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Resurrection
05.01.11, 06:03
PowerBalance Admits Their Wristbands Are a Scam (http://gizmodo.com/5723577/)

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I don't think this would surprise anyone, but PowerBalance—manufacturers of plastic wristbands with hologram stickers on it—have admitted that there's "no credible scientific evidence that supports [their] claims and therefore [they] engaged in misleading conduct." Here's their statement:


In our advertising we stated that Power Balance wristbands improved your strength, balance and flexibility.

We admit that there is no credible scientific evidence that supports our claims and therefore we engaged in misleading conduct in breach of s52 of the Trade Practices Act 1974.

If you feel you have been misled by our promotions, we wish to unreservedly apologise and offer a full refund.

They had to publish that in Australian media. The company has been under attack by consumer associations all over Europe because of their bogus claims and pseudo-scientific mumbojumbo, but this seems to be the first time in which a regulatory authority has made them admit that their claims are a simply a fraud.

The whole PowerBalance and similar magic wristbands swindle reminds me of the old magnetic wristbands my grandma used to wear in the 80s. Those were able to cure anything, from rheumatism to diabetes and, like this modern powertrickery, they made people feel better because the metal vibrated in the same frequency as the planet does, whatever that means.

Of course, these pseudo-scientific amulets have been made and distributed since the beginning of civilization. From magic stones to sanctified pendants made of holy chicken bones, charlatans have been devising miraculous devices to take advantage of often desperate people. These are just fancier versions of those, used by a new generation of gullible people. But that doesn't mean the governments should stay still and not do anything. Like in Australia, the US and the European Union should smash all these companies and prohibit their misleading commercials.



In the meantime, I will keep using my vacuum-injected Monster Cable necklace to keep my strength, balance and flexibility at optimally enhanced crappy levels. Really, it works! [PowerBalance (http://www.powerbalance.com/australia/ca)]

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These are the ones I'm talking about...
You musta seen them on almost all sports-person's these days...

http://i43.tinypic.com/35bcdu1.jpg


They had a lot of testimonials and a lot of demos by some big names in their youtube playlist.

YouTube - PowerBalance's Channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/PowerBalance)

Basically all that was a lie...

Instab
05.01.11, 06:33
can't believe people fell for that :P

Resurrection
05.01.11, 08:09
can't believe people fell for that :P

Well,the Placebo Effect is pretty powerful...

Instab
05.01.11, 14:21
Well,the Placebo Effect is pretty powerful...

hehe, trü but it's amazing every time :P

desodorante
05.01.11, 15:15
hehe, true but it's amazing every time :P

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein

anon
05.01.11, 18:31
can't believe people fell for that :P

There are people for everything, Instab. Ever heard of the magnetic eternal life rings?

slikrapid
05.01.11, 21:58
have admitted that there's "no credible scientific evidence that supports [their] claims and therefore [they] engaged in misleading conduct."

nothing unusual really, see just about any advertisement for some product, the claims alleged there range from stretched to stretched beyond recognition, it seems the aforementioned company simply failed to secure themselves through sufficient legislative means


The company has been under attack by consumer associations all over Europe because of their bogus claims and pseudo-scientific mumbojumbo

lol, they think science is a bullet-proof practice with no mumbojumbo allowed, well guess what, the actual amounts of precisely that are so widespread throughout the official parts of the system that rarely anyone perceives it (ie. their 'truths' get simply taken for granted) - the reason for not noticing it is because one is taught not to notice, to believe as blindly as possible to the established authorities in any field conceivable :P


Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.

Albert Einstein

what ol' albert should also know is that if stupidity is infinite, then the same applies to its opposite as well :P

Thaeimos
09.06.11, 18:50
I dunno who bought one of this products, but obviously they dont work ^^

desodorante
10.06.11, 15:52
These are still being sold in my country, but the funny thing is that only kids wear it!

ungodly
15.06.11, 16:55
Placebo effect and marketing at its best.

Machines
22.07.11, 22:41
Hello

As an Exercise and Sport Science student I feel terrible for those who bought PowerBalance. I told as many people as I could not to buy this horrible product. I am so sorry! Scams stay out of the fitness world or I will start spamming everyone. :baeh:. P.S To improve balance work on your core and your lower body. If you want tips look me up.

re1gnsupreme
21.05.12, 22:33
Ha! I'm not sure how anyone would have believed it to work. I mean I've tried one on and felt no difference whatsoever.