Matti Daniels
Family and Consumer Sciences

Be an aware buyer

We have all heard the old saying, “If something is too good to be true, it probably is.” This saying continues to hold true for consumers who are constantly bombarded with products claiming to be cure-alls in areas ranging from germ protection to quick and extreme weight loss.

Recently, the Federal Trade Commission sent partial refund checks to more than 2,000 Americans who purchased Zadro’s Nano-UV devices, as a result of the commission’s settlement with the company. According to the FTC, Zadro falsely claimed that its Nano-UV devices safely killed 99.99 percent of targeted bacteria including E. coli, Salmonella and the H1N1 swine flu virus in 10 seconds. The device costs around $159.99, but the refund checks only averaged $96.50.

As with any purchase, it is important for consumers to do their research on a product before purchasing. As in this case, not only do some products not work, they also can be financially draining.

While it can be tricky to sort through marketing ploys, certain phrases or schemes tend to send off warning signals. These include personal testimonies, quick fixes, hard-to-find and miracle cures as a result of a scientific breakthrough. If these breakthroughs were legitimate, they would be widely and freely reported in the media and not in a paid advertisement.
More information is available on the Kentucky Consumer Protection website at http://ag.ky.gov/family/consumerprotection/Pages/default.aspxor.
You can also contact the Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service at 549-1430; visit the office currently located in Cumberland Regional Mall, 965 S. Highway 25W, Williamsburg; or email DL_CES_WHITLEY@EMAIL.UKY.EDU.