How to avoid CBD scams
CBD is the most exciting development in wellness that the 21st century has seen. Now incorporated into the daily routines of millions, it’s clear that CBD has improved countless lives. This is why it’s especially unfortunate that certain companies are tarnishing its reputation through scams and untested products. Those who benefit from CBD turn to the oil looking for reliable help, making exploitation all the more immoral.
As of late, the UK market has been saturated with fraudulent behaviour. This negative association ultimately prevents access to those that would otherwise benefit from CBD. To help, we’ve created a handy guide so you can avoid these CBD scams- saving you stress, time and money.
5 Top Tips to Avoid CBD Scams
1. Are their claims realistic?
One of the best ways to tell if the CBD brand you’re purchasing from is reliable, is by looking at how they sell their CBD. In the UK, you’re not allowed to utilise medical claims to sell CBD. Companies that make wild claims are operating illegally!
Claims may be made about the quality, strength and benefits of their CBD. Some even go as far as to say that their CBD ‘cures’ diseases like cancer! It’s important to look to reliable sources for information about the science of CBD, such as doctors and scientific journals.
You should avoid those that claim their CBD has no side effects, as everything has a side effect! According to the World Health Organization, a “100% absorption rate” of CBD is also not currently possible.
Any claims that seem “too good to be true”, often are too good to be true!
Recent scams include those that offer a free bottle of CBD if you just pay shipping, or use well-known celebrities. Certain subscription services can also lock you into a contract! If this happens, you should call your bank. You should also always stay clear of CBD Multi Level Marketing Schemes (MLM’s), and always check the terms and conditions. Keep reading for our guide on what to do if you think you’ve been scammed.
2. Do they have accessible lab reports?
Lab reports should be made easily accessible to you. Finding trustworthy CBD is difficult, so certified, independent third-party lab reports are essential. Lab reports let you see if the oil contains the correct milligrams of CBD. Reports also display you if a product is really ‘Narrow’ or ‘Broad’ Spectrum.
CBD companies without lab reports can be selling you hemp oil or a low strength oil. It may even have THC, causing a “high” effect and making you fail a drug test! This is why we’ve made it our mission to pioneer a transparent and responsible CBD industry. A truly moral industry is essential to improving the most lives with CBD.
We’ve made both our HPLC and microbiology reports available, for all the products we take from seed-to-shelf. A HPLC is a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography test, which we use to find and quantify each cannabinoid in our products. A microbiology report lets you see the contents in even finer detail. Our reports let you know exactly what is, and isn’t – in all of our products.
3. Do they have certifications?
Depending on the advertising laws of your country, certain words such as “Natural”, “Pure”, and even “Organic” may also be unregulated. Companies often depend on unregulated terms as selling devices. That’s why it’s important to only buy from CBD brands which have organic certifications. Companies should also back up any claims with evidence. You can view our Organic certificate, on our website. Our Pesticide testing is also easily accessible. We also have Global GAP status, one of the highest agricultural standards in Europe.
4. Do they have many reliable reviews?
Lastly, reviews are also key to seeing reliability. Websites such as Trustpilot can be really useful to see reviews from real customers. Social media websites such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter can also help. Tweets, posts and tagged pictures are your best friends in this day and age! This can show you if someone is using ‘bot’ accounts to generate reviews. Checking the profile of who’s reviewing the product is also key. Accounts that only tweet about companies and scams are certainly not the most reliable sources!
5. Do they have awards?
You can also search the web to check if awards are real. All awards should be verifiable, and fake ones indicate unreliability. Simply type in the name of the awarding association and see for yourself. We’ve been voted the Best CBD Oil in the Boots 2020 Wellness awards! The Independent Pharmacist also voted us as one of their best products of 2020.
What should I do if I think I’ve been scammed?
If you think you’ve been scammed, you should first change your passwords to protect yourself from risk. If you’ve given personal information through a form, you may have to contact the police. You should then contact your bank to let them know, so they can hold off charges and refund you. Other organisations that can help you include Citizens Advice, Action Fraud and the ASA. Any scams attempted by email should also be sent to report@phishing.gov.uk so to stop others being scammed. Action Fraud has a great resource for victims of MLM’s.
Lastly, do not take the CBD oil if it does not have lab reports, as there is no way of telling what is in it!
Where can I buy reliable, lab-tested CBD?
You can buy the best CBD sold in the UK at Dragonfly CBD. Dragonfly CBD is completely seed to shelf, made from organically grown plants, and is THC-free guaranteed.
Dragonfly CBD is available across the UK, in a number of fantastic retailers. Stocked in Boots, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Day Lewis Pharmacy among other independent pharmacies, Dragonfly CBD will soon be one of the first CBD brands launched on Amazon.
You can find your local outlet selling Dragonfly CBD with this handy search tool! You can also buy us online. Our range of exclusive products include Vitamin D CBD Oil and CBD skincare.