How to Spot False Advertising

Advertising can make or break the sales of products and services. The problem is that to be noticed among the many advertisements out there, some companies make increasingly false claims. False claims in advertising are illegal, but too often these ads end up in front of consumers anyway. By carefully examining ads, it is possible to spot false claims.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Read the fine print. Often the fine print will modify the claims made in the large print. Sometimes it changes the terms so much that it invalidates the claim. For example, an ad claiming that everything is on sale may have fine print that says only a few selected items are actually included in the sale.
2. Look for type that is so small that it is unreadable. These ads inevitably have something in that type that they are trying to hide.
3. Spot any vague terms relating to the items on sale instead of the actual brand name, and you have spotted false advertising. These ads try to mislead people into believing that specific items are on sale without ever mentioning them. When the consumer arrives at the store, the items on sale will likely be something else entirely.
4. Check the ad for specific savings or prices. The sale ads that never mention the percentage off the regular price or the specific prices of items are likely false advertising. Since nothing was specifically advertised, the advertiser has no incentive to create any discounts. Customers come in for the sale but likely pay the regular prices, or prices that are very slightly discounted.
5. Identify the start and end date of an advertised sale. A legitimate sale is not ongoing, but takes place for a specified amount of time. After the sale, items should go back to the regular price.
6. Expect false advertising if the claims made are ridiculous or too good to be true. A company that offers a free diamond, a magic pill to cure obesity or something else that doesn't sound credible, probably is engaging in false advertising.