Scams Plague Fuel Customers

By: Dave Larsen

The rising price of gasoline has produced a surge of products that promise to provide relief at the gas pump. Unfortunately, most of them are rip-offs! Some are even dangerous, to your health or to your car.

In May of 2006, Texas based BioPerformance, Inc., was shut down by the Attorney General for being an illegal pyramid scheme. The company's product, a pill for the gas tank that was supposed to increase gas mileage, was found to be chemically equivalent to mothballs, which are toxic.

Even though both company and product were complete frauds, each still drew a large crowd. To promote BioPerformance and suck people into the illegal pyramid scheme (which was disguised as multi-level marketing), the company sponsored big, pep-rally like seminars around the country. At the seminars, people who paid lots of money to have the privilege to sell the little gas pill were encouraged to believe in the product and its ability to make money, despite the fact the BioPerformance bottle had a disclaimer in tiny print: "BioPerformance, Inc., doesn't guarantee anyone any results"

To further encouraged people, the president of BioPerformance, a pastor named Llowel Mims, adopted the benevolent position of announcing his goal to make at least 1,000 participants in the BioPerformance company millionaires. Playing on patriotism, the company promoted the pill as "All American" because it is a way to lessen dependence on the Middle Eastern oil countries and help the environment.

When it comes down to laboratory tests though, BioPerformance's pill doesn't measure up to the claims. In fact, it has actually been proven to hurt car engines. That's a far cry from the "All American" product celebrated at the seminars. The bottom line in this is that if it's too good to be true and hasn't been backed up by numerous independent studies, than it's probably a scam.

Mileage and Fuel
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