The Consumer Legal Action Fund (CLAF) has successfully obtained redress for a complainant in a case involving height enhancement.
With the assistance of CLAF, of which the Consumer Council is the trustee, the case was brought to the Small Claims Tribunal for litigation against a company which claimed to offer treatment for height enhancement. The complainant was enticed by an advertisement in a magazine promoting a technology purportedly for "stimulating" the bone's soft tissues to achieve height enhancement effects of between 1 to 5 inches taller.
The advertisement contained no information on the company name nor address but only a telephone number to call.
The complainant was initially persuaded to join a course of treatment during which she complained about great pain to her legs. She was then told to buy a package of medicinal ointment allegedly to soften the tendons and ligaments to heighten the effects.
Apart from more pain, the complainant could detect no sign of any improvement. She had repeatedly complained about it to the company, to which the company would persuade her to buy even more supplementary treatments and products.
In the end, she paid a total of over $30,000, but to no avail whatsoever.
On the assistance of CLAF, legal proceedings were commenced in the Small Claims Tribunal against the company.
CLAF has sought the medical opinion of an orthopaedic doctor any height enhancement for grown adults could only be possible through surgical operations; but even with surgery it would be extremely difficult to increase height of 2 to 4 inches.
According to the opinion, the physiotherapy and equipment employed by the company concerned could not have attained the height enhancement it claimed.
The company later offered to settle the case out of court, with full refund to the complainant. To avoid falling into the traps of similar marketing tactics, consumers should be on guard and pay heed to the following:
First, never allow your desire for improvement in appearance or body shape to affect your rationality. Be calm and consider if the claims are really believable. Consult specialists such as doctor or nutritionist, if necessary.
Second, never "give-it-a-try" in the purchase of such products or treatments, often that is the very first step that leads to a series of errors later.
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