Scams Exposed: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

No-one wants to get taken in by a scam, but the sad truth is there are many companies out there just ready to take our money and give nothing in return. When it comes to buying health supplements, especially male enhancement products, the consumer has to be extra vigilant, making sure that they do their research before handing over any hard-earned cash. Of course, not everyone has time to do this – something the scam companies are relying on! – which is why we’ve looked at all the brands on the market and are able to tell you what to look for and what to avoid at all costs. Many manufacturers will say almost anything to sell their products, faking clinical test results, providing testimonials from people that don’t exist and even covering up the fact that their product can cause serious side effects. If you want to avoid being scammed when looking for a good male enhancement product, here are 7 indications that you’re simply wasting your money.

Poor quality ingredients

One of the main reasons scam male enhancement products are so ineffective is that they use substandard ingredients or don’t use them in their optimal amounts. Until recently it was hard for the consumer to know exactly how good the ingredients contained in a supplement were but now, thanks to advances in science, it’s a lot easier to determine their quality. Consumers also need to know which ingredients are essential for achieving good results – ingredients such as L-Arginine should always be included in male enhancement products and if a supplement doesn’t, then it’s unlikely to produce results. A good example of this is the supplement Enhance9 – it claims to produce long lasting erections but doesn’t actually contain L-Arginine so the chances of it working are slim to none.

Fake clinical data and doctor endorsements

Very often, male enhancement supplement websites will include testimonials or endorsements from medical professionals. Usually accompanied by a stock photo image of a ‘doctor’, the sites show quotes and statements that are said to be from professionals but could well be completely fabricated. If the site quotes any doctor directly, always do some research to see if in fact there is such a person or whether he or she is qualified to endorse these types of products. Unfortunately, quite often there simply is no such doctor and the ‘endorsement’ is fake.

Auto-billing and subscription scams

Quite often scam male enhancement supplements cannot be bought as a one-time purchase – instead, the customer will be required to sign up for the ‘auto-billing’ service, which is also sometimes referred to as ‘auto-delivery’ or ‘fulfilment’ service in order to receive a ‘risk-free’ trial. While this does give the customer the chance to try the product, it also means the company has their credit card information, making it easy for them to continue billing for unwanted products long after the free trial.

The product never arrives

One of the most blatant examples of a scam is when the customer orders, and pays for, a product that simply never arrives. One of the best examples of this is with the product Oxyrect. While the product certainly boasts some great credentials, unfortunately they are completely false – the developer of the product, a Dr. Harold Rothstein, doesn’t exist nor does the company he is said to be the director of, the Chicago Research Institute. In addition to these lies, the manufacturer of Oxyrect also claims that the product is the best-selling male enhancement supplement in the world although they fail to provide any evidence of this. All this demonstrates is that a company can say anything they want about their product and, often, consumers are happy to take their word for it.

Risky or unlisted side effects

While the above scam tactics are annoying, it is the practice of not fully disclosing all side effects that can be downright dangerous. The use of harmful, untested ingredients is rife among scam male enhancement supplement manufacturers, who often claim that their ‘all-natural’ product has been tested and is safe for long term use. Rock-it-Man, which was said to be a 100% herbal product, was found to contain an unlisted and potentially harmful ingredient, hydroxythiohomosildenafil which if taken with certain medications, can result in dangerously low blood pressure, a side effect that absolutely should be listed on the product label. Reputable companies should always list potential side effects in addition to disclosing all ingredients used in their formulas. If a product doesn’t mention side effects, or their label doesn’t contain a full list of ingredients, it is probably a scam and should be avoided at all costs.

Additives and ‘fillers’

Even manufacturers who claim to use high-quality, well-sourced ingredients can add unnecessary fillers, chemicals and additives to their formulas. While this may not pose a health risk, it does mean that the consumer isn’t getting their money’s worth and that the pill is probably going to be ineffective. Check product labels for ingredient amounts and to see the order in which they’re listed – key ingredients should always be listed first and if they’re not, then it means the formula will be weak and unlikely to produce results. Manufacturers who list their ingredients in a ‘proprietary blend’ or don’t list them at all are best to be avoided. In addition to this, always make sure a product states that it is ‘additive’ free – there is no reason for additives to be part of any supplement and if they are, then it’s probably a scam.

Past their ‘best before’ date

Manufacturers of scam supplements may actually list all the ingredients on their website and product label but very often they’ll be old, weak or simply poor quality. Over-processing causes ingredients to lose their potency and the longer a product sits on a shelf, the less effective it becomes. All supplements should include a ‘best before’ or expiry date and if they don’t then, again, they should be avoided. While old supplements may not necessarily be dangerous, they are a complete waste of money and the consumer is unlikely to see any results at all.