I tried to contact shareasale, one of the companies that hosts affiliates and their programs. I will try some more, but in the mean time I thought I’d contact the individual programs that are featured on the Kimkins home page.

I wrote a while back about not only knowing who you are selling for, but who is selling for you. Kimkins is selling for Egg Whites International. Here is the letter I sent to them:

Dear EWI Representative,

I’m writing to inform you that a website you are affiliated with through the shareasale program is currently facing a class action lawsuit.

Kimkins.com falsely represented their weight loss program, and the program itself promotes a 500 calorie per day diet. As a “health promotion” site, you are probably aware that the low calorie intake promoted by Kimkins.com is below the level of starvation.

In addition, Kimkins used confirmed stolen copyrighted materials, used fake pictures and fake testimonials to promote their diet.

I am a former affiliate of Kimkins.com. I no longer endorse the product.

Heidi Diaz, known as “Kimmer” made claims of losing 198 pounds in 11 months, and has recently confessed to these false claims at a court deposition.

I write to warn your company of the possible dangers of an affiliation with a fraudulent company.

The following is a list of websites you may wish to review should you decide to investigate the matter:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/Diets/Diet_Articles/Kimkins:_Anatomy_of_a_Diet_Scam/

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/populardietplans/a/kimkinsdiet
.htm

http://affiliatescams.wordpress.com

These are just a few. There are national news broadcasts available online covering the scandal and the non-nutritional value of this diet.

I am happy to provide any additional information you may require.

I know if I were involved with a fraudulent affiliation, I would want someone to warn me.

Thank you for your time, and I wish you a safe and healthy holiday season.

Sincerely,
Here is the reply:

Dear Jill,

Thank you very much for your concern and for giving us this information about Kimkins.com. We want to assure you that we in no way endorse this company or their diet program. However, if they choose to endorse our product and advertise it to their consumers, we believe that this can only help their customers. These customers that see our product on this website through the affiliation actually talks to one of our sales representatives at Egg Whites International. If Kimkins.com wants to advertise us on their website, we can only believe this will be a benefit to their customers. For your information to learn more about our product for your own benefit, go to www.eggwhitesint.com/healthfacts.

Thank you and Merry Xmas.

Ray McCabe
President
Egg Whites International

Here is my reply:

Dear Ray,

By allowing the link from the Kimkins.com site, you are allowing
commissions to Kimkins.com, and in return helping to fund this
fraudulent website. I understand the service you are trying to
provide, but I also understand how affiliate marketing works. I am
disappointed with your decision to allow Kimkins to profit.
I hope you will reconsider your position on this matter.

Wishing your company a safe and healthy holiday season as well.

Sincerely,

And here is his final reply back:

Dear Jill,

I appreciate your opinion and I will take the time to look further into this company to form my own opinion. However at this time I feel that the consumer using the product is profiting much more than the minimal amount of money Kimkins.com makes off our affiliate program. Have a very merry Xmas.

Ray

Oh, Ray, how can I have a merry Xmas knowing that you allow corporate greed to win? Not only that, but Ray, you’re missing out on the bigger picture here. There are really good companies out there that would take notice of your stance. There are people you have a chance to affect in a positive way. How can I promote for you Ray? I really can’t.

And Ray, do you know what they are doing with your egg whites in there? Do you know about the egg white challenges on Kimkins? There are people who only eat egg whites for days and days and days, just because they are nil in carbs and really have no calories. Ray, I’m talking to you – pay attention. Do you know how hard it is to eat even 500 calories in egg whites? That’s a lot of egg whites. Do you think it’s safe to eat only egg whites for days, and take a centrum for all your vitamin needs? Do you really think a centrum and some egg whites are a healthy diet?

I don’t care if Kimkins isn’t making a dollar a year from promoting your products. Just the fact that you decide to allow them to remain affiliated with you puts you in chateau bow wow.

I hope Ray enjoys counting his holiday profits while his customers are losing hair, getting sick, and starving themselves to death.