We are living in crazy times. It seems like every time you look at the news there is something on there that just makes you shake your head in disbelief.
We’ve known for a long time that you can’t trust everything you see on the internet. But the scams and deceptions keep evolving and are sometimes very tricky to spot. If you are not really paying attention it can be easy to get caught up in something that you didn’t realize you were signing up for.
Sometimes these scams are in the form of an outright lie. Other times it is much more subtle. They may not tell you an outright lie but they may give you all of the information upfront. They may make you dig really deep to find out what you are actually getting yourself into. Either way, it’s a scam and dishonest.
Latest CBD Scams
CBD gummies are an extremely popular item and have become a target to try to scam possible consumers. Sometimes it doesn’t even have anything to do with the actual product itself. The product might even be a decent product.
In some cases, companies are falsely mentioning high-profile endorsements for their products. Some recent standouts include false endorsements from Hollywood A-listers Kevin Costner, Katie Couric, and Mayim Bialik. There have also been reports of CBD gummies being falsely endorsed by the TV show Shark Tank.
Consumers can sometimes be easily swayed when they see endorsements from famous or influential people. Advertisers and companies are well aware of this. That’s why they often pay these types of people to promote their products.
That’s all well and good as long as there is an agreement and those individuals actually do want to promote the products. However, when a company just slaps an endorsement on a product without an actual agreement to endorse it’s a major violation and it’s a scam.
Another scam that consumers have been seeing has to do with big discounts. Some companies are offering large discounts, like a buy one get one free deal. It sounds great on the surface. And if you trust the company then it’s a no-brainer.
The problem is that you can’t trust all companies out there. Sometimes these buy-one-get-one deals are coming with strings attached. Some people have reported that they were then automatically signed up for ongoing monthly subscriptions without their consent. This can result in hundreds of dollars of unwanted credit card charges. Some people are even being charged for random products that they did not order and did not even receive.
Other Types of CBD Scams
The CBD industry has had its share of scams over the years. Some of the other types of scams have to do with the actual products. Since there is no overall regulation of the CBD industry it can be hard to know what is in the actual products that consumers are buying.
Additional research and testing have found that some CBD products are not what they seem. Sometimes they contain more CBD than stated and sometimes less. While both of these are an issue, the scarier thought is what might be in some of the CBD products that people just aren’t aware of. This could be extremely dangerous.
How To Spot a CBD Scam
Unfortunately, sometimes it can be extremely difficult to spot these scams and deceptions beforehand. There are some steps you can take to help you be able to identify a scam when you see one.
Do Your Research
One way to be able to help you spot a scam is to do your research on what other people are running into. Finding out what other consumers have learned the hard way can help you avoid the same pitfalls that others have already fallen into.
The other part of doing research is knowing and understanding what CBD is. There are many people who are looking into CBD but they really don’t understand CBD. CBD can be a complicated subject and if you are not properly educated to begin with then you can easily be deceived.
Pay Attention to the Fine Print
Sometimes these CBD scams aren’t necessarily all-out lies, but they aren’t really giving you the full story either.
For example, you may see a deal that just seems too good to pass up. Maybe there is a buy one get one free on a product that looks like something you might like to try. That sounds great but make sure you dig a little deeper just to make sure that’s all you are buying.
Sometimes consumers are finding that what is not advertised is that when you partake in some of these deals you are automatically signed up for a monthly subscription.
Watch Your Credit Card Transactions
There are times when you really have no way of knowing whether you are signing up for a scam or not. Sometimes people are just completely dishonest and there isn’t anything you can do about it.
We highly recommend just keeping an eye on your credit card transaction history. There have been reports of companies randomly charging your credit card for products that you never actually ordered. Maybe you previously ordered CBD from them so they now have your credit card information.
You may have not even had any issues with your original order. But keeping an eye on your credit card transactions will alert you if they try to charge you for other things that you did not want.
A Fool-Proof Way To Avoid CBD Scams
If you would prefer a safe option and avoid all scamming when it comes to CBD then you are not alone. There are a lot of people out there who feel the same way. There may be some good products that you are missing out on but there is also a lot of pain and frustration that you will avoid.
The only way we know of to do that is to only buy from trusted CBD brands. By purchasing only from the top CBD brands you all but guarantee yourself from being scammed.
There are just so many benefits from purchasing CBD online from a trusted source. You literally don’t have to worry about anything in the way of being scammed if you buy from these companies.
Safety
Safety is one major reason to buy CBD from a place that you can trust. Once you buy from an online CBD company that is trusted you know the products are safe. The best CBD companies conduct independent lab testing to ensure that their products contain exactly what they claim. These lab results are available for you to review before you even buy.
You will also get the background on where the hemp is grown that they are using and can get information about the manufacturing processes that they are using. All of this information helps to build trust in the product you are purchasing.
Product Offerings
When it comes to the amount of CBD products and choices being offered you can not beat online CBD. The best CBD brands are offering a huge range of projects that you simply cannot find at a small local store.
When you start looking at multiple brands it can actually be somewhat overwhelming trying to decide which CBD product is best for you. But whatever you do choose you can be confident that you are not being duped or entering into a sketchy situation.
Trial Period
If you are someone who prefers to be able to hold a product in your hands before actually buying it we understand. That is something that an online retailer is just not able to offer in the same way as a local brick-and-mortar establishment.
Online CBD companies understand it can be a leap for some to buy online without really being able to view the product first. That is why many are offering a trial period. If you are not satisfied with the CBD product that you purchase then you have a set amount of time to be able to send the item back.
Competitive Pricing and Shipping Options
These top CBD companies understand that you have options. They know they have good products to offer but there are other CBD companies out there who also believe in their product offering as well. These companies continually need to be innovative and find ways to attract new CBD users.
This stiff competition is a good thing for you as a consumer. For one it requires that these companies do not become complacent. They are always being pushed to be better. On top of that, they are also being pushed by each other to keep prices low. Now more than ever consumers are concerned about pricing.
Another benefit is that you can often find great shipping options. Oftentimes you can even find free shipping options! Most of the time there is an order amount threshold that must be met before you can qualify for free shipping so make sure to pay attention to that when you are ordering.
Final Thoughts From The CBD Guru – CBD Scams
The bottom line is that scams surrounding CBD are real. The truth of the matter is that you can be caught up in a scam in any number of markets. Unfortunately, CBD becomes a target sometimes because there is no federal regulation of the CBD market.
It is up to you as a consumer to be able to spot these scams and make good buying decisions. Sometimes it can be very difficult to discern what is ok and what is not.
We don’t want to discourage you from trying and buying local CBD products. We know there are some great options out there. But the fact is that buying from small local brands is inherently riskier in some ways. The same can be said for online brands that have not been vetted.
If you want to be safe you can always stick with the brands that we know and trust at The CBD Guru.
