They’re back! Websites that impersonate TV news stations, popular magazines, or entertainment sites that disappeared about five years ago after being sued by the FTC are making a comeback.
For example, some websites suggest that Joy Behar is leaving ABC’s “The View” to devote more time to a new skincare line of cosmetics.
Here is one of them that is dressed up to look like an entertainment news site:

Use scrollbar above on right to view.
There are many celebrity and non-celebrity endorsements on the website as well, such as this one from Rosie O’Donnell.

There is only one problem. Rosie knows nothing about it. From her blog:
*MOUSE PRINT:

And worse, Joy does not have a skincare line of products, as she explains in the video below. She also reassures the audience that she is not leaving the program.
*MOUSE PRINT:
The website with her purported line of cosmetics is completely fake. It is not an entertainment news site. And it’s only purpose is to sell Juvalux face cream.
How do we know it’s fake? Here is their legal disclaimer — one of the most outrageous we have ever seen — which says in part:
*MOUSE PRINT:
This website is not a source of facts or real information. All the content featured on our website is artificial and falls under the umbrella of fiction. …
EntertainmentToday.Co is a fabricated web publication, which uses real names in a fictitious way. All news articles contained within EntertainmentToday.Co are fictional and should be presumed as fake news. Any mention of celebrities and public figures are used to pepper our stories, grab your attention and sensationalize our content. They are entirely inaccurate and should not be believed as fact.
And it goes on and on.
Sites like this are reminiscent of the fake sites that were designed to look like a TV station’s website reporting exciting news about Dr. Oz endorsing acai berry supplements for weight loss. The FTC went after nearly a dozen of these sites in 2011 asking a judge to shut them down.
While the endorsements on the face cream site are fake, sales of Juvalux cream on it are real. They offer a “free sample” for which you only pay $4.95 for shipping. However, buried in the “terms and conditions” is this:
*MOUSE PRINT:
If you do not cancel within 14 Days of your intial [sic] trial purchase, we will charge the same card you provided the full product cost of $89.95 and enroll you in our auto ship program, which will ship you a fresh monthly supply of the product, and charge your card $94.90[emphasis added] (including S&H) every 30 days.
You have been warned.
Incidentally, it is not just wrinkle cream being promoted this way, but sites pretending to be CNN, TMZ, and Vogue, for example, are pitching weight loss pills too.
As always, caveat emptor, and in cases like these, attendat lector! [Be an attentive reader]
That is the most hilarious disclaimer that I have ever seen.
If you’re trying to sell a product by endorsing it using real names in a fictitious way, I think you are begging for legal trouble.
Thanks, Mr C
Well wayne they could easily be sued for FARRRR more than they are worth. They are only going to be screwed long term.