The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order with Vanilla Chip LLC—which does business as TruHeight—and its two principals requiring them to pay $750,000, while barring them from making false or unsupported health claims and using fake or incentivized consumer reviews.
The order finalized by the Commission settles allegations, brought by the FTC in April 2026, that TruHeight and its two principals, Eden Stelmach and Justin Rapoport, deceptively advertised the effectiveness of a range of supplements that claim to boost height growth in children and teenagers. The complaint also alleged that TruHeight and its principals relied on reviews that were written by their own employees and vendors, or by consumers who were offered a free product or discount in return for writing a 5-star review.
The FTC alleged that TruHeight’s height-based growth claims were unsubstantiated because TruHeight lacked competent and reliable scientific evidence to back them up. TruHeight also used fake social media profiles that, while masquerading as belonging to real, existing users, were in reality run by bots, according to the complaint.
The FTC’s final order imposes a $4 million judgment on TruHeight and its principals, which will be partially suspended after they pay $750,000 based on their inability to pay the full amount. The proposed order also prohibits TruHeight, Stelmach and Rapoport from:
- Making false or unsubstantiated height and growth claims;
- Making any claims about the health benefits, performance, efficacy, safety or side effects of any product covered by the order, unless the claim is not misleading and is supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence;
- Misrepresenting that a reviewer exists, that a reviewer used the product, service or business being reviewed, or the reviewer’s experience with the product, service or business being reviewed; and
- Buying consumer reviews conditioned on a particular sentiment, whether positive or negative, about the product being reviewed.
The Commission voted 2-0 to finalize the complaint and order as well as provide a response to the commenter.
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.
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