Amega Global's Recession-Proof Bullshit

Amega Global offer a quick road to riches for anyone able to keep a straight face while repeating the company's hilarious sales pitch.

(Image credit)

The company operates a multi-level marketing scheme, for which they make some brazen promises.

"You don't need any selling skills! ...With Network Marketing there is no limit to how much you can earn. One can easily earn more than the person who sponsored you!"

The company's lead product is the AMWand, pictured below.

(Image credit)

It would be easy to mistake the device for an ordinary pen. Alas, the AMWand cannot be used for writing - an unfortunate oversight, perhaps, given the size of the cheques the company's owners have presumably been writing for themselves.

So, what can the AMWand do? According to the company's handout (available here and here), it can

"Energize body fluids... Energize and optimize food and water... Enhanced sleep... Protection from toxins in food... Energize food and drink... Energize your beverages by moving the AMWand in a clockwise motion and notice the difference in taste... The AMWand can also be used on the face after application of skin care products. Use gently and always stroke upwards to prevent skin from sagging..."

Are any of these claims true? My money is on "no", and in the meantime: ASA complaint follows!

"I'm writing to complain about a handout for AmegaWellness.co.uk / Amega Global, which I picked up from a stall at the 'Mind Body Spirit' exhibition in London on 26th May.

The handout promotes the "AMEGA AMWand", and contains some health claims which I suspect are misleading.

1. "When the Bio-energetic field [produced by the body] is distorted or 'disorganized' from the interference that you encounter in your everyday life, it can immediately affect your strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance causing fatigue in the beginning that, if left unchecked, could ultimately progress to acute or chronic pain or even dangerous illness... In your everyday life, you are compromised by the effects of a polluted world. These pollutants include cell phones, computers, electrical appliances, toxins in food, water and air, stress and much more. These physical signs of imbalance put the body into a state of disharmony... The Amega AMWand addresses this imbalance at the energetic level to 'reorganize' your bio-energy field..."

I'd like to challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate their claim that a "disorganized" "Bio-energetic field" can cause "acute or chronic pain or even dangerous illness", and that the product can "reorganize" the "bio-energy field" to prevent these health problems.

The handout displays the terms "Electromagnetic Fields", "Radiation", "Toxins", "Stress", "Pollution" and "Ozone Depletion" next to ticks. I'd like to challenge whether this is misleading, because it might imply the product is able to guard against these threats.

2. "AMWad Uses: ... Energize body fluids... Energize and optimize food and water... Enhanced sleep... Protection from toxins in food... Energize food and drink... Energize your beverages by moving the AMWand in a clockwise motion and notice the difference in taste... The AMWand can also be used on the face after application of skin care products. Use gently and always stroke upwards to prevent skin from sagging..."

I'd like to challenge whether these health claims are misleading, and whether they can be substantiated.

3. "The Amega AMWand is made up of a special combination of granulated crystals, energized using our own proprietary technology.... The crystals... have powerful healing qualities..."

I'd like to challenge whether this claim is misleading, and whether it can be substantiated.

4. The handout also promotes a "Network Marketing... Opportunity" which appears to be a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme. I'd like to challenge whether the claim "You don't need any selling skills!" is misleading.

5. I'd also like to challenge whether the claim "With Network Marketing there is no limit to how much you can earn. One can easily earn more than the person who sponsored you!" is misleading, given the well-understood limits of such multi-level marketing schemes.

6. Finally, I'd like to challenge whether the claims "Once you have built the business sufficiently it starts to run itself, providing you with a residual income and time for other things" and "It's recession proof!" can be substantiated, and whether they are misleading.

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser or with the alternative medicine industry in general."