# Should Cycle Chat be advertising hoax products?



## presta (21 Jan 2022)

Power Factor Correction Scam
1. Your power factor doesn't need correcting
2. Electromechanical electricity meters read true power, not apparent power, and electronic ones are programmed to read true power for domestic consumers
3. If needed, PFC would have to be fitted in the appliance it's correcting
4. These devices don't do anything except light an LED


----------



## Teamfixed (21 Jan 2022)

I feel sorry for people who fall for this carp. The ad is laughable.


----------



## Chris S (21 Jan 2022)

I got a warning for posting a joke from one of their other sponsored sites. I think Cycle Chat's adverts must be handled by a third party.


----------



## Sterlo (21 Jan 2022)

I've got Ad Blocker so I don't get any ads.


----------



## a.twiddler (21 Jan 2022)

Pretty obvious really. Following the link, "Power companies are scared", "public utility commission", Big Energy, unverified references, vague conspiracy theory terminology, the promise of something for nothing. I don't get this stuff on CC but you only have to go on eg Youtube where they seem to let anyone put videos up and you will see the whole range. It's an interesting exercise to follow up the claims on the various scam busting sites because it makes you aware of the red flag phrases that are a dead giveaway for other scams. Most scammers aren't particularly subtle -they often recycle material used eg in the USA where it tends to jar in a UK context. But maybe I'm hypersensitive to vocabulary. This stuff just stands out when I see it.


----------



## Chris S (21 Jan 2022)

a.twiddler said:


> It's an interesting exercise to follow up the claims on the various scam busting sites because it makes you aware of the red flag phrases that are a dead giveaway for other scams. Most scammers aren't particularly subtle -they often recycle material used eg in the USA where it tends to jar in a UK context.


I have yet to hear anyone in the UK use the phrase 'savy Brits'.


----------



## Dogtrousers (21 Jan 2022)

_Nikola-Tesla-inspired technology_


Enormous massive red flag. Bigger than any red flag ever seen on a Mayday parade in Moscow.

Tesla - a man about whom there is as much myth as there is about Jesus Christ.

He did fall in love with a pigeon, though. (Tesla, not Christ, although Christ is known to hang out with his dad and a dove)


----------



## mistyoptic (21 Jan 2022)

Such a strong smell of farmyard. Copy written by the same folk who write some of the Hifi “enhancers” ads?


----------



## raymondo60 (21 Jan 2022)

I bought one. Its brilliant.


----------



## ebikeerwidnes (21 Jan 2022)

raymondo60 said:


> I bought one. Its brilliant.


?????
data - savings - sarcasm flag???


I keep getting these ads on the Independent new web site - I have tried to find out how to complain but they don't make it easy

but - yes - they normally come up via Google adverts or something like that


----------



## Willd (21 Jan 2022)

yeah I'd trust Nikola


----------



## DaveReading (22 Jan 2022)

mistyoptic said:


> Such a strong smell of farmyard. Copy written by the same folk who write some of the Hifi “enhancers” ads?


And the photo of "The founders of this powerful new device photographed in Berlin during a tech expo" bears an uncanny resemblance to a readily-available Shutterstock photo.


----------



## a.twiddler (22 Jan 2022)

I suppose the main point is that no, adverts for hoax products should not be appearing on CC (or anywhere, once identified as a scam).


----------



## IanSmithCSE (22 Jan 2022)

Good morning,

If you click on the triangle in the top right of the add you can report the ad to Google as _An ad violates other Google Ads policies_ and then
_Misleading or scam (Including ads with false claims or offers, impersonation, phishing, clickbait, or inaccurate pricing information)_

Remember that these Adsense adverts are selected by Goggle not the site displaying them, except at a very broadest level, so mods or the site owner may not even be getting a specific ad that you have seen.

As adsense accounts are mostly automated a site owner that continually reports bad ads or manually blocks them may find that there are undisclosed "automated features" and one day he wakes to find his account cancelled! I would also expect that many site owners wouldn't want to ask the mods to vet the adverts as it is extra work or give out the password to the ads account.

Bye

Ian


----------



## Chris S (31 Jan 2022)

I wish the hoax ads would come back, I'm getting ones for earwax again.


----------



## a.twiddler (31 Jan 2022)

Chris S said:


> I wish the hoax ads would come back, I'm getting ones for earwax again.


Someone wants to sell you earwax?


----------



## flake99please (31 Jan 2022)

Ironically I have one at he top of this page for a scam recovery company. 🤣


----------



## Chris S (31 Jan 2022)

flake99please said:


> Ironically I have one at he top of this page for a scam recovery company. 🤣
> 
> View attachment 629078



Do you have to pay upfront?


----------



## Alex321 (1 Feb 2022)

a.twiddler said:


> It's an interesting exercise to follow up the claims on the various scam busting sites because it makes you aware of the red flag phrases that are a dead giveaway for other scams. Most scammers aren't particularly subtle -they often recycle material used eg in the USA where it tends to jar in a UK context. But maybe I'm hypersensitive to vocabulary. This stuff just stands out when I see it.


I've hardly looked at any of the scam busting sites, but they still stand out really obviously to me.

Anything that says "xxx don't want you to know about ..." or "xxx are scared of this", or "this xxx is sweeping the country", or anything similar.


----------



## mustang1 (1 Feb 2022)

a.twiddler said:


> Pretty obvious really. Following the link, "Power companies are scared", "public utility commission", Big Energy, unverified references, vague conspiracy theory terminology, the promise of something for nothing. I don't get this stuff on CC but you only have to go on eg Youtube where they seem to let anyone put videos up and you will see the whole range. It's an interesting exercise to follow up the claims on the various scam busting sites because it makes you aware of the red flag phrases that are a dead giveaway for other scams. Most scammers aren't particularly subtle -they often recycle material used eg in the USA where it tends to jar in a UK context. But maybe I'm hypersensitive to vocabulary. This stuff just stands out when I see it.


You see here I am at my local tennis club about to play a game with one of my many successful entrpreneurs that I trained up. Of course, I had to start work at 6AM and work for an hour and that was a long day for me. I made an easy £20k in that one hour and if you wait until the end of this advert, I will invite you to a free seminar, absolutely free, and I will show you how you can make money just easily as me. But don't take my word for it, here listen to what my business partner has to say from his yacht:

"he's right you know, i joined his firm on 2 months ago and last month i ordered this yacht and am enjoying myself in the bahamas, back to you, Roger".

So there we have it, and remember, send no money now, the seminar is free.


----------



## Ming the Merciless (1 Feb 2022)

Alex321 said:


> I've hardly looked at any of the scam busting sites, but they still stand out really obviously to me.
> 
> Anything that says "xxx don't want you to know about ..." or "xxx are scared of this", or "this xxx is sweeping the country", or anything similar.



This brush is sweeping the country…


----------



## mustang1 (1 Feb 2022)

Alex321 said:


> I've hardly looked at any of the scam busting sites, but they still stand out really obviously to me.
> 
> Anything that says "xxx don't want you to know about ..." or "xxx are scared of this", or "this xxx is sweeping the country", or anything similar.


Yeah! Especially when they say "this product is taking the country by storm with 1 million sold world wide. Order now for 50% off".

Huh, it's selling well so they want to _reduce _the price???


----------



## Dogtrousers (1 Feb 2022)

In answer to the OP's question - Hell yeah! 

We love hoax products.


----------



## AndyRM (19 Apr 2022)

Was it this forum or another that was constantly advertising kitchens, or bathrooms (maybe sheds?) for a while?


----------



## ianrauk (19 Apr 2022)

AndyRM said:


> Was it this forum or another that was constantly advertising kitchens, or bathrooms (maybe sheds?) for a while?



Close. The forum was spammed heavily by a Chinese kitchen company for a couple of days.


----------

