In the ad above, in particular, you can see examples of diction, detail, and far-fetched claims. First, the ad uses the words "simply," "weird," and "old." These words signify both that this trick is simple and will be a quick fix and that the tip that you will find is obscure and, because of this, less well known (that's probably why you haven't heard it yet!). The details of the add are also of interest. The ad makes a point of using numerical data to back it's claim. Three times it unnecessarily writes out numbers to give the "fact" it is trying to sell you a more logical backing. This again helps to make it more believable. Lastly, the ads claim that you could lose three pounds of weight, only from your stomach, each week, for an extended period of time is just wrong to begin with. Not only would that be unhealthy, it's also impossible. This gets only the most desperate of people, those willing to give their money to begin with, to express interest in the ad.
To the right is an example demonstrating that the tip really may exist, it just isn't what you would at first think. While a consumer may actually get a product from these scams, the product doesn't work as intended. Though these scammers may be slightly unethical for doing this, the consumers are equally if not more so at fault for believing in such ridiculous magic solutions to their problems.
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People have caught on to Nigerian scams, they've been around for a while. What's next? One weird trick scams.
These ads that say you can learn a language, lower your electricity bill, lose weight, look younger, or sleep better, are often scams, profitable scams that bring in billions of dollars. Now you probably see these ads all over the place and scoff. Who would actually fall for an ad like that? Plenty of people. These ads prey on a similar group of people as the Nigerian scams. They pose something so unbelievable that only people who are either desperate or credulous would attempt to pursue. By advertising specifically to these people, the scammers already have an idea of who their audience will be, meaning they can later play off their weaknesses. Again, scams are all about establishing credibility. These ads will make claims that are so outlandish that people see them and think, "Wow, why would anybody say that unless it were true?" This helps them to lure in people who are gullible, people that it will be easy to establish this credibility with. |
Internet SpeculatioN
The above video again, exhibits many examples of the others, however this one is not from the direct source so you can pause, play and rewind it!
A few elements of rhetoric it contains common to these scams are
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One article cites several interesting questions regarding these scams:
What, I wonder, makes the tricks so weird? How come only one trick (or sometimes "tip"), never more? Why are the illustrations done by small children using MS Paint? and also remarks that many people are hesitant to even try and debunk these suspicious looking ads solely for fear of consequences to their computer.
Unhindered by this consequence for in class research, I delved farther. The specific example the above author utilizes can be found here. With all of these videos, a pauseless, lengthy video will come up. Once the video has attracted a gullible victim, it forces them to watch a a lengthy video. Studies have found that offering many reasons as to why something is true makes an argument more convincing, regardless of the quality of the plethora of reasons given. By having you watch a 50 minutes video, the ad is substantially more likely to convince you to buy their product. In and of itself this can be considered a rhetorical strategy, amplified by the fact that you can't skip, fast forward, or pause the video. They build up with promise of shock and surprise, in hopes of keeping you engaged, as they longer you are engaged the more convincing their argument becomes. At any moment the might reveal the well-guarded secret they speak of, they would like it to seem. This is again a strategy to hold interest while the many reasons backing it fill your mind, making it more believable. Michael Norton, a professor in marketing, found that people tend to be more credulous when it comes to "classified" information. This makes all the "weird" and "old" and "secret" words to describe the trick directly relevant to the rhetoric of these advertisements. They increase the credibility of the author. |