Smilin' Bob Not Smilin' Anymore

Consumerist reports an Associated Press release that Steve Warshak, 42, was found guilty of 93 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering. His 75-year-old mother, who has cancer, was found guilty of conspiracy and other charges, and was sentenced to 2-years, but is free pending appeal. US District Judge Arthur Spiegel, in Cincinnati, OH, denied Mr. Warshak's request to remain free pending appeal, but gave him 30 days to wrap up his affairs and report to prison. Besides Enzyte, Washak's company, Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, who also distributes products to boost energy, manage weight, reduce memory loss and aid sleep, will be allowed to stay in business — but must forfeit $500 million. Among their most egregious offenses was a requirement of a Notarized statement from a doctor certifying that they had a small penis. Amazingly, remarkably few customers availed themselves of the refund offer. Unfortunately, it looks like the commercials will still be able to continue...

Comments

Snake Oil

[18_Rabbit]

How do people suspend their critical thinking enough to believe these things? Snake oil has been around forever, it looks like it's not going away any time soon.

Re:Snake Oil

[TheRealMindChild]

The nasty trick in this game is that they offer a free sample... all you do is pay like $1.95 for shipping, which MUST be paid for by credit card. "Not bad" they think. "The worst that could happen is it doesn't work and I'm out a couple of dollars" they say. Sure. It sounds reasonable. By that time, you are already screwed. See, when you open your package of wonder, it comes with an "informational" booklet that is actually more like an advertisement for their other products. Almost everyone just throws it out. But in the middle of the 13th page, between two paragraphs that have nothing to do with it, is a statement saying "By ordering this sample, you agree to become part of an automatic plan in which we send you a new supply every month and charge your credit card. If you do not agree to this, you must cancel this agreement by calling 1-800-Screwed-U"

A lot of this seems like a dramatic embellishment. It isn't. Obviously the quotes aren't exact and the phone number isn't really what I listed (explanation for the humor impaired), this is how it works. By the time you realize that you are on some automatic plan to get crap that didn't do as advertised in the first place, they have already charged you for two months supply. And you can not return it under any circumstances.

Disclaimer: I worked with a guy that sued Berkeley Nutraceuticals.

Re:Snake Oil

[retchdog]

A lot of people wrongly assume that reversing charges is one of the ways you get "bad" credit. That either you get dinged directly, or the credit card company puts you on a naughty list or something, for future note. Seriously!

Even after I explain to them, that it is one of the major reasons to have a CC and that the issuing bank is happy to find out which of their merchants are screw-ups, they only barely believe me. Financial superstition; two evils, together greater than the sum.

Re:Snake Oil

[clarkkent09]

Just google the name of just about any product on late night infomercials + scam. Typically in minutes you can find out how the scam operates. Simple ones seem to be the most common, i.e. give a "free" sample and get their credit card details for a small shipping charge or whatever, and once you have their credit card details you can pretty much go crazy with it. First you hope the don't notice the extra charges, then if they do notice good luck finding a phone number that someone actually answers, finally you can always say they ordered stuff over the phone that they didn't. Works for computer lessons, various "health" products (more embarrassing the problem the better), lessons on getting rich with real estate etc.

Frankly, you do have to be a bit of an idiot not to see the scam from a mile away, but just because you're an idiot doesn't make it ok for those guys to defraud you. Good to see a long prison sentence for one of those jerks, hopefully that friendly bold guy who teaches you "how to run the computer" will be next.

Airborne

[TheMeuge]

They use the same thought process that they use before they purchase "Airborne".

As a medical scientist, I cannot help but cringe any time I walk through the cashier aisle of a drug store, that is inundated with glorified sugar pills that claim to do anything from giving you more energy, to curing sleeplessness, to providing you with more stamina in bed, curing cancer or getting you pregnant (*the last couple may have been made up).

Re:Old music industry scam

[dpreviti]

Columbia house isn't a scam at least not at the level of this a-hole. My Wife got sucked into his brain pills which of course didn't work. She tried to cancel only to have her bank account sent into negative numbers by this company who repeatedly dunned her even after they said they wouldn't.

As to the (Columbia House) 11 albums deal that is totally owned if you can do a little simple math. There is even a forum dedicated to getting the best deals from this offer.

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=13
http://forum.dvdtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=265650

I used them 20 years ago many many times I'd buy my 3 albums (including a nice 4 cd box set of the doors for a good price) get my 11 free, cancel rinse wash and repeat every 4 weeks or so. I built up a big collection of tapes and later cd's using this method. You only have to get the albums that are reasonable or good prices and then cancel (really easy to do compared to smiling bob)

YMMV

DP

Re:What I don't understand, though

[matria]

Milk production has nothing to do with breast size. Breast size is purely how much fat is being deposited in the breast. Actually, larger breasts make breastfeeding more difficult, since the longer milk ducts have to be kept from getting bent and twisted in all that fat. The enlargement of the breasts while breastfeeding is due to enlargement and engorgement of the underlying milk glands (similar to mumps and other diseases enlarging and engorging the lymph glands). The fat deposits are on top of the milk glands.

As far as penis size goes, yes, too long is quite uncomfortable, often leaving internal bruising that lasts for days. And smaller penises actually ejaculate with greater pressure to the point of the ejaculation being felt by the female partner, as well as a very distinct and noticeable pulsing effect. Larger penises more like dribble, and the pulsing effect is also lessened.