BULLETIN: National Institutes Of Health Says OWOW Multilevel-Marketing Firm Using Agency Press Release On Cancer Research Inappropriately; Separately, Piccolo Says ‘Magnetic’ Product Prevented Amputation — And Also Helps Tomatoes Grow
Phil Piccolo, also known as "Mr. P.," strides the stage to hawk OWOW products. Piccolo claims the company's magnetic line assists in hair retention and even prevents the surgical amputation of limbs. The products also improve dairy production and help home gardeners grow tomatoes double the size of ordinary tomatoes, according to Piccolo.
BULLETIN: The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said this morning that the OWOW multilevel-marketing program was using agency materials on cancer research inappropriately.
OWOW is associated with Internet Marketer Phil Piccolo. The company has positioned at least two products sold MLM-style as cancer cures or treatments, including a bottled water.
On Dec. 26, the bottled-water product was touted on an OWOW affiliate’s website. The site included a link to a Dec. 21 news release by NIH about cancer research, specifically research pertaining to “a rare cancer of the digestive tract . . . linked to a shutdown in an enzyme that helps supply oxygen to cells.”
The affiliate claimed that “OWOW Water Is THE ONLY WATER that brings Oxygen to the cell from within the cell.
“Now check out this Article written almost on the day that OWOW received the exclusive marketing rights to our Oxyengenated Water,” the affiliate instructed, pointing prospects to the NIH website.
“NIH does not endorse products and this promo is an inappropriate use of a press release that has a tenuous connection to this product at best,” NIH spokesman and senior science writer Michael J. Miller told the PP Blog this morning.
How the agency would proceed was not immediately clear.
See earlier story on bizarre events that ensued after OWOW made a cancer claim about a nonwater product.
A “Non-Affiliated Support” link on the OWOW website includes no contact information for the company and no form through which prospects or members of the media can submit questions.
OWOW appears to be the successor company to Data Network Affiliates (DNA), which purported to be in the business of creating a database to help the government and the AMBER Alert program rescue abducted children.
No evidence has emerged that DNA had the capacity to help the government do anything.
Separately — and on the same OWOW-connected website — a series of videos appears. Piccolo, also known as “Mr. P.,” is featured in a video that hawks purported magnetic products positioned as treatments for everything from bruising and hair retention to preventing the surgical amputation of limbs.
Meanwhile, video viewers also are told that the magnetic products can be used to help tomatoes, vegetables and fruits grow “twice the size.”
At the same time, the products also are positioned as helpful to dairy farmers.
“Dairy farmers who feed their cows through this here unit right here produce more milk per cow,” Piccolo claims in the video.
Family pets hearing a call from the grim reaper can extend their lives if their owners use the products, Piccolo instructs viewers.
“Your pets? If you have a pet and your pet’s on its last leg[s], bring them a Magnetic Shower,” Piccolo coaches. “You won’t believe what it will do for your pet.”
See Video
“If it wasn’t for magnets, I really believe I’d be in a wheelchair right now,” Piccolo says in the video. Piccolo asserted he’d been bucked off a horse and suffered the worst bruise his doctors had ever seen — but used magnetic products to save the day quickly, heal bruising and maintain his ability to walk.
One man who suffered a heart attack was able to avoid a leg amputation by using the magnetic shower head, according to the video.
It perhaps was a good idea to purchase the product before “Monday,” because the price was going to increase, Piccolo tells the audience. The date upon which the OWOW video was recorded was not immediately clear.
Magic? It does not work for obesity though I see.
Anyone wanting to see some of Phil’s previous adventures just needs to visit http://worldwidescam.info/ and scroll down a bit for a primer.
dB
Here’s a pitch from the OWOW website for the “OWOW Liquid Enhancer”, which appears to be filter through which the user pours liquids to purportedly magnetize them – thereby deriving the magical effects of the device as shown below, including improving the taste of orange juice, vodka, and margaritas!
Cancel my health insurance! Discard my medications! After watching the video pitch for this amazing product I’m convinced! Beside all that I can earn money by selling this and other OWOW products! What else can I say but, “Oh wow!”
-PWD
???
“When you drink magnetized water you will notice improved digestion, relief from stress and from stomach and intestinal problems, less gas and constipation and higher elimination of the mineral waste that’s been accumulating in your system. The OWOW Liquid Enhancer makes food and water taste better and it makes your body work better—you get the most from every drop of fluid and you’ll be truly hydrated! Your energy level will increase and you’ll feel like a new person!
Helpful Tips when using The Liquid Enhancer.
* Keep it handy and upside down by the kitchen sink.
* Always rinse thoroughly after each use. (Especially after liquids that stain.)
* Take apart and run brush through funnel and tip every few days.
* Drink 6 to 8 glasses of filtered water poured through unit.
* Many nutritional juice companies pour their product through.
* Pour all other liquids (except beer).
* After you fix your coffee… pour it through.
* Orange juice is smoother and sweeter.
* Ice tea along with all kinds of soft drinks taste better.
* Even vodka and margaritas are better.
* Even red and white wines taste better.
NOTICE: Since magnetic water enhances all nutritional products, check with your doctor for levels of medication, including insulin or blood thinners, when taking with magnetic water.”
OWOW Liquid Enhancer
Price: $298.00
Shipping (US) : $19.95
Shipping (INTL) : $39.90
Hahaahahahaha “The one man internet crime wave”
Phil Piccolo is back! Hmmmm Did he ever leave?
The claims for the “Oxyengenated Water” are remarkably similar to another MLM snake-oil product “EvolvHealth” and “Evolv water”.
Oxygenated water nonsense
http://www.chem1.com/CQ/oxyscams.html
Since Phil seems to be recycling all of his old failed mlm programs/products, wonder which one of these will pop up next as OWOW program/products:
MLM Bank; aaTCM.com; 1995Plan; OneSource; Laundry CD; Matol; Nutrition For Life; thewwwlink.com; ReferEveryone.com; thetwentyteam.com; YourFreeMall.com; Magnetrol Liquid Enhancer and Shower Vitalizer; Free4UOnline.com; OneQwest.com; GECC; Nourishthechildren.com; HelpingHands.com; Travelogia.com; UNS1; RxPPC; RxFHL; “Magic Shower” – didn’t work then, doesn’t work now; PowerHealth International; PrivatePage; Lites Out Strips; PAP System.com; TravelAgent99.com; PreRegisterForFree.com; YTB-Your Travel Business; DubaiMLM; TPP; MYWFL.com (Warranties For Less); and 4E-Corp.
You can bet he is going to get rid of as much of his old inventory as he can on the OWOW people. And the list above is not the complete list of programs he has been involved in or was running. Just the biggest of the scams.
Makes you want to run out and signup for OWOW doesn’t it since Phil has been so successful in the mlm industry.
It’s about the same as the “bottled water” industry, selling people a product they can get from the tap, and at a MUCH lower price. Makes no sense, but they did good marketing. Now we have “vitamin water” and “Flavored water”. Why not water with small nuclear reactors in it, or maybe “Steak flavored water”. We have become a country filled with people with no common sense, especially when there is an “opportunity” involved!
But Lynn, are you saying the benefits of magnetizing the things I drink – and the other benefits touted by “Mr. P” in his videos on YouTube aren’t real? I watched the video Patrick linked to above – and a couple of the others that become available afterward – and he has testimonials from people all over the place – even the guy who avoided a scheduled amputation after showering with the shower-head that magnetizes water. Mr. P must be telling the truth, right?
-PWD
This reminds me more of “fitness” industry selling snickers and shorts that supposed to make you fit just by walking in them. Of cause no scientific proof. Seems like mainstream companies adopt successful MLM tactics(Lie, lie and lie even more).
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mlmmarketer, Alan De Klerk. Alan De Klerk said: BULLETIN: National Institutes Of Health Says OWOW Multilevel … http://bit.ly/fARrCd […]
Hi Pat,
The amputation “testimonial” was an interesting one in that it was presented in the form of an audio recording played from the stage. Perhaps most interesting to me was that the audience did not appear to be horrified that the “testimonial,” which clearly was recorded outside their presence and may be 14 years old, was used to “sell” them.
There were no catcalls from the audience. No one raised a question about why an audio recording was being used. No one asked for any form of proof that the supplier of the “testimonial” had been told by a licensed medical doctor that an amputation was imminent or in the offing.
It could be that the audience was just being polite and didn’t want to interrupt the pitch. It also could be that the meandering pitch itself led to healthy skepticism and caused people NOT to send OWOW any money.
But it also could be the case that the audience, which imagined itself as getting richer, simply wanted to believe that the magnetic device could grow huge tomatoes, cause cows to go into overdrive when producing milk, save the aged family pet — and spare human beings their limbs.
The problem — as often is the problem when medical claims are made by nonexperts — is that people will delay life-saving treatments while they test devices/cures advanced by quacks and hucksters.
This appears to be the source of the audio “testimonial”:
http://www.magicshower.com/magnergy_audio/testimonial_1.wma
“Mr. P.,” another “money magnet” at work — while mixing in talk of God and prayer.
On a side note, DNA, the apparent predecessor company to OWOW, also provided “testimonials” about its purported mortgage-reduction program. These testimonials about the effectiveness of the program surfaced only days after DNA began to offer the program. They, too, introduced God and prayer.
One purported provider of a testimonial described her DNA experience as a “miracle”; another gave DNA the credit for saving her home after she purportedly “prayed” about the matter:
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/07/09/editorial-mlms-great-race-to-the-bottom-while-ftc-sec-cftc-warn-about-affinity-fraud-data-network-affiliates-says-its-mortgage-reduction-program-is-a-church-fundraisers-dream-come-true/
Finally, OWOW appears to be getting ready to franchise bottled-water stores. Members recently received this email:
The OWOW Water Store aka The OWOW Pick Up Station
TWO EXCITING WAYS TO PROFIT BIG TIME…
#1 Open Your Own “OWOW Water Store”
#2 Sponsor Someone Who Opens An “OWOW Water Store”
Starts In January 2011 – $7,000 Deposit Locks In Your Area
Each area is a minimum of 250,000 people…
Accepting Deposits From USA & CANADA Only
For those who end up sponsoring An OWOW Water Store not only do you earn downline commissions for The Life Of The Store… You also receive a $1,000 Cash Bonus for helping OWOW find a Store Owner.
The OWOW Water Store
Oxygenated Water Of Wonders
Possible Income Streams From Sales Of OWOW Affiliates Picking Up Product…
$5 Per Case Of OWOW Water estimated Minimum 2500 cases Monthly = $12,500
$3 Per Bottle TurboMune estimated Minimum 1000 units Monthly = $3,000
Many Other OWOW Items Will Be Offered…
Possible Income Streams From Outside Sales From NON OWOW Affiliates…
An additional $5 Per Case Of OWOW Water
An additional $5 Per Bottle TurboMune
An additional $5 Magnetic Back Pads
An additional $5 Magnetic Foot Insoles
Many Other Items To Come…
Possible Downline Income From Building An OWOW Sales Team
From people coming into the store from walk ins or local advertising…
2×10 equals up to $25,000 a month…
3×10 equals to much money to put into print…
The OWOW Water Store…
Minimum Of 1500 Square Feet…
Optional Unloading Dock or Forklift Needed…
Safe Environment For People To Pick Up OWOW Items…
Estimated Inventory Deposit…
Minimum 1/2 A Tractor Trailer Load 1250 Cases which is $25,000
Preferably A Tractor Trailer Load 2500 Cases which is $50,000
No Franchise Fees and No License Fees…
$7,000 Deposit Needed Per Store To Lock Up An Area
Populated Areas 10 Mile OWOW Area…
Smaller Populations Up To 20 Mile OWOW Area…
Areas Estimated at 250,000 Population…
No OWOW Store Can Be Less Than 15 Miles From
Another OWOW Store Unless it is the same owner…
####
(The #### above notes the end of a quoted section of a Dec. 15 email by OWOW.)
Of course, OWOW also purports to pay interest to members who send in money — and there may be securities problems associated with that.
As the story above notes, the National Institutes of Health is now aware of the OWOW bottled-water product and that the company seems willing to plant the seed that NIH has done research favorable to OWOW’s bottled-water product.
Patrick
Lynn,
Don’t forget the purported “Protective Spray” from DNA that purportedly safeguarded motorists from having photos of their license plates snapped by intersection cameras.
This was the same DNA that said it could help the AMBER Alert program rescue abducted children. DNA never said whether it believed that its “Protective Spray” would be useful to criminals who abducted children and sped away in cars.
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/07/26/dna-now-says-it-is-selling-protective-spray-to-block-wrongful-ticketing-from-red-light-cameras-simultaneously-announces-alert-button-to-protect-adducted-children/
Patrick
Hi Tony,
Indeed, litigation ensued from the seed that EVOLV tried to plant that its product had passed muster with the University of Texas and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center:
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/11/11/want-to-plant-the-seed-that-famous-brands-back-your-mlm-product-if-they-do-not-get-ready-to-pony-up-for-legal-bills-evolv-banned-from-using-trademarks-of-m-d-anderson-cancer-center-university-of-t/
Also, given the fact that OWOW now is trying to plant the seed that research by NIH applies to its bottled-water product, OWOW members might be interested in these stories:
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/10/30/kaboom-federal-judge-was-right-when-he-ordered-marketers-to-pay-48-2-million-in-false-advertising-case-brought-by-ftc-appeals-panel-rules-complete-absence-of-support-for-most-claims-made-about/
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/11/16/settlement-with-ftc-bans-scientist-from-making-snakeoil-claims-about-pom-wonderful-100-pomegranate-juice-and-pomx-supplements/
Patrick
Patrick:
Speaking of the mortgage reduction program, which now seems to have vanished like so many other ‘products’ associated with Phil; it is also interesting that nothing has been said about their resort program either.
With Phil it is always a moving target and a new product to hype and join. Notice that he used the word “Possible” when he describes the earnings potential of the bottled water store. When it doesn’t happen, he comes back as says: I said it was “possible” not a sure thing. Yet his presentation is always interpreted by the audience as a sure thing. I still can’t believe anyone is falling for all his hype after all these years of his failures, well except for Phil who always makes money.
If, indeed, OWOW does as outlined in the message above, they may open a whole new can of worms.
At one point in my pre-retirement days I worked for a national insurance marketing organization that set up an arrangement in which they established territories, charged a fee for the territories, etc., and later found that they’d unknowingly created a franchise.
Bottom line: There are big-time legal requirements regarding disclosures – and many other requirements – for franchisors. Furthermore,there are significant downsides for failure to comply with those requirements. It became my role to find an attorney and retroactively take the steps needed to get the company into compliance – before the roof caved in legally.
If OWOW proceeds as outlined in the email message about the stores, it looks like a “duck”, walks like a “duck”, and may very well be a “duck”. Wonder if that notion has crossed Mr. P’s mind.
-PWD
Hi Pat,
I doubt it. After all, DNA also had a plan to franchise cell-phone stores — this after it declared itself the world’s low-price leader despite not even having a footprint in the business.
You’re aware, of course, that DNA later bizarrely acknowledged that it hadn’t even studied cell-phone pricing before it announced “GAME OVER — WE Win.” It then backed away from its purported $10-a-month-plan with unlimited talk and text and a free phone — but not until any number of promoters advertised the service on YouTube, including promoters who used the intellectual property of Apple Inc. and claimed DNA had a branded I-Phone.
In any event, DNA blamed it on a vendor who purportedly deceived the company. The firm appears never to have come out with a replacement plan — not even after offering cell-phone franchises.
Longtime observers will tell you that the cell-phone franchises and the bottled-water franchises were not “Mr. P’s” first tour in this land-mine rich area.
Here is a story (below) about felony RACKETEERING and SECURITIES FRAUD charges in Delaware that followed a franchising investigation in Wisconsin.
The indictees were in the credit-repair business:
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/07/08/update-delaware-ag-beau-biden-says-credit-usa-pyramind-scheme-cost-two-state-residents-more-than-100000-victims-asked-to-contact-prosecutors/
Patrick
Reminds me of another snake oil water claim. “Alkalized Water” The Kangen scam and a few others come to mind. All nonsense of course.
The purveyors and promoters of snake oils, jungle juices and miracle waters need to take note that their days of deceptive advertising may be numbered.
The French multinational Danone has recently had to settle with the FTC for 21 US$ million after being caught making exagerated claims in their yoghurt advertising – and they only suggested that eating yoghurt might prevent colds and ease irregularity.
Just as well they didnt even TRY to suggest that it cured cancer or prevented amputations. Whether or not yoghurt helps tomato growth has not yet been established. lol
http://www.businesspundit.com/ftc-dannon-put-too-much-b-s-into-probiotics/
The above web makes this very apt conclusion about the FTC action, whiuch should please even the most cynical readers.
“But I am starting to see a trend around regulation of the previously-unregulated health foods and supplements sector. For state and federal governments hungry for dollars, squeezing fines out of these billion-dollar industries will provide a handy, if time-consuming, economic boost. The nice thing about this particular brand of regulation-for-money, as opposed to some others, is that it encourages activities that benefit consumers, too, eg. truth in advertising.“
[…] with Internet Marketer Phil Piccolo, later appears to have morphed into a company known as OWOW, which offered purported cancer cures a “magnetic” product purported to have prevented […]
[…] with Internet Marketer Phil Piccolo, later appears to have morphed into a company known as OWOW, which offered purported cancer cures and a “magnetic” product purported to have […]
[…] Last year, at least one OWOW affiliate traded on the name of the National Institutes of Health. […]