Complaint Review: Fuel Freedom International - Altamonte Springs Florida

You did not look in the right place or your search was not defined enough. You can find it here http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/additive/web-addt.htm I know the list is long but if you select all and copy it to Excel you can sort the company names and find it with ease. Stuart

The gentleman from Mexico that complained about a clogged fuel filter needs to understand that there is nothing in the fuel that can clog a fuel filter. It is only liquid that flows from the fuel tank to the combustion chamber. We have Lab reprots on our website from Southwest Labs in San Antonio, TX that prove that ther is not residue in the fuel from using the MPG-CAP. Secondly, someone stated that we are using a fake EPA number. Our website has the letter from the EPA that shows our EPA Registration number. The letter was sent to our manufacturer - Conseal International outlining the registration for the MPG-CAPS. We have our Mexican HQ in Mexico CIty under FFI-MEX. You may go to the Mexico website at www.myffi.biz then select Mexico on the screen, click twice to enter the site. The contact information is available. We have a fully staffed Customer Support department to answer any consumer questions. FFI has shipped products to 192 countries and occasionally there may be a delay in a shipment; however, we have 12 distribution centers around the world to ship products to our customers. THe only delay we have ever had in shipping product was when the manufacturer ran out of product in the first quarter of 2006 and we had about a 3-4 month period when we had backlogs. We have never refused to refund anyone that would return the product in re-saleable condition, and maintain a 100% Guarantee. on the product. We take great pride in what we do and we have an incredible product that reduces emissions, saves fuel cost by providing the ability to travel greater distances on the same amount of fuel. Many test have proven the efficacy of the product.

I've been researching Fuel Freedom International because a friend of mine is getting involved with them as a distributor and I thought their magic fuel pill sounded a little too good to be true. I actually contacted the EPA directly and got a response from someone in the Fuel and Fuel Additives area. The EPA registration number posted on FFI's website is actually legitimate (you will see the product listed at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/fuels/additive/web-gas.htm). However the product is listed with the EPA under the manufacturer's name, ConSeal International. I thought the name of that company was interesting ConSeal = conceal, cute huh. I don't have a lot of other good things to say about FFI but at least they weren't lying about the EPA Registration number. Here are some other things I've discovered in my research. The fact that they have an EPA registration number really doesn't mean much. According to the EPA, "each manufacturer or importer of gasoline, diesel fuel, or a fuel additive, is required to have its product registered by EPA prior to its introduction into commerce. Registration involves providing a chemical description of the product and certain technical, marketing and health-effects information. This allows EPA to identify the likely combustion and evaporative emissions. In certain cases, health-effects testing is required for a product to maintain its registration or before a new product can be registered. EPA uses this information to identify products whose emissions may pose an unreasonable risk to public health, warranting further investigation and/or regulation. " It does not mean that the product will not harm your engine, as was told to me by the distributor who recruited my friend. The actual quote was "do you think the EPA would register a product that was harmful to your engine?", a false and potentially illegal statement. The EPA actually made it clear to FFI in a letter to their attorney that the registration number does not imply any statement of safety, endorsement, or proof of performance with the product. The EPA operates a testing center in Ann Arbor, MI (see http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/reports.htm for other testing results) that if FFI wanted to prove their product worked, they could take the product to this center and get independent, scientific proof that it works. Instead they post unscientific news media reports on the product and a confusing chemical compound analysis from Southwest Research Institute where the results are "translated" by a paid consultant (I presume he was paid) of FFI to say that the product works. In my internet search I've found other people comment about testing the MPG-CAPS in similar unscientific methods to the news media ones and FFI's response was that they didn't perform the test properly. Funny we don't see those listed huh. I asked FFI about their lack of real lab testing and the response I received was the EPA's testing methods were flawed and would not show their product's benefits. They are working on adjusting the testing methods. I thought that was interesting considering that the EPA's tests involve putting the car through simulated driving conditions and testing their emissions output, the same way every new car has to be tested. Seems like MPG tests would be pretty easy to test to me (miles driven divided by gallons used) and that there wouldn't have to be a special method, assuming that driving conditions were the same for the tests. The product would either improve fuel efficiency with use or it wouldn't, but what do I know though. I tried contacting the company (Southwest Research Institute) who performed the odd chemical testing that is on FFI's website but I haven't received a response from them yet. Another thing about ConSeal International. If you find them on the EPA's registration list you will see that they also make a product called Power Pill. Do a search on that name and you will find that, ta da, it is a magic fuel saving pill sold in Europe that also promises fuel savings. Sound familiar? Is this just a coincidence?? FFI is under investigation by the Florida Attorney General. This is an ongoing investigation so they can't say anything about it but the public records state the following reason for the investigation "Unfair/deceptive business practices in the sale of product that purports to make gasoline burn with greater efficiency without independent scientific testing to substantiate claim. Further, product is sold/distributed by means of multi-level marketing whereby the compensation is not based primarily on volume of bona fide sales. Possible violations of Florida Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices Act, F.S. 501.201. et. seq., production and/or soliciting on behalf of a chain letter or pyramid club (F.S. 849.091)." I'm guessing their guarantee of results is going to get them into hot water. In my web search I've found a few people that said the product didn't work for them and FFI's response varied. In one case it was because the product performance varies from car to car (not kosher with the guarantee statement on their website), in another case it was because the tester didn't use it long enough because sometimes you have to use it for 4-5 tanks before you see the full benefits (at $2 a pill that means that you have to use $8-10 worth of the product before you even find out if you are going to see positive results). The compensation part is probably due to the referral bonuses that are given when you sign someone up below you for the business builder package. I'm currently checking with my state AG to see if this is within the law here. I have a feeling that the minimum sales volume requirement that FFI puts in place for their distributors in order to receive this bonus is probably the legal loophole they need, but I'm not a lawyer. Their policies and procedures are pretty clear about getting refunds, although somewhere i found a slightly different policy that stated only partial refunds would be given for unused product. The policy below is from https://backoffice.myffi.biz/login.asp then click on policies and procedures at the bottom of the page. This matches what is on their distributors custom websites so I'm assuming this is the current policy and somehow I found an old policy before. 7.1.2 - Returns by Online and Preferred Customers Fuel Freedom International offers Online and Preferred Customers an unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee. If, for any reason, an Online Customer or Preferred Customer is dissatisfied with any Fuel Freedom International product, he or she may return his or her initial purchase of that product to the Company within 30-days, for a replacement, exchange or a full refund of the purchase price (less shipping). I guess for you they didn't make it so easy though. I thought it was interesting that a company that claims their product works, or rather guarantees, would limit their customers to only getting a refund on their first purchase. So if you get initial MPG improvement but then it drops off, as I found in a couple posted test results, you can't get your money back on the later purchases even though the product doesn't work as promised (I wonder if that is a point of issue with the FL AG's office). The company also states on their website that they are debt free and well financed but won't disclose their financial statements to prove this statement. I guess we are just supposed to take them at their word. I've heard that "debt free" statement before and proved the statement wrong. In the end this company has too many red flags about itself and it's product for me to be associated with it. They seem to be taking advantage of a public who are craving a way to save on gas prices. They should either show us the proof and support their product with a 100% money back guarantee at any time or shut their doors. To anyone else, let me know what other facts you found out about the company. Here is another location to see more info on FFI and a response to some of the "testing" FFI shows on their website, http://www.fuelsaving.info/ffi.htm