More Deceptive Tactics by Sellers of Fuel Saving Devices!
by Scott Siegel
For those of you looking for a quick fix to your fuel economy problem in light of the continuously rising gas prices, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has some advice: be wary of any gas-saving claims for automotive devices or oil and gas additives. More than 100 gas-saving products have been tested and none of them do what their deceptive advertising claims.
There are some common deceptive advertising claims used by manufacturers and suppliers of these alleged gas saving devices. Here are a some to watch out for.
The first example can be illustrated by the deceptive claim made by the sellers of a product called the "Fuel Saver Pro". The manufacturer and sellers of this item claimed that it was "EPA-approved."
The ads stated "High gasoline prices at the pump shouldn't scare you. They won't anymore with this new EPA-approved device." They insisted that if you purchases this device for $89.95, plus $6.95 shipping and handling, you would get an unbelievable 27 percent increase in fuel economy.
The real truth is that this Fuel Saver Pro device was not tested by the EPA and of course is not EPA approved. An official EPA spokesman said: "We've tested over 100 of these devices, most of them like this one which is a device that uses magnets around the fuel lines - as if fuel is magnetic - and the EPA has not certified any of them because non of them work.
He went on to say: The manufacturer manipulated the results, to arrive at a base mileage. It compared results from a short stop-and-go cycle, when more fuel is used, with a 25- minute highway cycle, when less fuel is used.
Many sellers of gas saving devices use a similar deceptive strategy. They claim: "This gas-saving device is approved by the Federal government."
No government agency endorses gas-saving products for cars. The most that can be claimed in advertising is that the EPA has reached certain conclusions about possible gas savings by testing the product or by evaluating the manufacturer's own test data.
If the seller claims that its product has been evaluated by the EPA, ask for a copy of the EPA report, or check the EPA website epa.gov for information. In most instances, false claims of EPA testing or approval have been made.
Think about it, if the manufacturers and sellers of these devices are lying to you about government approvals and testing, what else are they lying about? Most probably they are lying about whether their product works. Don't become a victim of these deceptive tactics. Do not buy gas saving devices, they don't work!
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