FTC initiates refund claims for 'deceptively marketed' Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical products

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has invited consumers who bought ‘deceptively marketed’ Golden Sunrise Nutraceutical products.

In a press release on 6 January, the commission said it is sending refund claim forms to consumers who bought treatment plans sold by the company, including products that falsely claimed to treat COVID-19, cancer, and Parkinson’s disease.

A total of 581 consumers who bought these products from Golden Sunrise between July 2017 and July 2020 will receive mailing notices to start their refund claims.

Golden Sunrise breach

The FTC announced an order in June 2021, under which the medical director of Golden Sunrise agreed to settle charges for deceptive advertising of a $23,000 treatment he claimed could cure COVID-19, as well as other unproven cures for cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

The company was fined $103,420 for consumer refunds and ordered to stop promoting the unproven treatments.

The treatments include Primary Plan of Care, Emergency D-Virus Plan of Care, Metabolic Plan of Care, and Cancer Plan of Care.

Eligible consumers can file a claim on or before the April 6 deadline, and payments will be made depending on how many people file claims, among other factors.

The Federal Trade Commission’s primary responsibility is to promote competition and to protect and educate consumers. It does this sometimes by offering refunds to consumers who are victims of deceptive sales.

In 2023 alone, the commission distributed $330 million in refunds to consumers across the country.

In 2024, it also initiated a refund of $72 million to consumers who were tricked into buying in-game items of the popular Epic Games video game, Fortnite.

Epic Games had allegedly used tricks to get gamers to incur several bills, including through their children, and blocked those who complained about the issue. The FTC then fined the company and paid the compensation to the victims.