As summer temperatures rise, an increasing number of social media ads promote products like the Cooling Ace as the perfect solution for staying cool without the expense of air conditioning. With bold claims of revolutionary cooling technology and thousands of positive reviews, these gadgets appear to be just what hot and bothered consumers need. But before whipping out your credit card, beware – the Cooling Ace and similar “as seen on TV” style products are often nothing more than a scam designed to prey on unwitting shoppers through deceptive marketing and fake reviews.
This in-depth exposé will uncover how the Cooling Ace bait-and-switch scam really works, spotlight the deluge of near-identical sham products, break down their misleading sales tactics, and provide tips on how consumers can avoid getting duped.
An Onslaught of Viral Cooling Product Ads
Overheated social media users can’t escape the barrage of video ads for so-called “innovative” cooling devices like the Serum Cooling Ace, Shirem Cooling Ace, Sherum Cooling Ace, Festberg Cooling Ace, Yodaer Coldeez Cooling Ace, Glosrity Coldeez Cooling Ace, Libiyi Cooling Ace, Outfany Cooling Ace. They infiltrate Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram with hard-to-resist sales pitches of a compact, affordable product that can lower temperatures in any room in minutes.
The ads depict supposed customers gleefully enjoying the icy breezes from their Cooling Aces, with messages like “Beat the Heat”, “Stay Cool for Pennies” and “Slash Your Energy Bill”. CGI graphics showcase the “advanced Japanese technology” inside the device and its supposed ability to cool large areas rapidly at a fraction of the cost of AC.
With attractive models, upbeat background music and clever editing, these ads are designed to go viral while building hype for the Cooling Ace and its apparent revolutionary cooling capabilities. But can a $59.99 plastic gadget really outperform expensive air conditioners? Let’s analyze the facts behind the claims.
Unverifiable Companies and Brands
The first red flag is that Cooling Ace ads never come from an established, reputable company. Brands like Serum Cooling Ace, Shirem Cooling Ace, Sherum Cooling Ace, Festberg Cooling Ace, Yodaer Coldeez Cooling Ace, Glosrity Coldeez Cooling Ace, Libiyi Cooling Ace, or Outfany Cooling Ace appear and disappear overnight, untraceable to any legitimate business entity.
The websites follow similar templates, displaying rows of products not found elsewhere online. Any attempt to identify the manufacturers or owners behind these supposed brands leads nowhere.
No credible information exists on when these companies were founded, where they are located or who runs them. The vague business details provided are purely fictional, lending the sites an air of illegitimacy. This lack of transparency regarding the source of these heavily promoted products should set off alarm bells.
Recycled Stock Photos and Videos
A common tactic seen on Cooling Ace and similar websites is the use of generic, recycled stock media. For example, the device photos are identically copied between different vendor sites or have even been traced back to Chinese wholesale listings.
Customer testimonial videos feature actors reading off scripts, sometimes repeatedly across different vendors. There are no unique images or real customer footage to back up claims of the product’s functionality.
It becomes apparent these websites merely cloned content to create the illusion of established brands. In reality, there appear to be no real companies manufacturing specialized cooling products as advertised. Just anonymous importers of cheap mass-produced goods.
Fake Reviews Provide False Credibility
While Cooling Ace websites boast scores of glowing customer reviews and near-perfect 5 star ratings, these have clearly been fabricated to lend credibility to otherwise unknown products.
The same generic names and testimonials praising advanced cooling technology are copied everywhere these gadgets are sold. There are no critical or detailed evaluations that would indicate genuine experiences with the product itself.
In contrast, searches on impartial review sites reveal very few reviews from verified buyers, and complaints of receiving disappointing substandard units. This huge discrepancy confirms the reviews on vendor sites are entirely fake, aimed to mislead potential buyers.
Pressure Sales Tactics and Hidden Charges
The checkout process for Cooling Ace gadgets is filled with deceptive tactics to rush customers into purchases before deeper scrutiny.
Countdown timers pressure you into buying before wildly inflated fake prices go back up. But the discounts never end, even when closing and reopening the page.
Upsells frequently default to higher-priced packages of multiple units without consent. Hidden subscription plans for filters and other recurring charges also tag along unless vigilantly unchecked.
These schemes point to unscrupulous vendors who know their product won’t provide value, so must resort to pressure and deception to make sales.
Long Ship Times from China, Not Local Warehouses
Cooling Ace vendors emphasize fast dispatch from nearby warehouses, sometimes within 24 hours. But in reality, most buyers experienced 1-2 month delivery times – a telltale sign of cheap overseas dropshipping.
The far lower shipping cost and long transit period points to goods being sent directly from Chinese suppliers, not domestic warehouses as claimed. By overstating shipping speed, they hope to secure orders from consumers attracted by the prospect of fast relief from summer heat.
An Influx of Identical Products
A curious observation when investigating these cooling device ads is the sheer number of websites selling what appears to be the exact same product, just under different names.
Serum Cooling Ace, Shirem Cooling Ace, Sherum Cooling Ace, Festberg Cooling Ace, Yodaer Coldeez Cooling Ace, Glosrity Coldeez Cooling Ace, Libiyi Cooling Ace, Outfany Cooling Ace – the list goes on. All touting similar bladeless evaporation technology and powerful cooling capacity at a low price point compared to traditional AC units.
This points to mass-produced, unbranded devices imported in bulk from overseas suppliers by pop-up retailers looking to cash in on viral ad trends. There are no unique or patented technologies; just generic gadgets dropshipped to consumers from Alibaba-like wholesalers.
Real-World Test Results Expose the Reality
While ads boast of advanced Japanese cooling technology inside each Cooling Ace allowing it to lower room temperatures rapidly, impartial tests reveal a far more sobering reality.
When not connected to a continuous source of water, the actual cooling effect was found to be extremely minimal, similar to a small fan. No fancy proprietary blades or refrigeration systems were inside – just a basic air filter.
Noise levels were significantly higher than advertised at close range. Build quality consisted of cheap, breakable plastic components. The devices bear little resemblance to the powerful high-tech cooling machines portrayed in ads.
One test even found the Cooling Ace raised the temperature of a room by 2°F in 10 minutes! Far from the 30°F drops in minutes promised by marketers.
Customer Complaints of Cheap, Defective Units
While ads boast of premium quality and durable construction, the consensus from real customer reviews is that Cooling Ace units feel cheaply made and break incredibly easily.
Reviews on independent sites like Amazon report flimsy, defective devices that stop working within days or weeks. Many described extreme difficulty getting refunds for broken units, with vendors often disappearing after shipping.
A disturbingly high number of customers also revealed being strong-armed into paying 2-3 times higher prices at checkout than advertised.
Overall, real-world experiences paint a bleak picture of overpriced, shoddily made products dumped on consumers using bait-and-switch tactics and fake reviews. A very different reality than the flawless cooling innovation depicted in ads.
The Factories Producing Branded Cooling Gadgets
While vendors never disclose the origins of Cooling Ace units, some clever buyers performed reverse image searches on the device photos. This revealed exact matches with generic cooling gadgets sold on Chinese sites like Alibaba and AliExpress for around $3 to $10 per unit.
The cheap plastic parts and poor build quality reported by users also point to manufacturing in no-name Chinese factories churning out untold numbers of unbranded cooling products.
Various middlemen then create sham brands like Arctic Air and Cooling Ace to market these devices, adding huge markups and fake claims around the technology. But in reality, it all comes from the same pools of ultra-cheap, low-quality goods half a world away.
Other Red Flags on Vendor Sites
Looking closely at Cooling Ace and similar retailers reveals additional concerning signs these are not legitimate businesses:
- Newly registered domains with generic names
- No company details like business registration numbers
- No physical addresses or contacts beyond a web form
- No evidence of warehouses as claimed
- No verification of safety certifications
- No warranty or guarantee information
- No indication of minimum order quantities
These missing details reinforce the suspicion that pop-up retailers simply sell rebranded mass-produced goods directly to consumers until inevitably shuttering their sites after enough complaints pile up. Rinse and repeat under a new domain and brand name.
How to Identify and Avoid Cooling Device Scams
Now that you know what’s behind the onslaught of Cooling Ace and similar product ads, here are some tips on how to recognize and steer clear of these seasonal scams:
- Be skeptical of “miracle” products promoted heavily on social media and YouTube.
- Research unfamiliar companies and brands extensively before buying. Look for valid contact details, business registrations etc.
- Beware of new domains with no online
- Beware of new domains with no online presence or search results prior to their launch.
- Cross-reference all product claims against impartial reviews from real customers.
- Check for recycled photos, videos and reviews across different vendor sites selling identical items.
- Avoid sites with exaggerated discounts and countdown timers creating false urgency.
- Carefully scrutinize orders for hidden upsells and subscriptions before submitting payment.
- Don’t trust claims of fast shipping from local warehouses – long delays point to overseas dropshipping.
- Buy directly from established retailers like Amazon or physical stores instead of direct from shady websites.
- Research whether reviewers received incentives in exchange for positive reviews.
- Pay via credit card or PayPal utilizing their purchase protection policies in case requested refunds are denied.
- Report suspicious vendors and misleading ads to consumer protection groups and advertising networks.
By being an informed shopper and applying critical thinking, you can avoid getting duped by the overhyped claims and fake reviews used to peddle subpar products on fly-by-night websites. Taking your time to research first can save huge headaches down the road.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cooling Ace Ads and Products
1. What is the Cooling Ace?
The Cooling Ace is a portable evaporative air cooler heavily advertised online and on social media. Viral video ads portray it as a revolutionary alternative to expensive air conditioners, claiming it can cool rooms rapidly using advanced Japanese technology. In reality, it is a cheap mass-produced plastic gadget imported from China and sold under various sham brand names at inflated prices using fake reviews.
2. What are the telltale signs it’s a scam product?
These include brand new websites with no online history or corporate records, exaggerated and unbelievable claims of cooling capacity, stolen media, fake reviews, limited time countdowns, resistance to refund requests and complaints of flimsy gadgets breaking quickly. The Cooling Ace bait-and-switch scam uses deceptive marketing to convince consumers they are buying a high-tech cooling innovation when the product itself is a low-quality $5 import sold at 10x the cost.
3. What brand names is it sold under?
Serum Cooling Ace, Shirem Cooling Ace, Sherum Cooling Ace, Festberg Cooling Ace, Yodaer Coldeez Cooling Ace, Glosrity Coldeez Cooling Ace, Libiyi Cooling Ace, Outfany Cooling Ace and dozens more. New brand names appear constantly to distance themselves from negative reviews. The products are identical despite different branding – cheap plastic air coolers mass-produced in China.
4. How much does the Cooling Ace retail for?
Ads display prices ranging from $49 to $89 for one Cooling Ace unit after fake discounts. But users are often automatically charged more at checkout for multiple units and recurring filter subscriptions without consent, sometimes exceeding $200. The actual retail cost shipped from China is estimated to be under $5 per unit.
5. Does it really use advanced Japanese technology as marketed?
No, impartial testing reveals no specialized technology inside Cooling Ace units. Just basic air filters, a fan and water wick to provide a light cooling effect no better than an inexpensive fan or swamp cooler. The dramatic cooling powers advertised have been debunked as completely fabricated.
6. How effective is the Cooling Ace at cooling rooms?
Despite ads promising a 30°F drop in minutes, real-world testing found the Cooling Ace lowered temperatures by only 2-3°F over 10 minutes in a small space. This minimal cooling is similar to a basic fan. Without continuous water refilling, it performs even worse. The Cooling Ace cannot come close to replacing real portable air conditioners as claimed in ads.
7. Where is the Cooling Ace manufactured?
Vendors never disclose the Cooling Ace’s origins. But customer photos matched the device to unmodified air cooler models sold in bulk on Chinese sites like Alibaba for around $3-$10 per unit. This explains the cheap plastic construction reported by many disappointed customers, as opposed to the premium parts advertised.
8. How can I avoid getting scammed?
Stick to major retailers like Amazon or Walmart where you can read authentic customer reviews. Beware of unbelievable claims, new websites, countdown timers, fake reviews, resisting refunds and credit card disputes. Research the company selling it. If the brand has no online history or corporate records, do not hand them your money.
9. What should I do if I was scammed into buying a Cooling Ace?
First request a refund from the seller. If they refuse or disappear, file a dispute with your credit card company for non-delivery of the promised product. Report the website to scam tracking sites and advertising networks. Leave negative reviews detailing the deception. Consider contacting your consumer protection agency to warn others.
10. Are these Cooling Ace ads illegal?
While the ads themselves skirt laws, the intentional misleading of consumers into paying far above retail cost for ineffective products using deceptive claims and reviews raises serious legal issues around fraud. Scam operations typically shut down before facing consequences, then reopen under new names and domains. However, consumer awareness continues growing regarding these seasonal cooling device scams.
Conclusion: Verify Bold Claims Around Cooling Devices
When an endless parade of ads for Cooling Ace and similar products offering unbelievable cooling power at bargain prices invade your social feeds every summer, resist impulse buys based on slick marketing alone. The reality rarely measures up to the over-the-top claims designed specifically to go viral.
Before any purchase, rigorously verify vendor and product legitimacy through impartial customer reviews, skeptic forums and scam warning sites. Being an informed consumer is the best defense against seasonal cooling device scams using deceptive ads and reviews to peddle cheap imported goods at inflated prices. Stay alert and don’t let them cash in on desperation to escape the heat!
Key Takeaways: Recognizing Cooling Device Scams
- Unverifiable pop-up brands and websites should raise suspicions. Research the company thoroughly before buying.
- Stolen media and fake reviews aim to deceive. Check independent sources like Amazon for real customer experiences.
- Dramatic discounts and countdown timers create false urgency. Close the page and take time to carefully evaluate the offer.
- Extended shipping times likely indicate dropshipping cheaply made products directly from China.
- Outlandish claims around advanced cooling technology cannot be validated. Rely on impartial in-depth testing.
- Shoddy build quality and high defect rates reveal the true low-end origins of these gadgets.
- If a deal seems too good to be true, it almost always is. Applying critical thinking avoids falling for scams.
