[Disclaimer: Shark Tank gummies do not exist. The people behind them are allegedly using illegal marketing tactics to land consumers on their landing page. We do not endorse these gummies or business practices.]
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Over the last ten years, the investors of Shark Tank have backed some very successful products that we know and love. However, due to its popularity and authority pull, the Shark Tank name is being used to market products that it is not affiliated with in any capacity. One alleged example is Keoni Gummies.
Keoni Gummies is a CBD brand that’s riddled with scandal. There are rumors that the brand had at one point claimed that Kevin O’Leary from Shark Tank has invested in its CBD company, but we couldn’t find any evidence of this happening.
On top of this, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 88,000 complaints in 2023 regarding subscriptions, free trials, and false advertising related to weight loss pills and gummies, including keto supplements.
Our aim for this article is to educate consumers on a potential scam plaguing the CBD market. We hope to help consumers avoid scams and learn the red flags to look out for when shopping for CBD.
Why Shark Tank Gummies Is a Scam
If you don’t have a lot of experience shopping for CBD, then you may be thinking, “How do you know it’s a scam?” Scams are usually pretty easy to spot when illegal marketing claims are made.
No investors from Shark Tank have invested in any CBD company, and it’s illegal to make such a claim, which is what makes it a scam. Selling products under the guise of a false claim tricks consumers into thinking they are purchasing a product with more authority than they actually are.
The Illegal Techniques in Use
There are some other immediate marketing techniques in use that jump out to us as apparent red flags for a scam. If you click on most of the pages that come up when you search “Shark Tank gummies”, you will find several issues.
First, you will see altered photos of Kevin O’Leary, Dr. Phil, and Dr. Oz. These photos will appear as if these famous men are endorsing the Shark Tank gummies, but many of these images are made with AI.
None of these men are affiliated with or have endorsed “Shark Tank” gummies. It's beneficial for a company to be affiliated with a celebrity endorsement because they can gain the trust of consumers who trust the namesake of the celebrity.
Second, many of the websites that appear in a search for these gummies are replicating health institutions domains to make it seem like their landing page is legitimized by a well trusted organization. Despite a new Google update, there hasn’t particularly been a ton of support in removing these misleading pages. This has led to an increase in the amount of scammy CBD brands across the web search.
Another big red flag is that these landing pages are being marketed across Facebook. As many Facebook users fit into an older demographic, they can often be duped into believing Shark Tank gummies and the claims about them are real. This is additionally problematic as this age demographic may seek CBD gummies for the potential health benefits they offer.
Why Shark Tank Gummies is Scam
The CBD has been steadily growing in the last few years, which is great and shows a testament to the value of CBD products. However, this also makes CBD products an easy avenue for scammers.
Unfortunately, this means consumers need to be extra cautious when purchasing CBD. We urge consumers to always check the background of the brand they are buying from. Look at the company’s story, customer reviews, third-party testing results, and the legitimacy of the company’s claims.
Typically our goal in writing articles is to educate consumers about CBD’s potential uses and uplift other CBD brands and products. However, the consumers’ best interest is always our main priority. Which is why it’s important to us to shine a light on any scams in this abundant market and help protect CBD users as much as we can.
