This is getting old. The fake CNN report featuring Anderson Cooper, Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, Denzel Washington and others talking about how much smarter they have become for taking a certain smart pill is now being used for something called "Geniux." If you've been here before, you know that the same ad has been used to sell Neurocell, Synagen, Cogniq, Alpha ZXT, Intellux, and others.
[update June 12, 2016 -- the same technique is now being used to sell beauty products called Gavali and Vida using a fake Vogue article-- see http://pricefixer.blogspot.com/2016/06/melania-trump-fake-vogue-article-gavali.html]
[update July 7, 2016 -- I'm still getting tons of hits for my posts on Geniux, Neurocell, Adderin, and Synagen, which suggests that they are still perpetrating this scam. Today, I happened to run across a May 7, 2015 Forbes article by Matthew Herper addressing a similar scam involving a fake Forbes story with fake testimonials by Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and a guy from Shark Tank (Mark Cuban). Forbes actually took the trouble to interview Buffet and the Shark Tank guy and confirmed that they had never taken the supplement at issue (something called BrainStorm Elite). And someone even reported the matter to the Federal Trade Commission:
“That’s something that we typically see,” says Richard Cleland, assistant director in the Division of Advertising Practices at the Federal Trade Commission. “A lot of fingerpointing. ‘I’m not to blame, they’re to blame, I didn’t get the money, they got the money, I didn’t write the ad, they wrote the ad.’ I think from our point of view it’s not a legal defense. We can and have and will go after the manufacturer and the affiliates.”By the same logic, the FTC should be going after the sellers of Geniux, Neurocell, Adderin, and Synagen, as well as all the other fake pills documented here.
Mr. Cleland's contact info is readily available on the internet here: For convenience here is his phone number and email address:
Richard Cleland
Assistant Director Division of Advertising Practices
Phone: 202-326-3088
Email: rcleland@ftc.gov
If you're annoyed by this scam -- or have been victimized by it -- I suggest you call or email Mr. Cleland and point him to this site. You can mention FTC Complaint Ref. No. 65703157, although that doesn't seem to have gone anywhere.
---end of update--]
If they can copy their old ads, I guess I should be able to copy my old posts. I need to simply have a standard post every time a new drug is the subject of this scam "report."
I'm copying the below from my January 28 post, which addressed the use of the report for Addium (or maybe Synapsyl -- they were very sloppy in their use of the report that time):
In case this is your first encounter with this scam, I don't really have time to explain it to you right now in any detail. Just let me assure you that it's obviously a scam, since the same ad has been run again and again, with different names for the supplement. I.e. in one article, Anderson Cooper tries out Neurocell and comes out twice as smart, and in another, it's Synagen. And then there's Cogniq, Intellux, etc. Just check out the other posts on this blog and you'll see the other examples.
The FTC has been notified -- Ref. No. 65703157, phone no. 877-382-4357 -- but apparently doesn't care. None of the major internet entry points where this fake ad appears -- MSN, Cox, CNN, Aol, to name a few -- have cared enough to do anything. Neither have any of the celebrities whose names, likenesses, and reputations are being used.
Note that by putting the ads on entry points like these, they are clearly preying on elderly people -- maybe your aging parents or grandparents -- who aren't quite savvy enough to do the google search that you did to find this blog. Do all those poor elderly victims a favor and take some action -- if only to call the FTC and get them to start moving on this matter.
All I can do is try, whenever I become aware of a new name, to copy the new scam ad and post the name here. The current list is (I think):
Synapsyl
Addium
BrainPlus IQ
Neurocell
Synagen
Cogniq
Alpha ZXT
Intellux
Brainfire
Brainstorm
Here's my post on Neurocell: http://pricefixer.blogspot.com/2015/09/neurocell-fake-cnn-report-scam.html
And here's my post on Synagen: http://pricefixer.blogspot.com/2015/08/synagen-iq-scam.html
And here's the list of fake celebrity endorsers:
Stephen Hawking
Anderson Cooper
Ashton Kutcher
Denzel Washington
Tom Brady
Bradley Cooper
Kanye West
Tiger Woods
Will Smith
George Clooney
Quentin Tarantino
Daniel Craig
Bill Gates
Dr. Oz
Sir Isaac Newton
For the sake of documentation, I'm reproducing the "Geniux" report below.
BREAKING Airlines Refund All Customers
Monday, February 15, 2016
BY RICHARD MASON
Updated 0202 GMT(0902HKT) Monday, February 15, 2016
Recently Hawking made some comments in an interview with Anderson Cooper about a brain booster that would become the biggest event in human history
Stephen Hawking credits his ability to function and maintained focused on such a high level to a certain set of "smart drugs" that enhance cognitive brain function and neural connectivity, while strengthening the prefrontal cortex and boosting memory and recall.
In an interview with Anderson Cooper, Stephen Hawking said that his brain is sharper than ever, more clear and focused and he credits a large part to using Geniux. Hawking went on to add "The brain is like a muscle, you got to work it out and use supplements just like body builders use, but for your brain, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing to enhance my mental capabilities".
Everyone that has taken this, from athletes like Tom Brady to musicians like Kanye West have nothing but praise for the brain booster, which doubles IQ, skyrockets energy levels and connects areas of the brain not previously connected. Geniux works so well for these guys, we had to ask... Is it safe?
After 7 years Harvard Scientists Finally Break New Ground & Usher In The Future Of Brain Science With Invention Of New Smart Drug That Increases IQ, Memory And Focus Up To %100
Over a decade ago ago Harvard assembled a team of neuroscientists to work on coming up with a natural brain supplement that could effortlessly boost IQ.
Today, those scientists made the breakthrough they were seeking and made the discovery of a lifetime.They came up with a brain boosting smart drug that surpasses all limits of known science.
The Supplement they created is now THE best treatment available to improve memory, sharpen attention, increase focus and boost overall IQ.
After numerous rounds of testing results were astonishing. One test subject was quoted as saying:
"As soon as I took it started working within minutes of taking it. All of a sudden, it felt like a dark cloud had been lifted up from in front of me. I was more alert, more focused, had long lasting energy, and experienced a mental clarity that I’d never felt before" – Ben Lishger Harvard Sophomore."The Lead Researcher on the team Dr.Rosenhouse gave us an exclusive inside look at the ingredients that make up this revolutionary smart drug:
"It is engineered with all the ingredients containing vitamins and essentials that your brain needs to ensure improvement in all aspects of cognitive growth, while including short and long term memory, focus, energy, problem solving capabilities and total brain performance.His associate Dr.cortigan went on to say:
We are all very grateful to have this now, as I believe it can help everyone on the planet and take us to the next stage of evolution.We’re very proud."
"This revolutionary brain booster enables your brain to be the most efficient it can. It energizes the tissue and functions deep at a cellular level. It makes your brain cells perform their task genuinely and keeps away all kinds of mental fatigue or weakness. Its truly a remarkable breakthrough."But what does this all mean for the rest of us? Could this pill help ordinary people like you and me?
The only way to find out is to try it an luckily The Harvard team has patented and sold the rights to major manufacturers who currently have a limited 3 month supply.
For me, my major concern is my work. I feel taking this brain supplement could help improve my work and increase my income.
Sometimes, just one simple decision can drastically change the course of your life. Literally, one click could be the difference between living paycheck to paycheck and taking a bus to work to owning mansions, yachts, private jets and never ever having to worry about money ever again.
As Warren Buffett famously says "the more you learn, the more you earn".
Are you ready to take the next step in improving your life, feeling sharper and smarter than ever before and making millions or billions in the process?
"I wouldn’t have developed my patent formula if not for thisamazingly incredible brain supplement ." – says Dr. RosenhouseAre you ready to find out if this can work for you? We already ordered ours and will be writing a follow up piece on the results, we encourage you to do the same.
The only thing you have to do is try it and see for yourself. Who knows, maybe this could be the one little decision that changes your life. Write us and let us know. Best of luck!
STORY UPDATE - Monday, February 15, 2016
Experts call this new supplement the biggest advancement in brain science to date...
CNN broke the news first and uncovered that Geniux raises levels of focus and performance every day by 300%.
As we researched, we began to see that this supplement has been quickly gaining traction around the world. Celebrities and athletes alike are already rumored to be taking the pill with the full scale public release expected shortly. The company and product is called Geniux. The site claimed thatGeniux contained a very unique formulation of natural vitamins and minerals which together unlock untapped parts of the human brain. Our resident brain scientist Dr Raqif conducted his own independent analysis of the supplement and his findings seemed to mirror Geniux's claims. According to Dr Raqif, "he's never seen a food based supplement deliver such a profound upward lift in brain function before".
Genius Steven Hawkings has Admitted To Using Geniux To Triple His Memory.
We tested it ourselves - did it live up to the hype?
After our research led to such positive reviews, we simply had to try Geniuxourselves to verify whether this was all hype. Almost every single man in the building volunteered to test it out but we chose our very own Anderson Cooper. Below is his account of using Geniux over a 4 week period.
Anderson Cooper has admitted that takingGeniux he memorizes lines better.
14 Day Summary - Anderson Cooper's Geniux Results:
Anderson has been with us for years."TheGeniux pills were extremely hard to come by" says Cooper. He goes on to say, "If you can get your hands on these pills - get them right away." We had to wait 2 weeks before we got a bottle to test as it was sold out almost everywhere or over $300 a bottle from people trying to sell it for profit eBay People were paying top dollar for them on there.
The free trial bottle of Geniux was delivered in a few days from ordering and with surprisingly inexpensive shipping. Before putting Cooper on the test, our team ran a little bit of our own research before we put Cooper on the test and found:
Geniux has been clinically proven to:
- Sky-rocket Concentration by 32%
- Improve Creative Thinking
- Boost Energy
- Enhance Memory Recall
- Increase IQ Scores by 47%
Geniux arrived within 4 days of having placed my order Online for the free trials and were inexpensive to ship. To test out the product, I took one Geniux pill every morning for 4 weeks.
Anderson Cooper's 14 DAY Geniux EXPERIENCE
DAY 1
I took one and forgot all about it. Maybe 20-30 minutes later I felt odd. I can only describe it by saying my mind felt calm and still. I was playing a Men's mind game' and scored 100% on every answer. It was like that feeling you get when you have just woken up. Light headed so to speak but this was different. I was light headed and spaced out but in the zone at the same time. Can't explain it - but it was awesome.
| |
DAY 5
I was shocked at the drastic results. Over the course of the next 5 days I found myself bouncing out of bed and felt ready to take on the day - usually I need to snooze 3 times. I felt motivation to get stuff done and often power through.
| |
DAY 14
After 14 days, not only had all my doubts and skepticism absolutely vanished - Thing's that annoyed me were no longer an issue. I hardly got stressed and when I did, I was able to control my emotions and get back into peak performance and state.
|
My Thoughts On Geniux
Geniux is the real deal. The increase in focus, creativity and overall mental performance was a little bit scary to be honest - I felt like a different person. I didn't notice any side effects at all either. I need to order a box of these before they are released into stores. - Anderson Cooper
"The results were unbelievable. Every aspect of my mental performance accelerated from day 1. A must try" - Bill Gates's Last Interview With CNN
With the full market release of the supplement scheduled for later this year,Geniux is bound to make a splash. Experts say government intervention is likely to limit the release of the supplement due to its potent effects. That said, the company is offering limited bottles of the supplement for the next few weeks. See below a men's health special promotion for you to get a discounted bottle of Geniux today. Try it and please do write in to let us know what you think.
IMPORTANT: *Discounted bottles are quickly running out so we cannot guarantee you will get a bottle.
EXCLUSIVE FOR OUR READERS ONLY!
WHILE SUPPLIES LAST (free trials limited) As of Monday, February 15, 2016 there are still discounted bottles available. Act Fast!
REMEMBER TO TAKE 1 PILL EVERY DAY FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT
TOPICS: Mental Health, Science
19 Comments
Brandon
• a few minutes ago
After 2 weeks of taking Geniux I was like a different person. It was actually bait unsettling as people began to behave very differently towards me! That said my work efficiency is up and I started learning a new language this week. Incredible stuff
Corey
• a few minutes ago
I've been procrastinating for years about changing my job. 2 months ago I start a new Online business and began taking Geniux. It's hard to believe I know, but I'm steadily generating $500 a day selling shoes. I sometimes go 8-10 hours in a row working at extreme levels. It's amazing.
Jerry
• a few hours ago
I want to point out that there are brands of these products out there that doesn't contain the authentic components that have been researched and the ingredients are not high in quality. I think you should mention this in the article. But the good thing is that the brands you recommended are A+ companies with solid track history because I have been taking the expand brands you mentioned.
David
• a few hours ago
This stuff is amazing! i couldn't believe it and had to do some research on my own which is how I found this news article. I can't believe they are offering free bottles! I know my friend tried this and was thrilled.. imagine how excited he would be if he found out he could get it at such a discount now. This is a godsend, thanks so much!!
Aidan
•
I saw this product on TV a few weeks ago however, i didn't know how to order it and came across your site and found this free bottles promotion. I'm currently on my 2nd month on this stuff and i have to say.. this stuff works and my results are unbelievable :) thank you so much for putting up this article and doing the test.
POPULAR STORY
MIT MRI studies show howGeniux elevates your brain to maintain high levels of focus and performance every day.
Elon Musk turns tech startup into billion dollar company after offering "smart drug" Geniux to all his employees. The results were astonishing , his employees improved efficiency by 300%!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThe Anderson Cooper/stephen Hawking story is being used right now to sell IQ+
ReplyDeleteThe story is also being used to sell a new drug- Intelligen. see link here - http://vpworldfor.com/intl/wacg/inteligen?bhu=bHVDaCDt9HoBt43vkhfHzhWxjNspFy41pR#cifowe
ReplyDeletethese guys should be shut down for good
You can add 'IntelliGEN' to this list:
ReplyDeletehttp://hotvqqqhops.com/intl/zray/inteligen?bhu=bHVDaCDt9HoBt43vkhfHzhXhYwEMh23oSs
You can add Cogniq and Cervello as well - Both use the Hawking/Cooper bit.
ReplyDeleteJust found 'add' on my RCN Email masquerading as 'news' from Forbes about Hawkins tripleing his intelligence ! leads to "IQ +" .
ReplyDeleteFrikin' incredible ....
A new derivative of the fake Forbes article - this time about ION Z:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rightbrainreport.com/action2/index.php?campid=&creaid=&sitenm=&catego=&netwrk=&adposn=&ad=&adgrp=&sxid=bn71ulhzlyqo
and:
https://ionzmind.com/m/enhance_2a/index.php?AFFID=60&C1=GDN&C2=bn71ulhzlyqo&CID=110
keep up your good work!
Add "IQ+" to the list. Got an ad for it today.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteGood post about drug scam. I saw your research and report its very nice. I have got many idea from it. Thank you for your nice sharing. Hope you published your next article soon.
In light of the magnitude of these scam using "drugs" and their obvious internet presence not only using celebrities to prey on people but through news outlets the author identified, it is a total fail on the part of the authorities to enforce criminal laws.
ReplyDeletethanks Mel -- I've created a new post based on Intelleral. Interestingly, they are a little more careful this time to avoid using cnn's trademarks -- although it still looks like cnn, whenever it's in writing, it's cmn! still a scam of course, but maybe a bit harder for cnn to detect and shut down (if that's what they've been doing).
ReplyDeleteHow are they getting away with this? None of these celebrities or (especially) any of the news organizations and networks named in the ads are suing? Hard to believe! In addition to "brain enhancing" false advertising there's a similar fake ad for an age reducing face cream using all sorts of famous TV personalities. One claimed that Julie Bowen of Modern Family suddenly quit the show to promote her new product line! Hysterical!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd these stupid, annoying ads just pop up out of nowhere, even with my antivirus protection!
Thanks for this extra information. I haven't seen one with Julie Bowen (and couldn't easily find it by googling); if you have more information on it, please provide it.
DeleteOne of the reasons they may be getting away with it could be that nobody is following up with the Federal Trade Commission. If you want to take action, please either call the FTC at 877-382-4357 and let them know about these scams (a previous complaint was given reference number 65703157, but I haven't heard about any action taken on it), or fill out a complaint here:
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#&panel1-1
That goes for anyone who happens to be reading this!
And if you do, please report back here what happens!
Thank you for this page. I am going to contact the FTC and complain.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to mention that I just got a pop-up today, May 2017, for this same ad, this time under the name "Neuro XR".
They are still operating unchanged.
I forgot to post the URL of my "Neuro XR" popup:
ReplyDeletehttp://brain-breakfast.com/viral-story/breaking-story-5/nxrcompliant.html?region=Colorado&c=0.009025&siteid=2518&campaignid=26026&placementid=52929&channel=News&subchannel=Commentary%28New%29&trvjs=t&sxid=5gs0qfeketw1
This comment has been removed by the author.
Delete