***Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
The Health and Wellness Center in Alexandria, Virginia run by Dr. Eric Berg is the most UNETHICAL establishment I have ever had the displeasure of dealing with.
They utilize fraudulent and deceptive bait and switch advertising tactics to lure customers in with the promise of a free consultation then proceed to use aggressive, hard-sell sales pitch to pressure customers into purchasing a ridiculously overpriced and bogus treatment program.
I stumbled upon Dr. Berg’s Youtube videos and thought he seemed knowledgeable and passionate about health and nutrition. Now I’m convinced it’s all part of the scam. Put out Youtube videos, offer a free assessment, do anything possible to get customers in the doors then say and do anything necessary to make the sale.
I’ve got to give it to Dr. Berg - it’s a very effective strategy, and I’m sure he does very well for himself bilking clients out of money. The Center even goes as far as posting fake positive online reviews to counter the growing list of lackluster reviews left by disgruntled clients.
When an establishment doesn’t offer even a basic 3-day cancellation period on such high priced products like those The Health and Wellness Center markets, it is a major red flag. A decent and reputable company wouldn’t have to resort to deceptive bait advertising and hard sell tactics. A decent and reputable company would be confident enough in their products/services to offer at the very least a cancellation period. A decent and reputable company values their customers enough to provide refunds for any unused portion of prepaid treatment sessions if the customer decides the program is not for them. The Health and Wellness Center is NOT a decent and reputable establishment and certainly does NOT value clients. The only thing this clinic values is getting as much money as possible out of its clients.
I, like many others, called the office and scheduled the free consultation and was excited to meet and discuss with Dr. Berg about my longstanding weight issues. I was instructed to make a list of medications/supplements I’m taking as well as a food diary and bring in for my appointment.
On the day of my appointment, I arrived on time with the required information. I completed new client forms, and a staff member took my weight and blood pressure then had me sit in front of a computer for a few minutes with some sort of electrodes attached to my face supposedly to measure my fight or flight response. I then waited and waited and waited to be seen. After at least an hour and half of waiting, I was finally greeted by an assistant doctor. He proceeded to go over my assessment results, with what sounded like a well-prepared lecture he had given many times and perfected over the years. I was told that my metabolic age is 15 years older than my actual age, and I’m in a permanent stress state where it’s like I’m constantly observing a lion in the room or being chased by a tiger.
The doctor then delved into the hard sales pitch of the treatment protocol consisting of a very low carbohydrate diet (20g of carb/day is recommended), weekly acupressure treatments and massage chair sessions as the solution to my stressed adrenals and weight problem.
I expected him to ask about my food diary and supplement list I was asked to bring in, but he never did. Even when I brought those up myself, he couldn’t be less interested. It quickly became clear to me that the doctor had one mission and one mission only in speaking with me– to sell me the high priced treatment program.
I initially resisted the sales pitch as I hadn’t planned to make any purchase, let alone a purchase that would set me back thousands of dollars, but the doctor would not take “no” for an answer! Eventually, after over three hours of being in the office, I buckled under the unrelenting pressure, and he succeeded in suckering me out of $1,400+ for 6 treatment sessions.
Unfortunately, due to personal life circumstances and some pretty significant health issues that cropped up, I wasn’t able to begin the treatment program as scheduled. I tried rescheduling several times before I decided it just wasn’t going to work and proceeded to request a refund.
I sent a couple letters to the clinic, which they ignored, then I began calling the office. I eventually corresponded with the office manager, who reminded me that I signed the agreement stating that I understood that the program was non-refundable. I reminded her that I was pressured and scared into purchasing the program, and I have not received any treatment or services from the clinic.
I proceeded to file complaints with both the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General office in Virginia after which I did finally receive a partial refund of the program purchase price. This was not satisfactory considering I did not receive any treatment or service from the clinic whatsoever. But in the end, it was a lesson well learned. I will never again allow myself to be conned out of money by a shady company whose business is built on preying on the emotions of people who may be desperate to lose weight.
If you are looking to lose weight, the clinic offers nothing more than a very restrictive, ultra low-carb diet plan plus 30-minute acupressure sessions followed by sitting in a massage chair for a few minutes. Does that sound like services that should cost upwards of $3,000 for 12 visits? You be the judge.
If you are dead set on visiting the clinic for the so-called free consultation (hours of hard selling) don’t make the same mistake I did. You may want to consider not taking your wallet with you. Believe me, these folks are good at what they do, and it may be difficult to walk out without committing to something you may not have planned for.
Contact: amibeke @ yahoo dot com
