The Federal Trade Commission is on the rampage against diet-pill peddlers, filing lawsuits against companies that advertise weight-loss products. Six companies have been sued in this latest round of law enforcement, joining seven others sued since April 2004. The FTC alleges that the companies made false claims in ads about what their products can do.

For example, the injunction against a California company has as Exhibit 1 an ad from the magazine Woman's Own, advertising a pill called Bio Trim: "eat all you want and still lose weight (pill does all the work)." BioTrim costs $39.95 for a 30-day supply. The FTC also sent letters to magazines and newspapers that had run ads for the companies being sued, pointing out what was wrong with the ads.

What it means to you: If someone had the answer to weight loss in a pill, do you really think they'd have to advertise it in the back of Cosmo?

Find out more: The FTC's press release on what it calls "Operation Big Fat Lie" includes links to the various injunctions it has filed. It also has a fake ad for FatFoe Eggplant Extract.