Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Potential Advertisers

Hi all. Even though we have a very strict rule against advertising, some scammers do get through our net of security. I hope all of our loyal members realize our wonderful team of volunteers do what they can to stop these invasions and they are ejected pretty fast.
I have to say in front on everyone that our wonderful members have helped to contribute to a great, spam free environment where we help each other for good. The spammers, the kitchenware advertisers, the alternative health solutions, we're on to you! As most of you know, I abhor vulnerable people losing their hard earned money to scammers. Yep, I'll name a couple:

1. Anything to do with Homeopathy. Scam all day long and it can kill you.
2. Anything to do with Mahendra Trivedi. Scammer!


Here's a challenge to all our members.

1. Do you think you have been scammed by a health related website/company?
2. Do you have any suggestions on what to do if you feel you have been scammed or ripped off?
3. In general, is critical thinking, logic and reason a big part of your life?

Thanks! You, the members of KickAs, are helping to make this disease a part of the past. Seriously, so thank you!

Timo

Hey Timo,

Great post. Critical thinking, logic and reason are all huge parts of my life and I don't think I have yet been scammed although several "health" drink pyramid schemes have tried. It was especially difficult to deal with when it was the lady who cleaned my house. I wanted to hide from her. She knew I had RA and was convinced that her product would "cure" me. I have a different cleaning lady now.

What to do if you think you've been scammed? I guess report it to the Better Business Bureau or something similar. The best thing is to avoid it in the first place. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is!

1. No - not possible! (see 3. below)

2.It wouldn't happen to me, but I would be helping others to see through a scam if I thought they were likely to be parted from their hard-earned $$$...

3. I teach critical thinking and clinical reasoning as part of my job - pretty much everything I do at work has to be backed up by logic and 'best practice'research, wherever possible.

However, there is nothing like 30 years clinical experience when research is not available!

Like Wendy, I have had a few well-meaning folks / casual acquaintances try to offer *free medical advice* (but without the university qualification to back it up....)or convince me to try some Miracle Cure. I usually thank them for their concern and let them know I will ask for their help should I hit a brick wall.

I have a bottle of pomegranate and goji berry juice sitting in my cupboard - an acquaintance from my art group gave it to me because I said I was 'always tired'. She told me she had been taking it (pyramid selling) since 2007 and "never felt tired"...... Do you think it could be because she is a stay-at-home wife without an autoimmune disease whose kids have left home?? It's hard for some to apply logic, I think.

As we are all aware - Common sense aint that common!

BTW - re: Trivedi Foundation posts - I thought they were just misplaced from the "Jokes" area of the forum - I know Snowy will miss those posts....

Thanks Tim,

...and thank you all who help make this site an advertising free zone. Logic and critical thinking are required in my line of work along with people skills and time management. I don't think I have been scammed. I either ask too many questions or don't say anything as they continue to hang themselves verbally. I used to say Ed McMahon could come to my door with a check and I would probably ask him for an ID. Even my own dad tried to get me in to this phone credit card business. I said if it worked so well come back in thirty days and tell me how many you have sold and how much money you have made....I never heard about it again.

Thanks again Tim.

I have not been scammed by any health based website.

I do consider myself as a logic based critical thinker but I am open to the notion that sometimes its worth exploring ideas yet unproven. I suspect a person with medical problems always lives on the periphery of hope preferably within the bounds of some logic but willing to hop the fence here and there to test the waters when they seem worth a risk. I always know when I make that jump and do so with healthy skepticism.

I suspect however I have along the way tried many things tht would after the effort in retrospect be called "scams." I also suspect in most instances the folks "scamming" me usually believed in the merits of the "treatment" they were espousing as beneficial to my AS treatment.

Been fighting AS too long to list the "scams", but a few that come to mind are DMSO ( I was 20 and anything worth a shot), Reikki ( I didn't give it any hope but a well intentioned friend paid for a series of three treatments), a particular homeopath my wife found. (Again not my choice but my wife's hopes were high and I like a good magic trick.)

I would add that I have tried things that were intuitely and logically unsoundd that have offered relief or that have led me to better ideas and people also. Right now I am trying things with light treatment through a friend who is a voraciouus reader on the benefits of particualr spectrums of sunlight. "Scam" - possibly but he and I are doing it together and so far no cost to me.

For my money,nothing wrong in wandering through the medical Looking Glass as long as you are aware that is where you are and you have a road map home. I am equally aware that there are folks who are so desparate they are susceptible to be taken advantage of when the pain or suffering is so bad so your warning and questions are qell heeded.

Just wanted to be honest and admit I have logic in place been a willing victim a time or five or ten. Willing being the key term.

Oh my gosh they are everywhere today!

What makes me feel sadder is people BELIEVE their lies because they feel they are making the sufferer of said illness feel better. They are the ones being SUCKERED, not us.

I am ever grateful for the spam-free KS site. It makes one feel 'safe'.

Thank you for this precious site.

Thank you!

Not scammed Timo but I sure get the Spam. I feel like I unsubscribe everyday to something.

First of all - Timo does a lot behind the scenes, he should get a big pat on the back for all that he does behind the scenes.

Regarding your questions.

1. I would not say I have been scammed to the extent I feel guilty or used in any of the alternatives I have looked at through the years. I read up on homeopathy, went to free seminar... decided it was not for me. Visited naturopaths in Phoenix area where it is more prevalent. I took away some very good information that has helped me, but they sometimes can have their own agenda as well and I am very leary when someone tries to sell something wholeheartedly.

2. Are you looking for legal process? I am unsure of what legal process there is to follow if that is the case.

3. I tend to be very practical person, that is true to my accounting background. In that sense I tend to be very logical person... do I sit down and practice "critical thinking", no... but I am very practical in my approach to many decisions.

Thanks again Timo for all you do here.

Tim

Timo, awesome question.

No, I haven't been scammed by one of these people.

I would call the better business bureau, a local association for alternative treatments to find out if there are any official guidelines and tell your friends. That said, it`s important to learn to assess new treatments for yourself. Look into whether or not there have been any studies done ... if so: who did them; what was the demographic of the study participants (were they like me in age, gender, physical condition, etc.); who paid for the research. I have used several alternative forms of treatment, but only after doing my research.

So, that leads me to the last question.

I guess the answer, based on the above, would be yes.

Thanks for everything you do, Timo.

Love and hugs,