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Recalls & Warnings
ConsumerLab.com is keeping you informed with current product recalls and warnings.
Posted October 05, 2023
Counterfeit Pure Encapsulations and GutConnect 365 Sold on Amazon
On September 26, 2023, a man from New Jersey was arrested for selling fake versions of Pure Encapsulations L-Glutamine and Nature MD's GutConnect 365 on Amazon. According to Evesham, NJ police, Brad Synder of Evesham, NJ filled jars with ingredients such as cinnamon and sugar, heat-sealed the jars, and created labels to resemble those of the authentic product brands. Synder sold the products on his Amazon stores, APEXX and MiracleTonics, which he had been operating since November, 2021. It is alleged that he has defrauded consumers of more than $130,000 selling the counterfeit products.
An investigation into the counterfeit products was initiated after Amazon was notified of customer complaints about the quality of the products and contacted local authorities. Synder was taken into custody after an extensive investigation by the Evesham Township Police Department and faces multiple charges, including counterfeiting, theft by deception, and computer criminal activity.
GutConnect 365 is manufactured and sold by NatureMD (formerly United Naturals). It contains L-glutamine, quercetin, licorice root extract, and aloe vera leaf extract, and other ingredients promoted to help “repair, soothe, and strengthen” the lining of the gut. According to a NatureMD representative, the company does not sell bulk orders and has no authorized distributors or third-party sellers, and consumers should purchase the product directly through its website https://naturemd.com/.
ConsumerLab has reached out to Nestle Health Science, which owns Pure Encapsulations, for details about its Amazon store and its policies on third-party sellers, and will report this information when it becomes available.
The sale of counterfeit supplements on Amazon has received increasing scrutiny. In 2023 alone, ConsumerLab has reported on counterfeits of several popular brands discovered to be sold on Amazon, including Bausch + Lomb’s, Now Foods, and Fungi Perfecti’s Host Defense.
See ConsumerLab’s article Where to Safely Buy Real Vitamins and Supplements Online, including our table of supplement brand policies for selling on Amazon and elsewhere online.
For more information, use the link below.
Evesham man charged with selling counterfeit health supplements: officials
See related recalls and warnings:
Some Align Probiotics Sold on Amazon Were Fake, Company Warns
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