Resveratrol Supplement Web Scam
July 7, 2009 by JD
Filed under News, Supplement News, Supplement Scams
Oh, this is just too good. A few days ago I posted about the acai berry supplement scams that have hit the Internet. But this new one I found just takes the cake.
I want you to click on this link to a site called News13 Direct. If you don’t feel comfortable going to an unfamiliar site, I’ve also included a screen shot of the site’s front page here. Or you can just click on the smaller version you see in this post.
Did you look at the site, or the screen capture? News13 Direct. Hmm, appears to be the news site for a New York television station. Look just to the right and under the photos of the anchors. Yep, says New York, NY. And look at the menu items.
News. Weather. Sports. Entertainment.
Sure looks like a local television station’s site. News on the front page. Sports, business, weather, etc all available by menu. Of course, I don’t live in New York, but it looks like News13 is one of the city’s local news affiliates.
Let’s check out the headline story on the front page:
“Health Specialist Cathy Diaz Reports On Her Experience Using Resveratrol”
A news report written by the station’s health “specialist”.
The first few lines:
I’m a 35-year-old news veteran, who’s been covering health and wellness news for more than a decade. I admit I can sometimes be jaded and skeptical with an ‘I’ve seen it all attitude.’
When the news director John Beamer asked me to do an investigative report on the nutritional supplement Resveratrol when combined with Dermapril, I had no idea that I would end up as the ’star’ of my own story. But I did!
Apparently this is a news investigation into the nutritional supplement resveratrol. Resveratrol is the stuff found in red wine that provides healthy antioxidants. It’s also in the current class of wonder supplements, along with the acai berry, that are supposed to provide “miraculous” anti-aging, weight loss, and cancer prevention benefits.
At first glance, this story appears to be a welcome change from all the hype we see around resveratrol on the Internet. An actual news investigation by a health “specialist”. Now maybe we can get some facts around whether resveratrol really works and whether I should be spending my hard earned money on buying it in pill or powder form.
The story goes on, citing multiple “authoritative” sources who rave about the benefits of resveratrol. The story also includes multiple links to a site ResveratrolUltra.com, where lo and behold, you can get a free trial of this miracle supplement! How convenient.
Okay, let’s look closer.
Take a look at the top of the News13Direct site (or screen capture). See there just above the header in really tiny print? It says “Advertisement“. But it’s really small and blends into the brown background.
So, our television news site with it’s authentic look and feel, including the requisite airbrushed photos of the on-air personalities, is really a fake.
There is no News13. There is no health “specialist” Cathy Diaz. And most importantly, there is no objective or investigatory evidence around what resveratrol is or what, if any, benefits it provides.
Furthermore, the site links back to ResveratrolUltra.com via what is known an affiliate link. That means someone is making a commission everytime someone clicks on one of those links and actually buys into the ResveratrolUltra free trial program.
Do your homework people. These guys are getting really sneaky.
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Why does this not surprise me.
Good find. And while I applaud the marketing saavy, I abhor the way they are preying on the millions of people out there desperate for quick fixes for restoring youth, skinny bodies, and whatever else these supplements promise to provide.
As you said - do your homework..
By the way. Nice blog. Lots of good stuff in here..
I just hate people who pray on peoples hopes and dreams. Many people are clueless and just jump at anything that sounds good. Glad you have this site to warn people that this yet another scam. Maybe the stuff really does work, but I just hate liars and cheats, and the folks at “news13″ are just that. GRRRRRRR.
I think I will be reading your other blogs here.
I found this blog entry by googling “news13direct scam.” That site is evil. I can’t quite join Bobbi (above) in applauding their “marketing saavy.” Just seems skeevy to me. Evidently, it’s a new model that someone has come up with because check out this other, almost identical site.
http://drranked.com/?t202id=19347&t202kw=death%20penalty
FYI, I don’t have anything against Resveratrol but these marketing tactics are super deceptive.
Keep up the good work!
Boy did I get scammed! I was taken in my this & now I am scrambling to cancel & return the “free products” all because I was on a business trip & didn’t want to watch tv! The companies involved are scammers. The rudest ones so far have been NutraLane which sells the ResVer xp. Wow, can’t believe I am so stupid
Thanks for sharing JD! I’m going to take a look…another sneaky site selling empty hopes???
Thank you. I appreciate your uncovering this. I copied and pasted the two key words and “scam” and found your site. I was curious about the fact that a news station would also be involved in any part of the “sale” by providing links. I was under the assumption that that would not be ethical.
Good job on the homework!
Resveratrol has many benefits and there is proven research on the efficacy of anti-oxidants. You do make a good point that there is a lot of “sneaky” advertising out there especially on the internet. Thanks for your contribution to Take Charge of Your Health Care Carnival.
I saw the NEWS13 website a while back. It seemed fishy to me because news stations are not allowed to “sell” products they report on: major conflict of interest. I hope your message reaches those who might be taken in.
Bottom line: be very careful when ordering stuff over the Internet. Once I clicked on an offer for a $10 certificate on my next order with a reputable site. Next thing I knew I was getting billed $10 a month. I let the company know what had happened. I also arranged with my bank to block the charge on my debit card.
Your credit card company should be able to block the charges without you having to cancel the card. I let the company I had placed the order with know what had happened. They were apologetic and eliminated the program.
More info about the scam can be found here: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r19866548-Credit-Card-Fraud-ReservationRewards-Norwalk-CT-10-Charge-App
Bottom line: check you credit card and bank statements regularly!
JakeScott said “FYI, I don’t have anything against Resveratrol but these marketing tactics are super deceptive.”
Yes, but reversatrol is not a brand name controlled by one company. It’s a compound found in some foods, grapes being the best source. Naturally, any time there’s some new discovery scam artists will jump on it to exploit it and people are likely to not only get ripped off but hurt. Who knows what could be in any supplements they actually sent you, if they didn’t just take the money and run. People need to learn that if they want to buy supplements, the best place would be their local health food store where they sell legitimate, known brands.
I ordered a “free” 30 day supply of Pure Resv. Not only did they charge for the product before it even arrived, but I have made six attempts to cancel the account to not avail. The manufacturer is in China and their customer support is in Canada. They keep promising to send an email confirming account cancellation, but they have not done it. I am going to have to cancel my credit card in order to prevent them from putting additional charges on my account.
MArcia -
You would not believe how many others have gone through what you’re experiencing in dealing with these “free” supplement scams. I would encourage you to contact your credit card company to dispute any charges related to any product that you did not order or do not intend to keep. And yes, sometimes the only way to keep them from billing you again is to cancel the card unfortunately.
JD
Barry -
Thanks for the feedback. I agree that amongst all the scams and questionable supplement offers out there, that there are legitimate supplement makers that put out quality products that deliver what they claim on the label. It’s key that people do their homework before jumping at an ad that promises the latest miracle cure for weight loss, longevity, or any of the other conditions that people are dealing with.
By the way, you’re site is very informative.
Thanks -
J.D.
I bought a “free” sample of Pure Resv. Not only was it not free, but I was unable to cancel the “subscription” that I unwittingly initiated. I had to cancel my credit card so that they could not charge me anymore. Further, it turns out that the supplement is manufactured in China, home of contaminated baby food and other suspicious products, so I threw it away.
There are certainly other internet scams, but PURE RESV is the worst I’ve ever encountered