Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Famous Products That Are Actually A Complete Scam

Proteing powder and a shake
Nature Zen/Unsplash

Consumers these days are required to do some research before making a purchase on something they don't necessarily need.

But advertisers have upped their marketing strategies to persuade customers that they need certain products and that they are being offered them at a competitive rate.

Don't be fooled. There's a reason why the Latin phrase "caveat emptor" –Let the buyer beware– is commonly thrown around.

Not every product out there is life-changing.

Instead, they are nothing but a tactic to manipulate consumers to fork over their hard-earned cash willingly.


Curious to hear examples of this, Redditor Leather-College2557 asked:

"What's a famous product that is a complete scam?"

There is no shortcut to losing weight. But you'll never hear that from companies trying to sell you snake oil.

Fat Zapper

"Anything that claims to target the loss of fat from a specific area of your body."

– DarthDregan

They Just Promote Waste

"All of those weight loss teas influencers promoted a few years ago. They’re just laxatives."

– the-cosmic-kraken

Ad-dress-ing The Solution

"They pretty much have exactly one good use, emergency weight loss. Need to fit into your bridesmaid dress this weekend and the zipper won't close? Sh*t your brains out until it does. You're going to feel like sh*t and that weight is coming straight back as soon as you eat something, but hey at least you didn't have to get emergency dress alterations I guess?"

– JMEEKER86

Instruction materials for college have always been a rip-off.

Text Book Example

"Single-use access codes for college textbooks is pretty much racketeering."

– colonelsmoothie

Workarounds

"I stopped buying books. Anyone that says to buy them early is lying to you. No the store never runs out of books. If it’s one with a code you can literally just buy it online whenever you want and get full access with the code if those are needed."

"If it’s a class without a code I wouldn’t get the book till absolutely necessary and when I did it was an Amazon online rental. I’m not spending $200 on a book when I can spend $15 for 5 months of access to the book through the kindle app."

"Some classes you can get buy without even buying the book."

– micheal213

Exorbitant Prices

"Years ago, when I was in college, I spent like some insane amount of money on my books. Like over $1000 or something nuts. I had to walk to my car on the entire other side of campus. So I asked for a bag. Then they tried to charge me 10 dollars for a bag. I was so annoyed."

– BeerNcheesePlz

Online security can cost you. Is it worth it? These Redditors didn't think so.

No Protection For Being Fooled

"McAffee and Norton antivirus software."

– FriendlyFloyd7

Preying On The Elderly

"It didn't used to be, but now windows has built in software that is just as good."

"The real crime is Norton, scamming old folks into paying a yearly fee smh"

– Superb_Extension1751

They say these products are beneficial to your life. Don't fall for it.

Spill The Tea

"Herbalife... the shakes and 'teas' which aren't actually teas at all.. It's processed garbage that just so happens to have vitamins and protein added to it. Fake sweeteners, artificial dyes, yeah no thanks."

– cardinalcandy

Hear This

"Ear wax candles. Burn one not in an ear, and it still fills up with wax."

– JustSoHappy

I always thought nature was the biggest scammer of all.

Those huge bags of spinach leaves at the grocery store gives the illusion that you're set for your intake of vegetables if good for at least a couple of weeks.

But as soon as those spinach leaves–which actually retain lots of water–hit the pan when cooking, you'll find that the portion has dramatically reduced to a hundredth of its size.

I see you, spinach, and I don't like you for pulling a fast one on me.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez giving Capitol tour
@AmberJoCooperX; @aoc/BlueSky

AOC Saves The Day By Giving Bronx Middle School Group A Tour Of The Capitol Amid Shutdown

New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had people cheering after she stepped in to act as tour guide after a group of middle schoolers from the Bronx pulled up to the Capitol hours after the U.S. government officially shut down.

The federal government shut down early Wednesday after the White House and Congress failed to reach an agreement on federal spending. While Senate Democrats are in the minority, they hold enough seats to filibuster and are insisting that Republicans agree to extend federal subsidies for people insured under the Affordable Care Act.

Keep ReadingShow less
house with orange walls and red roof behind decorative fence

.

Alexander Lunyov on Unsplash

Homeowners Reveal Hidden Gems They Only Discovered After Buying Their Homes

Whenever you buy a house, you hope and pray for the best.

You never want an unexpected shock once everything is finalized.

Keep ReadingShow less
John Gillette; Pramila Jayapal
@AzRepGillette/X; Win McNamee/Getty Images

GOP Lawmaker Sparks Outrage After Calling For Dem Rep. To Be Executed For Urging People To Protest Trump

On Wednesday, September 25, an Arizona MAGA Republican state Representative publicly called for the execution of Washington Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal because she urged anyone displeased with MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's job performance to exercise their First Amendment right to free speech and to protest.

Apparently, urging citizens to make their voices heard was a step too far for Arizona state GOP Representative John Gillette, who responded to a clip edited out of a longer video by right-wing account The Patriot Oasis (TPO). A quick scan through Gillette's X account media posts will reveal his political leanings.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from ​@nicolekatelynn1's TikTok video
@nicolekatelynn1/TikTok

Liberal TikToker Mortified After Discovering That Her Therapist Is Hardcore MAGA

There used to be a time where politics did not have to come into every room or be a part of every conversation. But in a world with President Trump and MAGA, it's not as simple as being Red, Blue, or Green anymore.

Now, the sociopolitical climate is dangerous for many people and still very stress-inducing for others. It's important to surround ourselves with people who make us feel safe and seen—and unfortunately, that might mean cutting out people who have "different beliefs" than we do.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots from @valerieelizabet's TikTok video
@valerieelizabet/TikTok

Teacher Reveals The Hilariously Familiar Way Kids Are Getting Around School Phone Bans

No matter what's being banned, or the reasons why it's being banned, kids will always find a way to access what they want.

What's funny is that teens in 2025 are now creating hacks to communicate with each other that will feel very nostalgic to Millennials.

Keep ReadingShow less