Wouldn't it be nice...

November 9, 2004 4:10 PM

Lose WeightMoney Fast! If you click on this link, you'll go to an apparent sales site for "FatFoeTM Eggplant Extract" another 'miracle' weight loss aid. But click on the Order Now! link and you get a lecture from the FTC on how to avoid getting scammed by diet products that are too good to be true, all part of the US Federal agency's campaign against diet fraud.
posted by wendell (12 comments total)

It's nice to see the government taking an active, creative role like this.
posted by thebabelfish at 4:34 PM on November 9, 2004

The people that are suckered into this aren't going to learn anything though, they'll eagerly open the next spam/virus and excitedly await the delivery of their bigger penis or smaller ass.

Its a good idea though and I hope it helps some folks.

Now where can I get some of that Eggplant Extract, I hear its fabulous for losing weight?
posted by fenriq at 4:48 PM on November 9, 2004

fenriq, send me an e-mail with your credit card number and I will send you a 32 oz. bottle of Eggplant Extract. This stuff is great! And all natural!
posted by Hildago at 5:28 PM on November 9, 2004

I'm willing to bet even money that the 32 oz. bottle turns out to be filled with Hildago Extract. But, hey, it's still all natural!
posted by wendell at 5:36 PM on November 9, 2004

Great. Now that the FTC is in a war to keep the money of idiots glued firmly in their wallets, whither NASCAR?
posted by Kwantsar at 5:42 PM on November 9, 2004

Best of the web returns to metafilter. Yay!
posted by caddis at 5:43 PM on November 9, 2004

Nice one. Looks just like the real scams!
Hildago extract... *snicker*
posted by dabitch at 6:00 PM on November 9, 2004

I would have fowarded this to a friend interested in interesting ways of dealing with fraud if the "order" page wasn't flash.
posted by krisjohn at 6:37 PM on November 9, 2004

Try some of their other sites krisjohn... not all of them are like that.
posted by shepd at 10:09 PM on November 9, 2004

Sadly, a lot of these scams play off the suspicion that the government/FDA/scientists/phramaceutical companies don't want you to have this information because it'll cut into their bottom line. The best way to debunk a conspiracy theory is not to have one of the key players insist that they're right... because of course that's what they would say.

But still, very well done.
posted by turaho at 7:25 AM on November 10, 2004

I think an education campaign on this stuff is a good idea, and that site is pretty well done. It's obviously got the qualities needed to see that it gets passed around, after all, it's here on MeFi.

The thing with diet stuff especially is tha tit wears you down after awhile. You can get so desperate for anything that helps make it easier. I'm on a diet and exercise plan that's working pretty well for me so far, but after weeks of hearing about some crap called 'Slimway' on my radio, I've been ever increasingly tempted to order some. I mean, it can't hurt, right? And maybe it really does help? And you know, actually dieting for the next 2.3 years to lose the 130 pounds I have left to take off doesn't sound fun. And! And! And!

And that's from a perfectly reasonable person who already knows all this stuff is bullshit. Imagine how quickly the less informed or more easily duped fall for it.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:50 AM on November 10, 2004

What a great idea. I almost wish the govt. would now begin spamming people with pre-approved Nigerian penis-enlargement mortgage offers which, if pursued, would result in similar lectures.
posted by Tubes at 9:15 AM on November 10, 2004