If you are new to CBD, you probably have no idea what to look for, and you can easily fall for a scam. As the CBD market expands, expect more unscrupulous businesses to come in.
The thing is, just because it calls itself a CBD business, you are not supposed to trust it automatically, but there are certain things you must look at before you buy their product.
Most CBD companies have a lot in common, but the main thing is that they respect the consumer by putting out quality products.
If you are a CBD newbie, this guide will open your eyes to the scams that you need to watch out for.
The Free CBD Scam
Companies that use this scamming tactic know that people love getting free things, and so they claim that they’ll give you a product for free, and cleverly conceal that you have to pay shipping fees.
I mean, quality CBD oil is usually expensive, and when you come across a company that says they’ll give you free CBD oil, it can be hard to overlook.
The company first collects your name, email, shipping address, and credit card information, and then you have to pay a fixed shipping fee.
Well, you get to receive the lowest quality CBD oil, usually in tiny vials, but the worst part is that the company soon starts robbing your bank account.
Unfortunately, when you sign up with companies that use this trick, there’s an inconspicuous agreement to a subscription.
And a few weeks later, they charge your account and send you some shit you never ordered, and it’s the start of your row with the company.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that the unsubscribe button is never easy to find; it’s not there.
And before the company agrees to remove your credit card, there’s already a ton of money taken from your account.
Most companies that use this trick to make money are not the top companies. They are usually struggling companies, and most of their products are substandard and overpriced.
Many people fall victim to this scam, but if you ever fall for it too, make the call to the company manager and explain how they are robbing you. Threaten legal action.
If they fail to cancel your credit card and refund what they have stolen, you can make good your threat of taking the matter to court.
The Rebranding Scam
We all know that RoyalCBD is an established company and that customers trust them to put out quality products.
A sly scammer can create a clone website, and alter one or two words, to trick customers into thinking they are buying from Royal CBD.
And trust me this scam is successful where buyers are inattentive. Now, once you place your order from “Royale CBD”, it may take an eternity to arrive, the quality of the product will be low, or the product might just never come.
If you realize you have been duped into ordering from a clone company, you should alert your bank, so that they may cancel your credit cards.
These are fly-by-night scamming companies and they don’t plan to stick around for long; they just aim to do as much damage as they can in the least time, and if you contact them asking for a refund they’ll simply laugh it off.
The Dishonest Claims Scam
CBD has numerous health benefits, and it’s helping people enjoy holistic health, but then it’s not some sort of mythical health formula that eliminates every issue.
If you come across a CBD company touting its products as cancer-healing, or that they have a 100% absorption rate, that’s a scam.
Most people that use CBD daily usually have a health problem, and marketers understand that using these claims makes the users sold on.
If you are new to CBD, you are likely to gravitate toward products with these bold declarations, but you might want to do your homework first.
Granted, not every declaration should be viewed as unrealistic, but when you perform due diligence you are in a position to tell apart the scams.
For instance, if a CBD product is marketed as 100% organic, or to have a 100% absorption rate, check to see that it has undergone 3rd party lab tests.
The Multi-Level Marketing Scam
The scammers “get you” by showing you what could be, that if you take that first step, then Heaven is yours.
Social media is one of their strong hunting ground and they recruit you by getting you to buy products of expensive courses.
The fact is most MLM campaigns, regardless of the niche, are pure scams. Those who make money are at the top, but everyone else loses money.
Once you awaken to the fact that they are scamming you, don’t be hard on yourself, but simply cut off contact and move on.
Tips for Spotting a Fake CBD Company
When you go online to shop CBD you need to be super alert because there are numerous scammers out to get you. They like using copycat branding tactics to fool you.
But the following are some of the things you need to check against to be certain that you are not getting scammed:
Abnormally low prices: since they are selling some third-rate products, they can afford to go way below the market price. Some established companies can afford to lower prices because of economies of scale, but the prices won’t get to abnormal levels.
Scam-starter-pack: most scamming websites seem to operate with a similar look. They usually have a fishy domain and a poorly constructed checkout page.
Low-quality content: you know, in this age of the internet, you cannot scam too many people before customers hit back and tarnish your name. Scammers understand this. They set up fly-by-night websites and use substandard content. You’ll spot grammar errors.
The Importance of Checking Customer Reviews
Most of the time, you can avoid getting scammed by taking the time to see what everybody else is saying about what you intend to buy.
Almost every product on the internet worth buying has a review from a buyer, and so never minimize the importance of seeing what previous buyers are saying.
If it’s a scam, you’ll find nothing but one-star reviews and a flurry of insults to the company, and it saves you both time and money.
However, once you find a company that fulfills all your CBD needs, it would be practical to be loyal to them, as it opens the way for quality service and even discounts.
How Can Fake CBD Harm Me?
In more ways than you realize. Most people who have consumed fake CBD oil end up with unusual complications like:
- Loss of consciousness
- Loss of motivation
- Low energy
- Stomach upset
- Migraines
- Hallucinations
If the fake product contains harmful additives and pesticides there’s also the risk of fatality.
What about Buying CBD Oil on Amazon?
First off, CBD oil is banned on Amazon, and the majority of what’s available on Amazon is hemp oil derived from hemp seeds.
The products are sold by faceless merchants and nobody knows where they get their industrial hemp or what the processing is like.
I mean, they probably make these products in their living room using child labor for all we care! Anyways, if you care about quality CBD oil, avoid Amazon, and go to a CBD company.
If you know what to look for, and are a little more attentive, scammers don’t have a chance against you.
