Beware of Advertising Scams

As we all know, the media bombards us daily with misleading information. We have all heard lies about products that will help us lose weight, remove wrinkles from our skin, or bring down our cholesterol. We have to remember that when anyone makes a claim about a product or service, they have to back up that claim with research and/or facts; no one should ever assume the information is accurate. If a claim is too good to be true, check the facts and ask people if they have used the product with success. A good example of this was Ephedra, a natural weight loss herb. Since it seemed to curb hunger, thousands jumped in and bought it. At the time there was little western scientific research to support the use of many herbs. Herbs have been a largely unregulated product because people mistakenly think that natural translates into safe. Despite this fact, people used Ephedra and ignored the lack of evidence about it's long term side effects. Sadly this herb was not safe and many peoples' hearts were permanently damaged by the effects before it was pulled off the U.S. market.

Now the scammers that have mislead us have fixated their sights on the fastest growing consumer group-- Hispanics. Spanish speakers are being increasingly targeted by misleading statements, and as a result many are throwing their money right down the drain. The Federal Trade Commission is addressing this concern. Click on this website to read more: www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/09/hispanicsurf.htm

Stay safe; do your own research before investing your hard earned money on any item you know little about.