed as well:
http://www.watchusshrink.com/successstories.htm -
Totally wrong!!!
I’ll keep digging!
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Muata Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 12:01 am
Thanks LCDude! I appreciate all of the detective work. It’s funny because I had a feeling that ALL of their testimonials were “borrowed” from other websites! If you haven’t done so already, please let Jimmy over @ livinlavidalowcarb know about this … Thanks again.
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September 23rd, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Did you notice these Seattle HCg Diet scammers also voted themselves has having the #1 weight loss program! In the Nation! Watch out they also might have a Coupon and MLM scam going.
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Muata Reply:
September 23rd, 2009 at 5:58 pm
No, I didn’t even notice that, but why am I not surprised? Thanks for your comment, and I love your handle … lol!
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September 29th, 2009 at 7:43 am
Just a quick note on the Mayweather Marquez “fight”. I saw some of their training and Marquez was on top of a dormant, 14000 foot volcano throwing rocks around – which I thought was a cool way to train – and then drank his own urine – which was NOT cool! But you could see how much faster Mayweather was – just blindingly quick – and the naturally bigger man. Not sure if anyone – even Pacquiao, also naturally smaller – can take him.
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Muata Reply:
September 30th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
I saw 24/7 too! I feel for the hype and bought the fight. Yes, I loved watching Marquez and Mayweather train. Hey, did you catch that Mayweather gained muscle mass from doing calisthenics? Outside of the dumbbells he used for practicing throwing his punches, he didn’t lift weights. I believe that Marquez’s training was similar. Yeah, the drinking of the urine was too old school for me … LOL! Can’t wait to see how Pacquiao does against Cotto though …
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Dave Reply:
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:24 am
Yeah, Mayweather is a training demon. And you’re right – first Pacquiao has to get by Cotto – no easy feat.
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Muata Reply:
October 6th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Even though I think Cotto is a BAD MAN, I’m just really high on Manny because he seems to get better with each fight! I can’t wait to see who wins, but I doubt that I’ll buy it …
October 9th, 2009 at 10:08 am
The generic rate of winner of these weight loss plans which are constantly vying with each other is more or less the same. And the most humorous part is that these programmes all choke at the identical vault in wound of making really tall demands. This chances because the body gets used to the stiffness through which it is set and conforms itself to the new routine and the metabolic process slows down. You have to be smarter than nature to be able to magic the body into losing weight. Without pursuit this measure then you will constantly curiosity why you cannot turn a loss weight.
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October 15th, 2009 at 12:15 am
It helps a lot.
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October 17th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Hello from Russia!
Can I quote a post in your blog with the link to you?
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October 29th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Dr. Allen Johnson has no relation to Luxe Medi Spa or Radiant Med Spa. He did operate a diet center at their location and has subleased to those two, but is not part of their businesses.
Dr. Johnson did not sell a business to anyone, and that includes that website which has been a pain in our backsides!
Dr. Johnson does work with Advance HCG. That part of your post is correct.
HCG has not been a proven method of weight loss by the FDA, but there are many anecdotal stories and cases where it has helped people. If you don’t see it for yourself, it is very hard to believe, but that doesn’t mean it is not true.
And by the way, Dr. Johnson never sent you an email requesting to talk to you about this matter. I don’t know who did, but it wasn’t Dr. Johnson. How do I know? Because I am his wife and I see all the emails as we share the same email address.
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Muata Reply:
November 1st, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Jennifer, please go back a re-read my post. I never said that your husband or your business contacted me. One of my readers left the comment about your husband. Go back and re-read the comments too.
As far as I’m concerned I’m done with this matter. My image was removed, and I was able to alert people to a fraudulent business. Oh, did you notice that the interview testimonials were also stolen from another website?
Anyway, I will stand by my POV that HCG is a crock of “expensive” anecdotal stories of folks going on extremely low-calorie diets and, lo and behold, losing weight. I still recommend that if folks want to go on starvation or VLC diets, use slim-fast since it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than HCG shots …
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November 2nd, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Thank you for posting my comment and replying. The other two I sent messages to have not replied to me at all.
You stated that you are finished with this matter, but unfortunately, we are not finished with this matter when my husband’s name is being defamed on a public site.
You have a right to your opinions and are free to post them any which way you want, but when you attach other people’s names to that opinion, that starts to be libelous.
The classic definition is:
“a publication without justification or lawful excuse which is calculated to injure the reputation of another by exposing him to hatred, contempt or ridicule.”
In a libel action, the plaintiff must prove three elements of the tort of libel:
The statement has been made to a third party.
The statement referred to the plaintiff. (This does not mean that the statement has to refer expressly to the plaintiff. A statement can be actionable if it is reasonably capable of referring to the plaintiff).
The statement must be defamatory, which means that it must be a false statement to the plaintiff’s discredit.
I think leaving up a comment of character defamation, even if it is one you did not write, still falls under this category. Please delete all defamatory remarks about Dr. Johnson immediately.
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Muata Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Jennifer, you’re more than welcome. Listen, as I stated in my last comment, this incident is behind me now, and this will be my last time addressing this issue or approving any more of your comments. While this is a public forum, it is MY BLOG. So, there will be no more back and forth about this issue.
I’ve removed the offensive comment, and now you and your husband can continue your FDA approved practice without fear of libel or defamation of character from my little ole’ blog. Oh … wait a minute, HCG is not FDA approved and does not have a large body of research to support its claims; so you guys enjoy having people follow VLCD believing that it’s the expensive shots that’s causing the weight loss and not the extremely low calories that they’re consuming.
Nevertheless, I want to thank you for your persistence in this matter because I will now make it a “mini-mission” of mine to alert folks to stay clear of any clinic that uses HCG as a method of weight loss.
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March 2nd, 2010 at 10:29 am
Thanks for very inspiring article. I just ordered some hCG for my weight loss protocol but i’m not sure what i’m doing here, has anyone got any tips.
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Muata Reply:
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:42 am
I’m sorry but you won’t find any HCG tips on my blog. I’m totally against this type of approach! If you read Dr. Kal’s comments below, you’ll see why I feel this way. Nevertheless, thanks for leaving a comment …
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June 18th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Here’s a suggestion we bring stoning up to date. Yeah, see the actual fat loss people in the testimonials, wouldn’t kill them, only publicly shame those who prey on ‘us’. Each of the violated would be able to hurl those annoying, “this is what five pounds of fat looks like,” at the offenders in a public courtyard.
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