Washington, DC - The Federal Trade Commission is mailing almost 500,000 checks totaling approximately $3 million to consumers who lost money to diet supplement marketers who made unsupported claims that their cactus-based fruit drink, Nopalea, would treat a variety of health problems.

In July 2014, the FTC settled charges against TriVita Inc. for using unsupported product claims to deceive consumers, including infomercials with testimonials from consumers who received a commission for selling its products.

Consumers who receive the checks from the FTC’s refund administrator for this matter, Gilardi & Co. LLC, should deposit or cash them within 60 days of the mailing date. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or to provide information before refund checks can be cashed. The amount will vary based upon the amount of each consumer’s loss.

Consumers who receive checks and have questions can contact Gilardi & Co. at 1-888-289-0252. More information about the FTC’s refund program is available on the FTC’s website.