Here’s yet another reminder to remain skeptical before you buy acne products from the web.
I recently stumbled across two dubious ones: Zyporex and Pronexin. Buyers beware as I have a good reason to believe this is a scam.
The scam looks very similar to Acnetix and Acnexus scams by Garret Devore Labs I reported about last year. However this scam involves a larger number of products, such as Zyporex, Pronexin, Acneticin and Acnepril, and they are sold by a company called Experimental Nutrition Research Llc.
The way this scam works is so similar to Acnexus and Acnetix that I believe the boys from Ohio (GD Labs is registered in Ohio) have been busy again; though I can’t be sure about this.
Here’s how the scam works:
- Create an acne product with impressive looking list of ingredients, fancy bottle and weird name. This is very simple and anyone with little bit of cash can do this. It’s not that hard to find companies that do contract manufacturing. You just tell them what you want in the bottle and the label to print on it. Even I get few emails from companies proposing to create my own line of skin care products and supplements.
- Create “independent” review sites that praise your products. The more of such sites you can create the better it looks.
- Hire Indians for $5/hour to create fake testimonials and posts to acne forums, Yahoo! Answers and other places. This creates the illusion buzz that gets people interested.
- Cook up another product and repeat the process.
- Move into other lucrative markets; such as weigh loss pills, fat burners, wrinkle creams, anti-aging creams and pills, night creams and muscle building supplements.
Sometimes you can just bottle the same stuff under a different name and call it good. For example the ingredient lists for Acnepril and Acneticin are identical.
Paying attention to website design also seems optional. Take a look at the so-called review sites below and tell me if they seem strangely similar. And if you are looking for real fun, check out the posts at their blogs. Some really… hmmm, interesting posts.
Here’s a list of websites involved in the scam (not conclusive):
- http://www.avecix.com/
- http://www.acnepril.com/
- http://www.pronexin.net/
- http://www.blackheadstreatment.net/
- http://www.acnetreatmentsreview.net/
- http://www.topacnetreatment.org/
- http://www.besthairlossproducts.org/
- http://www.sybervision.com
- http://www.pronexinconsumerreviews.net/
- http://acnecuresrevealed.net
- http://acnetreatmentguide.org
- http://www.fastweightloss.net/
- http://www.clinicallix.com/
- http://www.zyporex.com/
- http://muradreviews.net/
- http://skinidconsumerreviews.net/
- http://acneproductratings.org
- http://acneprilconsumerreviews.net/
- http://www.acneticin.com/
- http://topwrinklecream.org/
- http://www.topwrinklecream.org
- http://hamchoslim.com/
- http://assobar.com/
- http://www.nightcreams.org/
- http://12hourmiracleacnetreatment.com/
Why you should think twice before buying these products
I want to make it clear that I haven’t used any of these products and know very little about them. Using topical solutions is a bit like going into a casino. You roll the dice and see if you get lucky. If you are lucky the product works, tough luck if it doesn’t.
Given that their business model is based on lies and deceit (creating fake review website and posing them as independent) raises questions of their commitment to customer satisfaction.
You really don’t know what’s in the bottles. The ingredient lists look impressive, but that’s not the whole story. You could fill the bottle with cheap stuff and add miniscule amounts of impressive looking ingredients. That way your list of ingredients looks impressive without actually having to pay for all that expensive stuff.
Also the promised money back guarantee may be less solid than advertised. Heck in some cases people haven’t even received their products, as these complaints show.
This company ripped me off. I was suspicious they were conn artists and the company was a scam but was dumb enough to order anyway. It has been a month and a half and I still have not recvd my order. I called the company (of course their # is no longer listed) atleast 5 times, left 3 voice mails and also sent 4 emails. Still have heard nothing back. I used Paypal and am trying to get my money back but it doesnt seem to be working. I have spent so much time on this its ridiculous. Dont be a sucker and order anything from this ENR company, they’ll just take your money!!!! Im bitter and I want that company out of business!!!
Zyporex – Finally Reviewed… (scroll down to reader comments)
Zyporex is supposed to be a product that helps clear acne. This company is not real. Both the webiste and the testimonials are fake. I think the person or people behind this also made the other webite comparing the best acne treatments. I ordered the product, unfortunately without doing sufficient research, and never got it in the mail. They took $29.99 for the product and $7.99 for shipping. There is no contact info, except for a defunct email. I tried calling the number on my bank statement and I was immediately tansfered to a voice mail box that was full and not accepting new messages.
This one is about Lipofuze, one of their weight loss products.
Elinalla,
You are lucky than me. I am staying in Singapore and ordered Lipofuze on July 16, 2009 via LLC. I still received nothing from them but they credit my visa more than US100 already.LipoFuze by Experimental Nutrition Research LLC Complaints – Quality of product is negative
Better Business Bureau doesn’t think much of Zyporex and rates it as F. BBB Reliability Report for Zyporex Here’s what F means.
Company Rating F
Our opinion of what this rating means:
We strongly question the company’s reliability for reasons such as that they have failed to respond to complaints, their advertising is grossly misleading, they are not in compliance with the law’s licensing or registration requirements, their complaints contain especially serious allegations, or the company’s industry is known for its fraudulent business practices.
In case you run into trouble with Zyporex, Pronexin or any other of their products here are their contact details (as listed in the LA Times Yellow Pages).
Experimental Nutrition Research Llc
(213) 389-9044
3580 Wilshire Blvd Ste 1190
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Stop believing in magic and miracles and save yourself tons of trouble
Here’s easy way to avoid all such scams in the future: stop believing into magic and miracles. The reason these scam wagons keep rolling is because people buy into the idea they can just apply some cream or take a pill and get over their acne. Some may get lucky, but for most people it’s not that easy.
Acne is an internal problem and is a result of bad diet and lifestyle choices and, in many cases, emotional health. Start treating it as such and you can forget all these stinking creams and have clear skin for life.
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Clear for Life – The lifestyle for health, happiness and clear skin