Forensic Shopping Investigation III: 48hr Rapid Detox
I rang, spoke to the chap who was completely disinterested in making a sale. He admitted there is no actual office in Australia and he was in a call centre in North Sydney. To his credit he told me the product will have a “mild laxative effect”. Once the purchase was made I was told (once I asked) that the order would take “three weeks to arrive”.
There is no company address, or way to get in touch with anyone but the sales number. The url on the pack http://www.hilifehealth.com.au/ takes you to another sales scam. My credit card has been debited for $159.00 I have stopped the payment, but I have no way of knowing if I’ll get that money back. Something tells me I wont. This is despite them assuring me it would be ‘free to try”.
I wait my three weeks and look what arrives! Three litres of fruit juice, really bad juice made from concentrate with an aggressive laxative added.
Anyway, the juice sat on my desk for a week before I got the courage to drink the stuff. I started drinking it this morning, developed terrible diarrhea, and stopped.
These are the instructions as they appear on the back of the pack “Simply replace your meals with 8hr Rapid Detox for 2 days”. The website is very shiny www.rapiddetox.com.au but of course gives no information.
There are no overt benefits of detox. They vaguely promise that you’ll have more energy and lose weight. However, this wont work as:
- anyone who has the ability to not eat for 2 days in order to lose weight wold not be overweight in the first place
- There is no support, counselling line, behavioural component to help the person to lose weight
- Not eating gives you less energy not more.
- As its just a laxative, the person will simply put the weight back on that they would lose if they had of completed the program.
Please don’t believe this stuff. If you want to lose weight then the best method is “eat less and exercise more”. There are also well established programs that offer support to people whilst they embark on that deceptively simple equation.
* Feel free to slightly change the text and insert Shamwow, Proactive, or many other ‘call us now’ infomercial products.
Fritz Bachen is a Consumer Psychologist and Founding Partner at Naked Communications. Fritz can be seen, read or heard at; The Gruen Transfer, ABC Radio (Sunday nights), Adnews columnist, as well as The Australian, Cleo, Mumbrella, Shop Till You Drop and so on. He speaks at numerous conferences on marketing, ideas, contemporary culture, and consumer behaviour. Fritz has degress in clinical psychology and commerce (marketing). A registered psychologist and has worked in private practice, forensic settings, advertising (Saatchi & Saatchi) and marketing consultancy (Added Value). He was also state under 12 chess champion on WA, and has a board game called The Analyst selling well in the Benelux countries.
Comments
Anonymous
Nov 22nd, 2009The issue with this stuff is that the people who need to understand the con, are not the types of people who will read a genuine critique of the dodgy product.
Daniel Oyston
Nov 22nd, 2009It’s pretty disturbing. Anyone with any sort of basic knowledge about how the body works would know this wouldn’t deliver the weight loss promised (sustainable anyway).
At the end of the day it is a very simple formula …. Burn more calories than you eat. Eat well and exercise a lot.
And even if you are too stupid to know why it wouldn’t work you should at least be smart enough to figure out that if it really did work then everyone would be skinny!
If you can’t comprehend that then please send me a check for $500.
Anonymous
Nov 23rd, 2009When I first saw this advertised on tv I couldn't believe it. Surely this is illegal?
veronica
Dec 7th, 2009Yes, why don't the 'authorities' prosecute, it doesn't work, it's false, misleading and deceptive… but like most weight loss products and schemes it is woefully inadequate
Mark
Dec 7th, 2009ironically you can purchase a box of epsom salts for a few dollars, which mixed with water will have the same extreme laxative effect… Fritz feel free to give that box a shiny makeover and charge 100bucks
Anonymous
Dec 9th, 2009'So certain its going to work'…they tell you this twice!
(20sec and 1min mark do the trick)
I can't believe that this nonsense still works and people outside of our very own consumer psychologist actually buys this crap
Miss Melissa
Dec 11th, 2009oh but the shamwow just looks so amazing! If it wasn't for the ridiclous price tag i most likely would have been suckered in by now. $80 for a shammie???
Fritz Bachen
Jan 7th, 2010Thanks for your comments. Any suggestions on the next one?
Mike
Jan 8th, 2010hillsonghillsonhillsonghillsonghillsonghillsonghillsong
Jason Oliver
Jan 12th, 2010Just found this site from the uncluttered white spaces site. Really interesting reading. Thought this was hilarious… this is so illegal. Nice work Fritz for purchasing.
Mandy
Jan 28th, 2010Thanks Guys! I was thinking about buying this product not to lose weight, but to "detox"..thought I'd research it first..They nearly got me..and Daniel you're funny ..loved the last line!
Anonymous
Feb 17th, 2010I've just used it and lost 2 kg. I know the weight might go back on, but I did it in the lead up to my birthday party to fit nicely into a dress. It does work but can't replace the benefits of long term healthy eating (of course!)
Oh and I also used pro-active as a teenager and found it to be one of the only things I could get to work on my skin (including tablets that doctors had prescribed).
Perhaps I should push my luck and try the sham wow…
jazanthony
Mar 11th, 2010Proper diet and exercise plus phentermine will help you lose weight. Phentermine works by decreasing your appetite.Phentermine can be purchased online without prescriptions at http://www.medsheaven.com It is easy and convenient.
stephanie
Mar 16th, 2010I have tried another way to lose
weight. I tried adipex and it is
really effective. i have lost lots
of weight. I ordered it online from
http://www.medsheaven.com I highly
recommend this, and this didn't
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Anonymous
May 11th, 2010The company responsible is BHH Technologies based in Ultimo, Sydney. I have no doubt they are disreputable, misleading and rip off merchants.
They sell a range of products inlcluding Rapid 48 Hour Detox, Nude By Nature and "Hair Away" – a sand paper that they claim removes hair for months.
They say on their ads 'We want you to try it for free'. But in order to try it for free, they take your credit card number and charge you regardless. Then when you want to return it, they avoid taking calls and keep you on hold. It's not uncommon to be kept on hold for over an hour. They rely on people giving up – a tactic that is a regular practice in America.
BHH Technologies do not have a good name and are regularly complained about with Department of Fair Trading.
If you return their product (even if you send it Express Post with a tracking number) BHH Technologies Modus Operandi is to deny they received it. They are a pack of liars and cheats.
BEWARE.
Anonymous
May 28th, 2010I am about to try the detox this weekend,
I am only trying this as I am feeling very sluggish am having issues with my bowels and feel this will be better then having a laxative tablet
I used to do the 48 hour famine when I was younger so I dont see the big issue with not eating so long as you dont do it all the time whats the big deal
If I loose weight great, but i know it will be water only and will come back on but if it empties the bowels great
Anonymous
Jun 8th, 2010I am going to give this product a go as well, I'm really clogged up at the moment, and my bowels NEED releasing! this product sounds perfect for that! lol
Anonymous
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hannah
Jul 8th, 2010I lost a lot of weight by taking Phentermine that I ordered from http://WWW.MEDSHEAVEN.COM i am very satisfied
Rinkesh
Jul 21st, 2010Its Pleasure to read your blog.The above articles is very impressive, and I really enjoyed reading your blog and points that you expressed. I love to come back on a regular basis,post more on the subject.
Thanks for sharing…keep writing!!!
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May 17th, 2011Who is the hot mama between the children!! her breasts looks so delicious.
Anonymous
May 18th, 2011im currently doing the 48 hour rapid detox, about 10 hours left. I havent had any of the unpleasant bowel movements you speak of, and im finding it a good experience. perhaps there was some other causal factor in your experience. I encourage people to give it a go!
Anonymous
Jul 2nd, 2011Just wanted to point out … people are annoyed here about the fact that it is a laxative or relies on starvation to work and that it won't keep the weight off. The add/product doesn't actually claim that it will keep the weight off and their main focus is on the fact that is flushes all the rubbish out of your system which it does and to do that effectively not eating is required. If you read the booklet it has a follow up 7 day diet … what it saying is that it will get rid of the toxins in 48 hours and you will lose weight hence the rapid but if you want to CONTINUE losing weight you go on a raw food and vegetarian diet … so this product is actually not misleading and i think what is great about it is that it tastes a lot better then epsom salts mixed with water and is healthier than most laxatives. If you get headaches that is the toxins coming out so its not bad for you its working … also like to add that nude by nature is the best mineral makeup on the market, ask any girl who has used it. And if they are still charging you when they claim its free just buy it from the supermarket… they can't overcharge you there.
Anonymous
Jul 26th, 2011I appreciate that everyone's body will react differently to a detox diet. The point of the 48 Hour detox is that is 'kick starts' healthy eating. I am currently doing this diet – and will be able to eat from tomorrow morning onwards. I agree, the concentrate is not hugely pleasant tasting, but surely if you are determined enough to lose weight you can bare if for 48 hours. 2 litres of water is not an excessive amount to be drinking for an adult, so I do not understand all the talk of stress being placed on a persons kidneys. Also, I dont know if anyone else has read the '48 Hour Rapid detox – Diet Review' by Michelle Rumery, they will know that she too tried the detox diet. Michelle and myself have not experienced any of the terrible 'bowel situations' as mentioned in the above blog. If this detox results in any weight loss, or even an increase in confidence in my abilities and determination, I do not see that as being a waste of time. For me to be determined enough to complete the diet (with people eating all my favourite foods around me), helps me to believe that I can actually begin to eat healthier and have restraint! I see this as a good thing. And also, I am a huge fan of Nude By Nature mineral makeup and other products. Its absolutely fantasic, doesnt feel cloggy or like my face will crack if i smile, and easy to apply.
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Oct 8th, 2011Thanks for your article, very useful information.
Anonymous
Dec 12th, 2011I regularly use the detox plan i dont have any unplesent side effects and do it after major holidays after indulging too much to clear my body helps me maintain a healthy weight i have tried most o the rapid line and have helped me lose so much weight but it is all dependent on the individual and if you follow the programs correctly
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Dec 14th, 2011why don't the 'authorities' prosecute, it doesn't work, it's false, misleading and deceptive… but like most weight loss products and schemes it is woefully inadequate
allyice
Jan 11th, 2012I've got half a day left to go and I feel pretty good… I've done some mild exercise since yesterday (just some walking and house work) and I've already lost 2 and a half kg. I did it because I've really overdone it on the alcohol and junkfood over christmas, so I thought I'd try this first to kickstart a new diet.
If you want to lose a ridiculous amount of weight on this you're just plain delusional, but I think it helps give you the motivation to start a brand new healthy diet. I just know at the end of this I'll have been so proud of doing it, that I'll definatly be alot more careful with my eating habits.
It's not for everyone, but I think it's silly for alot of people to be saying so many bad things about a product they haven't even tried.
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Jan 24th, 2012That was a great video!
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